The Rock Tribune

40^TH ANNIVERSARY REISSUE OF ICONIC L.A. WOMAN ALBUM

AND NEW DVD/BLU-RAY “MR. MOJO RISIN’: THE STORY OF L.A. WOMAN” JANUARY 24, 2012 VIA RHINO AND EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT 

DVD TO BE SCREENED FRIDAY, JANUARY 20 AT THE EGYPTIAN THEATRE
IN HOLLYWOOD WITH ELEKTRA RECORDS’ JAC HOLZMAN, ROCK RADIO DJ
JIM LADD AND SPECIAL SURPRISE GUESTS

“THE YEAR OF THE DOORS” officially kicks off on Monday, January 9 at noon Eastern when the iconic rock band will officially debut the first new, completely unreleased song in 40 years, “SHE SMELLS SO NICE.”  The bluesy track captures the band–organist RAY MANZAREK, guitarist ROBBY KRIEGER, drummer JOHN DENSMORE and late singer JIM MORRISON–joyfully barreling through the full-throttle original. Bruce Botnick, the album’s co-producer with the band, recently made the discovery while reviewing the L.A. WOMAN session tapes. The song will premiere on the band’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/thedoors) on Monday and will then be serviced to radio the following day.

Next up in news from THE DOORS:  On Friday, January 20 at 7:30 PM there will be a one-time special screening of “Mr. Mojo Risin’: The Story of L.A. Woman” (Eagle Rock Entertainment DVD/Blu-ray) at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, CA with special surprise guests.  Jac Holzman–who signed the group to Elektra Records–and Los Angeles rock radio veteran Jim Ladd will present the film and take questions about the group’s final album and legacy afterwards at a public Q&A session.

“Mr. Mojo Risin’: The Story of L.A. Woman”(Eagle Rock Entertainment DVD/Blu-ray) is told through new interviews with MANZAREK, KRIEGER and DENSMORE as well as Elektra Records founder JAC HOLZMAN, original manager Bill Siddons, engineer/co-producer Bruce Botnick and others.  The high-definition video also features live and studio performances as well as rare archival photos.  This fascinating documentary contains rare footage of The Doors in the studio and on stage.  The documentary was made with the full involvement, approval and cooperation of The Doors.

The group’s final album–1971’s L.A. WOMAN, with the signature hits “L.A. Woman,” “Love Her Madly” and “Riders On The Storm”–is being celebrated with a special 40^th anniversary two-CD release from Rhino and a behind-the-scenes DVD/Blu-ray from Eagle Rock Entertainment.

In addition to “She Smells So Nice,” the second disc of the L.A. WOMAN reissue includes eight never-before-heard versions of songs from the album.  Alternate takes of “L.A. Woman,” “Love Her Madly” and “Riders On The Storm” offer a fresh view on this landmark album, which was the group’s sixth straight Top 10.  The studio chatter between the songs is a revelation, transporting listeners to The Doors Workshop: the West Hollywood rehearsal space where they recorded the album with Botnick.  One segment in particular captures a fascinating moment of inspiration when Morrison suggests they add the now-iconic thunderstorm sound effects to the beginning of “Riders On The Storm.”

L.A. WOMAN marked THE DOORS’ swan song, as MORRISON would pass away a few months after its release. At the time, Rolling Stone’s Robert Meltzer called it “The Doors’ greatest album…A landmark worthy of dancing in the streets (5/27/71).”  The first band to release eight consecutive platinum albums, THE DOORS were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007.

For ticket information on the screening, go to:
http://www.americancinemathequecalendar.com/content/the-doors-mr-mojo-risin-the-making-of-la-woman-0