The Doors
Encyclopedia
The Doors were an American rock
band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist
Jim Morrison
, keyboardist
Ray Manzarek
, drummer
John Densmore
, and guitarist
Robby Krieger
. The band took its name from Aldous Huxley
's book The Doors of Perception
, the title of which was a reference to a William Blake
quotation: "If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite."
They were among the most controversial rock acts of the 1960s, due mostly to Morrison's wild, poetic lyrics and charismatic but unpredictable stage persona
. After Morrison's death in 1971, the remaining members continued as a trio until finally disbanding in 1973.
Although The Doors' active career ended in 1973, their popularity has persisted. According to the RIAA
, they have sold over 35 million albums in the US alone. The band has sold nearly 100 million albums worldwide. Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger continue to tour as Manzarek-Krieger
, performing Doors songs exclusively. They were the first American band to accumulate eight consecutive gold LPs. Three of the band's studio albums, The Doors
(1967), Strange Days
(1967), and L.A. Woman
(1971), were featured in the Rolling Stone
list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
, at positions 42, 407 and 362 respectively. In 1993, The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
.
film school
alumni
Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek on Venice Beach in Los Angeles
, California
in July 1965. Morrison told Manzarek he had been writing songs (Morrison said "I was taking notes at a fantastic rock-n-roll concert going on in my head") and, with Manzarek's encouragement, sang "Moonlight Drive
". Impressed by Morrison's lyrics, Manzarek suggested they form a band.
Keyboardist Manzarek was in a band called Rick & the Ravens with his brothers Rick and Jim Manzarek, while drummer John Densmore was playing with The Psychedelic Rangers, and knew Manzarek from meditation classes. In August, Densmore joined the group and, along with members of The Ravens and bass player Pat Sullivan (later credited using her married name Patricia Hansen in the 1997 box CD release), recorded a six-song demo in September 1965. This has since then circulated widely as a bootleg recording
. That month the group recruited guitarist Robby Krieger, and the final lineup — Morrison, Manzarek, Krieger and Densmore — was complete. The band took their name from a line in William Blake
's poem The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
; "If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite".
By 1966, the group was playing the LA club London Fog
and soon graduated to the prestigious Whisky a Go Go
, where they were the house band, supporting acts including Van Morrison
's group Them
. On their last night together the two bands joined up for "In the Midnight Hour
" and a twenty-minute jam session of Them's "Gloria". Prior to graduating to Whisky a Go Go, Morrison went to many record labels trying to land a deal. He did score one but it did not pan out. On August 10, they were spotted by Elektra Records
president Jac Holzman
who was present at the recommendation of Love
singer Arthur Lee
, whose group was on Elektra. After Holzman and producer Paul A. Rothchild
saw two sets of the band playing at the Whisky a Go Go, they signed them to the Elektra Records
label on August 18—the start of a long and successful partnership with Rothchild and engineer
Bruce Botnick
. Later that month, the club fired the band after a profanity-filled performance of "The End
".
. 'The Doors' self-titled
debut LP
was released in the first week of January 1967. It featured most of the major songs from their set, including the nearly 12-minute musical drama "The End
".
In November 1966, Mark Abramson
directed a promotional film for the lead single "Break On Through (To the Other Side)
". To promote the single, the Doors made their television debut on a Los Angeles TV show called Boss City, circa 1966, possibly early 1967 and then on a Los Angeles TV show called Shebang, miming to "Break On Through," on New Year's Day 1967. This clip has never been officially released by the Doors.
Since "Break on Through" was not very successful on the radio, the band turned to "Light My Fire
". The problem with this song was that it was seven minutes long, so producer Paul Rothschild cut it down to a three minute song.
The band's second single, "Light My Fire
", became the first single from Elektra Records to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100
singles chart, selling over a million copies. "Light My Fire" was the first song ever written by Robbie Krieger and was the beginning of the band's success.
in San Francisco, California. The March 7 and 10 shows were recorded by a co-owner of The Matrix, Peter Abram. These recordings are notable as they are among the earliest live recordings of the band to circulate. On November 18, 2008, The Doors published a compilation of these recordings, Live at the Matrix 1967
, on the band's boutique Bright Midnight Archives label.
, performing "Light My Fire". They did not appear live. The band is seen on a beach and are performing the song in play back. The music video did not gain any commercial success and the performance was more or less forgotten. It was not until they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show
that they gained attention on television.
The Doors made their international television debut in May 1967, recording a version of "The End" for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
(CBC) at O'Keefe Centre in Toronto. But after its initial broadcasts, it remained unreleased except in bootleg form until the release of The Doors Soundstage Performances DVD in 2002.
On September 17, 1967, The Doors gave a memorable performance of "Light My Fire" on The Ed Sullivan Show. According to Ray Manzarek, network executives asked that the word "higher" be removed in favor of "better." The group initially agreed to this, but nonetheless performed the song in its original form, either because they had never intended to comply with the request, or Jim Morrison was nervous and forgot to make the change (Manzarek has given conflicting accounts). Either way, "higher" was sung out on national TV, and a furious Ed Sullivan
canceled another six shows that had been planned, to which Jim Morrison reportedly said to a show producer: "Hey man. We just did the Sullivan Show."
On December 24, The Doors performed "Light My Fire" and "Moonlight Drive" live for The Jonathan Winters
Show, their performance was taped for later broadcast. From December 26 to December 28, the group played at the Winterland Ballroom
in San Francisco. An excerpt taken from Stephen Davis' book on Jim Morrison (p. 219–220):
They played two more dates in Denver on December 30 and December 31, 1967, capping off a year of almost constant touring.
, experimenting with the new technology they now had available. The commercial success of Strange Days was middling, peaking at number three on the Billboard album chart but quickly dropping, along with a series of underperforming singles. The chorus from the album's single "People Are Strange
" inspired the name of the 2010 documentary of The Doors, When You're Strange.
Strange Days was the first Doors album recorded with a studio musician on bass
, and this continued on all subsequent studio albums. Manzarek explained that his keyboard bass was well-suited for live situations but that it lacked the "articulation" needed for studio recording. Douglass Lubahn
played on Strange Days and the next two albums; but the band utilized several other musicians for this role, often using more than one bassist on the same album. Kerry Magness, Leroy Vinnegar
, Harvey Brooks
, Ray Neopolitan, Lonnie Mack
and Jerry Scheff
are credited as bassists who worked with the band.
in New Haven, Connecticut
, which ended abruptly when Morrison was arrested by local police. Morrison became the first rock artist ever to be arrested onstage during a concert performance.
Morrison had been "making out
" with a fan backstage in a bathroom shower stall prior to the start of the concert when a police officer happened upon them. Unaware that he was the lead singer of the band about to perform, the officer told Morrison and the girl to leave, to which Morrison said, "Eat it." The policeman took out a can of mace
and warned Morrison, "Last chance.", to which Morrison replied, "Last chance to eat it." There is some discrepancy as to what happened next: according to No One Here Gets Out Alive
, the girl ran and Morrison was maced; but Manzarek recounts in his book that both Jim and the fan were sprayed and that the concert was delayed for an hour while Jim recovered.
Halfway through the first set, Morrison proceeded to go on an obscenity-laced tirade to the audience, explaining what had happened backstage and belittling New Haven police. Then Morrison was arrested and dragged offstage, resulting in a riot which spilled from the gates of the New Haven Arena into the streets. Morrison was taken to a local police station, photographed and booked on charges of inciting a riot, indecency and public obscenity. Charges against Morrison, as well as those against three journalists also arrested in the incident (Mike Zwerin
, Yvonne Chabrier and Tim Page), were dropped several weeks later due to lack of evidence.
and drugs
, and the rejection of his new epic, "Celebration of the Lizard
", by band producer Paul Rothchild, who deemed the work not commercial enough. Approaching the height of their popularity, The Doors played a series of outdoor shows that led to frenzied scenes between fans and police, particularly at Chicago Coliseum
on May 10.
The band began to branch out from their initial form for this third LP. Because they had exhausted their original repertoire, they began writing new material. Waiting for the Sun
became their first #1 LP, and the single "Hello, I Love You
" was their second and last US #1 single. With the 1968 release of "Hello, I Love You", the rock press pointed out the song's resemblance to The Kinks
' 1964 hit, "All Day and All of the Night
". Kinks guitarist Dave Davies
was particularly irritated by the similarity. In concert, Morrison was occasionally dismissive of the song, leaving the vocal chores to Manzarek, as can be seen in the documentary The Doors are Open.
A month after riotous scenes took place at the Singer Bowl
in New York, the group flew to Britain for their first venue outside of North America. They held a press conference at the ICA Gallery
in London and played shows at The Roundhouse
Theatre. The results of the trip were broadcast on Granada TV's The Doors Are Open, later released on video. They played dates in Europe, along with Jefferson Airplane
, including a show in Amsterdam where Morrison collapsed on stage after a drug binge.
The group flew back to the US and played nine more US dates before returning to work in November on their fourth LP. They ended the year with a successful new single, "Touch Me
", (released in December 1968), which hit US #3. They started 1969 with a sold-out show on January 24 at Madison Square Garden
.
, released in July 1969, contained pop-oriented arrangements and horn sections. The lead single "Touch Me" featured saxophonist Curtis Amy
.
While the band was trying to maintain their previous momentum, efforts to expand their sound gave the album an experimental feel, causing critics to attack their musical integrity. According to John Densmore in his biography Riders On The Storm individual writing credits were noted for the first time because of Morrison's reluctance to sing the lyrics of Robbie Krieger's song "Tell All the People
". Morrison's drinking made him difficult and unreliable, and the recording sessions dragged on for months. Studio costs piled up, and The Doors came close to disintegrating. Despite all this, the album was immensely successful, becoming the band's fourth hit album.
in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, The Doors gave the most controversial performance of their career, one that nearly "derailed the band". Morrison had recently attended a play
by an experimental theater group, The Living Theatre
, and was inspired by their "antagonistic" style of performance art. The auditorium was a converted seaplane hangar that had no air conditioning on that hot night, and the seats had been removed by the promoter in order to boost ticket sales. Morrison had been drinking all day and had missed connecting flights to Miami, and by the time he eventually arrived the concert was over an hour late in starting, and he was, according to Manzarek, "overly fortified with alcohol". The restless crowd of 12,000, packed into a facility designed to hold 7,000, was subjected to Morrison's lack of interest in singing shortly into "Break On Through". Morrison taunted the crowd with messages of both love and hate, saying, "Love me. I can't take it no more without no good love. I want some lovin'. Ain't nobody gonna love my ass?" and alternately, "You're all a bunch of fuckin' idiots!" and screaming "What are you gonna do about it?" over and over again. At one point, Morrison removed and threw the hat of a police officer who was onstage into the crowd and the officer removed Jim's hat and threw it. Manager Bill Siddons recalled, "The gig was a bizarre, circus-like thing, there was this guy carrying a sheep and the wildest people that I'd ever seen". Equipment chief Vince Treanor said, "Somebody jumped up and poured champagne on Jim so he took his shirt off, he was soaking wet. 'Let's see a little skin, let's get naked,' he said, and the audience started taking their clothes off." Having removed his shirt, Morrison held it in front of his groin area and started to make hand movements behind it. Manzarek later described the incident as a mass "religious hallucination".
