Jim Morrison Would Have Been 67 Today

The “Lizard King” is known as one of the most distinctive frontmen in rock music history, and also dabbled in poetry and filmmaking. He reportedly had an I.Q. of 149.

In 1965, after graduating from UCLA, Morrison met future Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek on Venice Beach. With the addition of John Densmore on drums and Robby Krieger on guitar, The Doors were born.

The Doors took their name from the title of The Doors of Perception, Aldous Huxley’s book of mescaline experiences, itself taken from a William Blake quotation in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, in which Blake said “If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is — infinite.”

The Doors achieved national prominence in 1967 with the hit single “Light My Fire” and hit the charts again in 1968 with “Hello, I Love You,” in 1969 with “Touch Me,” and in 1971 with “Love Her Madly” and “Riders On The Storm.”

Weary of the rock star lifestyle after only four years, Morrison “retired” to Paris at age 27 in March 1971. He died of unknown causes in Paris on July 3, 1971.

Morrison’s poetry writings are available in the books The Lords and the New Creatures, Wilderness, and The American Night.

~ Jim Morrison