The Doors
The Doors (Spanish: Las Puertas) was an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in July 1965 and dissolved in 1973. Although the career After The Doors ended in 1973 with the death of Jim Morrison, their popularity has persisted. According to the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA), The Doors has sold 33,000,000 certified album units in the United States of America. The band has sold over 100,000,000 albums worldwide. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked The Doors number 41 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Accumulate 8 consecutive gold records. In 1993, The Doors were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
History
Origins: 1965-1966
In 1965 Jim Morrison was on the beach in Venice, California, and met an old classmate from UCLA, Ray Manzarek, who was four years older than him. Right there they began a casual conversation and Morrison took the opportunity to read Manzarek the lyrics of "Moonlight Drive", a poem that Morrison had just written. Manzarek (a fan of blues and rock of the time) asked Morrison to sing the song for him, with which Manzarek was fascinated, and they decided to form a band.
Manzarek was already in a band, called "Rick And The Ravens" with his brother Rick, while Robby Krieger and John Densmore played in & # 34; The Psychodelic Rangers & # 34; and they knew Manzarek from a meditation class. In August, Densmore joined the group and with some members of the Ravens and an unknown bassist, they recorded a five-song demo on September 2. This demo was partially bootlegged, and that was the only way to get hold of it until its appearance on The Doors Box Set, released in 1997.
That same month, the group recruited the talented Robby Krieger, and the final lineup—Morrison, Manzarek, Krieger, and Densmore—was complete. The band took their name from a line by the poet William Blake: "If the doors of perception were cleansed, every thing would appear to man as it is: infinite." (If the doors of perception were purged, everything would appear before man as it is: infinite), which also gave the title to Aldous Huxley's book, The Doors of Perception.
The Doors differed from many rock groups of the time, because they did not use a bass in concert, also emphasizing the fact that they were influenced by different rock groups of the time, as well as the prominent blues genre. Instead, Manzarek played bass tunes with his left hand on his new Fender Rhodes piano, a new version of the familiar Fender Rhodes piano, and organ tunes with his right hand. However, the group did use a few bassists on their studio recordings, including Jerry Scheff, who later played more than 1,100 concerts for Elvis Presley (from 1969 until his death in 1977), as well as Doug Lubahn, Harvey Brooks, Kerry Magness, Lonnie Mack and Ray Neapolitan.
Many of the original songs were done together. Morrison provided the lyrics and part of the melody, and the rest contributed the rhythm and feeling of the song. As Morrison and Manzarek were walking on the beach in California, they saw a black woman walk by, and Morrison wrote the lyrics to "Hello, I Love You" that same night, referring to her as the "dark jewel" (dusky jewel). Some criticized the song for its resemblance to The Kinks hit "All Day and All of the Night" (1965), and the vocalist of this group, Ray Davies sued The Doors.
By 1966, the group was playing at The London Fog club, where classics like You Make Me Real and Strange Days would be played for the first time, and that same year they moved to the prestigious Whiskey a Go Go. Elektra Records president Jac Holzman saw them at the insistence of Love vocalist Arthur Lee, whose group was also in Elektra. On August 18, after Holzman and producer Paul A. Rothchild saw two performances by the band at the Whiskey A Go Go, the first somewhat uneven, but the next simply mesmerizing, The Doors signed with Elektra. what would be a significant relationship between the band, Rothchild and engineer Bruce Botnick. On August 21 of the same year, the club fired the band for an incident in a presentation of "The End", which would come to announce all the controversy that would follow the group in its years of history. Morrison, he yelled, in the "oedipal" from the song: "Father? Yes son?, I want to kill you", "Mother? I want to fuck you" ("Father? Yes son?, I want to kill you", "Mother? I want to fuck you").
1966-1967: The Doors (album)
The Doors' self-titled LP, released in January 1967, caused a sensation in music circles. Many of the great songs in his repertoire appeared on this record, including the musical drama, "The End". The band, having played the songs over the previous two years and having them systematized, recorded the album in a couple of days, in late August/early September 1966, almost entirely live in the studio and many songs in one single take. Morrison and Manzarek also led an innovative way to promote their first single, 'Break On Through', by filming a promotional video, a significant advance in the music video genre.
Their second single, "Light My Fire," put the group along with Jefferson Airplane and The Grateful Dead among the best new American groups of 1967. The version without the lengthy keyboard and guitar solo was released in April, but did not peak until July.
In May 1967, the group made their national debut recording a brilliant version of "The End" for the CBC at Yorkville Studios in Toronto (Yorkville was Canada's version of Haight-Ashbury). This version remained unreleased until the release of the DVD "The Doors Soundstage Performances" in the early 2000s.