On March 5, the Dade County Sheriff's office issued a warrant for Morrison's arrest claiming Morrison deliberately exposed his penis
while on stage, shouted obscenities to the crowd, simulated oral sex
on guitarist Robby Krieger and was drunk at the time of his performance. Morrison turned down a plea bargain that required The Doors to perform a free Miami concert. He was later convicted, sentenced to six months in jail, with hard labor, and ordered to pay a $500 fine. Morrison remained free pending an appeal of his conviction, and would die before the matter was legally resolved. In 2007 Florida Governor Charlie Crist
suggested the possibility of a posthumous pardon
for Morrison, which was announced as successful on December 9, 2010. Densmore, Krieger and Manzarek have denied the allegation that Morrison exposed himself on stage that night.
to see The Rolling Stones
in concert. Both Morrison and his friend and traveling companion Tom Baker
were charged with "interfering with the flight of an intercontinental aircraft and public drunkenness". If convicted of the most serious charge, Morrison could have faced a possible ten-year federal prison sentence for the incident. The charges were dropped in April 1970 after an airline stewardess reversed her testimony to say she mistakenly identified Morrison as Baker.
on Sunset Blvd, Hollywood.
The two shows were performed on July 21, 1969. A "backstage" performance, a so-called "private rehearsal" without an audience occurred on July 22, 1969. This was only a few months after the "Miami incident" in March of that year. Of the songs performed with an audience, "Universal Mind" and the "Celebration of the Lizard" suite were released on The Doors' 1970 Absolutely Live
album, whereas "You Make Me Real" was released on Alive, She Cried
in 1983. Further, the Van Morrison
track, "Gloria", which was performed and recorded during the audience-less rehearsal, was also released on Alive, She Cried. Both the first and second shows along with the rehearsal the following day were released in 2001. It was at these shows that Morrison issued his poem, "Ode to L.A." while thinking of Brian Jones
, the recently deceased former Rolling Stones
guitarist.
, their fifth album. Featuring a consistent, hard rock sound, the album's opener was "Roadhouse Blues
". The record reached US #4 and revived their status among their core fanbase and the rock press. Dave Marsh, the editor of Creem
magazine, said of the album: "the most horrifying rock and roll I have ever heard. When they're good, they're simply unbeatable. I know this is the best record I've listened to ... so far". Rock Magazine called it "without any doubt their ballsiest (and best) album to date". Circus
magazine praised it as "possibly the best album yet from the Doors" and "Good hard, evil rock, and one of the best albums released this decade". The album also saw Jim Morrison returning as main songwriter, writing or co-writing all of the album's tracks. The 40th Anniversary CD reissue of Morrison Hotel contains outtakes and alternate takes, including different versions of "The Spy" and "Roadhouse Blues" (with Lonnie Mack
on bass guitar and The Lovin' Spoonful
's John Sebastian
on harmonica).
July 1970 saw the release of The Doors' first live album, Absolutely Live
.
The band continued to perform at arenas throughout the summer. Morrison faced trial in Miami in August, but the group made it to the Isle of Wight Festival
on August 29. They performed alongside artists such as Jimi Hendrix
, The Who
, Joni Mitchell
, Leonard Cohen
, Miles Davis
and Sly and the Family Stone. Two songs from the show were featured in the 1995 documentary Message to Love
.
in 1978 with music, and is currently in the possession of the Courson family.
The Doors' tour to promote their upcoming album L.A. Woman
would comprise only two dates. The first was held in Dallas, Texas on December 11. During the Doors' last public performance with Morrison, at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana
, on December 12, 1970, Morrison apparently had a breakdown on stage. Midway through the set he slammed the microphone numerous times into the stage floor until the platform beneath was destroyed, then sat down and refused to perform for the remainder of the show. Drummer John Densmore recalls the incident in his biography Riders On the Storm, where after the show he met with Ray and Robbie; they decided to end their live act, citing their mutual agreement that Morrison was ready to retire from performing.
, and bass by Jerry Scheff
. The album contained two Top 20 hits and went on to be their second best-selling studio album, surpassed in sales only by their debut. The album explored their R&B roots, although during rehearsals they had a falling-out with Rothchild. Denouncing "Riders on the Storm
" as 'cocktail jazz', he quit and handed the production to Botnick. The singles "L.A. Woman
", "Love Her Madly
", and "Riders On The Storm" remain mainstays of rock radio programming, and the latter, as of November 25, 2009, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame
for its special significance to recorded music. In the song "L.A. Woman" Jim Morrison scrambles the letters of his own name to chant "Mr. Mojo Risin". During the sessions, a short clip of the band performing "Crawling King Snake" was filmed. So far as known, this is the last clip of the Doors performing with Morrison.
On March 13, 1971, following the recording of L.A. Woman, Morrison took a leave of absence from the Doors and moved to Paris with Pamela Courson
. He had visited the city the previous summer and was interested in moving there to become a writer in exile.
While in Paris, he was again drinking heavily and using other drugs. On June 16, the last known recording of Morrison was made when he befriended two street musicians at a bar and invited them to a studio. This recording was finally released in 1994 on a bootleg CD entitled The Lost Paris Tapes
.
was performed because the medical examiner
claimed to have found no evidence of foul play
. The absence of an official autopsy and the death certificate not having a reason of death besides heart failure has left many questions regarding Morrison's cause of death. Morrison was buried in the "Poets Corner" of Père Lachaise Cemetery on July 7. The epitaph on his headstone bears the Greek inscription "ΚΑΤΑ ΤΟΝ ΔΑΙΜΟΝΑ ΕΑΥΤΟΥ", literally meaning "According to his own daimōn" and usually interpreted as "True to his own spirit".
Morrison died at age 27, the same age as several other famous rock stars in the 27 Club
. Morrison's girlfriend, Pamela Courson
, also died at the age of 27.
took place from July to August 1971, and the album was released in October 1971. The LP featured the single "Tightrope Ride", which received some airplay.
took place during the spring of 1972, and the album was released in August 1972. The Doors went on tour after the releases in support of the albums. The last album expanded into jazz
territory. For the tours during this period, The Doors enlisted Jack Conrad on bass and Bobby Ray Henson on rhythm guitar. While neither album has been reissued on CD
in the United States, they have been released on 2-on-1 CDs in Germany and Russia.
from 1973-1975. Krieger, Manzarek and Densmore reunited in 1978 for An American Prayer, 1993 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1997 in the studio to complete the Morrison penned "Orange County Suite" and 2000 for VH1's Storytellers: A Celebration and on the tribute album Stoned Immaculate: The Music of the Doors
, which featured band members playing along side guest performers as well as recording new music.
, was released in 1978. It consisted of the band adding musical tracks to spoken-word recordings of Morrison reciting his poetry. The record was a commercial success, acquiring a platinum certificate. An American Prayer was re-mastered and re-released with bonus tracks in 1995.
. For the ceremony Manzarek, Krieger and Densmore reunited once again to perform "Roadhouse Blues", "Break On Through" and "Light My Fire". Eddie Vedder
filled in on lead vocals, while Don Was
played bass.
on bass and numerous guest vocalists. Guest vocalists included Ian Astbury
, Scott Weiland
, Scott Stapp
, Perry Farrell
, Pat Monahan and Travis Meeks
. Following the recording the Storytellers: A Celebration, the band members joined solo and together to record on the Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors
. These sessions also yielded new songs credited to The Doors; "Under Waterfall" and "The Cosmic Movie."
, and if I do say so myself, sounds fucking great, hot as hell."
in 1973, but disbanded in 1975 after two albums. Phil Chen who played bass on the band's second album, would later join Robby once again with Mazarek-Krieger.
in 1975, which released two albums from 1977-78. Krieger released six solo albums from 1977-2010. All of the ex-Doors solo albums have met with mixed reviews. In recent years Densmore formed a jazz band called Tribaljazz and they released a self titled album in 2006.
, a four-CD set, one of which was a "greatest hits" type CD. Some of the material had been previously available on bootlegs. A notable inclusion on the compilation was a CD of highlights from the 1970 Felt Forum concert and a cleaned-up recording of the (edited) 1969 "Rock Is Dead" session. The surviving members again re-united to add new musical backing to the solo Morrison song "Orange County Suite".
The 1999 Complete Studio Recordings
box set only included the first six studio albums (omitting An American Prayer, Other Voices and Full Circle), and the Perception
box set, released on November 21, 2006, continued the same trend omitting the three post-Morrison studio albums. The 2006 box set contained about two hours of mostly unheard studio outtakes from the first six albums. Each album was represented by two discs: a CD of the album and the bonus tracks, and a DVD-Audio
with both stereo and 5.1 surround sound mixes (produced and mixed by Bruce Botnick
) in 96 kHz/24-bit LPCM, Dolby Digital
, and DTS, as well as mostly previously released video footage. The discs were accompanied by new liner notes by Botnick and articles from several music critics and historians for each album.
Following the recording of Storytellers: A Celebration, the band members joined solo and together to record for Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors. These sessions also yielded new songs credited to The Doors; "Under Waterfall" and "The Cosmic Movie."
In November 2000, The Doors announced the creation of Bright Midnight Records, a label through which 36 albums and 90 hours of previously unreleased Morrison-era Doors material would be made available on CD. This was launched with a sampler of forthcoming material, mostly from live concerts. The first full release was a two-CD set of the May 1970 show at Detroit's Cobo Center, notable for being, according to Doors manager Danny Sugerman
in its liner notes, "easily... the longest Doors set ever performed." It was followed by two CDs of interviews, mostly with Morrison, and the two 1969 Aquarius shows and one of the rehearsals. A four-CD set Boot Yer Butt
included bootleg quality material but sold out nevertheless. It was notable for the inclusion of the only known performances of songs from L.A. Woman including the title track and "The Changeling" from The Doors' final recorded show in December 1970, Dallas, Texas
. In 2005, a two-CD concert from Philadelphia in 1970 was released.
Many bootleg recordings are available of the group. Among them are a wealth of shows from March 1967 at the Matrix Club
in San Francisco. Many shows are available from 1968 when the band reached the height of its popularity, notably two shows in Stockholm
, Sweden. The infamous Miami show has become widely available while many 1970 shows, notably a radio broadcast of the June 5 Seattle and June 6 Vancouver show, make the rounds. The complete 1969 Rock Is Dead studio jam was discovered in the mid 1990s. In Rock is Dead and in interviews Morrison makes it clear that the music is a continued exploration of the Dionysian mythic content that had informed his earlier poetry. The apocalyptic elements in the music and the poetry were ahead of the music of the day; later groups like Nirvana are influenced by The Doors. We also have to consider the possible influence of Pamela Courson
.
In July 2007, Rhino announced the release of The Doors – Live In Boston
, a three-disc live album
by The Doors. It was recorded on April 10, 1970, as part of the Absolutely Live tour. This is part of previously unreleased material of the Bright Midnight Archives collection of live albums by The Doors.
In March 2008, Rhino announced the release of The Doors – Pittsburgh Civic Arena
, a live album
by The Doors released in 2008. The concert was recorded in Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena on May 2, 1970. This is part of previously unreleased material of the Bright Midnight Archives collection of live albums by The Doors.
In November 2008, Rhino announced the release of The Doors – Live at the Matrix 1967
, a double live album
compiled and resequenced from recordings made on March 7 and 10, 1967 at The Matrix
in San Francisco by club co-owner Peter Abram. The recording is notable because it is one of the earliest live recordings of the band known to exist: The Doors had recorded only one album
by March 1967, "Light My Fire
" had yet to be released as a single, and they were still relatively unknown outside Southern California.
In November 2009, Rhino announced the release of The Doors – Live in New York
, a six-disc box set of the final four concerts performed by The Doors on January 17 and 18, 1970 at the Felt Forum in New York City
. About a third of the material on the set was previously unreleased.
In April 2010, Rhino announced the release of The Doors – When You're Strange: Music From The Motion Picture
, a single disc of the soundtrack to the 2010 documentary film
, narrated by Johnny Depp
, about The Doors and their music. The soundtrack features 14 songs from The Doors’ six studio albums, with studio versions mixed with live versions, including performances from The Ed Sullivan Show
, Television-Byen
in Gladsaxe
, Felt Forum in New York
and The Isle of Wight Festival
.
