Posted on 12/03/2021 5:13:12 PM PST by nickcarraway
Doors guitarist Robby Krieger says late bandmate Jim Morrison welcomed syphilis, arguing that he didn't fear going crazy.
The potentially fatal sexually transmitted disease’s symptoms can include the loss of mental faculties, and has long been connected to the lives of 18th and 19th century artists. But the development of modern antibiotics means that it's no longer usually lethal.
“I think Jim believed that life could be boring and that a lot of people were just going through the motions, so he would try to freak them out,” Krieger tells the Guardian. “He would do anything to add to the craziness. Most people would be scared if they contracted a potentially lethal STD, but Jim was excited to feel close to all those disease-ridden 19th century poets and painters he idealized.
“He wanted to let it go untreated,” Krieger added, “so he could experience what it was really like to go insane.”
Morrison’s other extreme antics included grabbing the steering wheel of a car and swerving into traffic, claiming he was God and threatening to expel Krieger from the universe, the guitarist said in his recent memoir, Set the Night on Fire: Living, Dying and Playing Guitar with the Doors. He says Morrison also suffered from an apparent Oedipus complex.
“I think Jim had some real mental issues – manic depression, or whatever,” Krieger said. “Whenever the press would ask about his family, he would say that they were dead. His mom was weird, she was very bossy but he was fixated on her.”
Krieger went on to say that many of the stories told about the Doors frontman were fabrications, suggesting that some were promoted by their late keyboardist Ray Manzarek, but that Morrison’s personality was remarkable enough.
“When people saw us play, they knew that this wasn’t just a show,” Krieger said. “To me, what happened to the Doors was pretty damn cool just the way it was. This wasn’t a story that needed to be hyped.”
So did he have syphilis or not . I hope he wasn’t spreading it to groupies , just for the experience .
As his demon(s) grew tired of him.
Dead cats, dead rats
Can’t see what they were at, all right
Dead cat in a top hat, wow
Drowning in your own vomit sure beats a slow syphilitic death. He got lucky.
I grew up with the Doors. But all I can say now is that it’s the song not the singer.
Certainly made an impression. “One thin line draws the border between madness and the genius.”
I have yet to understand what others perceive as genius on Morrison’s part. I also keep asking myself who their bassist was. Keys, drums, guitar, vocals is all I come up with. I suppose Manzarek could use the lower keys.
I like two or three of their tunes enough to have in library, but would not go out of my way to collect any or all of their albums. That said, I enjoy reading and viewing accurate depictions of their lives and work.
"Riders On The Storm" is a masterpiece that still holds up well. I have a personal story about this song that I've posted before and will post again someday.
A lot of the other Doors music I find difficult and depressing.
Elvis Presley’s bassist, Jerry Scheff , played bass on “LA Woman” album.
Depression is built in. Smoke dope on a rope with the pope.
Fun fact...
Morrison was a huge Sinatra fan and knew the German microphone Frank preferred for his vocals.
When the Doors walked into Sunset Sound studios to record their first album, Morrison instantly recognized that same German mic in the vocal booth.
Elvis Presley’s bassist, Jerry Scheff , played bass on “LA Woman” album.
Neumann U86?
Jim’s father was the Admiral of the Fleet during the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. 1964.
Ray Manzarek used a keyboard bass.
They've got a few that still hold up. In no particular order:
Riders on the Storm
20th Century Fox
Break On Through to the Other Side
Love Her Madly
L.A. Woman
These still hold up although you need to be in the right mood:
The End
People Are Strange
Back Door Man
Liked the Moody Blues better than the Doors. The Moody Blues were transcendental smooth with Justin Hayward, while the Doors with Jim Morrison were drugged-out, bat-chit crazy.
Jim Morrison was a real piece of dung. If he had survived he would have burned out early.
Jim talked about having Elvis’s bass player. He was humbled and wowed.
The bass was covered by the keyboard. So, no bassist at all.
I met Robby @ Winter NAMM 2020. Really nice guy and very chill. Thanked him for the music. He wrote a lot of The Dorrs material including Light My Fire. I’m really surprised he’s out on the road this fall with Vanilla Fudge supporting him.
The guy had too much time on his hands....he was already insane to even desire to experience it. What a dead loser!
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