Jim Morrison
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Jim Morrison was born in Florida on December 8th, 1943. His father, a high ranking naval officer, brought up his children under strict discipline and the relationship between the two was problematic. Perhaps because of this, the sensitive child became somewhat withdrawn and isolated. Jim would later express extreme hostility towards his family and the traditional values it stood for.
“A friend is someone who lets you have total freedom to be yourself.”
At the age of four, Jim witnessed a bloody traffic accident that was to have a profound impact on his life. Somewhere between Albuquerque and Santa Fe the Morrison family came across an overturned truck. It had been involved in a collision and its occupants, a group of Indians, were lying on the road, bleeding to death. The horrible event traumatized the young Jim Morrison who believed that the spirit of an Indian, a shaman, had entered his own soul.
“The only time I really open up is on stage. I feel spiritual up there I dont really feel Ive done a complete job unless weve gotten everybody in the theatre on common ground.”
Among Jims favorite authors was the controversial German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, whose views were opposed to those of tradition and Christianity. In Beyond Good and Evil, Nietzsche summed up his ideas about man and morality. He wrote about two types of men: an inferior man who lives in helplessness and fear, and the superman, who, because of the greatness of his mind, is beyond good and evil and answers to no-one. The lower man keeps the powerful and talented under control, but Nietzsche prophesied the coming of an Antichrist who would destroy God and the rule of nothingness. Jim would spend the rest of his life trying to be that person.
“I like ideas about the breaking away or overthrowing the established order. I am interested in anything about revolt, disorder, chaos, especially activity that seems to have no meaning. It seems to me to be the road towards freedom- external revolt is a way to bring about internal freedom.”
In 1964, without his parents consent, Jim enrolled at UCLA. There, he met keyboard player Ray Manzarek who upon hearing his songs suggested forming a rock group. Within weeks, together with Robbie Krieger as guitarist and John Densmore as drummer, The Doors was formed. The name of the group was taken from Aldous Huxleys book on mescaline The Doors of Perception, which quoted a phrase of the 18th century poet and mystic William Blake, If the doors of perception were cleansed, things would appear as they truly are, infinite.
“There are things known, and there are things unknown, and between
The Doors.”
The group was an immediate success. Morrisons poetic lyrics and Manzareks musical genius made The Doors one of the most original and popular band in the states. Their first album was a best-seller and the single Light My Fire reached number one in the summer of 1967.
“O great creator of being, grant us one more hour to perform our art and perfect our lives.”
Though sensitive and shy in his private life, Jim was