In November 2010, Rhino announced the release of The Doors – Live in Vancouver 1970
, a two-disc live album. It was recorded on June 6, 1970 in Vancouver
, Canada
. Vince Treanor, The Doors’ tour manager, recorded the show for the band on a Sony reel-to-reel using two microphones placed on the stage. While not a multitrack high fidelity recording, it is clean, quiet and clear, allowing the unbridled energy of the performances to shine through. This is part of previously unreleased material of the Bright Midnight Archives collection of live albums by The Doors.
When You're Strange
was released in April 2010. It is, as Ray Manzarek says, the true story of The Doors, told through use of new interviews and previously unreleased video footage. The film is narrated by Johnny Depp
, and directed by Tom DiCillo
. Rhino Entertainment
released a soundtrack to the movie in March 2010, containing both live and studio recordings.
In July 2011, Rhino UK announced the release of The Doors – A Collection
, a six-CD retrospective box set of the first six albums from The Doors recorded 1966-1971. It features remastered tracks by Bruce Botnik and original artwork in replicated paper sleeves.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
, keyboardist
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
Ray Manzarek
Ray Manzarek
Raymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
, drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
John Densmore
John Densmore
John Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
, and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger
Robert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
. The band took its name from Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. Best known for his novels including Brave New World and a wide-ranging output of essays, Huxley also edited the magazine Oxford Poetry, and published short stories, poetry, travel...
's book The Doors of Perception
The Doors of Perception
The Doors of Perception is a 1954 book by Aldous Huxley detailing his experiences when taking mescaline. The book takes the form of Huxley’s recollection of a mescaline trip which took place over the course of an afternoon, and takes its title from William Blake's poem The Marriage of Heaven and Hell...
, the title of which was a reference to a William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
quotation: "If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite."
They were among the most controversial rock acts of the 1960s, due mostly to Morrison's wild, poetic lyrics and charismatic but unpredictable stage persona
Persona
A persona, in the word's everyday usage, is a social role or a character played by an actor. The word is derived from Latin, where it originally referred to a theatrical mask. The Latin word probably derived from the Etruscan word "phersu", with the same meaning, and that from the Greek πρόσωπον...
. After Morrison's death in 1971, the remaining members continued as a trio until finally disbanding in 1973.
Although The Doors' active career ended in 1973, their popularity has persisted. According to the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
, they have sold over 35 million albums in the US alone. The band has sold nearly 100 million albums worldwide. Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger continue to tour as Manzarek-Krieger
Manzarek-Krieger
Manzarek–Krieger is an American rock band formed by Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors in 2002. They have also been known as The Doors of the 21st Century, D21C, and Riders on the Storm, but have recently been using the moniker Manzarek–Krieger or Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The...
, performing Doors songs exclusively. They were the first American band to accumulate eight consecutive gold LPs. Three of the band's studio albums, The Doors
The Doors (album)
The Doors is the debut album by the American rock band The Doors, recorded in August 1966 and released in January 1967. It was originally released in significantly different stereo and mono mixes...
(1967), Strange Days
Strange Days (album)
Strange Days is the second album released by American rock band The Doors. The album was a commercial success, earning a gold record and reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Despite this, the album's producer, Paul Rothchild, considered it a commercial failure, even if it was an...
(1967), and L.A. Woman
L.A. Woman
The band embarked on a tour to promote the album, although it would only comprise two dates. The first was held in Dallas, Texas on December 11 and reportedly went well. The second performance took place at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 12, 1970, where Morrison apparently had...
(1971), were featured in the Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
, at positions 42, 407 and 362 respectively. In 1993, The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
.
Origins and formation
The origins of The Doors lie in a chance meeting between acquaintances and fellow UCLAUniversity of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
film school
Film school
The term film school is used to describe any educational institution dedicated to teaching aspects of filmmaking, including such subjects as film production, film theory, digital media production, and screenwriting. Film history courses and hands-on technical training are usually incorporated into...
alumni
Alumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek on Venice Beach in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in July 1965. Morrison told Manzarek he had been writing songs (Morrison said "I was taking notes at a fantastic rock-n-roll concert going on in my head") and, with Manzarek's encouragement, sang "Moonlight Drive
Moonlight Drive
"Moonlight Drive" was one of the seminal tracks on The Doors' second album, Strange Days. Although it was only a B-side , it is a favorite in The Doors canon...
". Impressed by Morrison's lyrics, Manzarek suggested they form a band.
Keyboardist Manzarek was in a band called Rick & the Ravens with his brothers Rick and Jim Manzarek, while drummer John Densmore was playing with The Psychedelic Rangers, and knew Manzarek from meditation classes. In August, Densmore joined the group and, along with members of The Ravens and bass player Pat Sullivan (later credited using her married name Patricia Hansen in the 1997 box CD release), recorded a six-song demo in September 1965. This has since then circulated widely as a bootleg recording
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
. That month the group recruited guitarist Robby Krieger, and the final lineup — Morrison, Manzarek, Krieger and Densmore — was complete. The band took their name from a line in William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
's poem The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is a book by the English poet and printmaker William Blake. It is a series of texts written in imitation of biblical prophecy but expressing Blake's own intensely personal Romantic and revolutionary beliefs. Like his other books, it was published as printed sheets...
; "If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite".
London Fog (nightclub)
The London Fog was a 1960s nightclub located on the Sunset Strip in what was then unincorporated Los Angeles County, California...
and soon graduated to the prestigious Whisky a Go Go
Whisky a Go Go
The Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip.-History:...
, where they were the house band, supporting acts including Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
's group Them
Them (band)
Them were a Northern Irish band formed in Belfast in April 1964, most prominently known for the garage rock standard "Gloria" and launching singer Van Morrison's musical career...
. On their last night together the two bands joined up for "In the Midnight Hour
In the Midnight Hour
"In the Midnight Hour" is a song originally performed by Wilson Pickett in 1965 and released on the 1966 album The Exciting Wilson Pickett. It was composed by Pickett and Steve Cropper at the historic Lorraine Motel in Memphis where Martin Luther King, Jr. would later be murdered in April 1968...
" and a twenty-minute jam session of Them's "Gloria". Prior to graduating to Whisky a Go Go, Morrison went to many record labels trying to land a deal. He did score one but it did not pan out. On August 10, they were spotted by Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
president Jac Holzman
Jac Holzman
Jac Holzman was the founder, chief executive officer and head of both Elektra Records and Nonesuch Records.-Biography:He founded Elektra Records in his St. John's College dorm room in 1950 and Nonesuch Records in 1964...
who was present at the recommendation of Love
Love (band)
Love was an American rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were led by singer/songwriter Arthur Lee and lead guitarist Johnny Echols...
singer Arthur Lee
Arthur Lee (musician)
Arthur Lee was the frontman, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of the Los Angeles rock band Love, best known for the critically acclaimed 1967 album, Forever Changes.-Early years:...
, whose group was on Elektra. After Holzman and producer Paul A. Rothchild
Paul A. Rothchild
Paul A. Rothchild was a prominent American record producer of the late 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:Born in Brooklyn, New York, Rothchild grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey and graduated from Teaneck High School in 1953....
saw two sets of the band playing at the Whisky a Go Go, they signed them to the Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
label on August 18—the start of a long and successful partnership with Rothchild and engineer
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
Bruce Botnick
Bruce Botnick
Bruce Botnick is an American audio engineer and record producer, best known for his work with The Doors, and with Love. He engineered Love's first two albums, and co-produced their third album, Forever Changes, with the band's singer-songwriter, Arthur Lee.In November 1970, he took over production...
. Later that month, the club fired the band after a profanity-filled performance of "The End
The End (The Doors song)
"The End" is a song by The Doors. Originally written by Jim Morrison as a song about breaking up with girlfriend Mary Werbelow, it evolved through months of performances at Los Angeles' Whisky a Go Go into a nearly 12-minute opus on their self-titled album. The band would perform the song to close...
".
Debut album
The band recorded their first album from August 24 to 31, 1966 at Sunset Sound Recording StudiosSunset Sound Recorders
Sunset Sound Recorders is a recording studio in Hollywood, California, located at 6650 Sunset Boulevard.The Sunset Sound Recorders complex was converted in 1962 by Walt Disney's Director of Recording, Tutti Camarata, from a collection of old commercial and residential buildings - some built more...
. 'The Doors' self-titled
The Doors (album)
The Doors is the debut album by the American rock band The Doors, recorded in August 1966 and released in January 1967. It was originally released in significantly different stereo and mono mixes...
debut LP
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
was released in the first week of January 1967. It featured most of the major songs from their set, including the nearly 12-minute musical drama "The End
The End (The Doors song)
"The End" is a song by The Doors. Originally written by Jim Morrison as a song about breaking up with girlfriend Mary Werbelow, it evolved through months of performances at Los Angeles' Whisky a Go Go into a nearly 12-minute opus on their self-titled album. The band would perform the song to close...
".
In November 1966, Mark Abramson
Mark Abramson
Mark Abramson was an American record producer and artist. He produced recordings of Judy Collins, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Bob Gibson, Love, Phil Ochs, Tom Rush, Josh White and many other artists. He produced and directed "Shoot The Actor" and early music videos of The Doors and Love. His...
directed a promotional film for the lead single "Break On Through (To the Other Side)
Break on Through (To the Other Side)
"Break on Through " is a song by The Doors from their debut album, The Doors. It was the first single released by the band and was unsuccessful compared to later hits, reaching only #126 in the United States...
". To promote the single, the Doors made their television debut on a Los Angeles TV show called Boss City, circa 1966, possibly early 1967 and then on a Los Angeles TV show called Shebang, miming to "Break On Through," on New Year's Day 1967. This clip has never been officially released by the Doors.
Since "Break on Through" was not very successful on the radio, the band turned to "Light My Fire
Light My Fire
"Light My Fire" is a song by The Doors which was recorded in August 1966 and released the first week of January 1967 on the Doors' debut album. Released as a single in April, it spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and one week on the Cash Box Top 100, nearly a year after...
". The problem with this song was that it was seven minutes long, so producer Paul Rothschild cut it down to a three minute song.
The band's second single, "Light My Fire
Light My Fire
"Light My Fire" is a song by The Doors which was recorded in August 1966 and released the first week of January 1967 on the Doors' debut album. Released as a single in April, it spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and one week on the Cash Box Top 100, nearly a year after...
", became the first single from Elektra Records to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
singles chart, selling over a million copies. "Light My Fire" was the first song ever written by Robbie Krieger and was the beginning of the band's success.
Early live recordings at The Matrix
From March 7 to March 11, 1967, The Doors performed at the Matrix ClubThe Matrix (club)
The Matrix, a renovated former pizza shop, was a nightclub in San Francisco from 1965 to 1972 and was one of the keys to what eventually became known as the "San Francisco Sound" in rock music...
in San Francisco, California. The March 7 and 10 shows were recorded by a co-owner of The Matrix, Peter Abram. These recordings are notable as they are among the earliest live recordings of the band to circulate. On November 18, 2008, The Doors published a compilation of these recordings, Live at the Matrix 1967
Live at the Matrix 1967
Live at the Matrix 1967 is a double live album by The Doors, compiled and resequenced from recordings made on March 7 and 10, 1967 at The Matrix in San Francisco by club co-owner Peter Abram...
, on the band's boutique Bright Midnight Archives label.
Early television performances
The Doors appeared on American television on August 25, 1967, guest-starring on the variety TV series, Malibu UMalibu U
Malibu U is the name of a short-lived American variety TV series that aired in the summer of 1967. Ricky Nelson starred as the dean of a fictional college called "Malibu U," where the biggest popular music stars of the 1960s performed once a week. The show lasted for only seven episodes, going...
, performing "Light My Fire". They did not appear live. The band is seen on a beach and are performing the song in play back. The music video did not gain any commercial success and the performance was more or less forgotten. It was not until they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
that they gained attention on television.
