Post by darkstar2 on Sept 14, 2008 17:12:17 GMT
Morrison Maniacs Mark Death Day With Doob
July 3 2001
South African Times
Paris – Hundreds of Jim Morrison fans streamed through Paris’s Pere Lachasie cemetery on Tuesday to pay tribute to the charismatic frontman of the 1960’s group The Doors, who died 30 years ago in his heyday.
“I wouldn’t have missed this for anything,” said Rodger Mayer, 43 of the US state of Pennsylvania, who planned his holiday in France to coincide with the anniversary celebrations.
“He represented a certain generation,” he said. “He represented life on the wild side.”<br>
Morrison was 27 years old when he was found dead in the bathtub of his Paris apartment on July 3, 1971.
The singer, whose confrontational style, heavy drinking and drug abuse had often led him to trouble in his native United States, had moved to Paris seeking inspiration in the home of his poetic heroes.
Burkhard Goeke, 45, a professor of medicine from Munich, Germany, was also among the diehard fans who made the pilgrimage to the singer’s resting place.
“It’s a special day in which we look back on our youth,” he said, sporting a T-shirt bearing Morrison’s photo and a Rolling Stones cap. “I listen to his music and read his poetry all the time and every five years I travel to France to commemorate his death.”<br>
Officials at the cemetery said they expected between 10,000 and 20,000 people to file past the singer’s grave on Tuesday. By midday, hundreds of people – some smoking spliffs – could be seen gathering quietly at the site.
The 20th anniversary of Morrison’s death in 1991, police used tear gas to disperse rowdy fans, authorities this year boosted security and posted signs to help people easily find the grave site.
About a dozen security officers kept watch around the grave, allowing each fan a few seconds to file past the tomb and snap a picture. Some placed messages scrawled on a piece of paper on the grave site while others left flowers behind.
“Jim Morrison and the Doors, thank you for the music,” read one message.
A Taiwanese woman who would only give her first name as Susu, said it was important for her to be a Pere Lachaise as Morrison had had great influence on her life. “He’s a poet of darkness” she mused.
Patrick Shuey , 18, a university student from Pennsylvania, said he planned to spend the entire day at the cemetery, where the smell of marijuana was clearly noticeable.
I feel like I’m coming home to Jim, like I’m passing by to say hi,” he said.
But unfortunately they’re not allowing people to bring alcohol into the cemetery.”<br>
Alan Carroll, a 17 year old student from Ireland, said the highlight of his week long family trip to Paris was visiting the singer’s grave.
“Even though he’s dead, his music lives on,” he said. “I wanted to be here so that he’ll never be forgotten.”<br>
Two concerts were to held in Morrison’s honour in Paris on Tuesday. The Doors’ keyboard player Ray Manzarek and band publicist Danny Sugerman were also set to attend a special screening of unseen film footage of the group – Sapa-AFP
www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=79&art_id=qw994166341589B216
July 3 2001
South African Times
Paris – Hundreds of Jim Morrison fans streamed through Paris’s Pere Lachasie cemetery on Tuesday to pay tribute to the charismatic frontman of the 1960’s group The Doors, who died 30 years ago in his heyday.
“I wouldn’t have missed this for anything,” said Rodger Mayer, 43 of the US state of Pennsylvania, who planned his holiday in France to coincide with the anniversary celebrations.
“He represented a certain generation,” he said. “He represented life on the wild side.”<br>
Morrison was 27 years old when he was found dead in the bathtub of his Paris apartment on July 3, 1971.
The singer, whose confrontational style, heavy drinking and drug abuse had often led him to trouble in his native United States, had moved to Paris seeking inspiration in the home of his poetic heroes.
Burkhard Goeke, 45, a professor of medicine from Munich, Germany, was also among the diehard fans who made the pilgrimage to the singer’s resting place.
“It’s a special day in which we look back on our youth,” he said, sporting a T-shirt bearing Morrison’s photo and a Rolling Stones cap. “I listen to his music and read his poetry all the time and every five years I travel to France to commemorate his death.”<br>
Officials at the cemetery said they expected between 10,000 and 20,000 people to file past the singer’s grave on Tuesday. By midday, hundreds of people – some smoking spliffs – could be seen gathering quietly at the site.
The 20th anniversary of Morrison’s death in 1991, police used tear gas to disperse rowdy fans, authorities this year boosted security and posted signs to help people easily find the grave site.
About a dozen security officers kept watch around the grave, allowing each fan a few seconds to file past the tomb and snap a picture. Some placed messages scrawled on a piece of paper on the grave site while others left flowers behind.
“Jim Morrison and the Doors, thank you for the music,” read one message.
A Taiwanese woman who would only give her first name as Susu, said it was important for her to be a Pere Lachaise as Morrison had had great influence on her life. “He’s a poet of darkness” she mused.
Patrick Shuey , 18, a university student from Pennsylvania, said he planned to spend the entire day at the cemetery, where the smell of marijuana was clearly noticeable.
I feel like I’m coming home to Jim, like I’m passing by to say hi,” he said.
But unfortunately they’re not allowing people to bring alcohol into the cemetery.”<br>
Alan Carroll, a 17 year old student from Ireland, said the highlight of his week long family trip to Paris was visiting the singer’s grave.
“Even though he’s dead, his music lives on,” he said. “I wanted to be here so that he’ll never be forgotten.”<br>
Two concerts were to held in Morrison’s honour in Paris on Tuesday. The Doors’ keyboard player Ray Manzarek and band publicist Danny Sugerman were also set to attend a special screening of unseen film footage of the group – Sapa-AFP
www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=79&art_id=qw994166341589B216