Week 18: 25 Greatest Live Records of All Time

[Swish]

18 down and seven to go. Ain't we got fun.

8) Absolutely Live--The Doors: It would’ve been even better had the Doors issued something from their 1967-68 period and through their own website you can access lots of shows that they now deem releasable. But during their first go-round, it was this set of shows from 1970 that made the grade with professional recording equipment capturing Jimmy Morrison’s every burp and burst of improvisational poetry. Docked a point for letting Ray Manzarek near a microphone, but then given three extra points for adding “The Celebration Of The Lizard.” Lizards need celebrating.

I have to say I was never a fan of the Doors, although they had a few really good tunes. I just got tired of hearing them over and over and over....

Swish

[emesbee]

I have to say I was never a fan of the Doors, although they had a few really good tunes. I just got tired of hearing them over and over and over....


I like a fair bit of their stuff now, but wasn't too keen on them at the time.

I had a similar attitude to Cat Stevens. At the time he was popular, I heard him so often that I just got sick of him. Didn't listen to him for many years until quite recently. Bought a couple of his CDs and gave them a spin. Boy, he was good. Great songs, great voice. I have a new appreciation for him.

While on the subject of live recordings, I like the Cat Stevens DVDs. His 1976 Majikat is very good. Also, his recent effort as Yusuf Islam, Live At Yusuf's Cafe, is very good. Its a much better effort than I was expecting.

[bobsticks]

... his recent effort as Yusuf Islam, Live At Yusuf's Cafe, is very good. Its a much better effort than I was expecting.

He should do some prison shows. They'd love his little sissyass there...Attica!,Attica!, Attica!!

I missed the first time around for the Doors. I liked the revival though...better than most of what was going on at the time. Val Kilmer was good too.

[3-LockBox]

I liked the Doors as a kid. One of my friends had their first album (though by the time I heard it, it was the late 70s). Then the '80s happened, when all things callo, hedonistic and self-destructive went through a sort of renaissance - and front men in general were deified, which of course led those who were so inclined to ruminate on who else were demi-gods in their day. And being that many of these prog-hating print media types were also '60s revisionist romantics, they heaped hyperbolic praise on Jim Morrison, who shouldn't be anything more than the cautionary tale that he is. The fact that Morrison defined the role of front man for two decades afterwards should be a cautionary tale in and of itself. The only remarkable thing about The Doors in my opinion - The Doors made some decent music, inspite of the fact their band was in desperate need of a bass player and the keyboard sound was corny, even in the context of '60s music.

No, I haven't heard the live album ;)

[ForeverAutumn]

I've never been a doors fan. Like Swish there are are few songs that I like, but overall I never thought much of them.

I haven't heard the live album, but I do agree that lizards are underappreciated and need celebrating.

I really enjoyed reading the Morrison biography, No-one Here Gets Out Alive. Does that count for anything?