The Doors made their international television debut in May 1967, recording a version of "The End" for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
(CBC) at O'Keefe Centre in Toronto. But after its initial broadcasts, it remained unreleased except in bootleg form until the release of The Doors Soundstage Performances DVD in 2002.
On September 17, 1967, The Doors gave a memorable performance of "Light My Fire" on The Ed Sullivan Show. According to Ray Manzarek, network executives asked that the word "higher" be removed in favor of "better." The group initially agreed to this, but nonetheless performed the song in its original form, either because they had never intended to comply with the request, or Jim Morrison was nervous and forgot to make the change (Manzarek has given conflicting accounts). Either way, "higher" was sung out on national TV, and a furious Ed Sullivan
Ed Sullivan
Edward Vincent "Ed" Sullivan was an American entertainment writer and television host, best known as the presenter of the TV variety show The Ed Sullivan Show. The show was broadcast from 1948 to 1971 , which made it one of the longest-running variety shows in U.S...
canceled another six shows that had been planned, to which Jim Morrison reportedly said to a show producer: "Hey man. We just did the Sullivan Show."
On December 24, The Doors performed "Light My Fire" and "Moonlight Drive" live for The Jonathan Winters
Jonathan Winters
-Early life:Winters was born in Bellbrook, Ohio, the son of Alice Kilgore , a radio personality, and Jonathan Harshman Winters II, an investment broker. He is a descendant of Valentine Winters, founder of the Winters National Bank in Dayton, Ohio...
Show, their performance was taped for later broadcast. From December 26 to December 28, the group played at the Winterland Ballroom
Winterland Ballroom
The Winterland Ballroom, often referred to as Winterland Arena or simply Winterland, was an old ice skating rink and 5,400-seat music venue in San Francisco, California...
in San Francisco. An excerpt taken from Stephen Davis' book on Jim Morrison (p. 219–220):
The next night at Winterland, a TV set was wheeled onstage during The Doors set so the band could see themselves on The Jonathan Winters Show. They stopped playing "Back Door Man" when their song came on. The audience watched the Doors watching themselves on TV. They finished the song when their bit was done, and Ray walked over and turned the TV off. The next night was their last ever in Winterland.
They played two more dates in Denver on December 30 and December 31, 1967, capping off a year of almost constant touring.
Strange Days
The Doors spent several weeks in Los' Angeles' Sunset Studios recording their second album, Strange DaysStrange Days (album)
Strange Days is the second album released by American rock band The Doors. The album was a commercial success, earning a gold record and reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Despite this, the album's producer, Paul Rothchild, considered it a commercial failure, even if it was an...
, experimenting with the new technology they now had available. The commercial success of Strange Days was middling, peaking at number three on the Billboard album chart but quickly dropping, along with a series of underperforming singles. The chorus from the album's single "People Are Strange
People Are Strange
"People Are Strange" is a single released by The Doors in September 1967 from their second album Strange Days which was also released in September 1967. The single peaked at the #12 position of the U.S. Hot 100 chart and made it to the top ten in the Cash Box charts...
" inspired the name of the 2010 documentary of The Doors, When You're Strange.
Strange Days was the first Doors album recorded with a studio musician on bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, and this continued on all subsequent studio albums. Manzarek explained that his keyboard bass was well-suited for live situations but that it lacked the "articulation" needed for studio recording. Douglass Lubahn
Douglass Lubahn
Douglass Lubahn is a psychedelic-rock/jazz-rock bassist who has played with some internationally famous bands. His work is featured on several albums recorded by The Doors.-Brief History:...
played on Strange Days and the next two albums; but the band utilized several other musicians for this role, often using more than one bassist on the same album. Kerry Magness, Leroy Vinnegar
Leroy Vinnegar
Leroy Vinnegar was an American jazz bassist.Born in Indianapolis, the self-taught Vinnegar established his reputation in Los Angeles during the 1950s and 1960s. His trademark was the rhythmic "walking" bass line, a steady series of ascending or descending notes, and it brought him the nickname...
, Harvey Brooks
Harvey Brooks
Harvey Brooks is an American bassist. He has played in many styles of music...
, Ray Neopolitan, Lonnie Mack
Lonnie Mack
Lonnie Mack is an American rock, blues and country guitarist and vocalist....
and Jerry Scheff
Jerry Scheff
Jerry Obern Scheff is an American bassist, perhaps best known for his work with Elvis Presley in the early 1970s as a member of his TCB Band and his work on The Doors' final recordings....
are credited as bassists who worked with the band.
New Haven incident
On December 9, 1967, The Doors performed a now infamous concert at New Haven ArenaNew Haven Arena
New Haven Arena was an indoor arena on Grove Street in New Haven, Connecticut, that served as a venue for ice hockey, concerts, and circuses.The first arena opened in 1914 but burned down in 1924...
in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, which ended abruptly when Morrison was arrested by local police. Morrison became the first rock artist ever to be arrested onstage during a concert performance.
Morrison had been "making out
Making out
In human sexuality, making out is a sexual euphemism of American origin dating back to at least 1949, and is used synonymously with the terms necking, heavy petting, and hooking up to refer to non-penetrative sex, though "hooking up" is also used in some cultures to imply casual sex.-History:The...
" with a fan backstage in a bathroom shower stall prior to the start of the concert when a police officer happened upon them. Unaware that he was the lead singer of the band about to perform, the officer told Morrison and the girl to leave, to which Morrison said, "Eat it." The policeman took out a can of mace
Mace (spray)
Chemical Mace is a tear gas in the form of an aerosol spray which propels a lachrymatory agent mixed with a volatile solvent. It is sometimes used as a self-defense device...
and warned Morrison, "Last chance.", to which Morrison replied, "Last chance to eat it." There is some discrepancy as to what happened next: according to No One Here Gets Out Alive
No One Here Gets Out Alive
No One Here Gets Out Alive was the first biography of Jim Morrison, lead singer and lyricist of the L.A. rock band The Doors, written after his death by journalist Jerry Hopkins, with later "insider" information added by Danny Sugerman. The book is largely credited with revitalizing the popularity...
, the girl ran and Morrison was maced; but Manzarek recounts in his book that both Jim and the fan were sprayed and that the concert was delayed for an hour while Jim recovered.
Halfway through the first set, Morrison proceeded to go on an obscenity-laced tirade to the audience, explaining what had happened backstage and belittling New Haven police. Then Morrison was arrested and dragged offstage, resulting in a riot which spilled from the gates of the New Haven Arena into the streets. Morrison was taken to a local police station, photographed and booked on charges of inciting a riot, indecency and public obscenity. Charges against Morrison, as well as those against three journalists also arrested in the incident (Mike Zwerin
Mike Zwerin
Mike Zwerin was an American cool jazz musician and author. Zwerin as a musician played the trombone and bass trumpet within various jazz ensembles. He was active within the jazz and prog. jazz musical community as a session musician...
, Yvonne Chabrier and Tim Page), were dropped several weeks later due to lack of evidence.
Waiting for the Sun
Recording of the group's third album in April 1968 was marred by tension as a result of Morrison's increasing dependence on alcoholAlcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
and drugs
Substance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
, and the rejection of his new epic, "Celebration of the Lizard
Celebration of the Lizard
"Celebration of the Lizard" is an epic performance piece written by Jim Morrison, frontman of The Doors. Composed as a series of poems, they include musical sections, spoken verse, and passages of allegorical storytelling.-Poems:*Lions in the Street...
", by band producer Paul Rothchild, who deemed the work not commercial enough. Approaching the height of their popularity, The Doors played a series of outdoor shows that led to frenzied scenes between fans and police, particularly at Chicago Coliseum
Chicago Coliseum
The Chicago Coliseum was the name of a succession of three large indoor arenas in Chicago, Illinois from the 1860s to 1982 that each served as a sports venue, convention center, and exhibition hall over the course of their respective histories. The first Coliseum briefly made an appearance in the...
on May 10.
The band began to branch out from their initial form for this third LP. Because they had exhausted their original repertoire, they began writing new material. Waiting for the Sun
Waiting for the Sun
Waiting for the Sun is the third studio album by the American rock band The Doors. It was released in 1968 and became the band's first and only number one album and spawned their second US number one single, "Hello, I Love You". It also became the band's first hit album in the UK, where it peaked...
became their first #1 LP, and the single "Hello, I Love You
Hello, I Love You
"Hello, I Love You" is a song by The Doors from their 1968 album Waiting for the Sun. It was released as a single that same year, reaching number one in the United States and selling over a million copies in the U.S. alone. In Canada, it hit number one as well...
" was their second and last US #1 single. With the 1968 release of "Hello, I Love You", the rock press pointed out the song's resemblance to The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
' 1964 hit, "All Day and All of the Night
All Day and All of the Night
"All Day and All of the Night" is a song by the British band The Kinks from 1964. It can be found on their debut album "Kinks". It reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart and #7 on Billboards United States chart in 1965....
". Kinks guitarist Dave Davies
Dave Davies
David Russell Gordon "Dave" Davies is an English rock musician best known for his role as lead guitarist and vocalist for the English rock band The Kinks....
was particularly irritated by the similarity. In concert, Morrison was occasionally dismissive of the song, leaving the vocal chores to Manzarek, as can be seen in the documentary The Doors are Open.
A month after riotous scenes took place at the Singer Bowl
Singer Bowl
The Singer Bowl is a stadium that formerly stood in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, in the New York City borough of Queens. The stadium was built for events during the 1964 World's Fair, also hosting various Olympic trials and concerts over the years....
in New York, the group flew to Britain for their first venue outside of North America. They held a press conference at the ICA Gallery
Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. It is located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch...
in London and played shows at The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse is a Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England, which has been converted into a performing arts and concert venue. It was originally built in 1847 as a roundhouse , a circular building containing a railway turntable, but was only used for railway...
Theatre. The results of the trip were broadcast on Granada TV's The Doors Are Open, later released on video. They played dates in Europe, along with Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
, including a show in Amsterdam where Morrison collapsed on stage after a drug binge.
The group flew back to the US and played nine more US dates before returning to work in November on their fourth LP. They ended the year with a successful new single, "Touch Me
Touch Me (The Doors song)
"Touch Me" is a song by The Doors from their album The Soft Parade. Written by Robby Krieger, its riff was influenced by The Four Seasons' "C'mon Marianne." It is notable for its extensive usage of brass and string instruments to accent Jim Morrison's vocals...
", (released in December 1968), which hit US #3. They started 1969 with a sold-out show on January 24 at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
.
The Soft Parade
The Doors' fourth album, The Soft ParadeThe Soft Parade
The Soft Parade is the fourth studio album by The Doors, released in 1969.The album met with some controversy among fans and critics due to its inclusion of brass and string instrument arrangements, as opposed to the more stripped-down sound of their earlier recordings...
, released in July 1969, contained pop-oriented arrangements and horn sections. The lead single "Touch Me" featured saxophonist Curtis Amy
Curtis Amy
Curtis Amy was an American West Coast jazz musician known for his work on tenor saxophone. He also explored many mediums, including soul jazz and hard bop.-Biography:...
.
While the band was trying to maintain their previous momentum, efforts to expand their sound gave the album an experimental feel, causing critics to attack their musical integrity. According to John Densmore in his biography Riders On The Storm individual writing credits were noted for the first time because of Morrison's reluctance to sing the lyrics of Robbie Krieger's song "Tell All the People
Tell All the People
"Tell All the People" was the third single off The Doors' 1969 album The Soft Parade. It is also known by "Follow Me Down" because of the use of the phrase in the song. It was released as an A-side that same year, with "Easy Ride" as its B-side, reaching #57 in the US charts...
