The Doors!

Back in 1967 or so I was a kid. Interested in the 1967 American League pennant race (still the best ever), Little League, running around outdoors, and listening to the radio at night under my covers , specifically the Mighty 1290 KOIL which played all the Top 40 hits. Of course now it's nothing but a right wing talk show vomiter but at the time, yeah baby, when's that Monkees song coming back on? Ya see, being 10, and thinking the Monkees were the bomb (yep I still think they are) didn't really broaden my horizons in that music field I was becoming so interested in. And then.......FM radio. Home to the deejays you just knew had something wrong with them. They were so mellow. And they played weird stuff that lasted forever. And then one night I heard it. A 7 minute song that I'd only heard 2 1/2 minutes of over on KOIL. Organs and guitars and crazy jazz drumming and a guy hollering about getting higher and holy shit it was over. The Doors had entered my brain.

The first album I ever bought was over at Hesteds when my Mom took me over and let me spend $2.98 on the mono version (stereo was a buck more so no way) of The Doors (the second album I ever bought was The Monkees so I really wasn't that hip). When I got it home, Light My Fire in all its 7 minute 6 second wonderfulness played over and over. And then......bored on a summer afternoon...I decided to play the whole thing.

The Doors are my favorite American rock band of all time. I know its easy to bag on Jim Morrison's words and actions nowadays and call him a third rate poet because he hasn't been around in 43 years but for chrissakes if you just listened with 1967 ears you get it. I've had people tell me that only druggies listen to the Doors, only self important pseudo "intellectuals" like the Doors, only whacked out jazz fans like the Doors. Yep. So? And who likes Led Zeppelin? Or the Beatles? Or the Dead? Or Foster The People? Or Bon Jovi? Or Pharell Williams? Who cares? There's not a right answer here, folks. You like what you like and I like, no love, the Doors.

Favorite Doors Song:

This changes from day to day hour to hour as I try and Break On Through to the Other Side. But its never not When The Music's Over, The End, L'America or Not To Touch The Earth. But for now, I'd really like to listen to Light My Fire, the song that started it all. Hey, all 7 minutes now, not that watered down version.

Least Favorite Doors Song:

I know they play it constantly on classic rock stations and in a former radio life, so did I. It's the unimaginative radio program director's fave. And it's not bad. It's just cliche' anymore. Yeah he woke up this mornin' and got himself a beer. It's Roadhouse Blues. Just like you, 20 something drunk. Psssst! Ya know they guy who sang that died at age 27?

Doors Masterpiece:

The End. The End moves me. Sometimes not in the right direction but at least I still feel it. Every scream, every rambling screed, every twirl, every fall, every dance done by James Douglas Morrison while doing that song live. Every guitar lick, every cymbal, every keyboard movement. Ray, Robbie, John and Jim.......you guys were the best.