Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Mar 1, 2006 13:00:51 GMT
LIGHT MY FIRE = GREAT SONG & JIM MORRISON = GREAT SINGER – THE DOORS
The Bottom Line The group known as “THE DOORS” were formed in July 1965 in Los Angeles, CA
The group was formed by UCLA students “Jim Morrison” on vocals, “Ray Manzarek” on keyboards, “John Densmore” on drums and “Robby Krieger” on guitar. Jim was born “James Douglas Morrison” on 8 December 1943 in Melbourne, Fl. Ray was born on 12 February 1935 in Chicago, IL. John was born on 1 December 1944 in Los Angeles, CA. Robby was born on 8 January 1946 in Los Angeles, CA. Jim was the son of a US Navy recruit and he was attending college at “Florida State University” but in Feb 1964 he dropped out and enrolled in “UCLA”. Two months after he graduated from UCLA he met “Ray Manzarek” who was a classical pianist and who at the time was playing with the band “Rick & The Ravens”. They were a local blues band also consisting of Ray’s two brothers Jim and Rick. They were performing on the weekends at a bar in Santa Monica, CA and had a recording contract with a small independent label called “Aura” records.
Jim sings “Moonlight Drive” for his new friend Ray in July 1965 and they decide to form their own band and they add “John Densmore”. In September the trio records a demo of Jim’s songs “Moonlight Drive”, “Break On Through” and “End Of The Night”. They are backed on the songs by Ray’s two brothers and an unnamed female bass player. The two brothers and the girl decide they don’t like the music they just recorded and decide they don’t want to continue recording with the trio. “Billy James” from “CBS/Columbia” records hears the demo and immediately signs the trio to a contract after they have added “Robby Krieger” to the group. Robby had previously played with John in a group called the “Psychedelic Rangers” and had also gone by a second spelling or Robbie as well. In 1966 Jim officially names the group “The Doors” and they rehearse for 5 months before they make their first appearance at the “London Fog” club on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. They are signed as a house band for the “Whiskey-A-Go-Go” club and play there for six months and get a release from their contract with Columbia. “Jack Holtzman” sees them perform and signs them to a deal with “Elektra” records.
They release their first album in Jan 1967 aptly titled “The Doors” that peaks at #2 and remains on the charts for 121 weeks. In February they perform at a concert with “Peter, Paul & Mary” and the “Buffalo Springfield”. It is sponsored by “CAFF (Community Action for Facts & Freedom)”. In July they release their first single “Light My Fire” which is a shorter version than the 7.05 version on the album. The single peaks at #1 on 06/03/67 and stays there for 3 weeks and sells over a million copies and becomes the label’s first #1 single. They appear on the “Ed Sullivan Show” in September. Also in September they release “People Are Strange” from they next scheduled album release that peaks at #12 on 09/23/67. In November “Strange Days” is released and peaks at #3 on the album charts. In December they perform over a six-day period with “Chuck Berry” at the “Filmore West”.
“Love Me Two Times” peaks at #25 on the singles charts on 12/09/67. In February “Universal Pictures” offers them $500,000 to appear in a Movie but it is never made. “The Unknown Soldier” is released and peaks at #39 on 03/30/68 on the singles charts. They also shoot they own Porno Film for the showing of this song as a Music Video where Jim is being shot. They appear at the “Northern California Folk-Rock Festival” with the “Grateful Dead”, the “Animals”, the “Steve Miller Band”, “Jefferson Airplane” and many other artists. In July they perform at the “Hollywood Bowel” with the “Chambers Brothers” and “Steppenwolf” and record it for a Video release titled “The Doors Live At The Hollywood Bowl”. In July they have their second #1 single in “Hello, I Love You” that peaks at #1 for 2 weeks on 07/06/68. September sees the release of “Waiting For The Sun” that becomes their first and only album to reach #1 on the US charts and stays for 4 weeks.
