The Doors: In The Beginning: 1966 Sessions Take Us Behind the Studio Doors

I have always loved studio takes from The Doors. There is something magical about hearing a band pull a song apart, add a little here, take something away there, and slowly watch it come to life.

When I first read Nobody Gets Out Alive, those early sessions sounded painful at best. But hearing them is a different story. The false starts, the chatter, the little changes and those moments when everything clicks are fascinating. You get to hear the music finding its feet.

That is what makes The Doors: In The Beginning: 1966 Sessions such a treat. Released on November 27, 2026, for Record Store Day Black Friday, this collection takes us back to Sunset Sound on August 29, 1966, as the band worked through “Moonlight Drive” and “Indian Summer.” Both songs would later appear on Strange Days and Morrison Hotel, respectively.

Even the banter between Jim Morrison, the producer and the band is special. Morrison had a reputation for being difficult in the studio, but these recordings offer a different perspective. There is chemistry, experimentation and a surprisingly relaxed back-and-forth. For a band surrounded by so much mythology, getting this glimpse behind the curtain is pure gold. And who knows? Maybe we never did get to hear the full hiss of the Lizard King!

I wish more bands would be brave enough to share this stuff. Strip away the mysticism and let us hear the music in its raw infancy, before the layers go on and the songs become the legendary beasts we know and love. I want the happy accidents, the rough edges and those little flashes of inspiration when everything suddenly falls into place. It doesn’t diminish the magic. It makes it even more remarkable.

The release is a single LP pressed on translucent tan vinyl, housed in a single-pocket jacket with an insert. Now, I will admit, I am not much of a vinyl guy. Give me a CD any day! I probably wouldn’t have said that when CDs first came out, but here we are. I understand the appeal of a beautiful coloured pressing, and collectors deserve their fun, but I wish releases like this could reach more people. Limited editions have their charm, but music this fascinating deserves to be heard, not just chased by those lucky enough to snag a copy.

Whether you drop the needle on translucent tan vinyl or pop a CD into the player, the real treasure is hearing what The Doors create. Sometimes, the story behind the song is every bit as magical as the finished masterpiece.