". Morrison's drinking made him difficult and unreliable, and the recording sessions dragged on for months. Studio costs piled up, and The Doors came close to disintegrating. Despite all this, the album was immensely successful, becoming the band's fourth hit album.
Miami incident
On March 1, 1969, at the Dinner Key AuditoriumDinner Key
Dinner Key is a marina complex in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida along the shore of Biscayne Bay on South Bayshore Drive. It was originally an island, but was connected to the mainland in 1914 by filling in the intervening space...
in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, The Doors gave the most controversial performance of their career, one that nearly "derailed the band". Morrison had recently attended a play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
by an experimental theater group, The Living Theatre
The Living Theatre
The Living Theatre is an American theatre company founded in 1947 and based in New York City. It is the oldest experimental theatre group still existing in the U.S...
, and was inspired by their "antagonistic" style of performance art. The auditorium was a converted seaplane hangar that had no air conditioning on that hot night, and the seats had been removed by the promoter in order to boost ticket sales. Morrison had been drinking all day and had missed connecting flights to Miami, and by the time he eventually arrived the concert was over an hour late in starting, and he was, according to Manzarek, "overly fortified with alcohol". The restless crowd of 12,000, packed into a facility designed to hold 7,000, was subjected to Morrison's lack of interest in singing shortly into "Break On Through". Morrison taunted the crowd with messages of both love and hate, saying, "Love me. I can't take it no more without no good love. I want some lovin'. Ain't nobody gonna love my ass?" and alternately, "You're all a bunch of fuckin' idiots!" and screaming "What are you gonna do about it?" over and over again. At one point, Morrison removed and threw the hat of a police officer who was onstage into the crowd and the officer removed Jim's hat and threw it. Manager Bill Siddons recalled, "The gig was a bizarre, circus-like thing, there was this guy carrying a sheep and the wildest people that I'd ever seen". Equipment chief Vince Treanor said, "Somebody jumped up and poured champagne on Jim so he took his shirt off, he was soaking wet. 'Let's see a little skin, let's get naked,' he said, and the audience started taking their clothes off." Having removed his shirt, Morrison held it in front of his groin area and started to make hand movements behind it. Manzarek later described the incident as a mass "religious hallucination".
On March 5, the Dade County Sheriff's office issued a warrant for Morrison's arrest claiming Morrison deliberately exposed his penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
while on stage, shouted obscenities to the crowd, simulated oral sex
Oral sex
Oral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a sex partner by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on females while fellatio refer to oral sex performed on males. Anilingus refers to oral stimulation of a person's anus...
on guitarist Robby Krieger and was drunk at the time of his performance. Morrison turned down a plea bargain that required The Doors to perform a free Miami concert. He was later convicted, sentenced to six months in jail, with hard labor, and ordered to pay a $500 fine. Morrison remained free pending an appeal of his conviction, and would die before the matter was legally resolved. In 2007 Florida Governor Charlie Crist
Charlie Crist
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Crist, Jr. is an American politician who was the 44th Governor of Florida. Prior to his election as governor, Crist previously served as Florida State Senator, Education Commissioner, and Attorney General...
suggested the possibility of a posthumous pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
for Morrison, which was announced as successful on December 9, 2010. Densmore, Krieger and Manzarek have denied the allegation that Morrison exposed himself on stage that night.
More legal problems
During the recording of their next album, in November 1969, Morrison once again found himself in trouble with the law after harassing airline staff during a flight to Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
to see The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
in concert. Both Morrison and his friend and traveling companion Tom Baker
Tom Baker (American actor)
Tom Baker was an American actor who starred in the Andy Warhol movie I, A Man . He was a known drug addict and alcoholic, and a close friend of Jim Morrison of The Doors....
were charged with "interfering with the flight of an intercontinental aircraft and public drunkenness". If convicted of the most serious charge, Morrison could have faced a possible ten-year federal prison sentence for the incident. The charges were dropped in April 1970 after an airline stewardess reversed her testimony to say she mistakenly identified Morrison as Baker.
Aquarius Theatre performances
The Doors gave two concerts at the Aquarius TheatreEarl Carroll Theatre
Earl Carroll Theatre was the name of two important theaters owned by Broadway impresario and showman Earl Carroll. One was located on Broadway in New York City and the other on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, California.-Broadway:...
on Sunset Blvd, Hollywood.
The two shows were performed on July 21, 1969. A "backstage" performance, a so-called "private rehearsal" without an audience occurred on July 22, 1969. This was only a few months after the "Miami incident" in March of that year. Of the songs performed with an audience, "Universal Mind" and the "Celebration of the Lizard" suite were released on The Doors' 1970 Absolutely Live
Absolutely Live (The Doors album)
Absolutely Live is the first live album released by American rock band The Doors in July 1970. Many shows were recorded during the 1970 tour to create the "Absolutely Live" album. The Doors producer, and long time collaborator Paul Rothchild painstakingly edited the album from many different shows...
album, whereas "You Make Me Real" was released on Alive, She Cried
Alive, She Cried
Alive, She Cried is a live album by the American rock band The Doors; the title of the album is taken from a line in the song "When the Music's Over". The recordings are from various concerts during the period 1968–1970; they include "Gloria", originally a hit for Them, and an extended version of...
in 1983. Further, the Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
track, "Gloria", which was performed and recorded during the audience-less rehearsal, was also released on Alive, She Cried. Both the first and second shows along with the rehearsal the following day were released in 2001. It was at these shows that Morrison issued his poem, "Ode to L.A." while thinking of Brian Jones
Brian Jones
Lewis Brian Hopkins Jones , known as Brian Jones, was an English musician and a founding member of the Rolling Stones....
, the recently deceased former Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
guitarist.
Morrison Hotel and Absolutely Live
The Doors staged a return to form with their 1970 LP Morrison HotelMorrison Hotel
Morrison Hotel is The Doors' fifth album. It was released in 1970. After their experimental work The Soft Parade was not as well received as anticipated, the group went back to basics and back to their roots...
, their fifth album. Featuring a consistent, hard rock sound, the album's opener was "Roadhouse Blues
Roadhouse Blues
"Roadhouse Blues" is a blues-rock song written and recorded by the American rock band The Doors. The song, which appeared on the B-side of "You Make Me Real", was first released as a single from the album Morrison Hotel in March 1970 and peaked at #50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100...
". The record reached US #4 and revived their status among their core fanbase and the rock press. Dave Marsh, the editor of Creem
Creem
Creem , "America's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine," was a monthly rock 'n' roll publication first published in March 1969 by Barry Kramer and founding editor Tony Reay. It suspended production in 1989 but received a short-lived renaissance in the early 1990s as a glossy tabloid...
magazine, said of the album: "the most horrifying rock and roll I have ever heard. When they're good, they're simply unbeatable. I know this is the best record I've listened to ... so far". Rock Magazine called it "without any doubt their ballsiest (and best) album to date". Circus
Circus (magazine)
Circus was a monthly American magazine devoted to rock music. It was published from 1966 to 2006. In its heyday the magazine had a full-time editorial staff that included some of the biggest names in rock journalism, including Paul Nelson, David Fricke, and Kurt Loder, and rivaled Rolling Stone in...
magazine praised it as "possibly the best album yet from the Doors" and "Good hard, evil rock, and one of the best albums released this decade". The album also saw Jim Morrison returning as main songwriter, writing or co-writing all of the album's tracks. The 40th Anniversary CD reissue of Morrison Hotel contains outtakes and alternate takes, including different versions of "The Spy" and "Roadhouse Blues" (with Lonnie Mack
Lonnie Mack
Lonnie Mack is an American rock, blues and country guitarist and vocalist....
on bass guitar and The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful is an American pop rock band of the 1960s, named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. When asked about his band, leader John Sebastian said it sounded like a combination of "Mississippi John Hurt and Chuck Berry," prompting his friend, Fritz Richmond, to suggest the name...
's John Sebastian
John Sebastian
John Benson Sebastian Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and autoharpist. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000...
on harmonica).
July 1970 saw the release of The Doors' first live album, Absolutely Live
Absolutely Live (The Doors album)
Absolutely Live is the first live album released by American rock band The Doors in July 1970. Many shows were recorded during the 1970 tour to create the "Absolutely Live" album. The Doors producer, and long time collaborator Paul Rothchild painstakingly edited the album from many different shows...
.
The band continued to perform at arenas throughout the summer. Morrison faced trial in Miami in August, but the group made it to the Isle of Wight Festival
Isle of Wight Festival 1970
The 1970 Isle of Wight Festival was held between 26 and 31 August 1970 at East Afton Farm an area on the western side of the Isle of Wight. It was the last of three consecutive music festivals to take place on the island between 1968 and 1970 and widely acknowledged as the largest musical event of...
on August 29. They performed alongside artists such as Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
, Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
, Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
and Sly and the Family Stone. Two songs from the show were featured in the 1995 documentary Message to Love
Message to Love
Message to Love is a feature documentary film of the Isle of Wight Festival 1970. The film unsparingly, often comically depicts the myriad problems associated with the famously chaotic festival—the main program of which was held on August 26–30, 1970—including gate-crashing, numerous crowd...
.
Last public performance
On December 8, 1970, his 27th birthday, Morrison recorded another poetry session. Part of this would end up on An American PrayerAn American Prayer
An American Prayer is the last studio album by The Doors. In 1978, seven years after lead singer Jim Morrison died and five years after the remaining members of the band broke up, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore reunited and recorded backing tracks over Morrison's poetry...
in 1978 with music, and is currently in the possession of the Courson family.
The Doors' tour to promote their upcoming album L.A. Woman
L.A. Woman
The band embarked on a tour to promote the album, although it would only comprise two dates. The first was held in Dallas, Texas on December 11 and reportedly went well. The second performance took place at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 12, 1970, where Morrison apparently had...
would comprise only two dates. The first was held in Dallas, Texas on December 11. During the Doors' last public performance with Morrison, at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, on December 12, 1970, Morrison apparently had a breakdown on stage. Midway through the set he slammed the microphone numerous times into the stage floor until the platform beneath was destroyed, then sat down and refused to perform for the remainder of the show. Drummer John Densmore recalls the incident in his biography Riders On the Storm, where after the show he met with Ray and Robbie; they decided to end their live act, citing their mutual agreement that Morrison was ready to retire from performing.
L.A. Woman
The Doors set to reclaim their status as a premier act with L.A. Woman in 1971. The session included guitar work by Marc BennoMarc Benno
Marc Benno is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Benno was a member of The Asylum Choir with Leon Russell in the late 1960s, and launched a solo career in the early 1970s, with his 1972 effort Ambush being the most commercially successful...
, and bass by Jerry Scheff
Jerry Scheff
Jerry Obern Scheff is an American bassist, perhaps best known for his work with Elvis Presley in the early 1970s as a member of his TCB Band and his work on The Doors' final recordings....
. The album contained two Top 20 hits and went on to be their second best-selling studio album, surpassed in sales only by their debut. The album explored their R&B roots, although during rehearsals they had a falling-out with Rothchild. Denouncing "Riders on the Storm
Riders on the Storm
"Riders on the Storm" is a song by The Doors from their 1971 album, L.A. Woman. It reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, number 22 on the UK singles charts and number 7 in the Netherlands.-Overview:...
" as 'cocktail jazz', he quit and handed the production to Botnick. The singles "L.A. Woman
L.A. Woman (song)
"L.A. Woman" is a song by American rock band The Doors. The song is the title track on their 1971 album L.A. Woman, the final album with frontman Jim Morrison before his death.In the song's coda, Morrison repeats the phrase Mr...
", "Love Her Madly
Love Her Madly
"Love Her Madly" is a song by The Doors, which was released in March 1971. Composed by guitarist Robby Krieger, it served as the lead single from L.A. Woman, their final album with frontman Jim Morrison. Session musician and Elvis Presly TCB Band touring member Jerry Scheff, played bass guitar on...
