The Smiley Smile Message Board

I was told all of the Doors albums were remastered in 1999, but I can't find any record of this on internet searches except for a greatest hits compilation. Also, the cd release date for listings on amazon are all 1990.

They say on the back of the album some jargon about being Remastered 24 bit. All the albums being sold through Amazon and most record stores should be the Remastered ones. The old ones are out of print. Make sure it says 24 bit on the back. There’s a box set of all the studio albums Remastered, if you want them all.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002NDBC/sr=8-2/qid=1150378430/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-5185964-5661731?%5Fencoding=UTF8

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000A1LSP/sr=8-1/qid=1150378452/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-5185964-5661731?%5Fencoding=UTF8

Get ready to throw all those older versions away soon. I'm on the official Doors board, at the end of this year there's going to be a 12 disc boxed set (6 cds, 6 DVD- A discs) of all the studio albums with Morrison. The cds will have brand new re-mixes by Bruce Botnick and bonus tracks. The DVD-A discs will have 5.1 mixes and more bonus material including alternate takes and studio banter. Also improved pakaging and liner notes over the older Doors cds. There's also plans for a limited edition vinyl boxed set that will include the mono version of the first Doors album. Also planned is an improved reissue of Absolutley Live and possibly the first official cd release of the post Morrison Doors albums. The cd/ DVD-A packs will be avaliable individually next year.

Thanks for the info.  ;D

Other Voices on CD? Hot damn!

I'm glad I didn't buy the re-releases. If these things are worth a salt, I'll invest in these re-reissues.

Full Circle on CD ? Oh jeez...

Hmmmm... wonder if they'll reatin the origianl packaging ?  ::)

I like Other Voices AND Full Circle.

Manzarek, Krieger, and Densmore had a unique musical chemistry, and it's unfortunate that they closed The Doors in 1973, because I felt they had a lot of great music left in them.

It's understandable why Ray, Robby, and John were frustrated with their vocals, lyrics, and musical direction - Jim Morrison cast a large shadow. But just as Morrison's legend stayed alive, so did The Doors' music. I think audiences would've overlooked "the lack of Morrison" and EMBRACED the surviving Doors throughout the 80's, 90's, and 00's. They were/are that good.

Of course it wouldn't been the same, but expectations were already lowered when Jim died. I hoped that they would've gotten the Butts Band and solo albums out of their systems, and regrouped every 4-5 years to record and tour. I don't care who sings or what name they use, I just like to hear them play.

I'm still holding out hope for a Doors reunion, but it doesn't look good. Too many lawsuits, personality conflicts, the lead singer is still dead, and Densmore has tinnitus (does anyone know if there is a cure for this?). But 2007 is the 40th Anniversary of the first Doors album. Any other rooftops available in California? Is Dennis Jacob's rooftop, where Jim Morrison used to "live" before forming The Doors, still standing? Hey, if it's good enough for The Beach Boys... 

The 1999 remasters are encoded in HDCD and are considered to be great and improvements over the older CDs. However, I much prefer the DCC Gold CDs of the albums "The Doors", "Strange Days", "Waiting For The Sun" and "L.A. Woman" for their richer, fuller and smoother sound..

I have heard that some or many examples of the box set mistakenly contain the unremastered Soft Parade CD. You can only find out by checking the HDCD code (e.g. on you HDCD player or with Windows Media Player). In my humble and minority opinion, I really like the unremastered Soft Parade CD...

I don't understand the comments that one should avoid the remasters because of the upcoming newer releases. There is no guarantee that these newer releases will be improvements, and if they are indeed remixes (as Music Machine above posted), I would rather stick to the current remasters. Mono mixes on CD would be splendid, though. :)

I've found the Soft Parade album to be a kind of masterpiece after many years of listening. 

Word.

Agree! The Soft Parade has taken too many unfair shots over the years. I think Jim did some of his best "singing" on the album.

And this might be an obvious choice, but "Touch Me" is THE song that really showcases Morrison's voice in a beautiful way.  "I'm gonna love ya..." is worthy of a Sinatra, etc.  Better, in a sense.

Good observation. Jim was a fan of Frank Sinatra.

