50 years ago today in 1967, The Doors broke through to the other side for the first time with its eponymous debut on Elektra Records. The Doors would go on to sell millions of copies and made stars of John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, and Jim Morrison. Today, the album is widely considered to be one of the all-time-classic rock and roll debuts.
To celebrate this landmark recording’s 50th anniversary, the band will release THE DOORS: 50TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION. This 3CD/LP set will be available on March 31. In addition, the music will also be available digitally.
To coincide with this, today will be declared “Day Of The Doors” in the city of Los Angeles. The proclamation will be made this afternoon by Councilmember Mike Bonin during a public event at the intersection of Pacific and Windward Avenues, the location of the iconic “Venice” sign. Founding Doors members John Densmore and Robby Krieger will be on hand at the event as will family members of the late Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison.
Packaged in a 12 x 12 hardcover book, THE DOORS: 50TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION includes a remastered version of the album’s original stereo mix, available on CD for the first time in a decade and remastered for the first time in nearly 30 years. The album’s original mono mix was also remastered for this set and is making its CD debut here. An LP-version of the mono mix is also included. The third disc features live performance from The Matrix in San Francisco recorded just weeks after The Doors was released. Music journalist David Fricke provides detailed liner notes for the set, which includes a selection of rare and previously unseen photographs.
THE DOORS: 50TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION offers a rare opportunity to hear the band on the verge of superstardom with live performances recorded during a March 7, 1967 show at the Matrix in San Francisco. The Matrix recordings heard on this deluxe edition were sourced from the recently discovered, original tapes, previously thought to be lost. The Matrix recordings originally released in 2008 were from a third-generation source, so the sound quality of the versions debuting here is second to none.
Packed with electrifying performance, the disc contains live versions of eight tracks on The Doors, including “Twentieth Century Fox,” “The Crystal Ship” and “Back Door Man.”
THE DOORS (50TH ANNIVESARY DELUXE EDITION)
Track Listing
Disc One (Original Stereo Mix)
Disc Two (Original Mono Mix)
- “Break On Through (To The Other Side)”
- “Soul Kitchen”
- “The Crystal Ship”
- “Twentieth Century Fox”
- “Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)”
- “Light My Fire”
- “Back Door Man”
- “I Looked At You”
- “End Of The Night”
- “Take It As It Comes”
- “The End”
Disc Three: Live At The Matrix, March 7, 1967
- “Break On Through (To The Other Side)”
- “Soul Kitchen”
- “The Crystal Ship”
- “Twentieth Century Fox”
- “Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)”
- “Light My Fire”
- “Back Door Man”
- “The End”
LP (Original Mono Mix)
Side One
- “Break On Through (To The Other Side)”
- “Soul Kitchen”
- “The Crystal Ship”
- “Twentieth Century Fox”
- “Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)”
- “Light My Fire”
Side Two
- “Back Door Man”
- “I Looked At You”
- “End Of The Night”
- “Take It As It Comes”
- “The End”