The Psychedelic Rock Band The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. The band’s best-known songs include “Light My Fire”, “Break On Through (To the Other Side)”, and “Riders on the Storm”.
The Early Days
The Doors were an American rock band that was formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California. The band members were Jim Morrison (vocals), Ray Manzarek (keyboards), Robby Krieger (guitar), and John Densmore (drums). The band got their name from the book The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley. The Doors were one of the most successful and controversial rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. They were well-known for their live performances and for Morrison’s wild and poetic lyrics.
The Doors form in 1965
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965 by singer Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were one of the most controversial and influential rock groups of the 1960s, mostly because of Morrison’s lyrics and charismatic but unpredictable stage persona.
The band took its name from the title of Aldous Huxley’s book The Doors of Perception (1954), which itself was a reference to a line in William Blake’s The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1790): “If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.” They recorded their debut album, The Doors (1967), with producer Paul A. Rothchild at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood.
The Doors release their self-titled debut album in 1967
The Doors release their self-titled debut album in 1967, which peaks at #2 on the Billboard charts and goes on to sell over three million copies. The album includes the hits “Light My Fire” and “Break On Through (To the Other Side),” both of which become Top 40 singles. The band appears on several television shows, including “The Ed Sullivan Show” and “The Tonight Show,” and embarks on a successful national tour.
The Doors’ Commercial Success
Although The Doors never achieved the same level of commercial success as some of their contemporaries, they were still one of the most successful rock bands of their era. Their self-titled debut album was a smash hit, reaching the top of the charts and going platinum. Follow-up albums like Strange Days and Waiting for the Sun were also huge successes, cementing The Doors’ place as one of the biggest rock bands of the 1960s.
The Doors release their second album, Strange Days, in 1967
The album was a commercial success, reaching number three on the Billboard 200, and eventually selling over three million copies. The first single from the album, “People Are Strange”, peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single, “Love Me Two Times”, reached number 25.
The Doors release their third album, Waiting for the Sun, in 1968
The Doors release their third album, Waiting for the Sun, in 1968. It is their first album to achieve commercial success, reaching number 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album contains the hit singles “Hello, I Love You” and “Touch Me”.
The Doors release their fourth album, The Soft Parade, in 1969
The Doors’ fourth album, The Soft Parade, was released in 1969 and was a commercial success, reaching number six on the Billboard 200 album chart. The lead single from the album, “Touch Me”, peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Despite its commercial success, the album was met with mixed reviews from critics.
The Doors’ Later Years
After the death of lead singer Jim Morrison in 1971, the Doors continued to tour and record with new lead singer David Lee Roth. While the quality of their music declined in the later years, they still managed to produce some good music. Let’s take a look at some of the Doors’ later years.
The Doors release their fifth album, Morrison Hotel, in 1970
The Doors release their fifth album, Morrison Hotel, in 1970. The album reaches number one on the Billboard 200 and goes platinum. The first single, “You’re Lost Little Girl”, is a minor hit, peaking at number ninety-three on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single, “Love Her Madly”, is a bigger hit, peaking at number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100. The third single, “Riders on the Storm”, becomes a classic rock staple and is still played regularly on classic rock radio stations today.
The Doors embark on a North American tour to support the album. The tour is marred by violence, as several fans are injured in fights and one fan is killed in a stampede at a concert in New Orleans. Morrison is arrested for indecent exposure at a concert in Miami and sentenced to six months in jail, though he later has the sentence overturned on appeal.
The Doors release their sixth and final album, L.A. Woman, in 1971
The Doors release their sixth and final album, L.A. Woman, in 1971. The album is a return to their roots, with a more blues-influenced sound. It is also the last album to feature lead singer Jim Morrison, who dies shortly after its release.
The remaining members of the band continue to tour and release albums without Morrison, but they never achieve the same level of success as they did with him. The Doors are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
Jim Morrison dies in 1971
Morrison’s health had been declining since 1968. He often drank heavily, and he had gained a considerable amount of weight. Morrison’s mental state was also deteriorating; friends said he was “becoming increasingly paranoid”. On July 3, 1971, Morrison died in a Paris bathtub at the age of 27. The official cause of death was listed as “heart failure”, but sources close to Morrison disputed this, saying that the coroner listed it as such because no autopsy was performed. Many rumors circulated about Morrison’s death, including that he purposely overdosed on heroin, or that his girlfriend Pamela Courson shot him.
The Doors’ Legacy
One of the most influential bands of the 1960s, The Doors have left a legacy that has transcended generations. With their unique blend of rock, blues, and jazz, The Doors created a sound that was unlike anything that had been heard before. The band’s frontman, Jim Morrison, was a charismatic and enigmatic figure who captured the imagination of the counterculture. The Doors’ music continues to be popular today, and the band’s influence can be seen in the work of many modern artists.
The Doors are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993
On January 12, 1993, The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In the induction speech, Bruce Springsteen said: “I want to talk about a band that is as important to me as any band has ever been… When I was 16 years old, I heard their first record and it changed my life.”
The Doors are ranked #40 on Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time” in 2004
The Doors were an American rock band which formed in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1965. The band struggled for some time after their formation, without achieving any mainstream commercial success. Despite this, they built a devoted following throughout their time together, and became one of the most influential bands of their era. They released eight studio albums and twelve singles between 1967 and 1971.
The Doors are perhaps most known for their 1967 debut album, The Doors, which reached number two on the US Billboard 200 chart and contained the group’s breakout single “Light My Fire”. The album sold over three million copies in the US alone and spawned additional hits for the band, including “People Are Strange” and “Break On Through (To the Other Side)”. In 1968, The Doors released their second album Strange Days which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and included the singles “Strange Days” and “Hello, I Love You”.
The group’s third album Waiting for the Sun was released later in 1968 and reached number one on the Billboard 200. Its lead single “Hello, I Love You” became The Doors’ only US number-one hit single. The album also spawned additional hits for the band, including “Touch Me” and “The Unknown Soldier”. In 1969, The Doors released their fourth album The Soft Parade which reached number six on the Billboard 200; its lead single “Touch Me” peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Later that year, they released their fifth album Morrison Hotel which peaked at number four on the Billboard 200. Its lead single “Love Her Madly” peaked at number 11 on the Hot 100 chart. In 1970, The Doors released their sixth album Absolutely Live which reached number two on the Billboard 200; its lead single “Riders on the Storm” peaked at number 14 on the Hot 100 chart.
In 1971, The Doors released their final studio album L.A Woman which reached number nine on the Billboard 200; its lead single “Love Her Madly” peaked at number 20 onthe Hot 100 chart. After Jim Morrison’s death later that year, Ray Manzarek assumed vocal duties for two more albums – 1972’s Other Voices and 1973’s Full Circle – before disbanding in 1973.
The group reunited briefly in 1978 for an irreverent advert for Jim Beam bourbon whiskey before permanently disbanding in 1983 when Manzarek refused to continue without Morrison. Since then various members have sporadically worked together under different lineups; guitarist Robby Kriegerand drummer John Densmore have both toured with different incarnations of THE DOORS OF THE 21ST CENTURY (2003-2012).
