‘The Doors’ Turns 56!
56 years ago today, The Doors unleashed to the masses their self-titled debut album! Recorded in August of 1966 at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood, California, ‘The Doors’ is considered one of the greatest debut albums of all time, by critics and fans alike… me, especially! Cover to cover a true work of musical art.
The legendary Sunset Sound Recorders is responsible for over 200 gold records including parts of Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ & the Rolling Stones ‘Exile on Main St.’, the Beach Boys ‘Pet Sounds’ and the first two Doors albums – including ‘Strange Days’.
Produced by Paul Rothchild and released via Elektra records ‘The Doors’ highlighted the bands genre bending sounds and influences, such as rock & roll, blues, jazz, and even more classical elements. The album is also viewed as an important piece to the puzzle of evolution of psychedelic rock.
The first single from the album was also the opening track “Break On Through (To the Other Side)” – which reached as high as 126 on the Billboard charts in the US. In 2012 the song was selected to be played on Mars during a NASA mission. The follow-up single was the close to seven-minute jam “Light My Fire”, a track that was a breakout hit for the band and has since been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
In 2015 the United States Library of Congress selected ‘The Doors” for inclusion in the National Recording Registry based on its cultural and artistic significance it has garnered over the years.
Since 1967, ‘The Doors’ has sold close to 15 million copies and remains the bands best-selling album. There have been a number of reissues of the LP over the years, including a 50th anniversary deluxe edition that includes the original stereo and mono mixes, as well as a compilation of songs that were recorded live at The Matrix in San Francisco going back to March of 1967. You can also find half-speed mono and remastered versions as well. This particular track listing (pictured) is from the 40th Anniversary edition of ‘The Doors’.
In my opinion, this album is a masterpiece – from the moment you drop the needle on “Break On Through (To the Other Side)” on side A to the closing notes of “The End” on side B, there is no doubt why this album is held in such high regard FIFTY-SIX YEARS later! -bp
