The Doors remain one of the most original acts in the history of Rock
and Roll. However, their actual music is sometimes overshadowed by the
cult of Jim Morrison. Those with long memories will recall a point in
the 80s when he went from lead singer of an old band to a signifier of
cool known as 'Morrison.' His image appeared everywhere on t-shirts,
posters, and in the film The Lost Boys, adorning a wall in Keifer
Sutherland's vampire cave. A biopic in the 1990s attempted something
like realism but managed only to dramatize the legend of the 'Lizard
King'. Meanwhile, outside of a few high rotation tracks on 'classic'
rock stations, most of their work took a back seat to Jim's ever-growing
status as a cultural icon. This book dusts off the vinyl and puts on the
headphones for a sustained reappraisal of the band's musical career.
Hidden gems, deep cuts, overrated top ten hits, and the enigmatic series
of album closers are all subjected to late night interrogations. Let's
head to Venice Beach circa 1965, pick up a Fender bass organ on the way,
take a face from the ancient gallery and walk on down the hall!