The Cavern
Rock & Words
ABSOLUTELY LIVE (The Doors, 1970)
Artist: The Doors (B+)
Recording Date: Jul ’69 – Mar ‘70
Release Date: July 20th, 1970. USA
Record Label: Elektra
Producter: Paul A. Rotchild
Rating: 10 (MUST HAVE)
Era: Psychedelia (1966-1969)
Subgenre: Live Album
Best Song: Who Do You Love o When The Music’s Over
Tracklist: ) 1) House Announcer; 2) Who Do You Love; 3) Alabama Song; 4) Back Door Man; 5) Love Hides; 6) Five To One; 7) Build Me A Woman; 8) When The Music's Over; 9) Close To You; 10) Universal Mind; 11) Petition The Lord With Prayer; 12) Dead Cats Dead Rats; 13) Break On Through; 14) Lions In The Street; 15) Wake Up; 16) A Little Game; 17) The Hill Dwellers; 18) Not To Touch The Earth; 19) Names Of The Kingdom; 20) The Palace Of Exile; 21) Soul Kitchen.
I got to see the Doors live... NO! I'm not an old man! Except the tour I went on was the 2007 "Riders On The Storm" tour, with half of the Doors (or what's left of them), Ray and Robbie, and Jeff Scallions on vocals. Of course, it's not the same as the Three Musketeers, or what happened a year and a half and twenty years later, but I have to say it was one of the concerts I've enjoyed most in my life, perhaps because I had such low expectations. Even so, it was a delight to see the Doors live: they still exude energy and have a great connection with the audience, so I can only imagine what an experience it must have been to see the complete band at their peak, with a wild Jim Morrison radiating charisma all over the stage.
The Doors truly made their name with their live performances, as they were censored by many media outlets, and it's said that they were some of the best shows on the planet, without the need for screens, lights, effects, or any pyrotechnics. This is one of the best examples of that. I don't usually review live albums unless they're truly worthwhile, and this one is undoubtedly a gem, so it deserves a look before moving on to their studio albums.
The album is worthwhile for many reasons. First, it showcases the tremendous live power of this music-making machine called The Doors . The band manages to impact and transmit that excitement and adrenaline of their concerts, and at times, you only need to close your eyes to imagine the band on stage. The interaction with the audience is phenomenal; you can hear the applause, Jim talking, scolding, the crowd chanting certain parts (especially the section on " We Want The World and We Want Them"). want it …” from When The Music's Over), Jim improvising lines in the last song… Secondly, it's not a live Greatest Hits album, but rather a lot of material that can't be found on any Doors studio album . This is partly a drawback, because surely fans want to hear “Light My " Fire " and "Love Me Two Times" are included, but those can be found on almost any other live album. Here, the tracks are mostly rarities that true fans will appreciate—songs that didn't make it onto studio albums but are of good quality. "Universal Mind " and " Build Me a Woman" are a couple of examples of the band's originals. The " Celebration of the Lizard" suite deserves special mention. It spans from "Lions in the Street" to " Names of the Kingdom," and although many criticize it for being boring and pointless, I 've always found it hypnotic, dramatic, and captivating. Of course, it must have been much more impactful to see it live, or at least to see this suite performed on video, but I don't understand how they glorify the moment when Hendrix sets his guitar on fire and dismiss this piece as garbage. It's not the Doors ' best song —in fact, it's not even really a song—but I understand its meaning, and as such, I think it achieves its intention as a performance and shows that the band had higher creative limits than other groups of the time. Among the covers not found on other albums are Muddy Waters' "Close To You" and Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love," which also have their merits, making the track selection remarkable without resorting to clichés. This also makes it a very blues-infused album, revealing the Doors as the blues-based band with psychedelic undertones they truly were, placing this album on a higher level than the more commercial Waiting For The Sun and Soft Parade. They would confirm this shortly after with their fifth studio album, Morrison Hotel, where the band definitively embraced the blues. Finally, this isn't a single concert, but rather a compilation that Paul Rothchild made of many, many Doors performances between July 1969 and March 1970, selecting the best songs and climactic moments from each concert. It's worth noting that almost no song is from just one night. That is to say, a song might begin with a part of the Detroit concert, the chorus is from Boston, the solos in LA, and the closing show in Philadelphia, to name a few. The album has over 2,000 copies and was made to showcase a definitive document of the Doors live; hence its title, Absolutely Live, couldn't be more fitting. The edits are so well done that they're practically imperceptible, and one can easily be fooled into thinking this is a recording of a single concert. Furthermore, the production and sound are excellent, and the only drawback is that Robbie's guitar always seems a bit low in volume and is somewhat overshadowed by the drums and keyboards.
