The Doors’ half-century celebration continues as “Morrison Hotel” checks in with a triple-disc edition.
The two CD/one LP set includes a newly remastered version of the album by longtime engineer and mixer Bruce Botnick. The album comes expanded with more than an hour of outtakes from the “Morrison Hotel” sessions (late 1969-early 1970).
The outtakes consist of 19 tracks, notably tracking the evolution of “Queen of the Highway,” which began life in the “Soft Parade” sessions.
“Among the treasure trove of unreleased outtakes are also rough versions of ‘Morrison Hotel’ tracks ‘Peace Frog’ and ‘Blue Sunday,’ as well as the Doors rarity ‘I Will Never Be Untrue,’ ” project publicity said.
Botnick said: “There are many takes, different arrangements, false starts, and insightful studio conversations between the band — who were in the studio — and producer Paul Rothchild — who was in the control room. It’s like being a fly on the wall.”
“Morrison Hotel” was the Doors’ fifth album. It found the band returning to a harder-edged sound after the relative disappointments of the previous album, “The Soft Parade,” which incorporated horns and string arrangements. The group’s psychedelic roots would show here and there, but this was a straight-up rock record. “Hotel” would be the group’s last studio album with producer Rothchild.
The Doors set streets Oct. 9. It follows a 40th anniversary version of the album and a 2013 SACD. The new set is open for preorders at about $55. It is the fifth 50th anniversary release for the Doors, although “Strange Days” was a less ambitious affair.
CD disc 2 of the set includes run-throughs of album-opener “Roadhouse Blues” and stabs at R&B classics “Money (That’s What I Want)” and “Rock Me Baby.” (“Roadhouse Blues” outtakes featured prominently in the 40th anniversary set.) The first CD and the 180-gram vinyl record contain the original album, remastered.
This being the Doors, truckloads of merch accompany the project — a graphic novel, jogging pants, hotel keys, socks …
Back to the music:
Old-school rock writer David Fricke wrote the liner notes, setting the stage thusly: “The Doors were a band in suspended animation. Singer Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore were off the road and in serious legal jeopardy after Morrison’s profane meltdown during a show at Miami’s Dinner Key Auditorium. … The Doors were also exhausted and uncertain of their recording future after the protracted studio drama and uneven experiment of their fourth album, ‘The Soft Parade.’ … It was a season of chaos and anxiety.”
Here is the track listing for disc 2, titled “Mysterious Union.”
Black Dressed In Leather (Queen Of The Highway Sessions)
First Session (11/15/68)
- Queen Of The Highway (Take 1, She Was A Princess)*
- Queen Of The Highway (Various Takes) *
- Queen Of The Highway (Take 44, He Was A Monster)*
Second Session (1/16/69)
- Queen Of The Highway (Take 12, No One Could Save Her)*
- Queen Of The Highway(Take 14, Save The Blind Tiger)*
Third Session (Date Unknown)
- Queen Of The Highway (Take 1, American Boy “ American Girl)*
- Queen Of The Highway (Takes 5, 6 & 9, Dancing Through The Midnight Whirlpool)*
- Queen Of The Highway (Take 14, Start It All Over)*
- I Will Never Be Untrue*
- Queen Of The Highway (Take Unknown)*
Money Beats Soul (Roadhouse Blues Sessions)
First Session
- Roadhouse Blues (Take 14, Keep Your Eyes On The Road)*
- Money (That’s What I Want)*
- Rock Me Baby*
Second Session
- Roadhouse Blues (Takes 6 & 7, Your Hands Upon The Wheel)*
- Roadhouse Blues (Take 8, We’re Goin’ To The Roadhouse)*
Third Session
- Roadhouse Blues (Takes 1 & 2, We’re Gonna Have A Real Good Time)*
- Roadhouse Blues (Takes 5, 6 & 14, Let It Roll Baby Roll)*
Dawn’s Highway (Peace Frog/Blue Sunday Session)
- Peace Frog/Blue Sunday (Take 4)*
- Peace Frog (Take 12)*
* previously unreleased