Previously lost recordings come across fresh on band’s Black Friday release
Despite a short time in the rock ‘n’ roll spotlight, The Doors left a lasting impact on the music scene.
The band, which hailed from Los Angeles, first appeared in 1967 and enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top with hit songs such as “LA Woman,” “Break on Through,” “Touch Me,” “Light My Fire” and “Roadhouse Blues.”
In its live performances, the group embodied rock ‘n’ roll theater at its best. But The Doors were spooky, as well, as they were led by frontman Jim Morrison, a complicated and dark man obsessed with death. While contemporaries like the Beach Boys were all about sun, fun and surfing in Southern California, the brooding music of Morrison, guitarist Robby Kreiger, keyboardist Ray Manzarek and drummer John Densmorre was evocative of the seedy underbelly of the City of Angels.
Morrison’s untimely death in 1971 all but ended the group’s existence. The Doors’ three surviving members did record “Other Voices” in 1971 and “Full Circle” two years later, and while both LPs had some bright moments, they largely were dismissed as rubbish by fans and critics alike.
Like most bands, though, The Doors possessed some unreleased material, some of which was discovered and released late last year as an album entitled “Paris Blues,” a limited-edition vinyl compilation released as a Black Friday Record Store Day exclusive.
At their roots, the Doors were a blues band, and that aspect of their composition is spotlighted here. The title track, which was released in early November, was recorded during sessions for “The Soft Parade.” It’s more than five minutes in length, and it is raw and earthy. Despite being recorded more than five decades ago, the cut represents a breath of fresh air for both rock and blues fans.
But the title track is only part of the story here, as there was enough lost material to make this full-length LP that was pressed, appropriately, on blue vinyl.
Side One of the record includes the title cut, “I Will Never Be Untrue” and a cover of Robert Johnson’s “Me and the Devil Blues.” Those previously unreleased tunes feature Morrison on lead vocals. Two blues standards, “You Need Meat (Go No Further)” and “I’m Your Doctor,” were outtakes from “The Soft Parade” and feature the late Manzarek on lead vocals.
Side Two comprises all live recordings and features blues legend Albert King on guitar. It also includes renditions of Willie Dixon’s “Little Red Rooster,” B.B. King’s “Rock Me Baby” and Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love?,” a regular tune on the band’s live set list.
The album is a recent rarity, but it’s a must-have for any classic completist and worth looking into for anyone with even a fleeting interest in The Doors.
