Post by mortsahlfan on Feb 13, 2021 18:37:04 GMT -5
Strange Days
Rock God Jim Morrison was no Steve Davis: Roy Carr remembers getting
stuck behind the 8-ball back in '69
"We're all very excited about this new band we've just signed,"
gushed an over-enthusiastic press officer, running her hands
feverishly over a twice lifesize portrait of Iggy Pop stripped to
the waist 'See, we're gonna promote The Stooges as a raunchier
version of The Monkees.... with Iggy kinda like the Davy Jones
character, but much naughtier" '
"Really"' Jim Morrison smirked."Much naughtier!" he added, almost
unable to contain his amusement. "You've seen 'em," he said, turning
to me "What do you think?"
"Frankenstein's monster would be more appropriate!" I replied.
"That's about as close as you'll get," mused Morrison, as his gaze
returned to the paraphernalia adorning the walls of an office that
was, to all appearances, decorated like a make-shift shrine to Led
Zeppelin. Apart from the provocative picture of El Pop there was
little to indicate that this was part of the Elektra Records empire.
Suddenly, the lady fixed me with a stare. You're English then you
must know Robert Plant".
"Of course," I quipped, taught him everything he knows. "Really?"
her predatory eyes widened as she advanced.
"Really!" Morrison mocked, grabbing me by the arm and dragging me
out into the corridor, into a packed lift where, to the obvious
bewilderment of fellow-travellers, we both doubled-up with laughter.
"Could you believe all that?" Morrison began, wiping a tear from
behind his aviator-shaded eyes." Things are now being reduced to the
level of meat!"
It was the Summer of '69, and Morrison had still to stand trial for
alleged on-stage flashing in Miami. A number of promoters had been
pressured by City Hall into cancelling forthcoming Doors concerts
(in locales such as Philadelphia and Chicago), but the group had
made an impressive appearance when they topped the bill of the
Toronto Rock'n'Roll Revival - above John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band.
This show was a day-long event at Varsity Stadium, that had also
featured Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley,
Screamin Lord Sutch and Gene Vincent - who was accompanied by Alice
Cooper.
Little has been written about The Doors' Toronto appearance, which
was recorded and filmed by Pennebaker. But before the group
performed almost all of their first album on stage Morrison
announced to the audience that it was "both an honour and a humbling
experience to appear on the same stage as those artists who first
inspired me."
Back in Elektra's elevator, it was clear that coming into such close
contact with so many of rock's surviving originators had, together
with many other recent experiences, exerted an obvious and profound
influence on Morrison's thinking. When the lift stopped we hit the
hot Manhattan pavements, jumped into a cab and were deposited a few
blocks away at an ersatz English pub called The Haymarket - a
watering hole patronised by swaggering British roadies,
the staff of Frank Zappa's office and groupies of every persuasion.
As Morrison racked up the coloured balls, he peered at me over the
top of his shades and in a high-pitch nasal whine began mimicking
the recent incident at Elektra "Gee do you really know Robert Plant?"
Then, with a shot that wouldn't have caused Fast Eddie Felson any
lack of sleep, Morrison scattered the balls across the green baize.
In much the same manner that Hendrix had become disenchanted with
his public role as a phallic extension, so Morrison was also at a
stage in his career where he wanted to kill off the Doomed Youth
image he'd meticulously created. In the opinion of many, The Doors,
at least in person, had lost their potency. Future albums such as
Morrison Hotel and, specifically, LA Woman would blow holes in such
speculation, but at this precise moment the group were in danger of
over-blown self-parody. It was therefore predictable that Morrison
would find the thinking behind the launch of The Stooges amusing.
"I suppose Elektra see them as a possible replacement for The
Doors," suggested Morrison, as he lined up a shot. He gave no
indication of personal animosity towards the Pop group, Just
awareness of behind-the-scenes politics that he didnt want to
discuss in detail.
As we put away as many drinks as 8-balls, we discovered that we had
a mutual friend in Creedence Clearwater Revival - a band that
Morrison admired for the way they were able to personalise their
blues and rock roots .He admitted that it was a route he would like
his own music to travel.
