The Doors: A new video for ‘L.A. Woman’
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Keepers of the Doors’ flame have concocted a new video for the song “L.A. Woman” in conjunction with the recent release of a 40th anniversary edition of the album of the same name. It was the quartet’s final studio album before the death of singer Jim Morrison.
The new video shows pro skateboarders Kenny Anderson, Alex Olson and Braydon Szafranski let loose on the streets of L.A. The camera follows as they zoom through Venice, Hollywood, downtown L.A., the Wilshire District and other locations that figure in the band’s career.
The video includes shots of artist Rip Cronk’s mural in Venice of a shirtless Jim Morrison, the sidewalks in front of the Hollywood Bowl and a plaque with the Doors’ name on it at the Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood, where the group played early in its career.
For the record: An earlier version of this post misidentified Jim Morrison mural artist Rip Cronk as Gronk.
Viewers may also spot cameos with drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robby Krieger and record exec Jac Holzman, who signed the Doors to his Elektra Records label. Keyboardist Ray Manzarek wasn’t available when the video was made, but he gets a nod with a shot showing his surname spray-painted onto a construction barrier.
The video is sequenced to a 3½-minute edit of the original track, which runs almost 8 minutes. It’s the first time an authorized edit of the song has been released — not counting Paul Oakenfold’s 4-minute-plus remix included on “The Very Best of the Doors” compilation from 2007.
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-- Randy Lewis