According to Nick Hopkins in the book "Nobody Gets Out of Here Alive," Jim had wanted to release a live album since mid-1968, as he said that was the true essence of the Doors . The fact is that, for one reason or another, it wasn't until mid-1969 that they were able to begin preparing the live recordings. In fact, in July of '69, they recorded the albums Live at the Aquarius I and II, a pair of excellent concerts, but they weren't These live recordings weren't released until 2001. We'll review them once we've finished the studio recordings. The thing is, between various problems—the audio wasn't coming out as complete as they wanted, etc. —they couldn't find a single night they considered perfect enough to release, so tapes piled up. Rothschild suggested they take fragments from the different concerts to make an album, but the band was already about to go into the studio to record the Morrison Hotel concert, so they gave Paul the green light. The result was good, and the band eventually gave their approval, although Jim was left with the regret of not having recorded a live album of just one night. Furthermore, after 1969, concerts became more complicated for them following the Miami incident. The curious thing is that Jim Morrison only saw this album before he died, the Doors being essentially a live band, although countless compilations and high-quality live recordings would be released after his death. Also, unless I'm mistaken, I believe it's the first live album released on LP. double album, just a couple of years after the Beatles set the trend with studio albums starting with the White Album .
The album opens with a brief introduction by the announcer called “House Announcer”. Not as impressive as the now legendary “Ladies and gentlemen, from Los Angeles, California… THE DOORS!”, no. But it does the trick from the very first moment, immersing us in the concert atmosphere, with the crowd already growing somewhat impatient, and you get excited by the shouts; you can almost imagine the curtain rising. Jim immediately starts interacting with a “Do you feel "Alright ?" and we'll leave immediately with…
The second track and first song, "Who Do You Love", originally by Bo Diddley, features that signature drumming. But without losing Diddley's signature beat, the Doors manage to completely own it, creating a monumental cover in which they feel comfortable and each member shines. The song is charged with energy from Densmore's drumming, which becomes increasingly complex and adds tension as only he knows how. What a damn good drummer he is! Ray provides good arrangements without hogging the spotlight, but Robbie steals the show with those tremendous slides and the heavy fuzz on his guitar that explodes at times, like around the two-minute mark. After these explosions, they return to calm with the drumming, building an immense song that makes you wonder why they never included it on a studio album. Jim, for his part, delivers a majestic vocal performance, taking time to improvise a bit, sounding comfortable in the song's low register, and at times unleashing that wild scream. A feast of energy and a demonstration of the band's meticulous attention to building tension and explosive moments. An excellent way to open a concert and an album, leaving the audience speechless from the very first note and proving that the blues will be their forte.
Next up is "Alabama Song", which, I insist, is one of the band's most underrated tracks. Well, it's a cover too , but you get my drift. The song has a tremendous darkness, and it's very similar to the version on their debut album. At first, the guitar is very quiet, but they quickly correct that. The song is cut almost in half, but it has the effect of flowing into the next one…
Which is “Backdoor Man”. Jim unleashes a savage scream that bridges the two songs, launching into that tremendous riff, which is then stretched out slightly, creating a truly apocalyptic feel. This version is much wilder than the studio recording; Jim sounds genuinely menacing with those screams, and Robbie's guitar solo is phenomenal. The problem is that, just as we're recovering from such power, they cut a minute of it to segue into…
“Love Hides”, which is a minor track , this time an original not available in the studio, which more than a song in itself, is a poem by Morrison that serves as a coda to slow down the pace a bit in this medley with which the album begins.
With barely a transition and in the same vein, the band launches into “Five To One” and another of those crushing riffs. The guitar is thick with an almost piercing fuzz . The intensity with which they play makes you want to buckle up, and Robbie's solo is one of the most sublime moments in rock history. Truly. Jim sings like never before, going from a whisper to a scream, masterfully building tension, which John leads with masterful skill, and Ray, as always precise and creative with the Farfisa organ . The song is filled with a dark and menacing aura from beginning to end, and you feel like standing up and applauding along with everyone else when it finishes. A medley of linked songs that is truly impressive, and on its own, worth the price of the album.
Side 2 of the first disc opens with “Build Me A Woman”, another original track you won't find on a studio album. It's a perhaps more generic blues song, but another highlight of Morrison's vocal career. It's not particularly complex, nor does it have mind-blowing solos or riffs, but it's well-crafted and serves to lower the intensity a bit after the relentless Side A.
But the truce doesn't last long. The second song, which fills the rest of side B of the first disc, is none other than "When The Music's Over", which they extend at will, taking their time to improvise solos and meticulously build tension, almost to the point of making our nerves fray. From the very beginning, the way the heavily distorted guitar enters, instead of Jim's roar, creates an unforgettable sonic impact. I won't go into details. Simply put, " When The Music's Over" is one of my two or three favorite songs by the band, and this version is spectacular. The way Jim starts interacting with the audience from the nine-minute mark onward suddenly transforms it from a song into a complete experience. He suddenly silences the crowd and asks, "Does anyone knows How to behave in a rock & roll concert ?” Ironic coming from someone accused of masturbating on stage, but perhaps that part was recorded before Miami. Then comes the section where all the instruments fall silent and he delivers the line “ We "Want the World and We Want It …" – a pause that seems almost tragic – “…NOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!” exploding the song in a way that sounds like the world is about to end. Here, Ray creates a more extended arrangement, as if to name a city or country after himself, then they slow the tempo and close gloriously. Many complain that it's too long, but you really have to feel the music, let it transport you to enjoy those 14 minutes that seem too short. After the music ends, we can still hear Jim clowning around with the crowd while Ray celebrates with some cute little keyboard flourishes that segue into…
“Close To You”, a Willie Dixon cover , sung by Ray himself. He doesn't do badly. Of course, he's no Jim, one of the greatest vocalists in history, but he has that raspy voice that suits the blues well. In the early 60s, by the way, Manzarek played blues under the name “ Screamin ' Ray Daniels.” I think he at least deserved to sing a song. At 2:07, Ray himself delivers a spectacular, very bluesy keyboard solo . I don't understand why some people demonize the song so much. Why does Ray sing? He doesn't do badly, Jim provides backing vocals, and ultimately it's just pure fun. In the end, Ray himself adds some sparkle by improvising a few lines.