This always gets me in trouble with purists (that's cool, I respect them), but I wish "Who Scared You" would've been included on the album, right after "Do It" and before "Easy Ride". It will probably be one of the bonus tracks on the new releases mentioned above. I hope they strategically place it within the album, but it will probably just be tacked on the end, like most bonus cuts.

I would have relegated Easy Ride to a b-side and had Who Scared You be the side one closer. I also think The Soft Parade's bad rep is mostly undeserved. For me, Tell All the People and Wishful Sinful are the only over-orchestrated songs. Also, I don't understand why Wild Child and Shaman's Blues aren't more recognized as classic Doors songs, I think those two songs are brilliant. In a way maybe it's a good thing, seeing as they haven't been tarnished by overplay on the radio. The Doors Sound Stage Performances DVD does offer up good Doors only versions of Tell All the People and Wishful Sinful and an incredible runthrough of the title track, all from a 1969 PBS TV special.

When I did my first book with Tobler (more years ago than I care to think about...), I listened to all the Doors' albums in sequence, and following The Doors, Strange Days and Waiting For The Sun, The Soft Parade was like a slap in the face. The band always referred to it as their Sgt. Pepper. I think it was the strings... that and the individal writing credits. In truth, it's not that bad, just nowhere near as good as that which preceded.  ;)

Same things could be said for Today!, Summer Days, and Pet Sounds...the payoff for those three was Smiley Smile, which barely resembles the previous three in terms of sound.  And I know I excluded Beach Boys' Party! from that list to make this work...

Soft Parade used to be my favorite Doors album....switched to Morrison Hotel recently. Great guitar sound on that one.

With Lonnie Mack on bass!  He should have played some guitar on "Roadhouse Blues"...but Krieger did alright.

Posted today on the Doors official website messabe board by Doors manager Jeff Lampool, here is a tentative (but not final) listing of bonus tracks on the Doors reissues:

THIS IS WHAT IS PLANNED, BUT NOT 100% FINALIZED YET, SO DO NOT HOLD US TO THIS!!!


The Doors:

Two different versions (aside from the album version) of Moonlight Drive
Indian Summer

Strange Days:

Alternate of People Are Strange
Studio dialogue
Love Me Two Times (Take 3)

Waiting For The Sun:

Celebration Of The Lizard
Adagio In D
Not To Touch The Earth (Takes 1, 2 and 5)

The Soft Parade:

Touch Me studio dialogue
Touch Me (Take 3)
Whiskey, Mystics & Men
Whiskey, Mystics & Men alternate version
Who Scared You
Push Push

Morrison Hotel:

Blues With Lonnie Mack
Roadhouse Talking Blues
Queen Of The Highway (jazz version)
Queen Of The Highway alternate (no Jim)
Various takes of Roadhouse Blues
Dirty Roadhouse
Spy In The House Of Love (jazz version)
Peace Frog studio dialogue


LA Woman:

You Need Meat
Orange County Suite


Morrison Hotel looks the best of the lot. This isn't exactly as relevatory as I hoped for. It does look pretty decent though, especially Morrison Hotel. There's a few missed opportunities here though, I would have loved to have seen some single versions/ mixes included. Particuarly "The Unknown Soldier" which is mixed very different to the album version and has a different sound effect track. Also "Tell all the People," "Touch Me", and "Wishful Sinful" with no orchestra tracks, and more demos like the one for Hiacynth House from the '97 boxed set. When I asked, people told me on the Doors message board that there are a few more demo recordings similar to that one. There's also a few rarities from the later years Jeff Lampool says are either in poor shape or not in the Doors' hands like "Paris Blues/ Queen of the Magazines" (tape is damaged, they are trying to repair it), potential studio takes of "Who Do You Love" and "Someday Soon" (these were done in the studio but the tapes haven't been located/ aren't in the Doors' hands) and "Smokey the Bear", a fun joking around improv from the Morrison Hotel sessions which is on bootlegs but the Doors don't have a copy.

I'm disappointed by this.

First, many of these tracks appeared on the Boxed Set. Second, they won't really ADD anything substantial to the original lineups. They might take away from the cohesion, because many of The Doors' album-closing songs were classics. Actually, all of them were.

It might be better to just stick 'em all on one CD, but that won't happen.

