Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Jan 30, 2005 16:53:16 GMT
The Editor of The Soft Parade Fanzine Sue Jeffries recalls her meeting with The Lizard King in 1968.
TSP was also the English Doors fan club and Sue featured this in her magazine as well as Kerrys DCM.
She contacted me a couple of years ago and allowed me to use her article for the Jim 60th Birthday Tribute TheDoors4Scorpywag did in December 2003...this is her tale...
September 1968...The Doors European Tour
The Doors had played their gigs at The Roundhouse Chalk Farm and I was desolate….Along with hundreds of other fans I had been turned away at the door with the excuse that our tickets were invalid. A few fans in the crowd knew the real reason however….too many tickets had been printed and London's trendiest had to have their night out. We from the 'sticks' hadn't a prayer.
For two days I was a lost soul going through the motions of existing. Then came a request from my Dutch friend 'E' who happened to be The Doors publicist from Elektra records. Would I like to come to Amsterdam as his guest and attend The Doors Dutch concert.
I was 18 years old, broke and in love with Jim Morrison. After considering his offer for half a millisecond I answered ...yes!
Within days I was on my first ever plane flight frightened to death and nervous as hell.
I was met at the airport by E and after checking in at the hotel we made our way to the gig. The atmosphere at the theatre was electric. While E did his publicity bit I hung around scared and nervous at the prospect of being left on my own but secretly hoping to get a glimpse of one of The Doors.
It is important to note that at this time The Doors were not exactly setting Europe on fire. They had a strong Underground following which of course was underlined for this show by the fact that they and Jefferson Airplane were supposed to share top-billing for the tour.
The Doors however proved to be more popular so Airplane were relegated to support. This didn't go down too well in their camp.
I perched myself at the edge of the stage to watch Jefferson Airplane perform proudly wearing my pass and trying to concentrate on the noise. I became more and more impatient hoping each song would be their last.
My hero and reason for living would soon be no more than 10 feet away in living flesh in all his glory and singing to me (well I can dream can't I?).
My feelings at the time were mixed up that's sure and I could not believe I was actually there but the feedback from the audience told me they felt the same. They too were waiting for The Doors….no one else……
and to be honest they just tolerated The Airplane applauding after every number and audibly sighing when they started another.
Oh the pandemonium of it all.
A figure came onto the stage. A tall slim figure with the face of an angel.
Jim Morrison.
The crowd went berserk when they realised who it was.
It was the biggest cheer of the night and it sent the crowd into a frenzy.
He was there five feet away dancing and whirling around and …….
REALLY THERE.
Meanwhile I was busy dying.
The Airplane played with him, faster and faster, forcing him to whirl, jump and dance like a madman. Then he moved to the side of the stage and collapsed….just fell flat on his face. I think most of the audience thought he'd left the stage and didn't notice the fall. They were to busy freaking out……
I saw my man being hurriedly being dragged off and witnessed the panic among the back stagers. All I wanted to do was find E and ask what had happened.
E's job was to sell the band and publicise their appearances to the rock media and critics and here was the main attraction in a drug induced coma. But of course I did not realise that at the time because I knew nothing of Jim's excesses and his suicidal lifestyle. Neither did E….apparently no one had bothered to tell him Jim was a substance abuser, an unpredictable genius and a publicist nightmare.
There was so much going on, so much noise and so many people rushing about, shouting and wanting to touch this young man dying on the floor. An ambulance was called and Jim was whisked to the hospital. Throughout this I stood in a corner (as per instructions) and quietly panicked.
What was wrong with him? Was he going to die?
E found me and explained what was happening. We were shocked to hear that Jim had wandered around Amsterdam all day with his 'friends' taking 'everything he was offered'.
The Doors: Live Amsterdam Concertbouw September 14th 1968 as a three piece after Jim had been carted off to hospital following his Airplane stage collapse
Even then this city was the centre of the European drug culture as it remains today and Jim, not renowned for his self control, just couldn't resist the freebies.
God bless him!...he was young, free, single and foolish...along with thousands of us just like him.
E explained that The Doors had decided to play without Jim and asked if I wanted to stay. I couldn't believe it! The Doors without Jim Morrison.
How could they do it? Jim was the essence of their existence, their singer, their writer, their leading man and the reason for their success for Heavens sake.
How could they even CONSIDER playing WITHOUT him?
But they did and won the hearts of the Dutch audience.
But lets not get carried away...it was NOT the best of performances as some people would have you believe. I was there listening to them...I know!
Of course I was devastated at missing seeing Jim...AGAIN and was only half concentrating on the band worrying about Jim and wondering what was going on at the hospital I could not believe he was not up there singing. I was being denied that wonderful voice, the beautiful face, those painful lyrics...that PRESENCE...I was forlorn.
