The Doors Biography

The Doors was an American psychedelic and blues rock band formed in 1965. The name was inspired by Aldous Huxley‘s The Doors of Perception. It also references William Blake’s quote: “If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.” Actually, that constituted the base of The Doors’ musical persona. They were one of the most controversial artists of the 60s, most because of the lead singer, Jim Morrison. The Doors did not have a lengthy existence but released a total of 8 albums, all but one being extremely successful. Three of them made it into were featured in Rolling Stone‘s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 1993, the band was included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Formation, Debut

The Doors was formed in 1965 by four UCLA film students. Jim Morrison, with is deep voice and poetic lyrics, became the lead member. In 1966 they already signed with a record label and, shortly, released their self-titled debut album. It turned out to be a milestone in psychedelic music and spawned a timeless hit, Light My Fire. The sombre sound of the composition reflected Morrison’s feelings and experiences in an effortless and unique manner. The album generated another epic single, The End,  an 11-minute haunting piece.

Success, Tragedy

It was hard to match the success of that first album, and none of the following ones could do it. However, both following albums, Strange Days and Waiting for The Sun were high-sellers. The first generated the iconic People are Strange, a dark psychological song, one of their most representative. Moreover, the second introduced Morrison’s “alter ego”, the Lizard King. In 1967 the rock star was arrested for public obscenity. In 1969, The Doors released The Soft Parade, a more elaborate production, but not so appreciated by fans. The group regained success with their L.A. Woman, in 1971. However, Morrison was on the verge of alienation and depression. He left the group and moved to Paris. Shortly after, he was found dead in the bathtub, at the age of only 27 years.

Photo source: Discogs