“Touch Me” is released and it peaks at #3 on the singles charts on 12/28/68. They release “Wishful Sinful” that peaks at #44 on the singles charts on 03/29/69. Their next single is “Tell All The People” that only reaches #57 on 06/14/69. In September they release “Runnin’ Blue” that peaks at #64 on the singles charts and “The Soft Parade” that peaks at #6 on the album charts. They appear with “John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band” and “Chuck Berry” in Toronto in the Varsity Stadium at the “University Of Toronto” in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In April 1970 “Morrison Hotel” is released and peaks at #4 on the album charts. Their next single “Roadhouse Blues” only makes it to #50 on the singles charts in April. In June Jim marries “Patricia Kennedy” who would go on years later to become the editor of “Jazz & Pop” Magazine. The Doors perform at the “Isle of Wight Festival” with the “Who”, “Sly & The Family Stone” and many others in August. “Absolutely Live” which is a double album is released in September and it peaks at #8. They complete the recording of their next album “L.A. Woman” in November but it’s not released for 6 months.
In January 1971 they release “Doors 13” that is a compilation greatest hits album that peaks at #25. Jim moves to Paris, France to concentrate on writing poetry in March. He writes a book titled “The Lords And The New Creatures” in hardback form that sells 15,000 and then goes to paperback. “Love Her Madly” peaks at #11 on 04/10/71 on the singles charts. “L.A. Woman” is finally released and peaks at #9 on the album charts. On 3 July 1971 Jim is found dead in a bathtub in Paris, France. The cause of death is given as a “heart attack induced by respiratory problems”. “Riders On The Storm” peaks at #14 on the singles charts on 07/03/71 released from the “L.A. Woman” album. In December the remaining trio releases “Other Voices” that peaks at #31 on the album charts. The first single from this album “Tightrope Ride” makes it debut on the Billboard singles chart on the same day that Jim Morrison dies and it only reaches #71 on the charts peaking on 11/27/71.
April 1972 they release “Weird Scenes Inside The Gold Mind” that peaks at #55 on the US album charts. “Full Circle” peaks at #68 on the album charts in September. In December the band officially breaks up to go own their own. Robbie and John form the group the “Butts Band” with “Jess Roden”, “Phillip Chen” and “Roy Davies”. Later on Robbie would form another band titled “Robbie Krieger & Friends”. In 1974 “Pamela Morrison” dies of a heroin overdose. In Jan 1979 they discover tapes of poetry Jim made in 1970 and the trio get back together to provide musical backing for his words and it is released as “An American Prayer – Jim Morrison”. It peaks at #54 on the album charts and brings renewed interest in the groups old recordings. In August “The End” is used in the Movie “Apocalypse Now”. November 1980 sees “The Doors’ Greatest Hits” peak at #17 on the US album charts. In July 1981 the remaining trio lead a large group of fans in a graveside tribute ceremony in Paris, France.
November 1983 finds an album compiled from lost tapes for over 10 years and is released as “Alive, She Cried. They are found in a warehouse in Los Angels, CA. And the album peaks at #23 on the charts. They also release a sound check tape of a recording of “Gloria” that peaks at #71 on the singles charts. In June 1985 they release another compilation greatest hits album titled “Classics” that only peaks at #124 on the charts. “Live At The Hollywood Bowl” is released on album finally and peaks at #154. In March 1991 Oliver Stone releases the Movie “The Doors” starring “Val Kilmer” playing Jim, “Kyle McLachlan” playing Ray, “”Kevin Dillon” as John and “Frank Whalley” as Robbie. In April the Movie Soundtrack album “The Doors” peaks at #8. “Best Of The Doors” is re-released on CD with one additional track titled “Alabama Song” and it peaks at #17 on the album/CD charts. “In Concert (live)” is released and peaks at #50 on the US album/CD charts.
January 1993 the group is inducted into the “Rock ‘N Roll Hall Of Fame” and they perform two songs at the dinner. In November 1997 “The Best Of The Doors” is officially certified as a triple platinum selling album/CD. On February 4 1998 a poem by Jim titled “The Celebration Of The Lizard” fetches $40,000 at auction at Christies in New York City, NY. My Favorite CD by The Doors is “THE BEST OF THE DOORS” released in April 1991 on “Elektra” and is a 2 CD set.
