Go Insane

Go Insane, released in 1994 on the Italian label Aulica Deluxe (catalog number 9420.22), is a double-CD set issued as a slim box marketed under the "Pure Silk Line" imprint. This is a distinct object from both Go Insane Vol 1 and Go Insane Vol 2, the two separate Aulica releases that preceded it; the content here is essentially a consolidation of those two discs into a single numbered limited edition package, pressed and distributed in Italy. The box carries a numbered certificate of guarantee, placing it squarely in the limited collector edition category.

The packaging is where this set earns most of its collector interest. The photo makes the format immediately clear: a slim double-disc box wrapped in a gold-toned silk material, printed with vertical text along the spine reading "Limited Numbered Edition, Chinese Finest Hand Made." The front panel shows a sepia or warm-toned photograph of Jim Morrison mid-performance, microphone close to his face, rendered in a soft photographic style consistent with 1960s live concert imagery. Above the image, "The Doors" appears in a restrained typeface, with "Go Insane" below it. A small banner across the upper left corner reads "Includes Two Compact Discs," and the lower portion of the front panel notes "18 Original Tracks." The overall color palette is gold, amber, and warm brown, giving the box a deliberately luxurious, if understated, appearance. Visible in the photo alongside the box is a numbered certificate card, a small tan or cream-colored card with printed text and a number, in this case showing 9420 or a derivative of the catalog number. The silk material on the box catches light differently than standard cardboard, which is part of the appeal of the Pure Silk Line series from Aulica. The construction feels more artisanal than most European bootleg packaging of the era, though the practical durability of silk-wrapped board is limited and condition varies considerably on surviving copies.

The source recordings spread across both discs are all live performances, drawn from several well-documented Doors concerts. Disc one opens with three tracks recorded at the Hollywood Bowl on July 5, 1968, including "When The Music's Over," "Moonlight Drive," and "Horse Latitudes." "Money" comes from a 1967 venue performance, while "Gloria" and a second 1967 Los Angeles recording appear next. "Light My Fire" and "The Hill Dwellers" originate from the Stockholm Concerthouse show of September 20, 1968, a night that produced some of the cleaner European concert recordings in wider circulation. Disc two leans heavily on the Matrix Club in San Francisco from March 10, 1967 for tracks including "I'm A King Bee," "Who Do You Love," and the title track "Go Insane." The Hollywood Bowl again supplies "Alabama Song," "Back Door Man," "Five To One," "Summer's Almost Gone," and the closing "The End." "Let It Bleed" is listed as a 1968 Los Angeles recording.

The mislabeling issue is real and documented on Discogs. Track 1-8 appears on the tracklist as "Summertime" but is actually "No Limits, No Laws." Track 1-9 is mistitled "Sunday Soon" rather than the correct "Someday Soon." Track 2-6 is listed as "Insane" when it is "Go Insane," and track 2-8 shows as "Do It" when the actual content is "Let It Bleed." These errors are not incidental: they carry over from the two preceding Aulica volumes and appear to be endemic to this pressing run. For collectors cross-referencing against Live in Seattle or other Italian bootleg releases of the same period, the mislabeling is a known identifier rather than a surprise. Discogs currently shows 28 collectors owning this set and 14 with it on their want list, modest numbers that reflect genuine scarcity rather than simply low demand. This is not a title you find casually in used CD bins; surviving copies in good condition with the certificate intact are the exception. For context on how these Italian live compilations fit into the broader bootleg landscape, the Go Insane and Live in San Francisco entries on this site reflect the same era of collector interest in live-source Italian pressings.

For the serious collector, Go Insane (Aulica Deluxe 9420.22, Italy, 1994) is a legitimate acquisition target precisely because of its format and scarcity. The silk box construction is fragile and attrition has reduced the number of clean surviving copies. The numbered certificate adds a layer of provenance that the two separate volumes lack. The mislabeling is a known flaw, not a disqualifier. Anyone building a complete picture of Italian Doors bootleg pressings alongside standard official releases like The Doors debut will want this set on the shelf. Buy it in good condition when you find it.