Absolutely Live is the first live album released by American band in July 1970.
In 1991, Absolutely Live and 1983's were repackaged and released as a two-disc set entitled , with the addition of one track from 1978's and two from the band's July 1968 Hollywood Bowl concert, "The Unknown Soldier," which appeared on 1987's , and "The End," previously unreleased.
The album was subsequently issued by itself as a single disc set by in 1996 with new artwork different from the original LP. Until 2012 was not re-issued in the original double vinyl format.
Many shows were recorded during the band's 1970 tour to create the Absolutely Live album. The Doors' producer and longtime collaborator claimed to have painstakingly edited the album from many different shows to create one cohesive concert. According to Rothchild, the best part of a song from the show may have been spliced together with another part of the same song from the show, trying to create "the ultimate concert." Rothchild has said, "I couldn't get complete takes of a lot of songs, so sometimes I'd cut from Detroit to in midsong. There must be 2,000 edits on that album."
Despite this claim, the Bright Midnight record company (Rhino/Elektra/Warner group) started to publish all the uncut masters of all the shows recorded for Absolutely Live (July 1969 – May 1970: Aquarius Theatre 1969, 8 CDs; Live in 1970, 6 CDs; Boston 1970, 3 CDs; Philadelphia 1970, 2 CDs, 1970, 1 CD, Detroit 1970, 2 CDs), ultimately proving Rothchild's assertion to be incorrect. In fact, most of the tracks were taken from the Doors performance at the on January 17 and 18, 1970. Official audio professional proofs show that less than 5 major cuts were made on Absolutely Live. These recorded audio proofs, from officially available CDs, allow matching of each song on the Absolutely Live album to each recorded concert, showing that Rothchild's claim of multiple edits to songs for cohesiveness is incorrect. These are the real sources of each song, proving that no major cut or edit was actually made on the songs.
The album marks the first release of the complete "" sequence. It had been attempted in the studio during the sessions but eventually abandoned. The album was a treat for fans because it included several new songs which had not appeared on any Doors albums up to that point, such as "Love Hides," "Build Me a Woman," "Universal Mind," "Dead Rats, Dead Cats," and a cover of the classic "Who Do You Love?" Truly reflecting the paranoia of post-Miami Doors concerts is the MC's address to the audience, where he urges the rowdy fans to remain seated in threat of the fire department canceling the performance. Morrison comically alludes to the Miami incident in his preamble to "Close to You".
Morrison reportedly hated the album cover for Absolutely Live. He had changed his appearance dramatically since the band's early days, growing a beard and discarding his onstage leather attire in an attempt to overcome his "rock god" image, but was dismayed to find that his record label opted for an earlier photograph of him for the cover. According to Jerry Hopkins' 1980 book :
Originally the cover was going to be an effective grainy, bluish rear-view photo of the band on stage at the where the included "Celebration of the Lizard" had been recorded. Elektra Records art department decided that photo wasn't eye-catching enough. A color photo of Jim, taken during the Hollywood Bowl concert well over a year before, was superimposed squarely over the existing front-cover photo, and before the Doors office knew anything about it, the album was shipped. Jim was furious.
Absolutely Live sold poorly upon release, moving only 225,000 copies, half of what Morrison Hotel had sold. states, "Ray Manzarek's organ and 's drumming keep pace throughout as 's guitar playing show him to be as much of a force in the Doors as Jim Morrison." Billy Atlman of enthuses "...Morrison and crew displayed the full slate of their estimable powers as both musicians and motivators- continuing to daringly break through whatever sonic and thematic doors they opened."