April 2003 Epinions.com
The Bottom Line The group known as “THE DOORS” were formed in July 1965 in Los Angeles, CA
The group was formed by UCLA students “Jim Morrison” on vocals, “Ray Manzarek” on keyboards, “John Densmore” on drums and “Robby Krieger” on guitar. Jim was born “James Douglas Morrison” on 8 December 1943 in Melbourne, Fl. Ray was born on 12 February 1935 in Chicago, IL. John was born on 1 December 1944 in Los Angeles, CA. Robby was born on 8 January 1946 in Los Angeles, CA. Jim was the son of a US Navy recruit and he was attending college at “Florida State University” but in Feb 1964 he dropped out and enrolled in “UCLA”. Two months after he graduated from UCLA he met “Ray Manzarek” who was a classical pianist and who at the time was playing with the band “Rick & The Ravens”. They were a local blues band also consisting of Ray’s two brothers Jim and Rick. They were performing on the weekends at a bar in Santa Monica, CA and had a recording contract with a small independent label called “Aura” records.
Jim sings “Moonlight Drive” for his new friend Ray in July 1965 and they decide to form their own band and they add “John Densmore”. In September the trio records a demo of Jim’s songs “Moonlight Drive”, “Break On Through” and “End Of The Night”. They are backed on the songs by Ray’s two brothers and an unnamed female bass player. The two brothers and the girl decide they don’t like the music they just recorded and decide they don’t want to continue recording with the trio. “Billy James” from “CBS/Columbia” records hears the demo and immediately signs the trio to a contract after they have added “Robby Krieger” to the group. Robby had previously played with John in a group called the “Psychedelic Rangers” and had also gone by a second spelling or Robbie as well. In 1966 Jim officially names the group “The Doors” and they rehearse for 5 months before they make their first appearance at the “London Fog” club on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. They are signed as a house band for the “Whiskey-A-Go-Go” club and play there for six months and get a release from their contract with Columbia. “Jack Holtzman” sees them perform and signs them to a deal with “Elektra” records.
They release their first album in Jan 1967 aptly titled “The Doors” that peaks at #2 and remains on the charts for 121 weeks. In February they perform at a concert with “Peter, Paul & Mary” and the “Buffalo Springfield”. It is sponsored by “CAFF (Community Action for Facts & Freedom)”. In July they release their first single “Light My Fire” which is a shorter version than the 7.05 version on the album. The single peaks at #1 on 06/03/67 and stays there for 3 weeks and sells over a million copies and becomes the label’s first #1 single. They appear on the “Ed Sullivan Show” in September. Also in September they release “People Are Strange” from they next scheduled album release that peaks at #12 on 09/23/67. In November “Strange Days” is released and peaks at #3 on the album charts. In December they perform over a six-day period with “Chuck Berry” at the “Filmore West”.
“Love Me Two Times” peaks at #25 on the singles charts on 12/09/67. In February “Universal Pictures” offers them $500,000 to appear in a Movie but it is never made. “The Unknown Soldier” is released and peaks at #39 on 03/30/68 on the singles charts. They also shoot they own Porno Film for the showing of this song as a Music Video where Jim is being shot. They appear at the “Northern California Folk-Rock Festival” with the “Grateful Dead”, the “Animals”, the “Steve Miller Band”, “Jefferson Airplane” and many other artists. In July they perform at the “Hollywood Bowel” with the “Chambers Brothers” and “Steppenwolf” and record it for a Video release titled “The Doors Live At The Hollywood Bowl”. In July they have their second #1 single in “Hello, I Love You” that peaks at #1 for 2 weeks on 07/06/68. September sees the release of “Waiting For The Sun” that becomes their first and only album to reach #1 on the US charts and stays for 4 weeks.