The band quickly gained a reputation as an exhilarating, rambunctious and entertaining act. With his good looks, magnetic presence, and leather pants, Jim Morrison became a rock idol and "sex symbol," even though he was constrained by the moral restraints of stardom. Before his presentation on the & # 34; Ed Sullivan Show & # 34; CBS censors demanded Morrison change the lyrics of Light My Fire, to the line "Girl, we couldn't get much higher" (Baby, we couldn't have gotten any higher), for the possible drug reference, 15 minutes before the band performed on September 17, 1967. Morrison asked them what he should say instead of "higher", and in response he received that he was the poet and something had to occur to him. Krieger nervously asked Morrison how he would change the lyrics, and Jim decided not to make any changes. Morrison sang the original line and performed on live television, with CBS unable to stop him. A furious Ed Sullivan refused to shake hands with the band members, and they were never invited again. Hearing that he wouldn't be back, Morrison replied, "We just did the Ed Sullivan Show" & # 34; (We just did the Ed Sullivan Show) - for the time, such an appearance generated a whole gamut of events. Morrison insisted that nervousness caused him to forget to change the line as an excuse. They also presented a new single, "People Are Strange", which they reprized for the DJ "Murray The K" on September 22.
Morrison furthered his reputation as a rebel when, on December 10, he was arrested in New Haven for badmouthing the police to the public. Morrison said that a jealous officer had tear gassed him by catching him with a girl backstage. The group finished a successful year. On December 24 the band recorded "Light My Fire" and "Moonlight Drive" live for The Jonathan Winters Show. From December 26 to 28, the group played at The Winterland San Francisco. They played their last two dates of the year in Denver, on December 30 and 31, capping off a year of near-constant touring.
1967: Strange Days
Strange Days was the second LP by The Doors, released in September 1967. It received a gold record and peaked at #3 on the Billboard chart. However, Paul Rothchild, the producer, considered it a commercial failure, even though it would have meant an artistic triumph:
We all thought it was the best album. Significantly, it was also the one who had the weakest sales. We trusted that it would be bigger than anything The Beatles had done. But there was no single. The record died.Paul A. Rothchild
Contrary to this view, one could argue that the album still sold well, achieving two top 30 hits, one top 3 on the North American charts, and a platinum certification.
Strange Days consists partially of songs that were not included on the debut effort. This album commands a strange feeling, containing some of The Doors' most psychedelic songs. It includes songs like "Strange Days", "People Are Strange", "Love Me Two Times" and "When the Music's Over", this being an epic poem comparable to the famous "The End".
The album also features "Moonlight Drive," which was one of the first songs written by Jim Morrison for The Doors. It had been recorded in 1965 (demo) and in 1966 (with the intention of including it on the first album). In 1967 the final version was recorded and released on 'Strange Days'.
The album was #3 in the US in 1967 and is number 407 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. "People Are Strange" reached number 12 on the US chart and "Love Me Two Times" It followed, scoring a respectable No. 25, proving The Doors' consistency after the success of their debut album.
1968: Waiting for the Sun
The recording sessions for the third album that took place in April were very tense as a result of Morrison's increasing dependence on alcohol. Nearing the height of their popularity, The Doors played a series of outdoor events, leading to frenzied confrontations between fans and police, particularly at the Chicago Coliseum on May 10.
The band began to vary their material from their third LP, Waiting for the Sun,, tired of their original repertoire, and started writing new material. It became their first #1 LP, and the single "Hello, I Love You" it was his second and last #1 single in the United States. It also includes the song "The Unknown Soldier", for which they directed another video clip, and "Not to Touch the Earth", taken from their legendary concept piece, Celebration of the Lizard, although they were unable to to record a satisfactory version of the entire piece for the LP. It was released years later on a Greatest Hits compilation, and on his album Absolutely Live.
After a month of outrageous performances at the Singer Bowl in New York, they went on their first tour outside the United States, a mini tour of Europe. The band held a press conference at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London and played at The Roundhouse Theatre. The results of the trip were televised on the British network Granada Television, in a show called The Doors Are Open and later released on video for sale. The band played a few more shows in Europe, including a show in Amsterdam without Jim Morrison, after he had a breakdown from drug use. Morrison returned to London on September 20 and stayed there for a month.
The group played nine more shows in the United States, and set to work on their fourth LP. 1969 will be a tough year for The Doors, but it kicks off with a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden in New York on January 24 and a hit single, "Touch Me" (released December 1968), which reached #3 in the US.
That month Morrison attended a theater production that changed the course of his life, and that of the group. At the Bovard Auditorium The Living Theater at the University of Southern California, he takes the stage with a show that invites people to drop their inhibitions and break through to freedom. This enticed Morrison's quest for freedom, resulting in a jam session the following afternoon, February 25, the legendary "Rock is Dead" session, for sale on the 1997 Box set, giving way to one of the most controversial episodes of Morrison's life.
