The Doors vs. Pink Floyd

Lizard Queen · 02-09-2010, 02:16 PM

The Doors, hands down.
I do like Dark Side Of The Moon and The Wall, but that's about it. I own every single Doors song, so yeah that's an easy one. Plus I've read Jim's poetry and it's great, he will always be a legend in my eyes.

boo boo · 02-09-2010, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Screen13

Pink Floyd. Here's a comparison through The Late 60's to 1971, even without going to great albums like Dark Side of the Moon and Animals which really put them in a stronger advantage.

Starting Years - Syd Barrett's Literary and Drug influenced cool English whimsy with some supersonic Psych Out Garage Punk vs. Morrison's almost convincing Literary and Drug influenced Rebel style with cool sounding Garage Punk style music backing which still kind of resembles that Lounge Act you just saw at a Steak House who sounded like they just heard The Music Machine but without getting to the edge that made the all-in-black band a one-time Garage Punk powerhouse.

1968 - Post-Barrett experimentation that goes into some very progessive areas (With "Jug Band Blues" winding up the Syd era very well) vs. Morrison's Wanna-be rebellious Politic that sounded like the "Shape of Things to Come" camp violence of Wild in the Streets...with the sound of a Lounge Act and a better singer.

1969 - Pink Floyd working on Artsy Late 60's Film soundtracks which still have some cool progressive Space Outs and some very heavy music ("The Nile Song" for More and "Come In No. 51, Your Time Is Up" for Zabriskie Point - Need I say more?) vs. The Soft Parade ("Tell All the People" starting off a very sad album that showed The Doors moving dangerously to Las Vegas territory with lyrics that could be like the poetry of a 16 Magazine reader...No more needs to be said).

1970 - Here's when The Doors finally start to really gain speed. Pink Floyd slipping quite a bit with half-inspired albums (Atom Heart Mother) vs. Morrison Hotel - Doors win this round with ease thanks to Morrison getting a full grip on his mix of Rebellion, Americana, The Blues, and his more poetic inspirations. This is where I feel he earned his reputation and when the Lounge Band sound actually gelled into something great.

1971 - Again The Doors win. Pink Floyd had "Echoes" which seriously proved their worth as Prog Legends, but when it comes to the amount of cool on the grooves, The Doors' LA Woman was a second good album in a row...then Jim went to Paris. You have to admit that at least the last two Doors albums showed quite a bit of maturity.

Still, when it all comes down to it, and adding the best parts of Barrett (and later Waters) and Morrison which gave their bands uniqueness and style, the musicianship of Pink Floyd was stronger and more forceful than The Doors, and you could even say examples of that would be the albums without their visionary songwriters - Other Voices and Full Circle remain only curious listens that showed something was missing while A Momentary Lapse of Reason and The Division Bell at least connected with a mass audience.

I prefer Pink Floyd overall but in terms of musicianship I'd say it should go to The Doors, at least if you're talking about overall musical abillity. Densmoore is a much better drummer than Mason, Manzerek has a very impressive range that people overlook, he can play lead, rhythm, ambient atmospheric stuff, and he often plays the bass parts with his left hand, Wright was also very diverse but he never put his skills on display quite as much.

I'd say Gilmour and Krieger are about equal in skill as guitarists, however Krieger can play both rhythm and lead, and he's a great improviser, Gilmour rarely improvises or plays rhythm, Krieger also has a bit more stylistic diversity while Gilmour usually sticks to blues but giving it a psychedelic touch. It terms of precision and just plain crafting kickass solos, then of course I'd have to give it to Gilmour.

Composition goes to Floyd, at least during certain periods of their career, if I were to compare the bands from when both were still active, as in from 65 to 71, then I would say The Doors had the edge.

Overall, these are very different bands and there's not much to compare them by except that they are both thought of as "stoner" bands.

mr dave · 02-09-2010, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boo boo

and he often plays the bass parts with his left hand,

this is like being impressed by a singer who can also 'play' tambourine by smashing it onto their hip.

boo boo · 02-09-2010, 08:55 PM

Yeah but he's good enough that they didn't need a bass player.

You try doing a 7 minute keyboard solo while playing a solid bassline at the same time, that a whole band can work around, since you make it sound so easy.

I shouldn't have said "often", he always played the bass parts except for a few tracks on the Soft Parade and Morrison Hotel, and LA Woman when they finally did get a bassist to do the job.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Heresy!

