Break On Through - The Doors cover

[Dave_Cook]

Hey friends, it was brought up that I really dig Jim Morrison on the last clip I posted and my band just recorded a sweet cover of Break On Through that I wanted to share. We really made it our own so please down judge my technique based on if I sound like Jim or not because I am not trying to imitate him here. I suppose we could record me trying to do his voice but thats not what this is. So give it a listen and please comment. Thanks for your time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUjcmgQn5m8

[ronws]

Though you have a similar voice timbre, I don't think you were trying to sound like him. But you did sing like him. Does that make sense?

First off, I totally love the drummer. That guy is gold. Starting with an elegantly simple and sweet jazz riff, breaking into a John Bonham-ish split of back beat and lyrical phrasing played simultaneously. There's not many guys that can do that. Seriously, dude has some chops.

In fact, I viewed the performance as a whole, not just your vocals. Which I think were undermixed a bit. The mix should have been sweetened just a tad to match your voice against the snare and cymbals of the drum kit.

Totally loved the bridge.

And you sang what the song meant. Without it being "note-for-note" a copy. That's why I would say you guys played this like the Doors, as different as it was from the album version. Because this is the very thing they would have done today, if Jim were still here.

This was art, and I liked it. Press it, release it (after paying copyright license, of couse. You can get a cheap rate for mechanical reproduction.)

[Dave_Cook]

Wow thanks ron, you always give people such nice, well thought out and explained reviews. It is very much appreciated. Remember how we were talking about the mixing being a little off? Well we made a few adjustments and this one to me really pops. If you would check it out and see how it stacks up, I would like to see what you think. Outside opinions are vital.

http://www.box.net/shared/j51ytledak

[ronws]

That's the kind of mix I am talking about. And I could notice some things I didn't really appreciate before. Like the bass, during the earlier part, playing a harmonized solo to the guitar. Your vocals stand out better and I realize, in some of the choruses, you are singing a harmonic to the original melody line. That is not easy to do. It's usually easier for people to match the original line, good or bad. Again, this was an artistic take, in the true tradition of the Doors. I also noticed that later in the song, the drum returned to the jazz riff to bring the continuity back into focus. This is some really good arranging skills being shown. Again, well done, but I do like this mix better. Something I learned from the Mixerman. When you find yourself singing with the song instead of thinking about the mix, it is done.