Will there be a mono/stereo mix on each cd? Or just one and not the other?

like the first album mucsically, like the second album for its cover, and I like




Well, I woke up this morning
And I got myself a beer.
Well, I woke up this morning
And I got myself a beer.

The futures uncertain
And the end is always near.

now THAT is poetry

It's going to be packaged as a cd and DVD-A disc together stereo mix on the cd, 5.1 on the DVD-A. There's also going to be a Doors vinyl boxed set that will include the mono version of the first album.

What is really missing on CD are the single mixes.

Yeah, I said the same thing to Jeff on the Doors' board. I hope it didn't fall on deaf ears.

Thirty-five years ago today, July 3, 1971, Jim Morrison broke on through to the other side... R.I.P.

Jeff Lampool has now stated that there will be an additional 2 cd set of rarities and is getting the fans to do research for it. That sould be a good release.

Now we're talking!

Since I didnt' purchase the 24 bit remasters, now is probably the time to score them cheap on eBay. These DVD things dont' interest me. The bonus material is nothing interesting.

As I have just purchased the Perception Boxset, thought I'd revive this old thread. Any Doors fans on the board currently? What's your favourite album by them? I honestly could not pick out of the first 3 albums, they are all incredible. The Soft Parade is not bad but definitely a step down, I have no problem with the strings, just some of the songwriting on it. Morrison Hotel is pretty crap, but then they really had a creative rebirth with LA Woman. Are the two Morrison - free albums worth seeking out, I read mixed opinions on them.

PS Stone's movie on them is the greatest comedy of all time.

I'm not so much a "fan" as just an avid listener.

I LOVE their first album...one of my favorites of all time. Morrison Hotel is my second fav Doors album - 'Peace Frog' - 'Blue Sunday' is epic imo. I'm not much of a fan of LA Woman. I just recently bought American Prayer and really dig that album too.

The Doors are awesome. While most people my age had their huge Doors fix in their mid-teens and then "grew up", therefore leaving them behind, I keep coming back to the Doors every now and then. While my listening is by no means as extensive as it was back in those high school days, I still get thrills and chills listening to those amazing sounds. The albums are generally great, with only parts of The Soft Parade sounding rather...ehhhh, despite the album having two or three of their all-time great moments. An American Prayer is something that will divide people...it's essentially for fans only. For fans of Jim's poetry it's like candy. For his detractors, it's everything they ever hated about him. I always loved the mystique around Morrison (and this was before I saw Manzarek trying to milk it for commercial gain).

Other Voices and Full Circle are pretty good, too. Other Voices pretty much picks up where LA Woman left off, and stuff like Ships With Sails, Tightrope Ride, and Wandering Musician are among their best tunes. Full Circle is less successful, sounding like a strange mix of the "Doors sound" with a strange kind of jazz fusion. Even then, The Mosquito will kick your ass. For those of you who doubt the power of the Doors without Jim, try and find the video of them on Beat Club in '72. All of the tunes minus Love Me Two Times are from the post-Jim era, and they COOK. Ray's count off going into the organ/guitar shredding of Verdilac is a wall of sound that very few could match.

I guess you could say I'm a fan.

Never listened to Other Voices, Full Circle but am definitely going to give them a shot. Count me in as one of those fans of American Prayer...it is actually one of my favorite albums. The only part of it that seems weird is the inclusion of Roadhouse Blues. I was already familiar with it from the Live double CD set, so when I heard it on AP it just didn't seem to belong...

I would stay up all night some time ago, like in 2004/2005 to be exact and pop in AP around 4 or 5 in the morning. It was almost like a religious happening for me. I'm sure the sgurd might've had something to do with that...

I think the most overrated doors album has to be "Waiting For The Sun" sure it has some gems in there but mostly filled with fillers smh..(Wintertime Love,Spanish Caravan,My Wild Love)
"Morrison Hotel" is my favorite because it has a few of my favorites and well it's a very personal album for me.

Spanish Caravan is one of their best songs, and a major, major cut on Waiting For The Sun. The song was also a staple of their live set. Nothing filler about it.

No other 60's band can touch the recording quality of the Doors albums.

Electra ruled, in terms of fidelity and sonics.

