Retell;
Still in the year 1969, The Doors had once again found themselves performing many concerts which even includes the Toronto Rock n' Roll Revival Festival. A rather large concert that also featured the Plastic Ono Band (which was the band John Lennon played in after The Beatles). Though touring once again The Doors had found themselves in need of another album and thus releasing The Morrison Hotel, out after February 1970. Day after the albums release The Doors had done what no other American band had done; they had gotten a 5th straight gold (million dollar selling) album. Much to the fans delight this album excluded horns, pop (bubblegum) and syrup and was going back to The Doors original artistic vision. Though this time around The Doors music was considered a little under matured blues. They had not completely developed their new sound at that moment though it was quite an improvement over the past album. Though it had changed critics thought little of it thinking it to be an alright album though it would have been outstanding if it was their second album and not their 5th as all their music 'came from the same cloth that was drying out." The first side of the album entitled the Hard Rock Cafe opens with the Road house blues which has a line (Keep your eyes on the road your hand upon the wheel) that Morrison had said to his long-term, on-off girlfriend Pamela. As the album goes on we strangely learn more about Jim. For example the song Peace Frog in composed of two of Jim's mashed poems. One about his life and the other about Pam's. Though the poems are but metaphors, they speak of violence and gore (I'm going by what the book said as I never personally heard the song). This sing also has to do with the incident Morrison's family came across with Indians and the highway (that's all the information the book gives as I have no clue what they're talking about). Side two; The Morrison Hotel, contains a song called The Spy which strangely resembles the book written by Anais Nin in 1954 entitled The Spy in the House of Love (strangely a line in the song as well). According to many interviews Nin and Morrison seem to have the same perspective on society and life, though we are not sure if Morrison has ever read Nin's novel. The only other song to do with Jim and Pam is Queen of the Highway as Ray (the band's keyboard player) stated it was a great song about Jim and Pam.
Relate;
Again, other then a turning point in music I cannot relate with him, The Doors or even Pam. I don't write bloody metaphors or even poems about my life though I do write crimson flowing books but that's pushing it. I don't have a song that really sums up my life and I don't have a band to achieve what Morrison has. Perhaps I have the already explained (through previous blogs) vision of society that Morrison and Nin share but I think that's about it. For what need clarifying the vision in which I speak of is the one about societey's masks (it's probably in my blog with the word Strange in the title.)
Refelect;
I'm put back upon how little the author writes about Jim's personal life. I mean up until this point I could easily decipher things as I already knew quite a bit about Morrison but in this chapter I finally found out who Jim's girlfriend was (I could never remember her). Though I know little about their relationship at least I have a name to work with. On top of that I'm thrown back about this childhood family incident. I mean I think the scene in the movie about Jim's life past over my head but the book just says Indians and Highway, that tells me absolutely nothing and only bugs my now that I have to do my own personal research to figure this out. I mean this is a book; shouldn't it be capable of explaining things? Well other then those two annoyances, only one other thing comes to mind; ff the Doors were a great American band, why did so little people seem to like them? Perhaps it's because it's 12:30 am (when I read and wrote the rough draft) but I can't seem to figure it out. Its sad knowing such a good band wasn't supremely liked as The Beatles or Led Zeppelin. Though perhaps inferior, The Doors were still an amazing band and not being part of the British invasion and being American should make them different and special but either way I have no clue.
~Erica ?_?
