As you-are-there documents of album studio chatter and rough mixes go, “The Morrison Hotel Sessions” is one of the best. The recordings of song takes and false starts capture Jim Morrison in the studio in full command of his creative powers. There is no doubt he is the boss as you listen to his chatter with the band and producer Paul Rothchild. For instance, before a take of “Roadhouse Blues,” he gives the band instructions for how to get into the vibe of the song. He paints the picture of a road house in the South or Midwest somewhere. “We’re driving in a ’57 Chevy to an old road house,” he says. “Can you dig it? We’ve got a six pack of beer in the car, a few joints, and we’re just driving to the road house.” Before a take of “Blue Sunday,” he uses hand claps to convey the chord progression he wants from the band. At other times, he is relaxed and loose, playing with his bluesman persona as he jokes “Ladies and gentlemen, money beats soul every time” (a phrase that would become a song).
He shows flashes of self-awareness, as when he ad libs the lyric to “Roadhouse Blues” by singing, “I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer” and adding “You know me.” At one point, he instructs the Doors to warm up by playing some Jimmy Reed songs. When Paul Rothchild protests, Jim pushes back until he gets what he wants. One of my favourite moments: when Robby Krieger launches into a guitar solo on “Roadhouse Blues,” Jim, caught up in the excitement of the moment, shouts, “C’mon, Robby! Do it, yeah!” The Doors are his band. The studio is his house.
The Fat Angel Sings 