Jim Morrison American singer, poet, songwriter, leader and vocalist of The Doors. Date of Birth: 08.12.1943 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Education
2. Interests and Education
3. Formation of "The Doors"
4. Influence and Controversies
5. Death and Controversies

Early Life and Education

Jim Morrison, an American singer, poet, songwriter, and the frontman of the band The Doors, was born on December 8, 1943, in Melbourne, Florida. His father was a military officer, which resulted in the Morrison family frequently moving. When Jim was 4 years old, he witnessed a traumatic scene that would play a crucial role in his life - a truck carrying Native Americans crashed, and he saw their bloodied bodies. This experience made him realize the interconnectedness of life and death.

Interests and Education

Jim was a difficult teenager but displayed phenomenal abilities. Teachers claimed that his IQ reached 149, which is comparable to genius level. He was passionate about the works of Friedrich Nietzsche, William Blake, and Arthur Rimbaud, wrote poetry, and had a love for history and painting. Despite his father's desire for him to pursue a military career, Jim had no interest in wearing a uniform. To avoid the draft and service in Vietnam, he enrolled in college, even though academics did not interest him. In 1962, Morrison was admitted to Florida State University but later transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles, majoring in film studies. His classmates remembered him as someone who earnestly developed the plots of his scripts and sometimes became so immersed in his roles that he didn't resemble himself. When his thesis was critiqued, he almost dropped out of college. During his studies, Morrison met many interesting people and began writing poetry, often accompanied by melodies. He realized that in order to retain the lyrics, he needed to sing them, sparking the idea of forming a musical group. However, when he informed his parents of this decision, he lost them forever as they never accepted his choice to become a rock musician.

Formation of "The Doors"

In July 1965, Jim Morrison met Ray Manzarek, who was also a film student. Jim shared his passion for writing poetry and his desire to form a rock band. When guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore joined them, the classic lineup of "The Doors" was formed. The band's name was derived from Aldous Huxley's essay "The Doors of Perception," which he borrowed from the English poet William Blake. The band's music and lyrics were heavily influenced by Morrison's fascination with Huxley's ideas and Blake's work. "The Doors" initially performed in local clubs but did not gain much popularity. Jim was shy, often performing with his back to the audience, and frequently appeared on stage under the influence of substances. However, everything changed in 1966 when "The Doors" caught the attention of producer Paul Rothchild. He took a risk by signing the musicians to a contract, and work on their debut album began. Their first single, "Break On Through," had little success, but the following single, "Light My Fire," became a sensation, topping the American charts. In 1967, their self-titled debut album was released, initially receiving mixed reviews, but eventually achieving cult status as the band's popularity grew. Another album, "Strange Days," was released in October of the same year, reaching the third position on the American charts.

Influence and Controversies

The use of LSD and other hallucinogens greatly influenced Morrison's and "The Doors'" creativity. Their performances incorporated mysticism and shamanism, and their music stood out from other bands of the time with its absence of a bass line and emphasis on hypnotic organ parts. "The Doors" became not only a musical phenomenon but also a cultural one. According to one critic, during the hippie era, when others sang about pink ponies and marmalade rivers, "The Doors" were the darkest and most radical band of the 1960s. Their albums were akin to shock therapy, filled with emotionally charged blows. Morrison's unique charisma and profound lyricism captivated audiences. Women would be overcome with sexual ecstasy at the sight of him, and young men would engage in insane acts. By the late 1960s, Jim Morrison had become one of the most popular rock singers in America. The album "Waiting for the Sun" (1968) achieved resounding success, turning the leader of "The Doors" into a idol for millions. Even the completely unsuccessful album "The Soft Parade" (1969) and the band's refusal to participate in the Woodstock music festival, which was defining for many rock bands, did not diminish his status. To everyone's surprise, Morrison stated that he hated festivals because he despised the idea of intoxicated fans lounging on a country farm. When asked about his opinion of the band "Led Zeppelin," he claimed to know nothing about them and preferred to listen to classical music and Frank Sinatra. Jim Morrison was undoubtedly different from the musicians of his time, as his "fictional" wife, Patricia Kennealy, frequently stated. She was the editor of a music magazine and met Jim in early 1969 during "The Doors'" performance in New York. It is difficult to say what feelings Morrison had towards her, but according to Patricia, she loved him. On June 24, 1970, they were wedded according to a Celtic ceremony, which fascinated Kennealy. However, the marriage had no legal validity. Nevertheless, the event received significant attention. The press claimed that Morrison practiced occultism, and fueling the journalists' imagination, Patricia referred to herself as a Celtic witch. The rock musician's popularity reached its peak. Together with Morrison, "The Doors" released three more gold albums, each achieving great success.

Death and Controversies

In the spring of 1971, Jim Morrison, along with his girlfriend Pamela Courson, traveled to Paris to work on a compilation of his poetry. On July 3, 1971, Morrison's lifeless body was found in their rented apartment in Paris. Pamela was the last person to see the rock musician alive. According to the official version, Morrison died of a heart attack, possibly caused by a heroin overdose. However, the true cause of death remains unknown, as no autopsy was conducted. Patricia Kennealy blamed Pamela Courson for her husband's death. Singer Marianne Faithfull claimed that the blame lay with Jean de Breteuil, a drug dealer who allegedly sold Morrison an excessively potent heroin dose. Fans blamed the FBI, who were engaged in a battle with the most active rock musicians of the country at the time.

However, it is much more tempting to believe in another version, which also has its right to existence. Early in his career, Morrison proposed to the band members that they stage his death to achieve greater popularity. While they declined, what if the singer didn't forget about this idea? If that were the case, Jim not only managed to leave the world he despised but also became an icon of a generation, one of the most enigmatic musicians in the history of rock.