July 3, 1971 RIP Jim

[jeffrefrig]

R.I.P. James Douglas Morrison, lead singer of the Doors. 27 Years old. 149 IQ wasted on alcohol and drugs. Many people either fall into "love the Doors" or "hate the Doors." Not a lot 'tweeners! I miss the man and what could've been. Drunk or sober, when I'm playing music, there's at least one Doors tune in there. I shed at least one tear on this day every year. Same as Dec. 8th, John Lennon, which happens to be Jim's birthday. I was only 14 when Jim died, but I was really enthralled with the music of that band. When my sister told me about Jim dying, I was listening to Crystal Ship on the stereo. Dammit. He was on a one-way trip to death, as I learned later. I guess it's what he wanted us to think. Only my opinion. Miss you, Lizard King. "The future's uncertain and The End is always near..."

 

[Rustyt1953]

To me The Doors are timeless. Their song have a hypnotic raw feel to them.

Their music is still covered today. Quite the testament.

Fun fact: they did it all without a bass player. Ray Manzarek did it on keys with his left hand.

 

[Muss Muggins]

"Riders On The Storm" is one of my favorites . . .

 

[Rustyt1953]

"Riders On The Storm" is one of my favorites . . .

Tied with "Light My Fire".

 

[Jimmyjones]

L.A. Woman

The Doors - L.A. Woman - HQ (official music video) - YouTube

 

[tlawler]

My favorite member of the dubious "27 club"

Lots of favorites, but I think "Touch Me" is the one.

 

[Hair Trigger]

149 IQ wasted on alcohol and drugs.

You'd think somebody that intelligent would be smarter than that.

I'm a huge Doors fan, too, been listening to them since I saw their Ed Sullivan Show performance in 1967 when I was 13 years old.

 

[jeffrefrig]

Light My Fire & Riders...From beginning to end, 1st & last Albums. As were many bands back then, timeless is the perfect adjective. I will never forget all these bands from back in the the day. Although I'm younger than many on here, I will never forget the times. I'm lucky I had one older sister that turned me on to what I was already lovin'! Peace!
I remember the first time I heard Riders, it was on my AM and from Pittsburgh at night we could get, I believe, CKLW and I was blown away! May have been WCFL. Awesome times! It's all too beautiful!!!

 

[Bugkiller99]

You'd think somebody that intelligent would be smarter than that.

I sometimes think intelligence and common sense are on opposite sides of the teeter totter. Too much of one, not much of the other.

 

[bigwheelzip]

He's not well known to me, but hubby plays some of his music, and though gone, he's not forgotten, and is still a disruptive influence to those around him.

41 years ago, we visited his resting place at Paris's Pere Lachaise cemetery. It was covered with flowers, empty wine and liquor bottles, partially smoked marijuana cigarettes, and graffiti. The graffiti on his plain granite headstone was allowed to remain by the cemetery staff, but the defaced graves around his were regularly scrubbed clean by workers while under police guard.

The photo shows the policeman in the background, guarding the worker that cleans the graves of Mr. Morrison's unfortunate neighbors. There is no resting in peace there.
Morrison's headstone had a bust of him added a year or two after this picture, which was stolen a few years later. Now the headstone has been replaced by one with a plaque.

Interesting video showing his current famous surroundings.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtifOGj7w8o[/ame]

This was today at his grave.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-EBdF5tSXw[/ame]

 

[Golddollar]

When I was shopping for good quality speakers I discovered that "Light My Fire" was a good testing medium for checking out the range and accuracy of speakers. Thanks to the Doors I bought a good pair of Infinty Speakers that I still own after some 40 years.

 

[Golddollar]

I remember the first time I heard Riders, it was on my AM and from Pittsburgh at night we could get, I believe, CKLW and I was blown away! May have been WCFL. Awesome times! It's all too beautiful!!!

You could have been getting CKLW. I grew up in NE Ohio and I could get it during the day because the station was in Canada and probably didn't have the power restrictions that radio stations in the US had.

 

[Sevens]

I hate to be the dissenter but it seems relevant… I absolutely love the Doors music, "Love Her Madly", "Break on Through", "Touch Me" and others, fantastic 60's sound.

At the same time, I find it impossible to miss troubled, addicted artists who don't seem to place the kind of value on life that I do, and certainly couldn't seem to understand the tumultuous grief they level on waves over anyone who has ever truly cared about them when they either willfully choose to exit life (Cobain) or swirl the drain under the influence until the inevitable (most of the others.)

