Jim Morrison

[KK Rage 0]

I wanted to post this on the 3rd, but I couldn't get to a computer.

 

The man is honestly my hero. I know that he was a drunk, but you couldn't deny that he left an impact on the Earth, especially in music. Without reading his bio, I would have never persued many of the books that have had a huge impact on my life (After knowing what influenced him) and never had an appreciation for poetry. Everyone knows who The Doors are, and they are one of the most influential bands of all time. (And my easy favorite.)

 

Post your thoughts on this man who died 33 years ago last Saturday. (Can't wait to see what Jaxl writes, if he does.)

[Henry Spencer 0]

Overrated hack who wrote laughably horrible poetry. The band could put out some halfway decent jammy jazz-blues stuff at times, though.

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

Morrison did influence Iggy Pop's Stooge-era stage performance. But was he really responsible for anything? He has only become such a grand hero because of his death. Would anyone have given a damn about Janis Joplin in the 70's hadn't she died? Doubtfull.

[NoCalMike 0]

Well it is hard to judge and rather cheap to just say you know for sure they wouldn't have amounted to anything historic. I mean hell, Kurt Cobain is almost held up like a god to recent generations.

 

On a side not, I saw Robby Krieger's jazz band a couple of years ago. They did a mix of their songs and Doors songs, and it was a great show. His son did the vocals and did a rather spectacular Morrison imitation. They also did a rendition of the pulp fiction theme, and I marked out.

[1234-5678 0]

One of my biggest influences on my life and on my writing. Always manage to celebrate the 3rd somehow. This year, I was supposed to fuck a married girl, but instead, managed to party my ass off anyways with a bottle of Bushmills and a case of Dos Equis while watching the Doors movie, then their various home videos. Good stuff.

[BX 0]

I've been considering getting a Morrison tattoo on my left pec, above the nipple. Perhaps the arms outstretched pose that's so popular.

[1234-5678 0]

I'm eventually going to get a tat of him on my arm, one of the lesser known pictures where he has the beard and is hanging on the microphone.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

The Doors are alright. Not my favorite or anything, but I like them when Jim's drunk as opposed to when he's out there on the hallucinogenics.

[KK Rage 0]

You can't say The Doors wouldn't have been popular only if he hadn't died. All of their six records went at least gold, they had three number one singles (Light My Fire, Hello I Love You, and Touch Me), and were the number one band from America for most of their career. In fact, I'm pretty sure the Beatles and The Stones were beating them in sales and drawing power at the time.

 

I was thinking of getting a lizard tat somewhere, but haven't decided for sure.

[TheBigSwigg 0]

Not to mention the impact they've had on modern musicians (STP, Manson, Creed, etc.) and the fact that Morrison personified the Rock God image.

[1234-5678 0]

Not to mention the fact that "LA Woman" is one of the greatest songs of all time.

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

I find Morrison fanboys to be highly pretentious. Kinda like his music. The fact that he was an extraordinary looking man is what draws many of these macho types to him. Had he looked like David Crosby, I gaurentee this thread wouldn't have been made, and JAxlMorrison would not be celebrating his death every year.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

Not to mention the fact that "LA Woman" is one of the greatest songs of all time.

"Hyacinth House" > "LA Woman"

 

Both are great songs, but the sadness of the music and lyrics of "Hyacinth House" are just about untouchable in The Doors' catalogue.

 

The Soft Parade is still my favourite Doors album.

[KK Rage 0]

Hate to disagree with one of my favorite posters on the board, but LA Woman is the greatest song of all time. Just an opinion.

 

Other gems for those who disagree with the band's influence.

 

Number 42 on Rolling Stone's survey of musicians who were asked who the most influential bands of all time were.

 

Three albums (The Doors, Strange Days, LA Woman) hit the list of 500 greatest albums of all time.

 

One of the "50 moments that defined rock" in, again, Rolling Stone. (Mother, I want to fuck you at Whiskey A Go Go)

 

First lead singer to do a stage dive, although it was an accident, worked it into his shows and now everyone in an audience thinks about doing it at least once.

 

First lead singer to be arrested on stage. (New Haven, Connecticut)

 

Rest in peace, my friend, rest in peace.

[Red Baron 0]

I think Morrison poetry isn't anything special, but The Doors would be still as popular if Jim never died

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

I think Morrison poetry isn't anything special, but The Doors would be still as popular if Jim never died

Bullshit. Jim Morrison would be hanging onto his sagging career and past reputation like Iggy Pop today.

[justsoyouknow 0]

Banky's right. As much as I'd love to see Jim Morrison hook up with Sum 41, or do a duet with Peaches, I'd rather he go out the way that he did.

[1234-5678 0]

I find Morrison fanboys to be highly pretentious. Kinda like his music. The fact that he was an extraordinary looking man is what draws many of these macho types to him. Had he looked like David Crosby, I gaurentee this thread wouldn't have been made, and JAxlMorrison would not be celebrating his death every year.

