Essential Rarities [Enhanced]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This collection, originally available only as a bonus disc in The Doors: The Complete Studio Recordings box set (fleshed out here with another outtake track, "Woman Is a Devil," from that set) is split just about evenly between a sometimes motley collection of outtakes and demos and a better slate of live material. It also argues that while most rock bands cut their teeth on blues and other roots music, then develop a distinct sound (or sell out to pop fashion trends), the Doors seemed to evolve ass-backwards, the band's, and particularly Jim Morrison's, college poet-nihilist pretensions slowly giving way to more blues-based influences. Indeed, after a few legendary years of late-1960s success and excess, Morrison had more than enough reasons to sing the blues. The studio leftovers here underscore why they're called "outtakes" (1965 demos of "Hello, I Love You" and "Moonlight Drive" are historically interesting, if a bit bubblegummy) though there are some highlights. "Whiskey, Mystics and Men" showcases another side of the band's tastefully odd Kurt Weill fetish; a '69 alternate of "Queen of the Highway" is almost lounge hipster chic; and "Orange County Suite" is a dirge from '70. Live cuts (all from '69 and '70) range from a baroque, affected PBS telecast of "The Soft Parade" to an apocalyptic, overwrought "The End." --Jerry McCulley

Tracks:

Hello To The Cities (Live)
Break On Through (Live)
Roadhouse Blues (Live)
Hyacinth House
Who Scared You
Whiskey, Mystics And Men
I Will Never Be Untrue (Live)
Moonlight Drive
Queen Of The Hghway (Alternate Version)
Someday Soon (Live)
Hello, I Love You
Orange County Suite
The Soft Parade (Live)
The End (Live)
Woman Is A Devil

Amazon.com

This collection, originally available only as a bonus disc in The Doors: The Complete Studio Recordings box set (fleshed out here with another outtake track, "Woman Is a Devil," from that set) is split just about evenly between a sometimes motley collection of outtakes and demos and a better slate of live material. It also argues that while most rock bands cut their teeth on blues and other roots music, then develop a distinct sound (or sell out to pop fashion trends), the Doors seemed to evolve ass-backwards, the band's, and particularly Jim Morrison's, college poet-nihilist pretensions slowly giving way to more blues-based influences. Indeed, after a few legendary years of late-1960s success and excess, Morrison had more than enough reasons to sing the blues. The studio leftovers here underscore why they're called "outtakes" (1965 demos of "Hello, I Love You" and "Moonlight Drive" are historically interesting, if a bit bubblegummy) though there are some highlights. "Whiskey, Mystics and Men" showcases another side of the band's tastefully odd Kurt Weill fetish; a '69 alternate of "Queen of the Highway" is almost lounge hipster chic; and "Orange County Suite" is a dirge from '70. Live cuts (all from '69 and '70) range from a baroque, affected PBS telecast of "The Soft Parade" to an apocalyptic, overwrought "The End." --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

ghost of Jim.......2006-09-24

"Bring out your dead" cries Jim, a caller through the streets of Paris during the Black Plague. It is as if we are visited by the ghost of Jim in this collection. I can rarely listen to the studio albums, having listened to them for 40 years, and the live albums, though exciting, seem dated. This disk is as if it was found on Jim's grave in Pere LaChasse. These tracks, rejected during his life, are now his freshest expression.

WOW.......2006-08-30

What a GREAT CD for your collection. I own all of the Doors CD's and was looking for new material. This belongs in everyone's collection.

Nice gems.......2005-12-25

Listening to it now. So when that box set comes out, with a disc of rarities, here's one instance where waiting matters. Thank you for releasing this extra bit for fans who already have all the other albums. I wouldn't have bought the box set just for it, but sell it separately, and I'm more than game. It's all great... the closest thing I'll get to a "new" Doors album (unless the band gets some real "balls" and records new material with Ian, which would be a real kick!). These gems are well worth it...

Definitely Essential For Doors Fans.......2005-12-10

If you're a diehard Doors fan who didn't already purchase this CD along with "The Doors" box set, then chances are you will thoroughly enjoy "Essential Rarities," a superb collection of Doors demos, outtakes, and live recordings. On this disc you'll find such gems as the excellent "Soft Parade" leftover "Who Scared You" (which rightfully deserved to be included on that album), the drunken-bar tale of "Whiskey, Mystics And Men," the early 1965 demo of "Moonlight Drive" (with it's lighter vibe and Jim Morrison's softer vocal treatment), the cocktail-lounge alternate version of "Queen Of The Highway," the lovely "Orange County Suite," and the band's scorching live performances of "The Soft Parade" and "The End." I suppose casual listeners don't really need this album, but for the most faithful followers of The Doors, "Essential Rarities" is VERY essential stuff, no question about it.

Mixed Results.......2005-12-02

Since the Doors had such a short career, it seems that everything ever recorded has been put on the market - repeatedly. The publisher is trying to milk this cow to death.

Essential Rarities contains a collection of live songs by the Doors, some of which are in fact actually rare in that they were not performed/recorded often but they HAVE be released before. This is a subset of the 97 Box Set, which is a collection of previously released pieces, which ...

I found Break On Through, Roadhouse Blues, I will Never be Untrue and The End to be VERY good. The rest, I could take or leave. They all have value though for the hardcore fan who wants to hear the Doors in various 'live' or 'demo' settings. In some cases, that may be the only value. If you just want these tracks and not buy the Boxed Set, it is cheaper to buy this CD.

Average customer rating:

THE DOORS ROCK!
a great addition to any doors collection

Essential Rarities
The Doors
Manufacturer: Wea International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004U8DW
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Tracks:

Hello to the Cities [Live]
Break on Through (To the Other Side) [Live]
Roadhouse Blues [Live]
Hyacinth House [Demo Version]
Who Scared You?
Whiskey, Mystics and Men [Live]
I Will Never Be Untrue [Live]
Moonlight Drive [Demo Version]
Queen of the Highway [Alternative Version][Alternate Take]
Someday Soon [Live]
Hello, I Love You [Demo Version]
Orange County Suite
Soft Parade [Live]
End [Live]
Woman Is a Devil [*]

Album Description

German issue of the odds and sods disc from the 1999 box-set, 'The Complete Studio Recordings'. Packaged in a miniature LP sleeve.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered CD. Originally a Bonus Disc to the 1999 Boxed Set, this Release Contains Rare Live Tracks ('Break on Through (Live at the 1970 Isle of Wight Fest.)') And Obscure Demos ('Hyacinth House'(Recorded at Robbie Kreiger's Home Studio) and 'Hello, I Love You (1965)'.

Customer Reviews:

THE DOORS ROCK!.......2005-12-08

It's hard to find good live Doors music. Then when I came across this cd, I was hooked. Songs like Roadhouse Blues and Soft Parade were like no other. I highly suggest this cd to all Doors fans. I also suggest the Bright Midnight collection. VERY GOOD!

a great addition to any doors collection.......2000-09-14

not many of us ever got to see the doors in concert but when i got to here this cd of live performances and never heard versions of my favorit doors songs and never before released songs you once again realized how talented these guys were i think that if you get a chance to here a band at its most rawest time which some of these tracks are it truly does bring back the feel of the 60s and that jim morrison and the doors were ahead of thier time mike zuchowski reading PA.

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