Monday, May 23, 2011
Soft Asylum, Soft Parade
Retell;
Opening with the year 1916, The Doors as well as Jim find themselves no longer influencing or even controlling the fan whirlwinds of the 60's. Also during this time Jim had derailed from being "the smartest, scariest and sexiest hero" and became "a heart-rending alcoholic and clownish jerk" as a Rolling Stone's article had published. As once again they appeared to have no control of their work. The Doors now seemed to move away from their first two albums and entered a world of plastic as the third album shows. And even so during this period of time very few songs flowed to Morrison or the band for their fourth album. As once more the album took forever to come out, starting late in 1968 and not seeing the light of day till June 1969. The 4th album was entitled the Soft Parade and it was the first Doors' album to have individual credits for the songs written. Once the Soft Parade was released the critics and older fans (who were fans from the start) seemed to hate this album calling it bubblegum and was filled with strings, horns and all that syrup while those who hated the Doors before now loved this new album. The new tone to the album was said to be Rothchild's idea (Rothchild was The Doors producer). The album begins with Tell all the people (written by Krieger (the guitarist of the band)) as the song is blasting with horns as well as mix emotions from the fans. The album once again ends appropriately using the song the Soft Parade which was pieced together using Morrison's poetic notebook. The song gets more mixed emotions as some think it's heavenly as others think it to be too simple. This album does once again seem to have the same message as the previous albums with the exception that the Soft Parade is allot more mellow. Unlike the previous albums Jim seems to now trust and embrace love rather then shun it and push it away. This showing to be another turning point in Morrison's music.
Relate;
Oh boy here comes the hard part again. Seeing Jim and his band are close to the same mood as the previous chapter, I've got very little personality bases to relate with. But on the other hand there are two things that newly came to light in this chapter that I actually can relate with. One being a musical turning point and two; Jim's random notebook. To begin with the first, over the past year I have found myself in a musical turning point. I have gone from Rock n' Roll and its spin offs (punk rock, classical rock, metallic, grunge, progressive rock, new wave, etc.) to a more gothic/gothic rock as well as darkwave and trance kind of music. While still in the off springs of rock (goth being born off punk and Darkwave being slightly darker then goth) is a pretty big change. It's actually funny to see the randomly music type order my three favorite bands find themselves in; number one being The Beatles, then The Doors followed by Malice Mizer (the band that played the back drop music during my book report). Though I still love my old bands (Pearl Jam, Nirvana, the Tea Party, Slade, Yes, etc.) I have gotten tones of new and amazing things to listen to such as E Nomie, Nox Arcana, Versailles, Malice Mizer, etc. The other thing I seem to relate with is Jim's random poetry notebook. Though mine is used for my books, music, plots and sketches, they both seem to hold the same purpose.
Reflect;
I don't have much to reflect upon since my mind is now only processing Malice Mizer and Edger Allan Poe but if anything I'm wondering why did most think the Soft Parade that bad an album? I've listening to the most of it (I could never get through the song the Soft Parade) and I didn't think it really was that horrible. And I am a fan of the "Strange days" Doors. I'm just going to have to assume to different people music sounds different.
~Erica ^-^
Opening with the year 1916, The Doors as well as Jim find themselves no longer influencing or even controlling the fan whirlwinds of the 60's. Also during this time Jim had derailed from being "the smartest, scariest and sexiest hero" and became "a heart-rending alcoholic and clownish jerk" as a Rolling Stone's article had published. As once again they appeared to have no control of their work. The Doors now seemed to move away from their first two albums and entered a world of plastic as the third album shows. And even so during this period of time very few songs flowed to Morrison or the band for their fourth album. As once more the album took forever to come out, starting late in 1968 and not seeing the light of day till June 1969. The 4th album was entitled the Soft Parade and it was the first Doors' album to have individual credits for the songs written. Once the Soft Parade was released the critics and older fans (who were fans from the start) seemed to hate this album calling it bubblegum and was filled with strings, horns and all that syrup while those who hated the Doors before now loved this new album. The new tone to the album was said to be Rothchild's idea (Rothchild was The Doors producer). The album begins with Tell all the people (written by Krieger (the guitarist of the band)) as the song is blasting with horns as well as mix emotions from the fans. The album once again ends appropriately using the song the Soft Parade which was pieced together using Morrison's poetic notebook. The song gets more mixed emotions as some think it's heavenly as others think it to be too simple. This album does once again seem to have the same message as the previous albums with the exception that the Soft Parade is allot more mellow. Unlike the previous albums Jim seems to now trust and embrace love rather then shun it and push it away. This showing to be another turning point in Morrison's music.