TSP was also the English Doors fan club and Sue featured this in her magazine as well as Kerrys DCM.
She contacted me a couple of years ago and allowed me to use her article for the Jim 60th Birthday Tribute TheDoors4Scorpywag did in December 2003...this is her tale...
September 1968...The Doors European Tour
The Doors had played their gigs at The Roundhouse Chalk Farm and I was desolate….Along with hundreds of other fans I had been turned away at the door with the excuse that our tickets were invalid. A few fans in the crowd knew the real reason however….too many tickets had been printed and London's trendiest had to have their night out. We from the 'sticks' hadn't a prayer.
For two days I was a lost soul going through the motions of existing. Then came a request from my Dutch friend 'E' who happened to be The Doors publicist from Elektra records. Would I like to come to Amsterdam as his guest and attend The Doors Dutch concert.
I was 18 years old, broke and in love with Jim Morrison. After considering his offer for half a millisecond I answered ...yes!
Within days I was on my first ever plane flight frightened to death and nervous as hell.
I was met at the airport by E and after checking in at the hotel we made our way to the gig. The atmosphere at the theatre was electric. While E did his publicity bit I hung around scared and nervous at the prospect of being left on my own but secretly hoping to get a glimpse of one of The Doors.
It is important to note that at this time The Doors were not exactly setting Europe on fire. They had a strong Underground following which of course was underlined for this show by the fact that they and Jefferson Airplane were supposed to share top-billing for the tour.
The Doors however proved to be more popular so Airplane were relegated to support. This didn't go down too well in their camp.
I perched myself at the edge of the stage to watch Jefferson Airplane perform proudly wearing my pass and trying to concentrate on the noise. I became more and more impatient hoping each song would be their last.
My hero and reason for living would soon be no more than 10 feet away in living flesh in all his glory and singing to me (well I can dream can't I?).
My feelings at the time were mixed up that's sure and I could not believe I was actually there but the feedback from the audience told me they felt the same. They too were waiting for The Doors….no one else……
and to be honest they just tolerated The Airplane applauding after every number and audibly sighing when they started another.
Oh the pandemonium of it all.
A figure came onto the stage. A tall slim figure with the face of an angel.
Jim Morrison.
The crowd went berserk when they realised who it was.
It was the biggest cheer of the night and it sent the crowd into a frenzy.
He was there five feet away dancing and whirling around and …….
REALLY THERE.
Meanwhile I was busy dying.
The Airplane played with him, faster and faster, forcing him to whirl, jump and dance like a madman. Then he moved to the side of the stage and collapsed….just fell flat on his face. I think most of the audience thought he'd left the stage and didn't notice the fall. They were to busy freaking out……
I saw my man being hurriedly being dragged off and witnessed the panic among the back stagers. All I wanted to do was find E and ask what had happened.
E's job was to sell the band and publicise their appearances to the rock media and critics and here was the main attraction in a drug induced coma. But of course I did not realise that at the time because I knew nothing of Jim's excesses and his suicidal lifestyle. Neither did E….apparently no one had bothered to tell him Jim was a substance abuser, an unpredictable genius and a publicist nightmare.
There was so much going on, so much noise and so many people rushing about, shouting and wanting to touch this young man dying on the floor. An ambulance was called and Jim was whisked to the hospital. Throughout this I stood in a corner (as per instructions) and quietly panicked.
What was wrong with him? Was he going to die?
E found me and explained what was happening. We were shocked to hear that Jim had wandered around Amsterdam all day with his 'friends' taking 'everything he was offered'.
The Doors: Live Amsterdam Concertbouw September 14th 1968 as a three piece after Jim had been carted off to hospital following his Airplane stage collapse
Even then this city was the centre of the European drug culture as it remains today and Jim, not renowned for his self control, just couldn't resist the freebies.
God bless him!...he was young, free, single and foolish...along with thousands of us just like him.
E explained that The Doors had decided to play without Jim and asked if I wanted to stay. I couldn't believe it! The Doors without Jim Morrison.
How could they do it? Jim was the essence of their existence, their singer, their writer, their leading man and the reason for their success for Heavens sake.
How could they even CONSIDER playing WITHOUT him?
But they did and won the hearts of the Dutch audience.
But lets not get carried away...it was NOT the best of performances as some people would have you believe. I was there listening to them...I know!
Of course I was devastated at missing seeing Jim...AGAIN and was only half concentrating on the band worrying about Jim and wondering what was going on at the hospital I could not believe he was not up there singing. I was being denied that wonderful voice, the beautiful face, those painful lyrics...that PRESENCE...I was forlorn.