Aww man, that's nothing. I think Division Bell is just as good as Piper if not better.

Hollow God · 03-28-2010, 06:01 PM

Thats a tough question... love both bands but I would have to choose Pink Floyd. The Wall is just about my alltime favourite album and Dark Side Of The Moon and Wish You Were Here are also in my top 20. I have to give The Doors props too though, they're great!

Unknown Soldier · 03-29-2010, 01:27 AM

Pink Floyd are great but the Doors are even greater.

duga · 03-29-2010, 01:48 AM

I think I mentioned this before, but I can't compare them. They both did different things well. There is a reason Pink Floyd are constantly classified as progressive rock...I have never heard the Doors referred to that way. With the exception of When the Music's Over or The End, I imagine most Doors songs over 10 minutes would bore me to tears. However, I also imagine that had Pink Floyd gone as keyboard-centric as the Doors were we would have a totally different opinion of their music as well.

Stinkfist · 03-29-2010, 04:39 AM

Floyd by a country mile, the Doors just ****in iritate me had Jim Morrison not died they would now be spoke of in the same breath as Styx.

Should have been Floyd versus King Crimson.

duga · 03-29-2010, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinkfist

Floyd by a country mile, the Doors just ****in iritate me had Jim Morrison not died they would now be spoke of in the same breath as Styx.

Wow...that is harsh. I really doubt it, as well. Styx had what? A couple hits here and there? Jim Morrison was the sex icon of the 60's. I don't even remember who was in Styx. Styx was crappy generic 80's rock. The Doors were one of a kind when they showed up on the scene. I know it was just an example, but Styx? Come now. That was offensive.

Varro · 04-05-2010, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

Wow...that is harsh. I really doubt it, as well. Styx had what? A couple hits here and there? Jim Morrison was the sex icon of the 60's. I don't even remember who was in Styx. Styx was crappy generic 80's rock. The Doors were one of a kind when they showed up on the scene. I know it was just an example, but Styx? Come now. That was offensive.

I agree. That was seriously harsh.. If Morrison was alive today, he'd arrange a press conference, say nothing in the press conference, pour a bowl of corn flakes, piss in said corn flakes, and then throw said corn flakes at the journalists who showed up to his presser.

Back on topic: As far as Progressive rock is concerned, I'd have to say that Pink Floyd has been FAR more influential than the Doors. But at the same time, the Doors are iconic in their own way, and not just for Morrison's death, but for the millions and millions of screaming fans that didn't have a ****ing clue who the Beatles were. *rockfist*

02-09-2010, 02:16 PM	#71 (permalink)
Lizard Queen Groupie Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: WI Posts: 29	The Doors, hands down. I do like Dark Side Of The Moon and The Wall, but that's about it. I own every single Doors song, so yeah that's an easy one. Plus I've read Jim's poetry and it's great, he will always be a legend in my eyes. __________________ We want the world and we want it NOW!

03-29-2010, 01:48 AM	#77 (permalink)
duga MB quadrant's JM Vincent Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 3,762	I think I mentioned this before, but I can't compare them. They both did different things well. There is a reason Pink Floyd are constantly classified as progressive rock...I have never heard the Doors referred to that way. With the exception of When the Music's Over or The End, I imagine most Doors songs over 10 minutes would bore me to tears. However, I also imagine that had Pink Floyd gone as keyboard-centric as the Doors were we would have a totally different opinion of their music as well. __________________ Confusion will be my epitaph...

03-29-2010, 04:39 AM	#78 (permalink)
Stinkfist Music Addict Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 114	Floyd by a country mile, the Doors just ****in iritate me had Jim Morrison not died they would now be spoke of in the same breath as Styx. Should have been Floyd versus King Crimson. __________________ You've claimed all this time that you would die for me. Why then are you so suprised to hear your own Eulogy?

03-28-2010, 06:01 PM	#75 (permalink)
Hollow God Groupie Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 7	Thats a tough question... love both bands but I would have to choose Pink Floyd. The Wall is just about my alltime favourite album and Dark Side Of The Moon and Wish You Were Here are also in my top 20. I have to give The Doors props too though, they're great!

03-29-2010, 01:27 AM	#76 (permalink)
Unknown Soldier Horribly Creative Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: London, The Big Smoke Posts: 8,265	Pink Floyd are great but the Doors are even greater.