Jim Morrison's Ghost Turns 40 Years Old

Associated Content from Yahoo ^ | July 3 2011 | Robert Dougherty

[Beowulf9]

Jim Morrison's ghost has allegedly been hanging around Paris for decades. Since Morrison died on July 3, 1971, his ghost and his legend have only grown in status. In fact, journalist Brett Meisner even claimed that he took a photo of The Doors' lead singer standing at his grave years ago, as apparent proof that he did "break on through to the other side." If he did, then he has officially been there for 40 years, since today is the 40th anniversary of his death.

It is fitting that stories about his ghost has persisted for years, to add to the bizarre, psychedelic legend of Morrison. In life, he was the most out of control rock star in the business, which was quite a feat in the 1960s. He pushed the envelope with his lyrics and behavior on stage- which crossed the line into the leud one night in Miami and got him arrested.

With that kind of on and off-stage persona, it was inevitable that he would flame out when it was all over. Finally, he did on July 3, 1971, as he died in a hotel bathtub in Paris. It may not have been the wild, over the top death that may have been expected from him, yet it did silence one of the era's most distinctive voices- at least temporarily.

After Morrison died, his fame and that of The Doors slowly became bigger than ever. Sales for Doors records went up every year, as death proved to be the best thing that ever happened to Morrison's catalog. The same would later happen to other dead icons like Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson years later.

[StayoutdaBushesWay]

Ahhhhh......Devonshire Downs, that brings back many memories. Never had the pleasure to play there but we did play at The Country Club in Reseda quite a bit.

[going hot]

It was the prototype renaissance fair, actually a large field, with a stage under a tall tree

Reseda? I used to fish at the pond at reseda park, lol. Nev er caught anything, the water was too murkey, but it was better than sitting in class at school, until we discovered hitchhiking to the beach!

[patton]

His wife is one hell of an author.

[montag813]

I thought Jim was still alive, somewhere in Washington State?

[faucetman]

Saw The Doors in Rochester, NY. I think it was just before or after the incident in Florida. The performance was magical. It was like a spiritual experience. They performed flawlessly although it seemed spontaneous and unrehearsed. The band took their cues from Morrison and followed wherever he took them. I have seen very many concerts, back in the day, and The Doors was one of the best. He was a musical genius. It's too bad so many of them end up on drugs and alcohol and then death.

[StayoutdaBushesWay]

I’d catch Bluegil and the occasional catfish. Grew up right around Reseda, went to Seqouia Jr. High and Reseda high for a year.

[sayuncledave]

And his doppelganger, Jeff Martin, of the Canadian band, The Tea Party:
http://www.soulshine.ca/images/features/jeffmartin-feature.jpg

[Radagast the Fool]

This article gives new meaning to the phrase “Break on through to the other side”!!

[sayuncledave]

Too true.

(Just as a by-the-way, this is The Tea Party’s sound. Vocals reminiscient of Morrison, to my ears. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCye7v79Tz0)

[going hot]

Mulholland Jr High and Birmingham for HS. Final semester at Canoga HS. Family moved from Van Nuys to Woodland Hills.

[going hot]

I have no reason to lie about this.

I was not questioning anything you wrote, lol.

That was JM's trademark for most openings.

[jmacusa]

Morrison and The Doors were much over-rated.

[Scoutmaster]

Morrison and The Doors were much over-rated.

Well, the only thing I have to add to this is that The Doors' didn't have a bass player. Just Robby Krieger on guitar (he played a Gibson SG).

I don't have a complete list of bands without bass players (because my list, even as a one-time oldies DJ is: The Doors), but I'd have to say The Doors are one of my favorite "we don't have a bass player" bands of their era.

[jmacusa]

As a former drummer I always appreciated good guitars. Gibsons are at the top of my list. Always thought the SG had what I called(for lack of a better word) a ‘’woody’’ sound. Like rich walnut or oak, deep and resonant.

[Scoutmaster]

Gibsons are at the top of my list. Always thought the SG had what I called (for lack of a better word) a ‘’woody’’ sound. Like rich walnut or oak, deep and resonant.

SGs are wonderful guitars; for me, their necks are even more playable than Stratocasters and Telecasters. Many, if not most, people don't realize that Gibson's sold more SGs than the iconic Les Paul. Freebird was played on an SG (with a slide). Pete Townsend often played an SG and took advantage of the long neck - instead of using a tremelo, he'd just push or pull on the neck to bend notes.

Eric Clapton's famous guitar "The Fool" (which he played with Cream") was a SG:

The classic SG is the red stained model.

Frank Zappa, Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, all played SGs at one time or another - Zappa much of the time.

It was the guitar of choice for much of early heavy metal. AC/DC's Angus Young, Black Sabbath's Tommy Iommi.

Of course, all guitars have their places. I don't want to slight Les Pauls or ES-355s, or Fender Telecasters or Stratocasters, or Rickenbacker 360s, 360-12s, or 381v69s, or Gretsch Country Gentlemen, or '65 Epiphone Casinos . . . but the electric guitars that sit in the bedroom are a SG and a Telecaster. The rest are in the basement.

[freejohn]

Say what you will but Morrison had one hell of a hypnotic tone to his voice and I saw first hand how he he could absolutely mesmerize ‘thousands’.. and that included, young and old and not just the females!

[jmacusa]

Jerry Garcia used an SG in 1969/70. Listen to the Warner Bros Grateful Dead album(or CD as it is now) title “Live Dead’’ and listen to “Dark Star’’. Garcia did some amazing things with feedback and the SG. A Telecaster huh? Have you got a crane to pick it up? Those things are heavy! All those country music playing cowboys love that tele sound. It’s that tremlo in it.

[Revolting cat!]

But at least, unlike most of us, he died in Paris!

[Radagast the Fool]

yeah, he does sound like the Lizard King-and looks like him, too!!!

Thanks for the link-I had never heard of this band.
Interesting name...!!

[Scoutmaster]

A Telecaster huh? Have you got a crane to pick it up?

Mine's not a heavy guitar at all. It weighs a little more than my Stratocasters because it's a natural Ash model.

My Tele's several pounds lighter than my Les Paul, ES-355, and Rickenbacker 381v69, and probably some other guitars.

It's notable for the country sound, but Keith Richards (a five-string Telecaster), Bruce Springsteen, and Bonnie Raitt play Telecasters.

Jimi Hendrix recorded "Hey Joe" and "Purple Haze" on a Tele. George Harrison's rosewood Telecaster is famous as the guitar he played during the Beatles' rooftop concert (Google "Get Back Beatles Rooftop"). Jimmy Page played "Stairway to Heaven" on a Telecaster. And let's not forget Muddy Waters, Robbie Robertson of The Police, and . . . well, some others.