I'm definitely a fan. The second best LA-based band ever (BB is of course first. Van Halen is third in my book). I love all their albums, expect for Strange Days - I know many think it's their best work, but it somehow leaves me cold.

My favourite songs tend to on the less epic/poetic side. Do It, Hyacinth House... Land Ho is in my Doors Top 1!

land ho is amazing and it kinda reminds me of shortenin bread :p

Definitely! Come to think of it, in it's straight-faced silliness Land Ho isn't that far removed from some of Brian's funny/weird moments. No wonder I love it!

Jim Morrison had his quirky moments too ;)

Morrison definitely had a sense of humor and could be tongue in cheek.  "I see the bathroom is clear."  "When I was back there in seminary school."  "That's New York for ya...."

Most definitely he did. "Ha ha, he bought a little! Yes he did. I'm proud to be part of this number."

Rock Is Dead. 'Nuff said.

no no no WRONG

Waiting For The Sun is a great LP, classic Doors, no filler there, NG.  Check out Unknown Soldier, Five to One, etc.  Play these songs freaking LOUD!

"Love Street" is the classic "creepy" Doors love song.  It's a "love song" that's just a little too unsettling......  No one did it better than them!

"I wonder what they do in there...." heh heh

It's all classic, classic Doors, and one of the reasons that I never lose my taste for this band.

you named all the songs on there i like but the fillers take up the most space :/

He didn't name Not To Touch The Earth, you think that is filler?

that song sounds very cheap and extremely outdated :/

Then just say you don't like The Doors and leave others that do to discuss them.

I respect your opinion, but my opinion is that you don't know Bruce about music.

The doors are in my top 10 favorite bands of all time. Just because I'm not feeling a few songs from their weakest album doesn't mean i don't like that group.

The whole Doors catalog sounds outdated! That doesn't mean it's not really good. I'm all for objectivism, but in this case I don't get your criticism at all. What do you mean by cheap?

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been taking a trip through all of the Doors "40th anniversary CDs" which were issued around 2007.  They originally appeared as DVD-A’s in the Perception set, but around 2007 were all reissued as standalone CDs.  AND these are (apparently) remastered AND remixed, and it’s nothing short of incredible.  The people who did these remixes made some very smart and musical decisions.  The remixes are simply glorious to hear.

Glorious!

I’m an "original fan" so you know I’m an "old guy".  But I have to say, each of these albums is better, WAY BETTER than I actually remember.

No question: for a brief time, the Doors were the best band in America!

Doors fans here: let’s hear ya!!!!!

Awesome band, would love to own the latest re-re-re-release of their catalog, the "Infinity"-boxset... But as I already have Percetion and The Doors Vinyl Box... :( :D

I have the first box they put out, the one in the mini-lp sleeves, and that sounds fine to me.  I heard the remix version wasn't that good, but haven't heard them.  I want them to sound the way I remember them.  All in on the new DVD though.  The reviews are positive, and want to get a Blu-ray up-grade on those early clips.  Already have the Collector's Edition DVD with Dance on Fire, Hollywood Bowl and The Soft Parade.  But my favorite part of that Is the early clips, so willing to give the new one a try.

Highly recommend the two disk "L.A. Woman (40th Anniversary Edition)". The disc of alternate takes is amazing.

Yeah, that one slipped my mind when I was doing the post.  I did buy that.  I love the alternate takes.

I wish they'd put out official cd's of the two albums without Jim. Both have some awesome tracks on them. Such a shame they're not officially available on disc (I think they got added to iTunes last year though).

If you subscribe to Collectors Choice Magazine, or go to their website, you can find their two albums without Jim on one cd. I'm not really not of the legality of the cd, but the sound quality is excellent. From what I can tell, it does not seem like a needle drop. The version of Tightrope Ride that was used on the Doors's 1997 box set is from a pretty noisy needle drop, and actually sounds much worse than the twofer version. They don't always have a copy in every issue of the magazine I've gotten, but I've seen it several times. Here's a link to their website. http://www.ccmusic.com/

Yeah I know there are some semi-legal issues (I think from Eastern Europe), but I just want an official release with a nice booklet containing some information, maybe some bonustracks etc.