The other thing alive and well is The Doors. Well, actually they've been reincarnated in a band called Riders on the Storm. This band has been together for 15 years. The lead singer is not nearly as hot as Jim was in the good ole days but he certainly sounds like him. The singer of this band is doing his fat Jim Morrison impersonation, you know beard and all. Funny thing is Ray Manzarek and Robbie Kreiger from the original Doors are touring again. They started out as 21st Century Doors but have apparently changed their name to...you guessed it! Riders on the Storm. I remember watching Jeopardy one evening and the cover band Riders.... was an answer to a question!
Invariably, there is a girl that always shows up to the Riders show. She's quite scary and I think may have ridden the short bus to school if you know what I mean. She's always all over the lead singer and makes lewd gestures to him while he's singing. She dances like Elaine from Seinfeld. This time she brought a friend, and she too was quite scary, so, the lead singer had double trouble on his hands. And also without change, I think both of them ended up on their asses because of a slippery dance floor before the evening was over.
So, you've probably guessed by now I'm a Doors freak, and, you would be correct! I met Ray Manzarek once, got his autograph, spoke to him briefly after I found my voice which had apparently been stolen. Then, I sobbed uncontrollably all the way home. Yea, I'm crazy. I have visited Jim at Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris just about every time I'm there. And, as you know, it is the only place I go, only thing I talk about. So, I have for you here a couple of pics from one of my visits with Jim. Yes, people still visit and leave flowers. There are usually tour guides, not official ones, but tour guides non-the-less in the cemetery that will help you find your way to Jim. $1.05 to anyone who knows what the line means beneath the dates on Jim's stone.
7 comments:
I never knew anyone with a reel to reel, but yep, I know what they are!
I can't say I was all that into hair bands. I was a new wave/punk rock chick...still am! But, because they were from Mechanicsburg, PA (about 20 mins from me), I liked Poison. I've just recently purchased Motley Crue's greatest hits. I just about blow my stereo listening to it now.
Great post. It's a real experience to be at a live concert, but an 80's revisited concert I have yet to experience. The Doors are the quintessential rock/performance band of their time. Guys like Iggy Pop and Mick just wish they could have been Jim, like so many other frontmen out there. What did you think about the Sugarman book? Did you ever read the drummer's book (Densmore I think) "Riders on the Storm"? I could never finish Densmore's book, it was long winded and didn't have enough about Jim.
Mman...i have the sugarman book, was the first I had read about the doors, and it's been a while. I read Manzarek's book, My Life With the Doors, which is how I met him. I know Ray totally panned Oliver Stone's Doors movies, said it was all shit. I have a couple of Morrison poetry books too. Maybe I should post some eh? Interesting comment about Mick and Iggy...hmmm, will have to think on that one!
IL...i'm consistently inconsistent with music, and my hair color!! I'm all over too, and ain't it great?
Poison...yep, love the Cure, I see you are a Smiths woman...saw Morrissey last year, he opened with How Soon is Now and I didn't sit down for the rest of the show!
P.S. The Greek words on Jim's stone: To the divine spirit within himself
Now, any philosophers out there care to tell me what the hell that really means?
To the divine spirit within himself. I'm no philosopher but my best guess is the phrase is celebrating his life and how he lived it without regret, without compromise and all the while being true to himself. He was anything but pure, but he purely knew what he wanted.
It is so weird that you mention you have some of his poetry. I have a copy of The American Night Vol. 2 and another I can't recall. As for Mr. Stone and his film biopic, I liked the sensuality, the lunacy and I did enjoy Kilmer's and Ryan's performances. For me, the film was more of a display of Oliver Stone's talent as a director than a film of Jim's reality. Manzarek's book, I'll have to check out. Thanks.
Thanks for your comments mman, well said.
The book of poetry I have is called Wilderness. And, I was at a Hardrock Cafe once...forget where and I took a pic of a piece of his poetry in his own handwriting. I think I drooled a little when I saw it! If I come across it, I'll scan it in!
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