Between frames and rounds, my opponent spoke of his unshakeable
belief in the mystical power inherent in certain kinds of
music .Some artists were, in their own way, sorcerers, capable of
casting spells through the sheer energy of their performance.
Morrison wasn't spouting chemical-crazed hippy mumbo-jumbo when he
said this - he was just colouring his prose with his hand on his
heart.
"Willie Dixon," he stated to the accompaniment of a ball thudding
into a corner pocket. "Muddy Waters". Thud "John Lee Hooker.... it
would be an experience to maybe write songs with a magician like
Hooker, and then record them with The Doors.
"You got Dimples in your jaw.... bump, bump, bump, bump .You got
Dimples in your jaw," Morrison sang to himself, before draining his
glass "I can already hear the sound of both Robbie's and Hooker's
guitars playing together.It would be like something you've never
heard before. Maybe one day it will happen! There's no reason why it
shouldn't. Bring in people like Hooker, Screamin' Jay Hawkins even
someone like Lee Dorsey; not just to cover a bunch of old familiar
blues songs, but to write new material. We used to perform
Dorsey's 'Get Out My Life Woman' and a bunch of that stuff. A Doors'
blues album would surprise a lot of people" It did: it was called LA
Woman.
We had now reached a stage where there now appeared to be twice as
many balls on the pool table as there really were. Similarly, the
contents of a table full of empty bottles and glasses had all but
robbed us of the power of verbal communication. We called it a day.
The last time I encountered Morrison was at the Isle Of Wight
Festival. Our conversation concerned a rather different game of
pool .Apparently, on a return trip to Miami that related to his
trial, Morrison partied hard with Creedence in their hotel suite, to
the point of becoming legless. The group ceremoniously laid out the
unconscious singer in all his leather-clad glory, on the pool table
in their suite, decorating it with candles like a Chapel of Rest. As
a finishing touch, they fished out that part of the Morrison anatomy
that had gotten him into so much trouble with the locals in the
first instance.
Morrison didn't deny the story that he was still comatose when the
group checked out and a distraught chamber maid checked in!
Rock God Jim Morrison was no Steve Davis: Roy Carr remembers getting
stuck behind the 8-ball back in '69
"We're all very excited about this new band we've just signed,"
gushed an over-enthusiastic press officer, running her hands
feverishly over a twice lifesize portrait of Iggy Pop stripped to
the waist 'See, we're gonna promote The Stooges as a raunchier
version of The Monkees.... with Iggy kinda like the Davy Jones
character, but much naughtier" '
"Really"' Jim Morrison smirked."Much naughtier!" he added, almost
unable to contain his amusement. "You've seen 'em," he said, turning
to me "What do you think?"
"Frankenstein's monster would be more appropriate!" I replied.
"That's about as close as you'll get," mused Morrison, as his gaze
returned to the paraphernalia adorning the walls of an office that
was, to all appearances, decorated like a make-shift shrine to Led
Zeppelin. Apart from the provocative picture of El Pop there was
little to indicate that this was part of the Elektra Records empire.
Suddenly, the lady fixed me with a stare. You're English then you
must know Robert Plant".
"Of course," I quipped, taught him everything he knows. "Really?"
her predatory eyes widened as she advanced.
"Really!" Morrison mocked, grabbing me by the arm and dragging me
out into the corridor, into a packed lift where, to the obvious
bewilderment of fellow-travellers, we both doubled-up with laughter.
"Could you believe all that?" Morrison began, wiping a tear from
behind his aviator-shaded eyes." Things are now being reduced to the
level of meat!"
It was the Summer of '69, and Morrison had still to stand trial for
alleged on-stage flashing in Miami. A number of promoters had been
pressured by City Hall into cancelling forthcoming Doors concerts
(in locales such as Philadelphia and Chicago), but the group had
made an impressive appearance when they topped the bill of the
Toronto Rock'n'Roll Revival - above John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band.
This show was a day-long event at Varsity Stadium, that had also
featured Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley,
Screamin Lord Sutch and Gene Vincent - who was accompanied by Alice
Cooper.