Relate;
Oh boy here comes the hard part again. Seeing Jim and his band are close to the same mood as the previous chapter, I've got very little personality bases to relate with. But on the other hand there are two things that newly came to light in this chapter that I actually can relate with. One being a musical turning point and two; Jim's random notebook. To begin with the first, over the past year I have found myself in a musical turning point. I have gone from Rock n' Roll and its spin offs (punk rock, classical rock, metallic, grunge, progressive rock, new wave, etc.) to a more gothic/gothic rock as well as darkwave and trance kind of music. While still in the off springs of rock (goth being born off punk and Darkwave being slightly darker then goth) is a pretty big change. It's actually funny to see the randomly music type order my three favorite bands find themselves in; number one being The Beatles, then The Doors followed by Malice Mizer (the band that played the back drop music during my book report). Though I still love my old bands (Pearl Jam, Nirvana, the Tea Party, Slade, Yes, etc.) I have gotten tones of new and amazing things to listen to such as E Nomie, Nox Arcana, Versailles, Malice Mizer, etc. The other thing I seem to relate with is Jim's random poetry notebook. Though mine is used for my books, music, plots and sketches, they both seem to hold the same purpose.
Reflect;
I don't have much to reflect upon since my mind is now only processing Malice Mizer and Edger Allan Poe but if anything I'm wondering why did most think the Soft Parade that bad an album? I've listening to the most of it (I could never get through the song the Soft Parade) and I didn't think it really was that horrible. And I am a fan of the "Strange days" Doors. I'm just going to have to assume to different people music sounds different.
~Erica ^-^
Friday, May 6, 2011
Waiting for the music
Retell;
This chapter opens in the year 1968 in which the Doors found themselves in a popular demand by the people, making them produce their third album in much hast. That album went by the name of Waiting for the Sun and the album, unlike the other two, took 5 months to finish up. It took so long because of Jim's many blunders causing them to retake many songs many times. The Unknown Solider took over 130 takes where as The End and When the Music's Over, two songs about 3 times as long, only took two takes! To top it off Morrison was no longer taking himself seriously as he spent his money senselessly on alcohol. This would lead to many bad things during recordings and rehearsals for example Jim passing out on the studio floor in his own urine. To make matters worst during most of these recording sessions no one would talk to Jim or even really acknowledge he was there. Despite all that the Doors came out with their third album, Waiting for the Sun. Though not as serious as the other two albums, Waiting for the Sun seems to have the same concept of false love and a need to find sanctuary while we still try to break on through other to the darkness or into the light. Waiting for the Sun would start with the song Hello, I Love You and ends with Five to One, a song portrayed of the Us vs Them. A theme that was much present in the 60's. A very strange thing about this Doors album is that it's named after the Doors' song Waiting for the Sun which would not be on this album but the album after the next. Another interesting thing about the album is the fact that one of Jim's songs; The Celebration of the Lizard was left off the album because it was a poem in which music couldn't be associated with it. The 'song' was more of a piece of Jim Morrison's artistic vision then it was the Doors'. In an interview with Bob Chorush, Jim had said the poem was a "kind of invitation to the dark forces." None the less though the song was left off, the Doors would sometimes manage to perform it live.
Relate;
The more I read this book the more I realize I really don't relate with Jim or his band. I mean I'm a teen-age girl who lives a fairly boring life. I don't spend all my money on alcohol, I don't pass out in the middle of important things and lastly how can I relate with false love and sanctuary? I've never been in a relationship so I can't relate with the false love of a lover and I've had a great life in a great house in which I can call sanctuary. I still cannot relate with Jim's insane personality as a clown even if I don't act serious all the time, I'm not as bad or clown-like as Morrison. And, on top of all that, I can't relate with being ignored and shunned by my friends, or at the least what I know of. Unless Jim is being very strange I really can't seem to relate with him or his works. Jim is a pretty unique person in which he's very hard to relate with.
