"For the first time ever...the complete show in stunning quality" boasts the footer description on the back panel of satellite 6's new Doors Isle Of Wight 1970 CD release. A claim confirmed upon an enjoyable listen. This was also a very interesting exercise to compare to the previously acclaimed benchmark for this recording from Colosseum, "Palace Of Exile" as they are indeed two completely different soundboard sources with satellite 6 trumping the earlier title with an incredible multi track master.
I've held "Palace Of Exile" in fairly high regard for years and enjoyed it again while comparing the two titles but there is aboslutely no tape hiss, no audience commentary or whistles, etc. to interfere with the clean master tape leveraged on this new disc. The differences between the two doesn't stop with the different sources but most notably the first appearance of a complete version of "The End". On all sources previously there was a chunk of missing tape that was chopped at about the 7:24 mark of the extended presentation, from the end of the 'Away In India' segment right up to the 'Wake Up!' exclamation. Missing is roughly about 5-plus minutes of the performance. It's all here along with about 100 seconds of post-performance audience cheering and the playing of Pink Floyd's "Arnold Layne" over the P.A. at the end.
The performance itself is nearly forgettable. An amazing thing to say since this was a very significant performance for the band outside the States. The mythic stature Jim Morrison had was legendary already at this point since they hadn't widely toured internationally aside from their 1968 European/Scandinavian trek with The Jefferson Airplane thus, the kids outside the U.S. wanted to see The Doors! They wanted to see what Morrison was all about. What they got was a very subdued performance and Morrison nearly comatose and reserved as he was riding the legal Miami '69 mess his indecent exposure and lewd conduct arrest had caused and venues around the country barring the band from playing. This reminds me of the old vinyl boot characture image on the front cover for "Get Fat And Die!" Cruel but probably an accurate point-of-view if you are a european hippie and this is your only experience with the band and Morrison at this stage in August of 1970.
This an excellent and highly recommended release but could use an upgrade in the packaging for what this one holds. The digipack artwork design is certainly suitable but a more deluxe treatmeant ala higher resolution photos and sturdier grade material would be a bit nicer.