Little has been written about The Doors' Toronto appearance, which
was recorded and filmed by Pennebaker. But before the group
performed almost all of their first album on stage Morrison
announced to the audience that it was "both an honour and a humbling
experience to appear on the same stage as those artists who first
inspired me."
Back in Elektra's elevator, it was clear that coming into such close
contact with so many of rock's surviving originators had, together
with many other recent experiences, exerted an obvious and profound
influence on Morrison's thinking. When the lift stopped we hit the
hot Manhattan pavements, jumped into a cab and were deposited a few
blocks away at an ersatz English pub called The Haymarket - a
watering hole patronised by swaggering British roadies,
the staff of Frank Zappa's office and groupies of every persuasion.
As Morrison racked up the coloured balls, he peered at me over the
top of his shades and in a high-pitch nasal whine began mimicking
the recent incident at Elektra "Gee do you really know Robert Plant?"
Then, with a shot that wouldn't have caused Fast Eddie Felson any
lack of sleep, Morrison scattered the balls across the green baize.
In much the same manner that Hendrix had become disenchanted with
his public role as a phallic extension, so Morrison was also at a
stage in his career where he wanted to kill off the Doomed Youth
image he'd meticulously created. In the opinion of many, The Doors,
at least in person, had lost their potency. Future albums such as
Morrison Hotel and, specifically, LA Woman would blow holes in such
speculation, but at this precise moment the group were in danger of
over-blown self-parody. It was therefore predictable that Morrison
would find the thinking behind the launch of The Stooges amusing.
"I suppose Elektra see them as a possible replacement for The
Doors," suggested Morrison, as he lined up a shot. He gave no
indication of personal animosity towards the Pop group, Just
awareness of behind-the-scenes politics that he didnt want to
discuss in detail.
As we put away as many drinks as 8-balls, we discovered that we had
a mutual friend in Creedence Clearwater Revival - a band that
Morrison admired for the way they were able to personalise their
blues and rock roots .He admitted that it was a route he would like
his own music to travel.
Between frames and rounds, my opponent spoke of his unshakeable
belief in the mystical power inherent in certain kinds of
music .Some artists were, in their own way, sorcerers, capable of
casting spells through the sheer energy of their performance.
Morrison wasn't spouting chemical-crazed hippy mumbo-jumbo when he
said this - he was just colouring his prose with his hand on his
heart.
"Willie Dixon," he stated to the accompaniment of a ball thudding
into a corner pocket. "Muddy Waters". Thud "John Lee Hooker.... it
would be an experience to maybe write songs with a magician like
Hooker, and then record them with The Doors.
"You got Dimples in your jaw.... bump, bump, bump, bump .You got
Dimples in your jaw," Morrison sang to himself, before draining his
glass "I can already hear the sound of both Robbie's and Hooker's
guitars playing together.It would be like something you've never
heard before. Maybe one day it will happen! There's no reason why it
shouldn't. Bring in people like Hooker, Screamin' Jay Hawkins even
someone like Lee Dorsey; not just to cover a bunch of old familiar
blues songs, but to write new material. We used to perform
Dorsey's 'Get Out My Life Woman' and a bunch of that stuff. A Doors'
blues album would surprise a lot of people" It did: it was called LA
Woman.
We had now reached a stage where there now appeared to be twice as
many balls on the pool table as there really were. Similarly, the
contents of a table full of empty bottles and glasses had all but
robbed us of the power of verbal communication. We called it a day.
The last time I encountered Morrison was at the Isle Of Wight
Festival. Our conversation concerned a rather different game of
pool .Apparently, on a return trip to Miami that related to his
trial, Morrison partied hard with Creedence in their hotel suite, to
the point of becoming legless. The group ceremoniously laid out the
unconscious singer in all his leather-clad glory, on the pool table
in their suite, decorating it with candles like a Chapel of Rest. As
a finishing touch, they fished out that part of the Morrison anatomy
that had gotten him into so much trouble with the locals in the
first instance.
Morrison didn't deny the story that he was still comatose when the
group checked out and a distraught chamber maid checked in!