Search - The Doors :: Boot Yer Butt

Getting a boot

N. P. Stathoulopoulos | Brooklyn, NY | 08/03/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"At first glance, I can totally appreciate an effort to provide official releases of previously bootlegged material. On the other hand, this is a bit of an insult to Doors fans. This is Robbie Krieger's project, and it's telling. Krieger is famously anti-bootlegging, and even took legal action against an Italian bootlegger years ago after they released the Stockholm '68 shows.



First off, and the most insulting thing about this box, is the price. It's a bit of a joke, actually. This is equivalent to the cost of four bootlegs, more or less, and certainly close to the amount fans paid for actual bootleg Doors box sets. (The bootleg box set `Stages', released in the mid-90s by the Italian company Lizard, was in the same price range, and offered better quality in many places).



On the one hand, there's some very rare material offered, such as the last known live recording of The Doors with Jim Morrison from Dallas, 1970, which was only available on one bootleg CD release in the past. The Madison Square Garden material from 1969 was discovered in the 1990s in someone's collection. On the other hand, the atrocious sound quality of some of the other material may only attract die-hard fans who want very rare material. A few years ago, The Doors started Bright Midnight Records and began to release full, soundboard concerts through their official website. This, of course, was what fans were clamoring for years to get. In the past, and certainly around the release of Greg Shaw's amazing Doors On the Road book (which obviously reviewed Absolutely Live concert tapes that never saw the light of day) Manzarek said the tapes didn't exist(!)



The Doors' master plan is to re-release the same product over and over while trickling out new product (usually combined with old product.) Bright Midnight was a huge step forward, but Boot Yer Butt is not in the same vein.



Granted, some of the material here (particularly the shows cited above) are only available through old audience tapes. But why is it so expensive, and why don't they just release complete shows? The Garden material, the Dallas material, and the Singer Bowl can each fit on one disc, with room to spare. Most bootleg collectors insist on complete shows and source tapes. How expensive can it be to release 30-odd year old recordings you didn't even professionally record? And the doctoring is not the usual heavy-duty sonic trickery usually employed by the Doors for official live releases, since that would be damn hard to do with some of these tapes. The Long Beach show, I must say, is abominable, practically unlistenable on the bootleg CD I have, but it does have some very rare material.



Overall, this is a strange release. But it is definitely overpriced, way overpriced, for what you get. I would recommend this to die-hards who don't have the corresponding boots. Finally, we have the only live recordings of LA Woman, Love Her Madly, and the Changling. Tell All the People, Who Scared You?, Touch Me, Wild Child--rare live recordings of these tracks are all present. Those who collect bootlegs will likely have many of these or will simply prefer the bootlegs (as is common) but it's nice to see The Doors putting out more than just another Greatest Hits."

For die-hards only. Others beware.

G. Sansom | Houston, Texas United States | 12/30/2003

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I am a HUGE Doors fan and own their entire catalog. However, this "box set" was a disappointment. THE POSITIVES: These CDs allow you to (somewhat) experience what a Doors concert on an average night would be like. At times, when you're listening to these bootlegs, it seems as if you're actually at the concert(though listening from the bathroom), and that's worth something. And, of course, you get to hear rare recordings of 'Wild Child', 'Soft Parade', and many others. THE NEGATIVES: The sound quality is absolutely horrendous (as can be expected) and makes enjoying the music very difficult. While listening to the CDs, I was also struck by how mediocre The Doors were live, at least when they knew they weren't being professionally recorded or videotaped for TV. In many of the songs, the tempo drags and the band seems uninspired...a far cry from the other live Doors albums which, by and large, rock. It makes you wonder why this set was released. But it is well known that the remaining Doors will release, re-release, and re-package everything they can get their hands on to make a buck. It is only a matter of time before Mr. Manzarek, et. al release a tape recording of Jim Morrison singing in the shower, "digitally remaster" the recording, put it on a CD with 15 other songs that have already been released, and sell it for $16.99."

Horrible!

Michael T. Mccann | Seattle, Wa | 12/16/2003

(1 out of 5 stars)

"what a disappointment. After reading the material I had to buy it, only to be severly disappointed when I listen. The sound is similar to the old tin can and string communication device we fastened as kids. It does give the discalimer of being bootlegged material not the normal quality but I would no more distbute and price this offering at what they did. This should be for diehards only who have to hear these rare recordings because you will only want to play one time. If you want a real quality recording with the Doors and Jim Morrison at their best try "The Doors, Live in Detroit" I would happily pay $100 for material like "Live in Detorit" than $80 for some shoddy bootlegs"