The Doors - What Do You Think About Them?

I always thought The Doors were the first real progressive rock group. Some might say The Beatles, but I don't think so.

First off, it's stunning that The Doors first album was in 1967, and L.A. Woman was released in 1971, which are both my favorite albums, but if I had to pick one, it would probably be "L.A. Woman".. "The Doors" self-entitled album starts with "Break on Through" and ends with one of my favorite songs by any group, "The End", but what's in the middle isn't as strong as L.A. Woman.

Back to "prog" - take all the different rhythms this band utilized in their very short time together.

-bossa nova

-Latin

-Tango

-Shuffle

-Military

-Jazz

-Tribal

-Rock

-Blues

-German Oompah

-Waltz

-Native American

-Disco (Peace Frog)

-Wild Child (whatever that is, during the verse, is awesome)

-Funky (The Changeling)

-Consistent Pounding on "Spanish Caravan"

-And whatever rhythm would be classified on "Love Me Two Times", going all over the toms, while keeping the beat

Musically, also very diverse. You had Robby with his flamenco, Middle-Eastern, Indiana influences, along with the bottleneck bluesy stuff, jazz, etc etc.... Ray with his classical influences, some boogie-woogie, jazz, etc., and with Jim's creativity, not just the lyrics, but how he delivered them rhythmically (with great melodies to accompany them), his pauses between lines that are simple, but always stuck with me, "Cops in cars, the topless bars, never saw a woman............ so alone"... speaking of L.A. Woman "motel, money, murder, madness" (I like alliteration), or unique phrases, hell, even interesting titles like "Peace Frog", "The Soft Parade" and many others.

Anyway, I'm sure many of you have things to add, so I'll stop there, but I'll post a cool interview of Jim, which is contrary to the lie that oliver stone movie was, and I'd advise the young people who haven't got "into" them to go to the primary sources - the band, not rumors of debauchery (Grace Slick admitting on Roseanne Barr's talk show she lied about having sex with Morrison, because her publisher paid her a million bucks) and second-hand rumors... Check out video, audio, print interview to have a good blueprint, and THEN read the books (Friends Gathered Together, Summer With Morrison)... Too many times (not here) I have discussions where someone references an inaccuracy from a movie, or whatever, and it sticks in their head, since it's been said that first impressions tend to stick the most, along with convenient fact, as opposed to truthful nuance.

My favourite albums are debut (all superb tracks, only "I Looked at You" is average), Waiting for the Sun and L.A. Woman. If you listen to any of the albums through, especially debut and Waiting... you can just admire Manzarek & Krieger & Densmore's versatility in any style they choose to play and arranging skills when they combine different influences. 

I like Oliver Stone's film, although it's been years since I last saw it. Of course anyone watching it should remember it's not a documentary. 

Don't know about sex, but I guess she lied about a million bucks. She never looked like a million dollar baby.

As for the Doors, in my opinion they're one of those bands that are bigger than any genre, be it prog or blues or whatever.

Prog..? Who knows?..I never saw them that way but then I was 16 -19 yrs old  at the time. 

I thought Morrison was a great front man..but I was always a little disappointed that the other players weren't a bit more dynamic as musicians. This is not dismissing them but I wanted heavier blues rock guitar leads and louder drums and bass to match , but that simply wasn't their style. 

Bit of a hit and miss for me. Sometime Jimmy is just screaming too much for my liking.

This is my doors assorted CD (not in this order)

Had to dig deep into my portfolio for these. From a 2003 European Family Vacation.

You would not believe how hard it is to find, or to convince my wife and 11 year old (at the time) son to make the trek with me.