I can celebrate their music and totally marvel at it, and can't say that I have it in me to miss them on any level.

As I read before I post this, it seems to sound awfully cold. However, if I consider the idea that dozens of people who know me personally (and millions through my work, if I were a celebrated artist) would be wrecked for days, months, years or longer if I offed myself, I think sounding or acting cold is all relevant.

 

[jeffrefrig]

Sevens, nobody is ever going to disagree with that. I'm (picked off) that many of the 27 Club or anyone else who had wealth beyond (my) imagination chose to throw it all away, willing or beyond what any 12-step program could've saved them. I DO NOT idolize junkies or alcoholics, but I do idolize the art they have left us, and I do wonder "What if?". Some I truly love their art is, at the top Buddy Holly, Rick Nelson, Alvin Lee, (The most awesome guitarist of my time), Eddie Van Halen, John Lennon, George Harrison, etc., etc., etc. They died but didn't contribute that much to their deaths. Hell, even Davy Jones...both of them...Monkees & Bowie Jones both! Too many to list. Marc Bolan!
But, today is the death of my favorite: Jim Morrison. Read my tag line! I love you all, Brothers In Arms and a common goal. Peace, and may we all meet on Love Street some day.

 

[lkabug]

The year was1968 . It seemed as if I was aways, Waiting for the Sun.

 

[Mule Packer]

Saw them in concert back in 1966 or 1967. Santa Barbara fairgrounds, if I remember correctly. Ray Manzarek was one of those "unnoticed" great musicians.

I remember at the end of the concert, a bunch of us were standing in line at the concession area when Morrison just walked through the concession door, went behind the counter and started helping himself to a Coke. The old guy wearing the little white ice cream vendor's hat who was running the concession had no idea who Morrison was and started yelling at him to get the heck outta there. Some guy in line yelled, "Hey, man, I'll buy him a drink!"

The old guy succeeded in shoving Morrison out the door of the concession.

It was a great concert, but strangely enough, I think I was more entertained by the concession area experience. Just goes to show that a 17-year old kid is easily amused.

 

[BC38]

FWIW, IMO, Morrison was just one more example of hedonism run amuck - with the predictable outcome. Same with Joplin, Hendrix, Mercury, Presley, and numerous others. "Having it all" ain't all that it is cracked up to be a lot of times.

 

[dasnake]

Janice and jimmy....woodstock era....

Lot of talent wasted, just like life, overindulgence, accidents, death by their own hand, death by others, I gotta mention one thing, Charlie gots a kiss on the forehead from mz. Joplin.

 

[petepeterson]

Tied with "Light My Fire".

To me, the Doors were always a band that you listened to the entire album, more so than singular songs. Morrison Hotel is probably my favorite in that regard.
It's quite a library for someone so young.

 

[G-Mac]

jeffrefrig, what are you talking about? Jim is not dead. The whole thing was staged. He will be back. Mr. Mojo Risin.

 

[coachray]

I loved the Doors. I thought Morrison had one of the better voices. I don't play any electric anymore, but I still play Love Me Two Times on my acoustic guitar.

 

[llowry61]

FWIW, IMO, Morrison was just one more example of hedonism run amuck - with the predictable outcome. Same with Joplin, Hendrix, Mercury, Presley, and numerous others. "Having it all" ain't all that it is cracked up to be a lot of times.

How do you save someone from themselves ? If I had a gazillion dollars in my mid 20's, not sure I would have made it either. Wouldn't have been drugs or alcohol, probably more like James Dean in motorized vehicle of some sort. A Dodge Challenger, some super car or super bike, airplane etc. I had little or no money and had several close calls.

As far as the Doors, as mentioned already they were shooting stars.

 

[kaaskop49]

Mr. Spock once told Dr. McCoy on Star Trek that he did not approve of a certain harsh alien custom, but that he understood it... Some of us have vices, even if they theoretically shorten our lives by a day, a week or a year, because first we have to get through this day, this week, this year. I'll stop here.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[Rustyt1953]

 

[Rustyt1953]

One more:

 

[CH4]

I am a doors tweener. Like em and appreciate Morrison's talents, but the Doors is not in my top 10 bands from that era. So many greats like Janis, Jimmie, Peter, John and other greats left us too early; many came close, while others look like they died 50 years ago, but are surprisingly still here.

 

[bobcat]

The Doors - Roadhouse Blues - YouTube