Doors - Morrison Hotel - Vinyl record - 1st Stereo pressing - 1970

General Information

Artist: The Doors

Title: Morrison Hotel

Label: Elektra Records

Catalog number: EKS-75007

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold

Year: 1970

Country: US

Edition: First US pressing

Genre: Rock / Blues Rock / Hard Rock

Description

Morrison Hotel is the fifth studio album by the legendary American rock band The Doors, released on February 9, 1970, by Elektra Records. Following the heavily arranged brass and string experiments of their previous album, The Soft Parade (1969), the band made a conscious, triumphant return to their raw, gritty roots. The album is heavily divided into two conceptually named sides: Side One is titled "Hard Rock Cafe", and Side Two is titled "Morrison Hotel".

The album features some of Jim Morrison’s most raw vocal performances and contains timeless tracks like the iconic blues-stomp opener "Roadhouse Blues", the groove-heavy "Peace Frog" (which reflects the political turbulence and riots of the late '60s), and the beautifully melodic "Waiting for the Sun".

Interesting Facts:

The Cover Art: The iconic front cover photograph was taken by Henry Diltz at the actual Morrison Hotel located at 1246 South Hope Street in Los Angeles. The hotel management initially refused to let the band shoot inside, so photographer Henry Diltz waited until the desk clerk walked away to the elevator. The band quickly ran inside, took up positions behind the window, and Diltz captured the historic shot in just a few clicks before they were asked to leave.
The Back Cover: The photograph on the back features the original "Hard Rock Cafe" located at 300 East 5th Street in Los Angeles. This very image and name directly inspired the founders of the global Hard Rock Cafe chain to establish their famous restaurants under that moniker.
Session Musicians: Famed bluesman Lonnie Mack played bass on "Roadhouse Blues" and "Maggie M'Gill", while John Sebastian (credited under the pseudonym "G. Puglese" due to contract issues) played harmonica on "Roadhouse Blues".

Condition

Vinyl: Presumed MINT (unplayed)

Cover: Factory-sealed, never opened

Notes for collectors

This particular copy is an original, highly coveted 1970 US first pressing, preserved in an extraordinary, museum-grade condition: it remains completely factory-sealed in its original vintage shrinkwrap.

Finding an original 1970 gatefold copy of Morrison Hotel untouched by human hands for over half a century is exceptionally rare. The shrinkwrap is tight and fully intact, showing only natural age-appropriate shelf wear at the corners. The spine remains completely solid and sharp with crisp text ("THE DOORS/MORRISON HOTEL" and "ELEKTRA"). There are no cut-out marks, saw cuts, or punch holes (no promo deletions), which greatly elevates its value as a top-tier investment piece for serious collectors of The Doors and classic rock history.

Confirmation of the first pressing: the cardboard sleeve is thicker and has a matte texture, while the reissue has thinner, glossy cardboard with a bluish tint. Also, the reissue has letters on the spine with a reddish printing shadow, whereas the first pressing does not have this shadow.

Matrix/Labels

Labels: Since the album is factory-sealed, the interior labels cannot be viewed directly. However, being an early 1970 US pressing with the "1855 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10023" address printed on the back cover, it features the historic, standard big "E" red/terracotta Elektra label design used during this specific transition era.
Matrix Numbers: Presumed variants of the classic US first pressing hand-etched matrix runouts (e.g., EKS-75007A / EKS-75007B), likely featuring mastering indicators from plants like Artisan Sound Recorders, Columbia Pitman (CP), or Terre Haute (CTH).
Back Cover Text Details: "ELEKTRA RECORDS, 1855 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10023", "1970 COPYRIGHT / DOORS MUSIC ASCAP", and "PRINTED IN U.S.A." in the lower-right corner.