The Doors..Story of LA Woman...

The underlying driving force of the bass lines on this album has always appealed to me. Wrongly I assumed it was Rob Krieger playing bass using over dub tracks. Steve thanks for  enlightening me. Jerry Scheff deserves a great deal of credit for this production.

Most of the bass lines are done with Ray Ms  bass keyboard.

Just checked the Diverse Vinyl catalogue. Apparently there's a forthcoming release (9/4/12) on the Analogue Production label priced £50. I don't know if it's the 2 disc 45rpm version that Steve referred to. Lifted this info. from the Analogue Prod. web site.

Label: Analogue Productions
Genre: Pop/Rock
Product No.: AAPP 75011-45
Format: 45 RPM Vinyl Record
No. of Discs: 2
Note: 200 gram

Most of the bass lines are done with Ray Ms  bass keyboard.

This was the case on the other albums but on LA Woman Jerry Scheff, Elvis's bass player, was brought in to play bass on the album. The tracks were mostly recorded live at the Workshop.

Graham,

The Analogue Production version is the 45rpm LP. It's been on pre-order from Acoustic Sounds since December. The other Doors albums are also being released in the same format. The SQ is apparently excellent. I don't know if there are US and EU pressings, like Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours', or just the US pressing. Fleetwood Macs first album is also due for release on the 45rpm format this month. The US pressing of 'Rumours' is very good.

Steve

The Doors used several Bass Players,Douglass Luban,Kerry Magness,Leroy Vinnegar,Harvey Brooks,Ray Neopolitan, Jeff Scheff & of course  Do it Lonnie Do it   Lonnine Mack  Larry Knechtel played uncredited on the first album.

Steve,

             From what I've seem on the Diverse Vinyl web site they are offering the same Doors catalogue from Analogue Productions. The pressings are from Quality Record Pressings and were mastered from the original analogue masters using an "All tube system" apart from "The Doors" which was mastered from the best tape copy. Perhaps you already knew that.

This topic is providing a great insight into the Doors for me. 

Thanks particularly to Steve and Blueknowz.

Rhino are putting out a Mono LP of The Doors first album for Record Store Day this April.

• (22 Dec 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Elektra ELK 42 090
• ASIN: B00004WNNV

I bought the above on Amazon for £14.54 in preference to this ;

• Vinyl (15 Mar 2010)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rhino UK
• ASIN: B0028ER4PK

at £20.42. The Electra feels like a 180 gm pressing(German). I've run it through the RCM and it's beautifully silent; no clicks, pops, or warping.

Just noticed on my copy the "Doors" is in black print and the background colour in the photo is white, not yellow.

Hi  Sheffield Graham.

This is slightly off post however just seen your last post regarding LA Woman. You mentioned that you had cleaned the record. Could  I ask what machine you are using? Do you consider it a good investment regarding use,time, ect.

Regards Graham (Near Sheffield).

Hi Graham,

                    I have a Clearaudio Smart Matrix. I have had an issue with it in that water was escaping from the collecting vessel. (This had an Okki Nokki sticker on it by the way) I've modified it and it seems to have cured the problem. The Smart Matrix has been replaced by another model, but costs about £1k. I use L'Art de Son solution to clean followed by de-ionised water.

The Okki Nokki is still available and seems good value. A decent RCM is worth the investment whether you are buying new or 2nd hand vinyl. Do a search on the forum. There's load of info on RCM's.

Lonnie Mack played bass on Morrison Hotel.

Who was the bassist on Strange Days?

Doug Lubahn.

I think that it's fairly well documented that most Doors albums featured bass players, so I'm unsure why so many seem unaware of this here.

Yes, bass players featured on other albums but, as noted on the back of Strange Days; 'Douglas Lubahn, occasional bass'. Ray Manzarek played a lot of bass parts on the keyboard. I believe 'LA Woman' was the only album recorded fully with a dedicated bass player on all tracks. You have to admit that the bass lines on this album are a highlight.

Steve

You mentioned that you had cleaned the record. Could  I ask what machine you are using? Do you consider it a good investment regarding use,time, ect.

Hi Graham,

Good RCMs are a very good investment. If you have a decent sized record collection then buy a good one. Keith Monks is widely considered to be the best but their prices have escalated since Keith died. Loricraft are a very good alternative. The effects are as good as buying a new back box IMO.

ATB

Steve

Steve, it's certainly true that Manzarek played keyboard bass in Doors live performances, but....

On 'The Doors', Larry Knechtel played bass on five of the eleven tracks.

Doug Lubahn played bass on seven of the ten tracks on 'Strange Days'.

On 'Waiting For The Sun', Doug L appeared as bassist again on eight of the eleven tracks, with additional acoustic bass from Leroy Vinnegar on one and Kerry Magness on electric bass on another.

Harvey Brooks plays bass on four 'Soft Parade' tracks, with Doug L again on another.

Ray Neopolitan plays on eight tracks of 'Morrison Hotel', with Lonnie Mack on another two.

So guest bass guitarists are a pretty consistent feature throughout their six studio albums.

Incidentally, I don't discount Jerry Scheff's work on 'LA Woman", but I think Marc Benno's rhythm guitar on four of the tracks is pretty telling, too!

Graham

Watched it last night.  Great documentary.  Reminds me of my pilgrimage to Pere Lachaise thirty years ago.  The sculpted headstone was still there at that time.  G

Doug Lubahn was in another Elektra band called Clear Light. I picked up their eponymous 1967 debut on a 180g reissue a while ago (Sundazed I think) and it sounds spectacular.

Thanks for the comprehensive bassist info Graham!

Hi Graham,

We seem to be singing from the same songbook. As your post illustrates LA Woman was the only album where a single bass player was playing throughout the album. IMO the fact this album was largely recorded 'live' in the Workshop and that they had largely reverted back to blues added to the immediacy of the bass on these tracks. I also agree that Marc Benno's rhythm guitar is an added bonus.

I think we call all agree that that LAW is an amazingly good album that certainly rates in my top 20 classic albums.