The Doors FAQ All That's Left to Know About the Kings of Acid Rock

by Weidman, Rich

• ISBN13: 9781617130175
• ISBN10: 1617130176
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-10-01
• Publisher: Backbeat

Summary

It has been 40 years since the untimely death of L.A.'s mystic and rock's Dionysus, Jim Morrison, yet the Doors have consistently inspired new generations of fans worldwide ever since. Highlighting one of the most influential, original, and outrageous American bands of the 1960s, The Doors FAQ is a dynamic, unorthodox exploration of this remarkable band and its enigmatic lead singer. Drawing upon unique sources, Rich Weidman digs deep and serves up fresh perspective on the music, from the garage to the hits to the outtakes; and on the band's members, from their roots, influences, and key industry partners to their rare talents, personal foibles, love affairs, and arrests. This volume also details every studio album and live recording, all the highs and lows of the Doors in concert (including the notorious 1969 Miami concert), Morrison's 40-day trial, and the death of the "Lizard King" in Paris in 1971, as well as post-Morrison milestones. Unlike the straightforward narratives of other Doors biographies, this inventive, ceremonious biographical collage leaves no stone unturned, covering the band both with Morrison and post-Morrison, including the 2010 When You're Strange documentary and the recent pardon of Morrison by the State of Florida for the Miami concert. Countless rare images from album art to ticket stubs to posters accompany the text, in this dazzling edition of solid rock scholarship.

Author Biography

Rich Weidman is a writer and editor. His work includes several regional travel guides, such as The Insiders' Guide to Charlotte. He is a social media strategist and the cofounder and editor of Alternative Reel, a pop culture website that receives over three million visitors annually. He lives in Florida with his wife and two children.

Table of Contents

Foreword: The Doors Through a New Lens	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
Introduction	p. xv
Friends I Have Gathered Together: Key Players in the Doors' Saga	p. 1
Tell Me Where Your Freedom Lies: Jim Morrison's Earliest Influences	p. 12
A Place for Me to Hide: How the Lizard King's Upbringing Affected His Anti-Authority Stance	p. 22
Let's Swim to the Moon: Early Incarnations of the Band	p. 27
I Was Turning Keys: How the Doors Got Their Name	p. 33
Stumbling in the Neon Groves: The Circumstances Surrounding the Band's First Demo	p. 37
Heavenly in Its Brilliance: Musical Acts That Influenced the Doors	p. 40
Just Got into Town: Los Angeles Area Landmarks Associated with the Doors	p. 49
We Chased Our Pleasures Here: The Doors' Earliest Venues	p. 58
Kingdoms of Our Own: Methods the Doors Utilized to Achieve Their Unique Sound	p. 68
The Music and Voices Are All Around Us: Doors Songs That Were "Inspired" by Other Sources	p. 77
Do It, Robby, Do It: Doors Songs Written	p. 82
Girl, We Couldn't Get Much Higher: Doors Singles That Reached No. 1 on the Charts	p. 88
Realms of Bliss, Realms of Light: Doors Songs That Feature Direct Literary References	p. 93
A River of Sadness: The Most Overtly Political Doors Songs	p. 100
She Was a Princess: Doors Songs That Were Inspired	p. 104
Must Be Something Else We Say: Why The Soft Parade Was So Different from Other Doors Albums	p. 108
The Mask You Wore: The Real Story Behind the Doors' Album Covers	p. 111
A Beast Caged: The Failure of the "Celebration of the Lizard"	p. 116
If You Don't Give a Listen: The Most Essential (and Least Essential) Doors Albums	p. 120
The Lights Are Getting Brighter: Bands That Shared the Bill with the Doors During the Early Years	p. 125
Under Television Skies: The Doors' Most Notable TV Performances	p. 135
Blood on the Rise: The Top Ten Most Notorious Doors Concerts	p. 142
See Me Change: Songs Modified by the Doors During Live Performances	p. 151
C'mon People, Don't You Look So Down: The Biggest Events and Festivals Where the Doors Played	p. 155
Trade in Your Hours for a Handful of Dimes: Why the Doors Didn't Perform at Woodstock	p. 161
Everything Is Broken Up and Dances: Doors Concerts Recorded for the Absolutely Live Album	p. 165
In a Darkened Room: How Morrison's Alcoholism Affected the Doors' Performances and Studio Albums	p. 169
Once I Had a Little Game: The Real Story of the Miami Concert	p. 172
It Hurts to Set You Free: Negative Consequences Stemming from the Miami Concert	p. 175
Witnessing the Wild Breeze: Morrison's Arrest on a Flight from Los Angeles to Phoenix	p. 179
No One Left to Scream and Shout: The Atmosphere During the Forty-Day Miami Trial	p. 182
Night Is Drawing Near: The Doors' Last Concert as a Quartet	p. 188
I Need a Brand New Friend: Morrison's Attempt to Shed His Rock Star Image	p. 191
Out Here on the Perimeter: The Reasons Paul Rothchild Quit as Producer of	p. 195
Smooth as Raven's Claws: Some Common Myths About Morrison's Death	p. 199
Ancient Shapes Were All Around Us: Jim Morrison's Final Resting Place	p. 203
Wandering in Hopeless Night: Other Musicians Who Died at the Age of Twenty-Seven	p. 207
We Linger Alone: Studio Albums That Were Released After Jim Morrison's Death	p. 214
Death Not Ends It: Factors That Led to the Doors' "Resurrection"	p. 217
You've Seen This Entertainment Through and Through: The (In) Accuracy of The Doors	p. 225
Can't Remember Where I've Been: Other Films That Feature the Doors	p. 230
The Ceremony Is About to Begin: The Doors' Induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame	p. 237
Follow Me Down: Musicians Who Have Been Influenced by the Doors	p. 240
Rage in Darkness by My Side: Artists Who Have Covered Doors Songs	p. 247
Let Them Photograph Your Soul: Doors Songs That Have Appeared in Feature Films	p. 252
So Sing a Lonely Song: The controversy Caused by the Doors of the 21st Century	p. 260
Can We Resolve the Past: The Most Essential (and Least Essential) Doors Biographies	p. 263
You Might Recall All of the Rest: The Unique Qualities of the Documentary When You're Strange	p. 269
I'm Going, but I Need a Little Time: Whatever Happened to ...	p. 272
Selected Bibliography	p. 281
Index	p. 285
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