I actually hate his earlier pretty boy image, and liked him and his music way better in his later years. The beard was so much cooler, as was their bluesier style.

[godthedog 0]

Hate to disagree with one of my favorite posters on the board, but LA Woman is the greatest song of all time. Just an opinion.

 

Other gems for those who disagree with the band's influence.

 

Number 42 on Rolling Stone's survey of musicians who were asked who the most influential bands of all time were.

 

Three albums (The Doors, Strange Days, LA Woman) hit the list of 500 greatest albums of all time.

 

One of the "50 moments that defined rock" in, again, Rolling Stone. (Mother, I want to fuck you at Whiskey A Go Go)

 

First lead singer to do a stage dive, although it was an accident, worked it into his shows and now everyone in an audience thinks about doing it at least once.

 

First lead singer to be arrested on stage. (New Haven, Connecticut)

 

Rest in peace, my friend, rest in peace.

blah. the doors didn't do anything that the velvet underground hadn't done better 2 years before. lou reed was light-years better as a lyricist, and the reed/cale combination founded experiments darker, more real and more daring than anything the doors even attempted, much less succeeded in doing.

 

and "heroin" is a better song than "LA woman."

[1234-5678 0]

and "heroin" is a better song than "LA woman."

Velvet Underground was just acid rock, and not very good acid rock at that. The Doors did acid rock, hard rock, pop, blues, jazz, and blended in and out of all that genres flawlessly.

 

And, "Heroin" might be better then "LA Woman" if you are actuall yon heroin.

[spiny norman 0]

I love The Doors.

 

But Heroin is better than LA Woman.

[Henry Spencer 0]

Velvet Underground was just acid rock, and not very good acid rock at that.

 

This is so insanely wrong that I don't even know where to begin. The Velvet Underground fused early doo-wop music, modern classical, chamber music, avant garde jazz, AM pop, garage rock, and so much more, and they showed a versatility beyond almost any other rock band in history. Garage rockers like I'm Waiting For The Man and White Light/White Heat, some of the catchiest pop rock singles ever like Rock N' Roll and Sweet Jane, wild noisey guitar workouts like I Heard Her Call My Name and Sister Ray, gloomy pop songs like Sunday Morning, gospel influences on a lot of their third album, and I could go on all day.

 

Just acid rock. Ridiculous.

[godthedog 0]

and "heroin" is a better song than "LA woman."

Velvet Underground was just acid rock, and not very good acid rock at that. The Doors did acid rock, hard rock, pop, blues, jazz, and blended in and out of all that genres flawlessly.

 

And, "Heroin" might be better then "LA Woman" if you are actuall yon heroin.

sweet, i've hit a nerve.

 

you don't seem to be very familiar with the VU catalog.

 

"i found a reason"-- straight-up 50s doo-wop

"lonesome cowboy bill"-- country western

"the murder mystery"-- avant-garde & 20th centruy classical

"after hours"-- folk (albeit a VERY scary interpretation of folk)

"who loves the sun"-- beatles pop

"train round the bend"-- blues-based rock

"sweet jane"-- straight-up rock music, and far too stripped and simple to be anything resembling acid rock

"pale blue eyes"-- sweet, tender little ballad

 

there's very little that the VU did that can really be considered "acid rock." their instrumentation and chord progressions were too simple & basic. there's some weird viola/organ stuff going on in "heroin," "venus in furs" and "sister ray" that you could maybe call acid rock, but acid rock is generally characterized as having a muted, hazy sound; those 3 tracks (and most of the harder stuff from the VU's first 2 albums) are harsh, abrasive & dissonant in a way that the doors, hendrix, the dead, et al., aren't.

 

EDIT: and la parka beat me to it. i blame the 'real world reunion' special that distracted me while i was trying to type this post.

 

EDIT EDIT: and i just realized that watching 'the real world' while trying to type up a post about the velvet underground kills all my credibility. i blame myself.

[1234-5678 0]

you don't seem to be very familiar with the VU catalog.

I'm not at all. I do like "Heroin", but I am extremely defensive when i comes to Morrison. My fault.........

[Henry Spencer 0]

Okay, fair enough. I get defensive when it comes to The Velvet Underground.

 

To continue the discussion, I propose a challenge to you Morrison fans:

 

I think that The End is the most ridiculous song ever written.

 

Try to convince me otherwise.

[1234-5678 0]

Listen to it on Acid? He made the "Oedipus" Greek myth into a song?

[Henry Spencer 0]

Acid: Might help.

 

Oedipus: Outside the "Father, I want to kill you, Mother, I want to fuck you" part, there doesn't seem to be much that relates to Oedipus.

[1234-5678 0]

The first half and the last verse were a song for an ex girlfriend. The rest was Oedipus and Greek myth related, aka "Blue Bus".

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

American Pie is more ridiculous. The End succeeds as a song that will last as long as your incense.

[Henry Spencer 0]

Hmm, perhaps you are right. Maybe I didn't think this through enough.