Record Reviews

DOORS ~ LIVE AT THE MATRIX, 1967 RHINO 603497835911 (Barcode: 603497835911) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1967 Released: 2023 This is an archival album by the legendary American Rock group The DoorsFind albums by this artist, which presents the entire material recorded during the group’s five-night residence in March 1967 at the San Francisco Marina District nightclub, called The Matrix. The 3CD album presents thirty-seven live tracks, all remastered from the original master tapes recorded at the time by the club’s co-owner Peter AbramFind albums by this artist. The material was recorded just a few weeks following the band’s debut album release and a few weeks before their iconic “Light My Fire” single changed American Rock forever. These poorly attended live performances were more “paid rehearsals” than gigs, as far as the group members were concerned, and present the group at the embryonic stage, before fame and glory engulfed and eventually destroyed them. Part of this material was released on the 2CD album “Live At The Matrix `67Find albums with this title” in 2008, which suffered from poor sound quality and bad editing, and definitely was not taken from the original master tapes, but rather from bootleg releases. This new release offers eight previously unreleased tracks and fourteen tracks taken for the first time from the original master tapes, all new to this release. These recordings prove that The Doors were a unique combination of superbly talented individuals. Jim MorrisonFind albums by this artist was a prophet, a poet and a charismatic frontman, Ray ManzarekFind albums by this artist was a sublime keyboardist, who could make his primitive organ sound lie a Symphony Orchestra, and who was a Jazz player deep inside, Robby KriegerFind albums by this artist was a superb Blues guitarist with a completely unique sound and John DensmoreFind albums by this artist was a versatile and highly sensitive drummer, who hold this completely unsubordinated band together. Bloody geniuses all of them. Overall, this is a superb historic document and an essential piece of The Doors puzzle, which proves they were great from day one and didn’t really change much over time, since they could never surpass themselves. Thy always were the ultimate American Rock band in all time, existed briefly for just four years, recorded six Godly albums and disappeared – a career perfectly suitable to what they stood for and lived for – like a comet crossing the sky.

Updated: 18/11/2023Posted: 18/11/2023

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