In early 1967, the Doors played five sparsely attended shows at a small San Francisco club called the Matrix, which were recorded by co-owner Peter Abram. Upon the band stepping into stardom months later, the Matrix recordings would go on to become a storied bootleg recording, and will now be released in their entirety for the first time.
Live at the Matrix 1967: The Original Masters arrives September 8 in 3-CD and 5-LP formats via Warner Records.
Abram's recordings — 37 total tracks, sourced from original master tapes — have been remastered by the Doors' longtime engineer and producer Bruce Botnick for the new set. Previously, 15 of the songs included here were treated to Record Store Day exclusive releases in 2017 and 2018.
For the most devoted of Doors heads (Doorknobs?), eight inclusions have never been featured on any previous releases of the Matrix performances — whether poor quality copies traded amongst fans, 1997 compendium The Doors: Box Set, or a 2008 release using third-generation tapes.
As you'll find with the extensive tracklist below, the Doors played plenty standouts from their self-titled debut like "Break on Through," "Soul Kitchen" and "The End," in addition to songs like "Moonlight Drive" and "People Are Strange" that would appear on their sophomore LP.
American critic Joel Selvin writes in the collection's liner notes: "They were young, fresh, and uninhibited, spreading their wings to fly. The tapes are raw, savage, rough around the edges. This is pure Doors: unselfconscious and unspoiled."
Pre-order Live at the Matrix 1967.
Live at the Matrix 1967: The Original Masters:
LP One - (March 7, 1967) First Set
Side One
1. Back Door Man
2. My Eyes Have Seen You *
3. Soul Kitchen
4. All Blues – Instrumental *
Side Two
1. Get Out of My Life Woman **
2. When the Music's Over *
LP Two - (March 7, 1967) Second Set
Side One
1. Close to You **
2. Crawling King Snake **
3. I Can't See Your Face In My Mind
4. People are Strange
5. Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)
Side Two
1. Crystal Ship
2. Twentieth Century Fox
Third Set
3. Moonlight Drive
4. Summer's Almost Gone *
5. Unhappy Girl
LP Three - (March 7, 1967) Third Set
Side One
1. Woman Is a Devil/Rock Me Baby **
2. Break on Through (To The Other Side) **
3. Light My Fire
Side Two
1. The End
2. The End (Partial) / Let's Feed Ice Cream to the Rats (from March 8 or 9, 1967)
LP Four - (March 10, 1967) First Set
Side One
1. My Eyes Have Seen You
2. Soul Kitchen **
3. I Can't See Your Face In My Mind **
4. People are Strange **
Side Two
1. When the Music's
Over
Second Set
2. Money **
3. Who Do You Love **
LP Five - (March 10, 1967) Second Set
Side One
1. Moonlight Drive *
2. Summer's Almost Gone
3. I'm a King Bee **
4. Gloria **
Side Two
1. Break on Through (To The Other Side) *
Third Set
2. Summertime – Instrumental **
3. Back Door Man **
4. Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) *
7-inch Single - March 7, 1967 (First Set)
Bag's Groove – Instrumental *
* Previously unreleased
** First time release from original master tapes
Live at the Matrix 1967: The Original Masters arrives September 8 in 3-CD and 5-LP formats via Warner Records.
Abram's recordings — 37 total tracks, sourced from original master tapes — have been remastered by the Doors' longtime engineer and producer Bruce Botnick for the new set. Previously, 15 of the songs included here were treated to Record Store Day exclusive releases in 2017 and 2018.
For the most devoted of Doors heads (Doorknobs?), eight inclusions have never been featured on any previous releases of the Matrix performances — whether poor quality copies traded amongst fans, 1997 compendium The Doors: Box Set, or a 2008 release using third-generation tapes.
As you'll find with the extensive tracklist below, the Doors played plenty standouts from their self-titled debut like "Break on Through," "Soul Kitchen" and "The End," in addition to songs like "Moonlight Drive" and "People Are Strange" that would appear on their sophomore LP.
American critic Joel Selvin writes in the collection's liner notes: "They were young, fresh, and uninhibited, spreading their wings to fly. The tapes are raw, savage, rough around the edges. This is pure Doors: unselfconscious and unspoiled."
Pre-order Live at the Matrix 1967.
Live at the Matrix 1967: The Original Masters:
LP One - (March 7, 1967) First Set
Side One
1. Back Door Man
2. My Eyes Have Seen You *
3. Soul Kitchen
4. All Blues – Instrumental *
Side Two
1. Get Out of My Life Woman **
2. When the Music's Over *
LP Two - (March 7, 1967) Second Set
Side One
1. Close to You **
2. Crawling King Snake **
3. I Can't See Your Face In My Mind
4. People are Strange
5. Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)
Side Two
1. Crystal Ship
2. Twentieth Century Fox
Third Set
3. Moonlight Drive
4. Summer's Almost Gone *
5. Unhappy Girl
LP Three - (March 7, 1967) Third Set
Side One
1. Woman Is a Devil/Rock Me Baby **
2. Break on Through (To The Other Side) **
3. Light My Fire
Side Two
1. The End
2. The End (Partial) / Let's Feed Ice Cream to the Rats (from March 8 or 9, 1967)
LP Four - (March 10, 1967) First Set
Side One
1. My Eyes Have Seen You
2. Soul Kitchen **
3. I Can't See Your Face In My Mind **
4. People are Strange **
Side Two
1. When the Music's
Over
Second Set
2. Money **
3. Who Do You Love **
LP Five - (March 10, 1967) Second Set
Side One
1. Moonlight Drive *
2. Summer's Almost Gone
3. I'm a King Bee **
4. Gloria **
Side Two
1. Break on Through (To The Other Side) *
Third Set
2. Summertime – Instrumental **
3. Back Door Man **
4. Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) *
7-inch Single - March 7, 1967 (First Set)
Bag's Groove – Instrumental *
* Previously unreleased
** First time release from original master tapes