The incident occurred on March 1, 1969, at Dinner Key Auditorium in Miami, Florida. The 6,900-seat auditorium had been overbooked to double the hall's capacity, and the fans were sweltering and without air conditioning. From the moment the band walked across the stage, Morrison began yelling into the microphone:
Now listen to me, I'm not talking about no revolution, I'm not talking about not manifesting."I'm talking about having a good time, I'm talking about having a good time this summer. Everyone, come to L.A., get out of here, let's lie down in the sand and bury our fingers in the ocean, and let's have a good time. Are you ready, ready, ready, ready, ready, ready, ready, ready?
Now listen to me! I used to think this whole thing was a big joke. I used to think it was something to laugh at. Then these last night I met some people who were doing something they were trying to change the world! I want to join that trip! I want to change the world. Change it. I did... change it.
After a few minutes Morrison changed his tone:
Now listen to me, I'm not talking about no revolution, I'm not talking about not manifesting. I'm talking about having fun! I want to see everyone standing and dancing! I want to see them dancing on the street this summer! I want to see them having fun. I want to see them run around. I want to see them painting the city. I want to see them making noise. I want to see them scream. I want to see fun. I want to see your fun!
The recording draws to a close with the following words:
Anything you want to do! Do it! Do it! Do it!
The incident remains inconclusive. Morrison said: "I spent a lot of time on the Miami trial. Almost a year and a half. But I guess it was a valuable experience because before the trial I had a childish and unrealistic view of the American judicial system. My eyes have opened a little."
Although the Miami incident damaged the gang's reputation, Morrison was somewhat reassured by its results. Then he said: "I think it was just feeding the image that was being created around me.. and I put an end to that in one glorious afternoon."
Although Morrison received much of the attention, including his image on record sleeves, he was adamant that all band members should receive equal recognition. Prior to a concert at which the entertainer announced the group as "Jim Morrison and The Doors," Morrison refused to appear until the group was announced again as "The Doors." While Morrison never felt close to his royal family, he was extremely protective of his gang members. He reportedly once told Ray Manzarek that he never felt comfortable in a social situation unless this or another band member was with him. He somehow saw The Doors as his replacement family. He consistently turned down every opportunity to record a solo album offered to him, and after his death the band members refused to replace him.
In the last two years of his life, Jim Morrison cut back on his use of psychedelics and began drinking excessively, which soon affected his performance in the study. Apparently to escape the 'Lizard King' image, which had dominated him, Morrison grew a full beard, forcing Elektra to use photos taken earlier in her career for the Absolutely Live” cover art. , released in 1970. The album features performances recorded on The Doors' 1970 tour, the 1969 concert at the Aquarius Theatre, and includes a complete version of "The Celebration of the Lizard".
The only public appearance during this time was on a PBS television special recorded in April, and broadcast the following month. The group played songs from the follow-up album, The Soft Parade, including a splendid version of the track of the same name.
The group continued their tour at the Chicago Auditorium Theater on June 14, and played two dates at The Aquarius Theater in Hollywood on July 21 and July 22, both later released on CD. They were a new type of Doors concert, where the emphasis was on the band and people having a good time. The bearded Morrison wore baggier clothes and steered the band in a more "Blues" direction, with songs like "Build Me A Woman", "I Will Never Be Untrue";, and "Who Do You Love". His voice still did not lose its power, and the band could still dazzle with their presentations of & # 34; When the Music & # 39; s Over & # 34; and "Celebration of the Lizard".
1969: The Soft Parade
Their fourth album, The Soft Parade, released in July, further distanced the group from the "underground", with extremely pop songs, and with very contemporary metal arrangements. Las Vegas style (saxophonist Curtis Amy featured on the single "Touch Me"). Morrison's excesses with alcohol made him a very difficult and very informal person in the studio at that time, and the recording sessions stretched out for weeks, when in the past they lasted a couple of days. The costs of the studio began to mount, and the group came close to disbanding.
Detractors of this album see it as a band struggling to stay on the wave and trying to expand their sound with brass and strings, resulting in a weak and overproduced sound.
In their defense, The Soft Parade was a successful experiment in "quasi-prog-pop," despite Morrison's misbehavior and numerous technical difficulties. More commercially oriented songs like "Touch Me" or "Tell All The People", were a complete success; and tracks like "Wild Child" or "Shaman's Blues" they are revealing and imaginative as always, with excellent guitars and lyrics.
During the recording of his next album, in November 1969, Morrison found himself in trouble with the law again, after becoming drunk and aggressive towards airline staff while traveling to Phoenix to see The Rolling Stones perform. concert. He was cleared in April after a flight attendant mistakenly identified Morrison as his traveling companion, English actor Tom Baker.