Next up is “Universal Mind”, another new original. It’s a very good ballad, almost waltz-like, with that mystical atmosphere. Ray steals the show here with the excellent arrangements. The thing is, “Demasiado” sounds too much like a Mongo Santamaría song, later made famous by John Clotrane, called “Afro Blue.” The plagiarism is undeniable, but even so, the song is good and quite enjoyable, with its mystical and somber jazzy feel.
The controversial suite “Celebration of the Lizard” follows, taking up almost the entire last side. I won’t go into too much detail, but it opens with the poem “ Petition The Lord With Prayer”, which originally opens “The Soft Parade”, and you can hear the audience erupting in jubilation. Then comes a fragment called “ Dead Cats Dead”. " Rats " with the music of "Break On Through", a fragment of Jim's dark humor. Then they recreate an Indian ritual in which you can almost see Jim dancing like the old shamans who so impressed him, in an intimate and confidential tone, which is broken by the next fragment in which Morrison jolts them out of their lethargy with an unexpected shout of "WAKE UP!!!!" While musical chaos reigns in the background, "A Little Game" follows , based on a children's song, in which Jim narrates his descent into madness. Upon closer inspection, this section is quite unsettling, and one wonders if Jim isn't actually on the same side as Syd Barrett. After an instrumental passage called "The Hill Dwellers", comes "Not To Touch The Earth", the longest musical section of the suite and the only one they were able to include on the album "Waiting For the Sun" from the original suite. Following the excellent live version, which doesn't differ much from the studio recording, they close with "Names Of The Kingdom," in which Jim proclaims himself "Lizard King" and then recites in a very mystical manner. I insist, this piece may be heavily criticized, but I believe it demonstrates the band's ability to transcend mere music and deliver a true performance in their concerts, which is the piece's real intention. At least it works for me, transporting me back to a night in 1969, but if you find it monotonous or a collection of noises... unconnected, they can skip it and go straight to the end.
The concert and album close with “Soul Kitchen”, which the band usually used as an encore. I think the decision is brilliant; it brings the audience back into the concert mood , showcases the band's energy as a unit, features good solos, and overall makes for a much more positive and bright ending than if they had finished with the strange suite. The ending is perfect. Jim starts improvising and joking with the lyrics to create a magnificent Closing : “Well the cop says it’s time to close now, I think we have to go now, I’d really wanna stay here all night…” Jim says goodbye and you’re left with the impression of having truly finished a concert and are left with a very good feeling.
In short, many critics trash this album, but I think it's the band's best live recording. Despite being a double LP, it's 60 minutes long, so it's neither too long nor too short like other albums that fail to draw you into the atmosphere. It also provides a true concert experience, from the introduction to the encore . The band interacts, improvises, plays around, has fun, rocks out, performs their shamanic ritual, doesn't just copy studio versions (what's the point of doing that live???), and delivers a pretty solid album without even bothering to include their classic hits, except for a couple of tracks. Plus, you really feel the audience's presence; it's not like other concerts where the crowd sounds like a distant roar. Here, you hear people shouting, the more timid applause, and you feel the energy.
The album has its flaws, which I've already mentioned, but ultimately, the fact that it's a released live recording from several nights shouldn't be a reason for it not to be a 10. After all, it's the best live Doors recording I 've ever heard. I own this one on original vinyl and treasure it like a jewel, so I'm quite used to it. But I think if you haven't heard it before, it might sound strange and jarring at first, and it will take you a while to get used to the sounds because it doesn't include the timeless classics. But that's what Alive She Cried is for . When the music from this live album finally reaches you, you'll agree with me that it's one of the best concert recordings ever made.
Oh, I almost forgot, the original LP has a different cover than the CD reissue. The CD cover is the one above, and the original LP COver is on the top of the post. Interestingly, when the LP was released, Jim had already grown a beard, and the record company insisted on using an old photo to show him looking younger and as the sex symbol he was—in other words, to sell more copies. Morrison was furious, but he only managed to get them to put an updated photo of him on the back cover, in the section that appears when you open both sides of the case.
Well, I highly recommend this album, but only for those who are already very familiar with the Doors ' sound and want to explore new territory. For those just starting out, it's better to begin with "Alive She Cried" or "In Concert", which includes these albums plus the Hollywood Bowl concert.
By Corvan
Aug/6/2010
