I CAN'T SEE YOUR FACE IN MY MIND, 1966 CHANGES THE WAY CONCERTS ARE PLAYED

 

Following the first half of the 1960s, the LP format became increasingly popular in British and American music, as opposed to the 45 single.

Musicians and groups began to approach their music with greater care and attention to detail, making use of the experimental possibilities offered by new technologies in the recording studio.

Astounding albums were created thanks to the sound evolution that took place in those years. However, this made it much more difficult to perform them live.

Consequently, many bands excluded more experimental or psychedelic songs from their live sets, as unusual effects or distortions could not be recreated adequately on stage.

Against this backdrop, The Beatles took the radical step of ceasing live performances altogether in August 1966, shortly after the release of "Revolver", an album that was as magnificent as it was impossible to recreate live.

The Doors' debut album, released in January 1967, mirrored the band's typical on-stage attitude and arrangements. Unsurprisingly, many tracks from this album appeared most often in their shows until the end of their career.

In contrast, their second LP, "Strange Days" (September '67), fully incorporates the signature elements of psychedelia by introducing many new instruments and effects. The extensive work carried out in the recording studio on sounds and distortions resulted in music that could not be performed properly in front of an audience.

A prime example of this is the track "I Can't See Your Face In My Mind".

The only available live recording of this song appears to be the one made on 7 March 1967 at the famous San Francisco venue, "The Matrix" (link here). Here, "I Can't See Your Face in My Mind" is performed faster and in a more Latin-inspired style than on the record.

Furthermore, the group replaces the most complex musical elements with a more linear and less fascinating simplified structure.

This live performance of the song was recorded as a bootleg six months before the "Strange Days" sessions began, and six months before the release of the LP. This underlines how The Doors' creative process developed in the months leading up to the recording of "Strange Days".

The LP version of the song features exotic percussion, experimental keyboard sounds and a backwards-played instrument.

The soft, mysterious and melancholy arrangement tops off a complex tune that the band will consequently perform only a few times in concert.

"I Can't See Your Face In My Mind" underwent a transformation that starts with the "Matrix" live version and ends with the LP release. Psychedelia and attention to instrumental detail are the determining factors in shaping this ethereal music with its experimental overtones.

Conversely, "I Can't See Your Face in My Mind" will soon be dropped from the group’s concert repertoire. Yet it left an indelible mark on vinyl, showcasing all of its creative aura and mysterious charm.

P.S.: My book "The Doors Through Strange Days"- The most comprehensive journey ever made through The Doors' second LP, is available on Amazon.com, .uk, .it, .mx, etc.

Here’s a link:

Amazon – “The Doors Through Strange Days”