Reflect;
What I'm really thrown back upon for this chapter is how many takes it took for Morrison to complete the song the Unknown Solider. Over 130 takes in comparison to The End or even When the Music's Over. I find it crazy that two ten minute songs take two recordings each and a 3 minute song takes over 130 takes! I'm so blown back by that fact that I could dwell upon it for days but there are other things I'm thinking back upon like how Jim got his nickname the Lizard King. Thanks to this part of the book I think I finally figured it out. Seeing the Celebration of the Lizard was Jim's artistic vision and he was very disappointed that the poem couldn't become a song, I'm guessing he pulled out the nickname from there. Another thing leading me to think so is the end of Not to Touch the Earth which ended was on this album. The end lyric is Jim saying; "I am the Lizard King, I can do anything." So I guessed my way through the nickname and am satisfied with my end result. The final thing I dwell on is why call the album Waiting for the Sun when that song didn't air on the album? It didn't come out for another two albums! It's false advertising I guess... Anyways thanks to this chapter I've got Love Street stuck in my head...
~Erica O.o
This chapter opens in the year 1968 in which the Doors found themselves in a popular demand by the people, making them produce their third album in much hast. That album went by the name of Waiting for the Sun and the album, unlike the other two, took 5 months to finish up. It took so long because of Jim's many blunders causing them to retake many songs many times. The Unknown Solider took over 130 takes where as The End and When the Music's Over, two songs about 3 times as long, only took two takes! To top it off Morrison was no longer taking himself seriously as he spent his money senselessly on alcohol. This would lead to many bad things during recordings and rehearsals for example Jim passing out on the studio floor in his own urine. To make matters worst during most of these recording sessions no one would talk to Jim or even really acknowledge he was there. Despite all that the Doors came out with their third album, Waiting for the Sun. Though not as serious as the other two albums, Waiting for the Sun seems to have the same concept of false love and a need to find sanctuary while we still try to break on through other to the darkness or into the light. Waiting for the Sun would start with the song Hello, I Love You and ends with Five to One, a song portrayed of the Us vs Them. A theme that was much present in the 60's. A very strange thing about this Doors album is that it's named after the Doors' song Waiting for the Sun which would not be on this album but the album after the next. Another interesting thing about the album is the fact that one of Jim's songs; The Celebration of the Lizard was left off the album because it was a poem in which music couldn't be associated with it. The 'song' was more of a piece of Jim Morrison's artistic vision then it was the Doors'. In an interview with Bob Chorush, Jim had said the poem was a "kind of invitation to the dark forces." None the less though the song was left off, the Doors would sometimes manage to perform it live.
Relate;
The more I read this book the more I realize I really don't relate with Jim or his band. I mean I'm a teen-age girl who lives a fairly boring life. I don't spend all my money on alcohol, I don't pass out in the middle of important things and lastly how can I relate with false love and sanctuary? I've never been in a relationship so I can't relate with the false love of a lover and I've had a great life in a great house in which I can call sanctuary. I still cannot relate with Jim's insane personality as a clown even if I don't act serious all the time, I'm not as bad or clown-like as Morrison. And, on top of all that, I can't relate with being ignored and shunned by my friends, or at the least what I know of. Unless Jim is being very strange I really can't seem to relate with him or his works. Jim is a pretty unique person in which he's very hard to relate with.
Reflect;
What I'm really thrown back upon for this chapter is how many takes it took for Morrison to complete the song the Unknown Solider. Over 130 takes in comparison to The End or even When the Music's Over. I find it crazy that two ten minute songs take two recordings each and a 3 minute song takes over 130 takes! I'm so blown back by that fact that I could dwell upon it for days but there are other things I'm thinking back upon like how Jim got his nickname the Lizard King. Thanks to this part of the book I think I finally figured it out. Seeing the Celebration of the Lizard was Jim's artistic vision and he was very disappointed that the poem couldn't become a song, I'm guessing he pulled out the nickname from there. Another thing leading me to think so is the end of Not to Touch the Earth which ended was on this album. The end lyric is Jim saying; "I am the Lizard King, I can do anything." So I guessed my way through the nickname and am satisfied with my end result. The final thing I dwell on is why call the album Waiting for the Sun when that song didn't air on the album? It didn't come out for another two albums! It's false advertising I guess... Anyways thanks to this chapter I've got Love Street stuck in my head...
~Erica O.o
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