“Touch Me” is released and it peaks at #3 on the singles charts on 12/28/68. They release “Wishful Sinful” that peaks at #44 on the singles charts on 03/29/69. Their next single is “Tell All The People” that only reaches #57 on 06/14/69. In September they release “Runnin’ Blue” that peaks at #64 on the singles charts and “The Soft Parade” that peaks at #6 on the album charts. They appear with “John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band” and “Chuck Berry” in Toronto in the Varsity Stadium at the “University Of Toronto” in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In April 1970 “Morrison Hotel” is released and peaks at #4 on the album charts. Their next single “Roadhouse Blues” only makes it to #50 on the singles charts in April. In June Jim marries “Patricia Kennedy” who would go on years later to become the editor of “Jazz & Pop” Magazine. The Doors perform at the “Isle of Wight Festival” with the “Who”, “Sly & The Family Stone” and many others in August. “Absolutely Live” which is a double album is released in September and it peaks at #8. They complete the recording of their next album “L.A. Woman” in November but it’s not released for 6 months.
In January 1971 they release “Doors 13” that is a compilation greatest hits album that peaks at #25. Jim moves to Paris, France to concentrate on writing poetry in March. He writes a book titled “The Lords And The New Creatures” in hardback form that sells 15,000 and then goes to paperback. “Love Her Madly” peaks at #11 on 04/10/71 on the singles charts. “L.A. Woman” is finally released and peaks at #9 on the album charts. On 3 July 1971 Jim is found dead in a bathtub in Paris, France. The cause of death is given as a “heart attack induced by respiratory problems”. “Riders On The Storm” peaks at #14 on the singles charts on 07/03/71 released from the “L.A. Woman” album. In December the remaining trio releases “Other Voices” that peaks at #31 on the album charts. The first single from this album “Tightrope Ride” makes it debut on the Billboard singles chart on the same day that Jim Morrison dies and it only reaches #71 on the charts peaking on 11/27/71.
April 1972 they release “Weird Scenes Inside The Gold Mind” that peaks at #55 on the US album charts. “Full Circle” peaks at #68 on the album charts in September. In December the band officially breaks up to go own their own. Robbie and John form the group the “Butts Band” with “Jess Roden”, “Phillip Chen” and “Roy Davies”. Later on Robbie would form another band titled “Robbie Krieger & Friends”. In 1974 “Pamela Morrison” dies of a heroin overdose. In Jan 1979 they discover tapes of poetry Jim made in 1970 and the trio get back together to provide musical backing for his words and it is released as “An American Prayer – Jim Morrison”. It peaks at #54 on the album charts and brings renewed interest in the groups old recordings. In August “The End” is used in the Movie “Apocalypse Now”. November 1980 sees “The Doors’ Greatest Hits” peak at #17 on the US album charts. In July 1981 the remaining trio lead a large group of fans in a graveside tribute ceremony in Paris, France.
November 1983 finds an album compiled from lost tapes for over 10 years and is released as “Alive, She Cried. They are found in a warehouse in Los Angels, CA. And the album peaks at #23 on the charts. They also release a sound check tape of a recording of “Gloria” that peaks at #71 on the singles charts. In June 1985 they release another compilation greatest hits album titled “Classics” that only peaks at #124 on the charts. “Live At The Hollywood Bowl” is released on album finally and peaks at #154. In March 1991 Oliver Stone releases the Movie “The Doors” starring “Val Kilmer” playing Jim, “Kyle McLachlan” playing Ray, “”Kevin Dillon” as John and “Frank Whalley” as Robbie. In April the Movie Soundtrack album “The Doors” peaks at #8. “Best Of The Doors” is re-released on CD with one additional track titled “Alabama Song” and it peaks at #17 on the album/CD charts. “In Concert (live)” is released and peaks at #50 on the US album/CD charts.
January 1993 the group is inducted into the “Rock ‘N Roll Hall Of Fame” and they perform two songs at the dinner. In November 1997 “The Best Of The Doors” is officially certified as a triple platinum selling album/CD. On February 4 1998 a poem by Jim titled “The Celebration Of The Lizard” fetches $40,000 at auction at Christies in New York City, NY. My Favorite CD by The Doors is “THE BEST OF THE DOORS” released in April 1991 on “Elektra” and is a 2 CD set.
April 2003 Epinions.com