", and "Riders On The Storm" remain mainstays of rock radio programming, and the latter, as of November 25, 2009, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame
Grammy Hall of Fame Award
The Grammy Hall of Fame Award is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old and that have "qualitative or historical significance"...
for its special significance to recorded music. In the song "L.A. Woman" Jim Morrison scrambles the letters of his own name to chant "Mr. Mojo Risin". During the sessions, a short clip of the band performing "Crawling King Snake" was filmed. So far as known, this is the last clip of the Doors performing with Morrison.
On March 13, 1971, following the recording of L.A. Woman, Morrison took a leave of absence from the Doors and moved to Paris with Pamela Courson
Pamela Courson
Pamela Susan Courson was the long-term companion of Jim Morrison, vocalist of The Doors. After the deaths of Morrison and Courson, her parents petitioned an out-of-state court to declare that the couple had a common-law marriage.-Early life and involvement with Morrison:Courson was born in Weed,...
. He had visited the city the previous summer and was interested in moving there to become a writer in exile.
While in Paris, he was again drinking heavily and using other drugs. On June 16, the last known recording of Morrison was made when he befriended two street musicians at a bar and invited them to a studio. This recording was finally released in 1994 on a bootleg CD entitled The Lost Paris Tapes
The Lost Paris Tapes
The Lost Paris Tapes is the title given to a recorded collection of unedited poems and songs by rock musician and poet Jim Morrison of The Doors...
.
Morrison's death
Morrison died on July 3, 1971. In the official account of his death, he was found in a Paris apartment bathtub by Courson. Pursuant to French law, no autopsyAutopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
was performed because the medical examiner
Medical examiner
A medical examiner is a medically qualified government officer whose duty is to investigate deaths and injuries that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions to initiate inquests....
claimed to have found no evidence of foul play
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
. The absence of an official autopsy and the death certificate not having a reason of death besides heart failure has left many questions regarding Morrison's cause of death. Morrison was buried in the "Poets Corner" of Père Lachaise Cemetery on July 7. The epitaph on his headstone bears the Greek inscription "ΚΑΤΑ ΤΟΝ ΔΑΙΜΟΝΑ ΕΑΥΤΟΥ", literally meaning "According to his own daimōn" and usually interpreted as "True to his own spirit".
Morrison died at age 27, the same age as several other famous rock stars in the 27 Club
27 Club
The 27 Club—also occasionally known as the Forever 27 Club, Club 27 or the Curse of 27—is the title for a group of popular musicians who all died at the age of 27...
. Morrison's girlfriend, Pamela Courson
Pamela Courson
Pamela Susan Courson was the long-term companion of Jim Morrison, vocalist of The Doors. After the deaths of Morrison and Courson, her parents petitioned an out-of-state court to declare that the couple had a common-law marriage.-Early life and involvement with Morrison:Courson was born in Weed,...
, also died at the age of 27.
Other Voices
The surviving Doors continued for some time, initially considering replacing Morrison with a new singer. Instead, Krieger and Manzarek took over on vocals and The Doors released two more albums before disbanding. The recording of Other VoicesOther Voices (The Doors album)
Other Voices is the seventh studio album by The Doors released in 1971. It was the first album released by the band following the death of lead singer Jim Morrison.-Recording:...
took place from July to August 1971, and the album was released in October 1971. The LP featured the single "Tightrope Ride", which received some airplay.
Full Circle
The recordings for Full CircleFull Circle (The Doors album)
Full Circle is the eighth studio album by The Doors released in 1972. It is the second album after Jim Morrison's death, and also their last album together before they broke up. The album includes "The Mosquito", the last hit single by the band. Keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger...
took place during the spring of 1972, and the album was released in August 1972. The Doors went on tour after the releases in support of the albums. The last album expanded into jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
territory. For the tours during this period, The Doors enlisted Jack Conrad on bass and Bobby Ray Henson on rhythm guitar. While neither album has been reissued on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in the United States, they have been released on 2-on-1 CDs in Germany and Russia.
Break-up
The group disbanded in 1973 and Krieger and Densmore would go on to form The Butts BandThe Butts Band
The Butts Band was a British and American group formed by ex-Doors members John Densmore and Robby Krieger that was active from 1973-1975.-History:The Butts Band came about as a consequence of The Doors trying to find a replacement for Jim Morrison...
from 1973-1975. Krieger, Manzarek and Densmore reunited in 1978 for An American Prayer, 1993 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1997 in the studio to complete the Morrison penned "Orange County Suite" and 2000 for VH1's Storytellers: A Celebration and on the tribute album Stoned Immaculate: The Music of the Doors
Stoned Immaculate: The Music of the Doors
Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors is a tribute album dedicated to The Doors. Producer Ralph Sall gathered an assortment of new, classic and iconic artists for the record. Unusually, the surviving members of The Doors played on this "tribute" record. In addition, recordings of Jim Morrison...
, which featured band members playing along side guest performers as well as recording new music.
1978 – An American Prayer
The third post-Morrison album, An American PrayerAn American Prayer
An American Prayer is the last studio album by The Doors. In 1978, seven years after lead singer Jim Morrison died and five years after the remaining members of the band broke up, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore reunited and recorded backing tracks over Morrison's poetry...
, was released in 1978. It consisted of the band adding musical tracks to spoken-word recordings of Morrison reciting his poetry. The record was a commercial success, acquiring a platinum certificate. An American Prayer was re-mastered and re-released with bonus tracks in 1995.
1993 – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
In 1993, The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of FameRock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
. For the ceremony Manzarek, Krieger and Densmore reunited once again to perform "Roadhouse Blues", "Break On Through" and "Light My Fire". Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
filled in on lead vocals, while Don Was
Don Was
Don Was is an American musician, bassist and record producer.-Life and career:Was was born in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Oak Park High School in the Detroit suburb of Oak Park, then attended the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor but dropped out after the first year...
played bass.
1997 – "Orange County Suite"
For the 1997 boxed set, the surviving members of The Doors once again reunited to complete "Orange County Suite". The track was one that Morrison had written and recorded, providing vocals and piano.2000 – VH1's Storytellers and Stoned Immaculate
The Doors reunited in 2000 to perform on VH1's Storytellers. For this last live performance, the band was joined by Angelo BarberaAngelo Barbera
Angelo Barbera is an American bass player best known for his work with the Robby Krieger Band and The Doors of the 21st Century.-Life and career:...
on bass and numerous guest vocalists. Guest vocalists included Ian Astbury
Ian Astbury
Ian Astbury is an English rock musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist for the rock band, The Cult.-Pre-Cult:...
, Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland is an American musician, lyricist, and vocalist, most notable for his work with Grammy Award-winning rock band Stone Temple Pilots. Weiland is also known for his five-year career with supergroup Velvet Revolver as well as his own solo career...
, Scott Stapp
Scott Stapp
Scott Alan Stapp is an American musician and singer-songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Creed, of which he is a founding member. His debut solo album, The Great Divide, was released in 2005. A second album, Between Lust and Love, is currently in production...
, Perry Farrell
Perry Farrell
Perry Farrell is the frontman for the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction. Farrell created the touring festival Lollapalooza as a farewell tour for Jane's Addiction in 1991; it has since evolved into an annual destination festival. Farrell continues to produce Lollapalooza with partners William...
, Pat Monahan and Travis Meeks
Travis Meeks
Travis Shane Meeks , is an American musician, and is the lead singer, guitarist and song writer for acoustic rock band Days of the New.-Early life and career:...
. Following the recording the Storytellers: A Celebration, the band members joined solo and together to record on the Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors
Stoned Immaculate: The Music of the Doors
Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors is a tribute album dedicated to The Doors. Producer Ralph Sall gathered an assortment of new, classic and iconic artists for the record. Unusually, the surviving members of The Doors played on this "tribute" record. In addition, recordings of Jim Morrison...
. These sessions also yielded new songs credited to The Doors; "Under Waterfall" and "The Cosmic Movie."
2011 – Re:Generation
According to a Rolling Stone article dated October 6, 2011; "I like to say this is the first new Doors track of the 21st century," Ray Manzarek tells Rolling Stone of a new song he's recorded with Robby Krieger and John Densmore, as well as popular DJ/producer Skrillex (Sonny Moore). The recording session and song are part of a new documentary film, RE:GENERATION, that recruited five popular DJs/producers to work with artists from five separate genres and had them record new music. A glimpse of the results are featured in the world premiere of the trailer. Manzarek and Skrillex had an immediate musical connection. "[Sonny] plays his beat, all he had to do was play the one thing. I listened to it and I said, ‘Holy shit, that’s strong,’" Manzarek says. "Basically, it’s a variation on ‘"Milestones",’ by Miles DavisMiles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
, and if I do say so myself, sounds fucking great, hot as hell."
The Butts Band (1973–1975)
Krieger and Densmore formed The Butts BandThe Butts Band
The Butts Band was a British and American group formed by ex-Doors members John Densmore and Robby Krieger that was active from 1973-1975.-History:The Butts Band came about as a consequence of The Doors trying to find a replacement for Jim Morrison...
in 1973, but disbanded in 1975 after two albums. Phil Chen who played bass on the band's second album, would later join Robby once again with Mazarek-Krieger.
Solo work (1974–present)
Manzarek made three solo albums from 1974–83 and formed a band called Nite CityNite City
Nite City were a rock group from Los Angeles, USA. Nite City was The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek’s super-group featuring vocalist Noah James and former Blondie bassist Nigel Harrison...
in 1975, which released two albums from 1977-78. Krieger released six solo albums from 1977-2010. All of the ex-Doors solo albums have met with mixed reviews. In recent years Densmore formed a jazz band called Tribaljazz and they released a self titled album in 2006.
Manzarek–Krieger (2002–present)
In 2002 Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger formed a new version of The Doors which they called The Doors of the 21st Century. After legal battles over use of The Doors name with drummer John Densmore, they changed their name several times and now tour under the name Manzarek-Krieger or Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors. The group is dedicated to performing the music of The Doors and Jim Morrison. John Densmore refuses to participate because of Morrison's absence, although Manzarek and Krieger have always invited him.New releases
In 1997, the first archive material was included on the release of The Doors: Box SetThe Doors: Box Set
This is the first box set by the band The Doors released on October 28, 1997. The set includes previously rare and unreleased demo recordings.-Track listing:All songs written by Jim Morrison, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, and John Densmore, except where noted....
, a four-CD set, one of which was a "greatest hits" type CD. Some of the material had been previously available on bootlegs. A notable inclusion on the compilation was a CD of highlights from the 1970 Felt Forum concert and a cleaned-up recording of the (edited) 1969 "Rock Is Dead" session. The surviving members again re-united to add new musical backing to the solo Morrison song "Orange County Suite".
The 1999 Complete Studio Recordings
The Complete Studio Recordings (The Doors album)
The Complete Studio Recordings is a seven compact disc box set by American rock group The Doors, released by Elektra on November 9, 1999. It contains six of the original eight Doors albums, digitally remastered with 24 bit, with the inclusion of stray previously unreleased tracks that had surfaced...
box set only included the first six studio albums (omitting An American Prayer, Other Voices and Full Circle), and the Perception
Perception (The Doors album)
Perception is a fortieth-anniversary edition twelve-disc box set by The Doors. The CDs contain the 1999 remastered editions of all the Jim Morrison albums, while the DVD-Audio discs contain new "40th Anniversary" surround remixes of them as well as visual extras. Each album includes extra tracks...
box set, released on November 21, 2006, continued the same trend omitting the three post-Morrison studio albums. The 2006 box set contained about two hours of mostly unheard studio outtakes from the first six albums. Each album was represented by two discs: a CD of the album and the bonus tracks, and a DVD-Audio
DVD-Audio
DVD-Audio is a digital format for delivering high-fidelity audio content on a DVD. DVD-Audio is not intended to be a video delivery format and is not the same as video DVDs containing concert films or music videos....
with both stereo and 5.1 surround sound mixes (produced and mixed by Bruce Botnick
Bruce Botnick
Bruce Botnick is an American audio engineer and record producer, best known for his work with The Doors, and with Love. He engineered Love's first two albums, and co-produced their third album, Forever Changes, with the band's singer-songwriter, Arthur Lee.In November 1970, he took over production...
