I think there’s some overreaction to the Doors because we all probably knew a Jim Morrison Guy in high school. You remember this guy. He’s like a Henry Rollins Guy, but he does drugs.

Now, I won’t say that Morrison wrote good lyrics, but he wasn’t a bad singer. That organ does sound like shit though. The later transistor organs could sound pretty good, especially with effects or in a busy mix. Can wouldn’t be Can without the Farfisa. The Doors organ, in contrast, is really bad sounding and is way up front at all times.

RHCP are probably the worst radio rock band. Hard to think of one worse.

enframed wrote: Sun Mar 27, 2022 11:34 am

losthighway wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 8:11 pm

enframed wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 8:04 pm The Doors are by far *not* the worst band ever. Morrison was way more talented than Kiedis ever dreamed of being, and he was far more interesting a person. Also The Doors had a unique sound.

Big influence on Joy Division and the Misfits too, if that matters to anyone.

Morrison was a wanker. Still they were doing something bold and new.

Big infuence on Ian McCullough/Echo & the Bunnymen, too.

A lot of early punks (Patty Smith, Iggy Pop, Richard Meltzer, Joey Ramone) not only liked the Doors music, but thought highly of his poetry too. I don't go that far, but they have their moments beyond the hits played to death.

Hurdy Gurdy Man is my Donovan jam, despite the hippie lyrics.

I don't get the hate for The Doors, either. Weird Scenes Inside the Goldmine has a few dogs on it, but is mostly a good listen straight through. I think it has more to do with The Lost Boys.

I won’t repeat my earlier comments about the Doors, other than to say that I think they were a (vastly) overpraised but still decent band.

Roughly contemporaneous bands/artists that, in my view, are far, far worse:

Donovan
The Grateful Dead
The Steve Miller Band (who had FAR worse lyrics)
The Mamas and the Papas
Herman’s Hermits
Canned Heat
Crosby, Stills, and Nash
Joan Baez

"Sunshine Superman" rules! Good album too.

"California Dreamin'," at least, is an AMAZING(tm) pop song.

Canned Heat laid down some cool stuff that has aged well. The album with John Lee Hooker, once it gets going, also has some stellar tracks.


You have a point with the Dead and Steve Miller, in so far as I'm concerned. Baez and CS&N...not that familiar with 'em.

Edit: Herman's Hermits didn't do "Happy Together." Not sure why I confused them with The Turtles.

California Dreaming is one of my favourite songs.

Going Up the Country is one of my least favourites.

I don’t mind “Happy Together,” but it ain’t by the Mamas and the Papas.

Oops! That's right, it's by The Turtles. I was in the wrong there. The Hermits did the song used in The Naked Gun when Nielsen and Presley clothesline a guy at the beach! Okay, couldn't vouch for them, don't know anything else. You may have a point.

kokorodoko wrote: Sun Mar 27, 2022 4:07 pm
Going Up the Country is one of my least favourites.

Going up the Country is one of those "appropriations"....but well heard, Canned Heat, well heard...

zorg wrote: Mon Mar 28, 2022 5:17 pm Going up the Country is one of those "appropriations"....but well heard, Canned Heat, well heard...

Never heard the original track that inspired it. Thanks for sharing. I like both versions.