) in 96 kHz/24-bit LPCM, Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital is the name for audio compression technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories. It was originally called Dolby Stereo Digital until 1994. Except for Dolby TrueHD, the audio compression is lossy. The first use of Dolby Digital was to provide digital sound in cinemas from 35mm film prints...
, and DTS, as well as mostly previously released video footage. The discs were accompanied by new liner notes by Botnick and articles from several music critics and historians for each album.
Following the recording of Storytellers: A Celebration, the band members joined solo and together to record for Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors. These sessions also yielded new songs credited to The Doors; "Under Waterfall" and "The Cosmic Movie."
In November 2000, The Doors announced the creation of Bright Midnight Records, a label through which 36 albums and 90 hours of previously unreleased Morrison-era Doors material would be made available on CD. This was launched with a sampler of forthcoming material, mostly from live concerts. The first full release was a two-CD set of the May 1970 show at Detroit's Cobo Center, notable for being, according to Doors manager Danny Sugerman
Danny Sugerman
Daniel Stephen "Danny" Sugerman was the second manager of the Los Angeles-based rock band The Doors, and wrote several books about Jim Morrison and The Doors, including No One Here Gets Out Alive , and the autobiography Wonderland Avenue...
in its liner notes, "easily... the longest Doors set ever performed." It was followed by two CDs of interviews, mostly with Morrison, and the two 1969 Aquarius shows and one of the rehearsals. A four-CD set Boot Yer Butt
Boot Yer Butt: The Doors Bootlegs
Boot Yer Butt!: The Doors Bootlegs is a four-disc box set released by Rhino/Elektra Records for the band The Doors, featuring songs that were recorded as bootlegs during concerts of The Doors ranging from the years 1967 to 1970....
included bootleg quality material but sold out nevertheless. It was notable for the inclusion of the only known performances of songs from L.A. Woman including the title track and "The Changeling" from The Doors' final recorded show in December 1970, Dallas, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In 2005, a two-CD concert from Philadelphia in 1970 was released.
Many bootleg recordings are available of the group. Among them are a wealth of shows from March 1967 at the Matrix Club
The Matrix (club)
The Matrix, a renovated former pizza shop, was a nightclub in San Francisco from 1965 to 1972 and was one of the keys to what eventually became known as the "San Francisco Sound" in rock music...
in San Francisco. Many shows are available from 1968 when the band reached the height of its popularity, notably two shows in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden. The infamous Miami show has become widely available while many 1970 shows, notably a radio broadcast of the June 5 Seattle and June 6 Vancouver show, make the rounds. The complete 1969 Rock Is Dead studio jam was discovered in the mid 1990s. In Rock is Dead and in interviews Morrison makes it clear that the music is a continued exploration of the Dionysian mythic content that had informed his earlier poetry. The apocalyptic elements in the music and the poetry were ahead of the music of the day; later groups like Nirvana are influenced by The Doors. We also have to consider the possible influence of Pamela Courson
Pamela Courson
Pamela Susan Courson was the long-term companion of Jim Morrison, vocalist of The Doors. After the deaths of Morrison and Courson, her parents petitioned an out-of-state court to declare that the couple had a common-law marriage.-Early life and involvement with Morrison:Courson was born in Weed,...
.
In July 2007, Rhino announced the release of The Doors – Live In Boston
Live in Boston (Doors album)
Live in Boston is a three-disk live album by The Doors. It was recorded on April 10, 1970, as part of the Absolutely Live tour. Jim Morrison seemed to be intoxicated during the entire show, and he was drinking heavily throughout the performance....
, a three-disc live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
by The Doors. It was recorded on April 10, 1970, as part of the Absolutely Live tour. This is part of previously unreleased material of the Bright Midnight Archives collection of live albums by The Doors.
In March 2008, Rhino announced the release of The Doors – Pittsburgh Civic Arena
Pittsburgh Civic Arena (The Doors album)
Live Pittsburgh Civic Arena is a live album by The Doors released in 2008. The concert was recorded in Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena on May 2, 1970....
, a live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
by The Doors released in 2008. The concert was recorded in Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena on May 2, 1970. This is part of previously unreleased material of the Bright Midnight Archives collection of live albums by The Doors.
In November 2008, Rhino announced the release of The Doors – Live at the Matrix 1967
Live at the Matrix 1967
Live at the Matrix 1967 is a double live album by The Doors, compiled and resequenced from recordings made on March 7 and 10, 1967 at The Matrix in San Francisco by club co-owner Peter Abram...
, a double live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
compiled and resequenced from recordings made on March 7 and 10, 1967 at The Matrix
The Matrix (club)
The Matrix, a renovated former pizza shop, was a nightclub in San Francisco from 1965 to 1972 and was one of the keys to what eventually became known as the "San Francisco Sound" in rock music...
in San Francisco by club co-owner Peter Abram. The recording is notable because it is one of the earliest live recordings of the band known to exist: The Doors had recorded only one album
The Doors (album)
The Doors is the debut album by the American rock band The Doors, recorded in August 1966 and released in January 1967. It was originally released in significantly different stereo and mono mixes...
by March 1967, "Light My Fire
Light My Fire
"Light My Fire" is a song by The Doors which was recorded in August 1966 and released the first week of January 1967 on the Doors' debut album. Released as a single in April, it spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and one week on the Cash Box Top 100, nearly a year after...
" had yet to be released as a single, and they were still relatively unknown outside Southern California.
In November 2009, Rhino announced the release of The Doors – Live in New York
Live in New York (The Doors album)
Live in New York is a six-disc box set of the final four concerts performed by The Doors on January 17 and 18, 1970 at the Felt Forum in New York City...
, a six-disc box set of the final four concerts performed by The Doors on January 17 and 18, 1970 at the Felt Forum in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. About a third of the material on the set was previously unreleased.
In April 2010, Rhino announced the release of The Doors – When You're Strange: Music From The Motion Picture
When You're Strange: Music from the Motion Picture
When You're Strange: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack to the 2010 documentary film, narrated by Johnny Depp, about The Doors and their music...
, a single disc of the soundtrack to the 2010 documentary film
When You're Strange
When You're Strange is a 2009 documentary about the life of The Doors. It is written and directed by Tom DiCillo and for the first time makes material from Jim Morrison's 1969 film fragment HWY: An American Pastoral publicly available....
, narrated by Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
, about The Doors and their music. The soundtrack features 14 songs from The Doors’ six studio albums, with studio versions mixed with live versions, including performances from The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, Television-Byen
DR Byen
DR Byen is the headquarter of the Danish national broadcasting corporation , located in Copenhagen, Denmark. The buildings include the Copenhagen Concert Hall by architect Jean Nouvel....
in Gladsaxe
Gladsaxe
Gladsaxe Kommune is a municipality near Copenhagen in Region Hovedstaden on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 25 km², and has a total population of 62,562...
, Felt Forum in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and The Isle of Wight Festival
Isle of Wight Festival 1970
The 1970 Isle of Wight Festival was held between 26 and 31 August 1970 at East Afton Farm an area on the western side of the Isle of Wight. It was the last of three consecutive music festivals to take place on the island between 1968 and 1970 and widely acknowledged as the largest musical event of...
.
In November 2010, Rhino announced the release of The Doors – Live in Vancouver 1970
Live in Vancouver 1970
Live in Vancouver 1970 is a 2 disc live album from the rock band The Doors. It was recorded on June 6th, 1970 in Vancouver, Canada. Vince Treanor, The Doors’ tour manager, recorded the show for the band on a Sony reel-to-reel using two microphones placed on the stage...
, a two-disc live album. It was recorded on June 6, 1970 in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Vince Treanor, The Doors’ tour manager, recorded the show for the band on a Sony reel-to-reel using two microphones placed on the stage. While not a multitrack high fidelity recording, it is clean, quiet and clear, allowing the unbridled energy of the performances to shine through. This is part of previously unreleased material of the Bright Midnight Archives collection of live albums by The Doors.
When You're Strange
When You're Strange
When You're Strange is a 2009 documentary about the life of The Doors. It is written and directed by Tom DiCillo and for the first time makes material from Jim Morrison's 1969 film fragment HWY: An American Pastoral publicly available....
was released in April 2010. It is, as Ray Manzarek says, the true story of The Doors, told through use of new interviews and previously unreleased video footage. The film is narrated by Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
, and directed by Tom DiCillo
Tom DiCillo
Thomas A. "Tom" DiCillo is an American film director, screenwriter and cinematographer.-Early life:He was born in Camp Le Jeune, North Carolina. His father was Italian and his mother was from New England...
. Rhino Entertainment
Rhino Entertainment
Rhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company. It is owned by Warner Music Group.-History:Rhino was originally a novelty song and reissue company during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing compilation albums of pop, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues successes...
released a soundtrack to the movie in March 2010, containing both live and studio recordings.
In July 2011, Rhino UK announced the release of The Doors – A Collection
A Collection (The Doors album)
A Collection is a six compact disc box set by American rock group The Doors, released by Elektra - Rhino on July 5, 2011. With an intoxicating, genre-blending sound, provocative and uncompromising songs and the mesmerizing power of singer Jim Morrison’s poetry and presence, The Doors had a...
, a six-CD retrospective box set of the first six albums from The Doors recorded 1966-1971. It features remastered tracks by Bruce Botnik and original artwork in replicated paper sleeves.
Awards, accolades, and critical appraisal
- In 1993, The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of FameRock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
. - In 1998, "Light My Fire" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame under the category Rock (track).
- In 2000, The Doors were ranked number 32 on VH1VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Artists, and "Light My Fire" was ranked number seven on VH1's Greatest Rock Songs. - In 2002, The DoorsThe Doors (album)The Doors is the debut album by the American rock band The Doors, recorded in August 1966 and released in January 1967. It was originally released in significantly different stereo and mono mixes...
was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame under the category Rock (Album). - In 2004, Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine ranked The Doors number 41 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. - In 2007, The Doors received a lifetime achievement awardGrammy Lifetime Achievement AwardThe Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded by the Recording Academy to "performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording."...
at the 2007 Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s. - In 2007, The Doors received a star on the Hollywood Walk of FameHollywood Walk of FameThe Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
. - In 2009, "Riders On The Storm" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame under the category Rock (track).
- The 500 Greatest Albums of All TimeThe 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
by Rolling Stone magazine includes three studio albums by The Doors; The Doors at number 42, L.A. Woman at number 362 and Strange Days at number 407. - The 500 Greatest Songs of All TimeThe 500 Greatest Songs of All Time"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone, issue number 963, published December 9, 2004, a year after the magazine published its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"....
by Rolling Stone magazine includes two songs by The Doors: "Light My Fire" at number 35 and "The EndThe End (The Doors song)"The End" is a song by The Doors. Originally written by Jim Morrison as a song about breaking up with girlfriend Mary Werbelow, it evolved through months of performances at Los Angeles' Whisky a Go Go into a nearly 12-minute opus on their self-titled album. The band would perform the song to close...
" at number 328. - The Doors were ranked number 20 on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of Rock and Roll.
- They would become the first American band to accumulate eight consecutive gold and platinum LPs.
- The Recording Academy announced the 2010 Grammy Hall Of Fame Inductees, including The Doors' Riders On The Storm.
- In 2011, The Doors received a Grammy Award in Best Long Form Music Video for the film, When You're StrangeWhen You're StrangeWhen You're Strange is a 2009 documentary about the life of The Doors. It is written and directed by Tom DiCillo and for the first time makes material from Jim Morrison's 1969 film fragment HWY: An American Pastoral publicly available....
, directed by Tom DiCilloTom DiCilloThomas A. "Tom" DiCillo is an American film director, screenwriter and cinematographer.-Early life:He was born in Camp Le Jeune, North Carolina. His father was Italian and his mother was from New England...
.
Band members
- Original members are in bold.
The Doors and related lineups Rick & the Ravens
(July 1965 – September 1965)- Jim Morrison
Jim MorrisonJames Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
– lead vocals- Rick Manzarek – guitar
- Ray Manzarek
Ray ManzarekRaymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
– keyboards, vocals- Pat Sullivan – bass guitar
- John Densmore
John DensmoreJohn Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
– drums- Jim Manzarek – harmonica
The Doors
(October 1965 – July 1971)- Jim Morrison
Jim MorrisonJames Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
– lead vocals- Robby Krieger
Robby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
– guitar, vocals- Ray Manzarek
Ray ManzarekRaymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
– keyboards, keyboard bass, vocals- John Densmore – drums, percussion
The Doors
(1971–1973)- Robby Krieger
Robby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
– guitar, vocals- Ray Manzarek
Ray ManzarekRaymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
– keyboards, vocals- John Densmore – drums, percussion
with touring musicians- Jack Conrad – bass guitar
- Bobby Ray Henson – rhythm guitar, vocals, percussion
(1973–2002)
Group disbanded; Krieger, Manzarek and Densmore reunited in 1978, 1993, 1997 and 2000.The Doors of the 21st Century
(2002–2003)- Ian AstburyIan AstburyIan Astbury is an English rock musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist for the rock band, The Cult.-Pre-Cult:...
– lead vocals - Robby KriegerRobby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
– guitar, vocals - Ray ManzarekRay ManzarekRaymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
– keyboards, vocals - Angelo BarberaAngelo BarberaAngelo Barbera is an American bass player best known for his work with the Robby Krieger Band and The Doors of the 21st Century.-Life and career:...
– bass guitar - Stewart CopelandStewart CopelandStewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...
– drums, percussion
D21C / Riders on the Storm
(2003–2004)- Ian Astbury
Ian AstburyIan Astbury is an English rock musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist for the rock band, The Cult.-Pre-Cult:...
– lead vocals- Robby Krieger
Robby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
– guitar, vocals- Ray Manzarek
Ray ManzarekRaymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
– keyboards, vocals- Angelo Barbera
Angelo BarberaAngelo Barbera is an American bass player best known for his work with the Robby Krieger Band and The Doors of the 21st Century.-Life and career:...
– bass guitar- Ty Dennis
Ty DennisTy Dennis is an American drummer best known for his work with The Doors revival band Manzarek-Krieger and the Robby Krieger Band.-Early life:...
– drums, percussionRiders on the Storm
(2004–2007)- Ian Astbury
Ian AstburyIan Astbury is an English rock musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist for the rock band, The Cult.-Pre-Cult:...
– lead vocals- Robby Krieger
Robby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
– guitar, vocals- Ray Manzarek
Ray ManzarekRaymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
– keyboards, vocals- Phil Chen
Phil ChenPhil Chen is a well-known Chinese-Jamaican bassist. He was one of England's most utilized session bassists during the 1970s and 1980s, including being part of the Rod Stewart band from 1977 to 1980, but is probably best known for his later work with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors.-Life...
– bass guitar- Ty Dennis
Ty DennisTy Dennis is an American drummer best known for his work with The Doors revival band Manzarek-Krieger and the Robby Krieger Band.-Early life:...
– drums, percussionRiders on the Storm
(2007–2008)- Brett Scallions
Brett ScallionsBrett Allen Scallions is an American musician. He is currently the lead vocalist for current lineup of Fuel after being the vocalist for the original incarnation of the band from 1993 to 2006. During that time, the band released multiple albums including the double platinum Something Like Human...
– lead vocals- Robby Krieger
Robby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
– guitar, vocals- Ray Manzarek
Ray ManzarekRaymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
– keyboards vocals- Phil Chen
Phil ChenPhil Chen is a well-known Chinese-Jamaican bassist. He was one of England's most utilized session bassists during the 1970s and 1980s, including being part of the Rod Stewart band from 1977 to 1980, but is probably best known for his later work with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors.-Life...
– bass guitar- Ty Dennis
Ty DennisTy Dennis is an American drummer best known for his work with The Doors revival band Manzarek-Krieger and the Robby Krieger Band.-Early life:...
– drums, percussionManzarek–Krieger
(2008–2010)- Brett Scallions
Brett ScallionsBrett Allen Scallions is an American musician. He is currently the lead vocalist for current lineup of Fuel after being the vocalist for the original incarnation of the band from 1993 to 2006. During that time, the band released multiple albums including the double platinum Something Like Human...
– lead vocals- Robby Krieger
Robby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
– guitar, vocals- Ray Manzarek
Ray ManzarekRaymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
– keyboards, vocals- Phil Chen
Phil ChenPhil Chen is a well-known Chinese-Jamaican bassist. He was one of England's most utilized session bassists during the 1970s and 1980s, including being part of the Rod Stewart band from 1977 to 1980, but is probably best known for his later work with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors.-Life...
– bass guitar- Ty Dennis
Ty DennisTy Dennis is an American drummer best known for his work with The Doors revival band Manzarek-Krieger and the Robby Krieger Band.-Early life:...
– drums, percussionManzarek–Krieger
(2010)- Miljenko Matijevic – lead vocals
- Robby Krieger
Robby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
– guitar, vocals- Ray Manzarek
Ray ManzarekRaymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
– keyboards, vocals- Phil Chen
Phil ChenPhil Chen is a well-known Chinese-Jamaican bassist. He was one of England's most utilized session bassists during the 1970s and 1980s, including being part of the Rod Stewart band from 1977 to 1980, but is probably best known for his later work with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors.-Life...
– bass guitar- Ty Dennis
Ty DennisTy Dennis is an American drummer best known for his work with The Doors revival band Manzarek-Krieger and the Robby Krieger Band.-Early life:...
– drums, percussionManzarek–Krieger
(2010–Present)- Dave Brock – lead vocals
- Robby Krieger
Robby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
– guitar, vocals- Ray Manzarek
Ray ManzarekRaymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
– keyboards, vocals- Phil Chen
Phil ChenPhil Chen is a well-known Chinese-Jamaican bassist. He was one of England's most utilized session bassists during the 1970s and 1980s, including being part of the Rod Stewart band from 1977 to 1980, but is probably best known for his later work with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors.-Life...
– bass guitar- Ty Dennis
Ty DennisTy Dennis is an American drummer best known for his work with The Doors revival band Manzarek-Krieger and the Robby Krieger Band.-Early life:...
– drums, percussion - Jim Morrison
Discography
- The DoorsThe Doors (album)The Doors is the debut album by the American rock band The Doors, recorded in August 1966 and released in January 1967. It was originally released in significantly different stereo and mono mixes...
(1967) - Strange DaysStrange Days (album)Strange Days is the second album released by American rock band The Doors. The album was a commercial success, earning a gold record and reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Despite this, the album's producer, Paul Rothchild, considered it a commercial failure, even if it was an...
(1967) - Waiting for the SunWaiting for the SunWaiting for the Sun is the third studio album by the American rock band The Doors. It was released in 1968 and became the band's first and only number one album and spawned their second US number one single, "Hello, I Love You". It also became the band's first hit album in the UK, where it peaked...
(1968) - The Soft ParadeThe Soft ParadeThe Soft Parade is the fourth studio album by The Doors, released in 1969.The album met with some controversy among fans and critics due to its inclusion of brass and string instrument arrangements, as opposed to the more stripped-down sound of their earlier recordings...
(1969) - Morrison HotelMorrison HotelMorrison Hotel is The Doors' fifth album. It was released in 1970. After their experimental work The Soft Parade was not as well received as anticipated, the group went back to basics and back to their roots...
(1970) - L.A. WomanL.A. WomanThe band embarked on a tour to promote the album, although it would only comprise two dates. The first was held in Dallas, Texas on December 11 and reportedly went well. The second performance took place at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 12, 1970, where Morrison apparently had...
(1971) - Other VoicesOther Voices (The Doors album)Other Voices is the seventh studio album by The Doors released in 1971. It was the first album released by the band following the death of lead singer Jim Morrison.-Recording:...
(1971) - Full CircleFull Circle (The Doors album)Full Circle is the eighth studio album by The Doors released in 1972. It is the second album after Jim Morrison's death, and also their last album together before they broke up. The album includes "The Mosquito", the last hit single by the band. Keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger...
(1972) - An American PrayerAn American PrayerAn American Prayer is the last studio album by The Doors. In 1978, seven years after lead singer Jim Morrison died and five years after the remaining members of the band broke up, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore reunited and recorded backing tracks over Morrison's poetry...
(1978)
Videography
- No One Here Gets Out AliveNo One Here Gets Out AliveNo One Here Gets Out Alive was the first biography of Jim Morrison, lead singer and lyricist of the L.A. rock band The Doors, written after his death by journalist Jerry Hopkins, with later "insider" information added by Danny Sugerman. The book is largely credited with revitalizing the popularity...
(1983) - Dance on Fire (1985)
- Live at the Hollywood BowlLive at the Hollywood Bowl (The Doors album)Live at the Hollywood Bowl is a live album by the American rock band The Doors. It was recorded on July 5, 1968 but not released until 1987. The video of the concert is still available, now in the DVD format on The Doors - 30 Years Commemorative Edition...
(1987) - Live in Europe 1968 (1989)
- The Doors are Open (1991)
- The Best of Doors (1997)
- VH1 StorytellersVH1 StorytellersStorytellers is a television music series produced by the VH1 network.In each episode artists perform in front of a live audience, and tell stories about their music, writing experiences and memories, somewhat similar to MTV Unplugged...
(2001) - The Doors – 30 Years Commemorative Edition (2001)
- Soundstage Performances (2002)
- Classic Albums: The Doors (2008)
- When You're StrangeWhen You're StrangeWhen You're Strange is a 2009 documentary about the life of The Doors. It is written and directed by Tom DiCillo and for the first time makes material from Jim Morrison's 1969 film fragment HWY: An American Pastoral publicly available....
(2010)
Further reading
- Ashcroft, LindaLinda AshcroftLinda Ashcroft is a writer and an artist who claims to have been Jim Morrison's lover and confidante from 1967 to 1971.She was born in Rabat, Morocco....
. Wild Child: Life with Jim Morrison. Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, 1997-8-21. ISBN 978-0-340-68498-6 - Densmore, John. Riders on the Storm: My Life with Jim Morrison and the Doors. Delacorte Press, 1990-8-1. ISBN 978-0-385-30033-9
- Doors, The and Fong-Torres, BenBen Fong-TorresBenjamin Fong-Torres is an American rock journalist, author, and broadcaster best known for his association with Rolling Stone magazine and the San Francisco Chronicle .-Biography:Due to the Chinese Exclusion Act, Fong-Torres' father, Ricardo Fong-Torres Benjamin Fong-Torres (方振豪; Cantonese:...
. The Doors. Hyperion, 2006-10-25. ISBN 978-1-4013-0303-7 - Jakob, Dennis C. Summer With Morrison. Ion Drive Publishing, 2011. ISBN 978-0-9817143-8-7
- Shaw, Greg. The Doors On The Road. Omnibus Press, 1997. ISBN 978-0-7119-6546-1
- Sugerman, Danny. The Doors: The Complete Lyrics. Delta, 1992-10-10. ISBN 978-0-385-30840-3