1970: Morrison Hotel
The group came back strongly again with their LP Morrison Hotel. Distinguished by a consistent and heavy sound, the album opens with "Roadhouse Blues", characterizing the high security spirit of the entire album. It also has tracks like "Indian Summer" very calm and smooth that reminds us of the famous "The End" from their first album and such outstanding pieces as "Peace Frog" that The Doors show us that they still know how to sound tough in '60s classic rock. Morrison Hotel had an optimism the band had never seen before, delivering a couple of celebratory songs and a few love ballads. It reached #4 in the United States.
Although Morrison was facing legal proceedings in Miami in August, the group managed to make it to the Isle of Wight Festival on August 29, 1970. At the festival, the band played alongside legendary artists including Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis and Sly & The Family Stone. Two songs from the show were featured in the 1995 documentary Message to Love.
On September 16, Morrison went to court, and the jury found him guilty of obscenity and public scandal on September 20. He was sentenced to eight months in custody, but was released on appeal.
On December 8, 1970, on his twenty-seventh birthday, Morrison recorded a poetry session, which would later be released as the album An American Prayer.
1971: L.A. Woman
During the Doors' last public performance fronted by Morrison, at the "Warehouse" In New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 12, 1970, Jim Morrison had an apparent nervous breakdown, repeatedly dropping the microphone on the floor. However, the group returned to have one last success with L.A. Woman in 1971. The idea behind this album was to return to the roots of blues and R&B, although during rehearsals the group had serious mishaps with Rothchild, who calling the new repertoire "cocktail music" he stepped down from producing the album and left control to Bruce Botnick. The result was considered a true classic, presenting some of the strongest material since its debut in 1967. Others, however, consider that about half of the album is dull, dull blues, which detracts from the final result. Perhaps for this reason, the song "The Changeling" is considered the most underrated of the band. "Riders On The Storm", became a key piece of programming on any rock radio station for decades.
Morrison's death and its aftermath: 1971-1989
At the end of 1972 the new band The Doors replaced Jim Morrison with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger on vocals, finally in 1989 the band The Doors dissolved forever.
In 1971, after the recording of L.A. Woman, Morrison decided to take some time off and moved to Paris with his girlfriend, Pamela Courson, in March. He had visited last summer and, for a while, he seemed content to write and explore the city, but then he turned to alcohol and fell from a second story in May. On June 16 he made the last known recordings of him, when he met two street musicians and invited them to a studio. The results were released in 1994 on the bootleg LP, The Lost Paris Tapes.
Morrison died in unclear circumstances on July 3; His body was found in the bathtub. The conclusion was that he died of a heart attack, although it was revealed that he had not been autopsied before he was buried at the Père-Lachaise Cemetery on July 7. A fairly widespread version mentions that Morrison's death occurred from an overdose in a Parisian bar called "Rock n' Roll circus & # 34;, more precisely in the bathrooms of the place where the vocalist would have died after locking himself in to ingest cocaine, his body being transferred by acquaintances to the bathtub of his house. He allegedly tried to revive him there with cold water without success. The coroner, in his official report, described the singer's corpse as that of & # 34; someone over 50 years old and 1.90 m. tall" (Jim was actually 27 years old, and his height ranged from 5'7" to 5'7", without his Texan boots on), giving us clear evidence of medical negligence that likely fueled the myth surrounding the deaths of Morrison. Pamela Courson kept Morrison's body for more than 4 days in the apartment they shared, placing ice around it to partially stop the decomposition process.
For years after his death, some rumors persisted that Morrison had faked his death to escape stardom, or that he had died one night in a bar, and his body was smuggled to his apartment. However, Morrison's former associate, Danny Sugerman, in his book Wonderland Avenue, claims that in his last meeting with Courson, which took place shortly before his death from an overdose, she confessed to him that she introduced Morrison the drug, because he suffered from a fear of needles, and she would have injected him with the dose that killed him.
Jim Morrison died at the age of 27, the same age as several other rock stars (27 Club). In 1974, Morrison's girlfriend, Pamela Courson, also died at the age of 27.
The remaining members continued for some time. Initially it was planned to replace Morrison with a new singer, and it was reported that it might be Iggy Pop. Ultimately, Krieger and Manzarek took Morrison's singing place and released two albums, Other Voices and Full Circle, and they went on tour.
Both albums sold well but largely went unnoticed, and The Doors stopped playing and recording in late 1972. While the first album is undoubtedly in the Doors' style, the second expanded into jazz territory. While neither album was reissued on CD in the United States, they have been released as 2-on-1s in Germany and Russia.
The remaining Doors recorded a third post-Morrison album, An American Prayer, in 1978, which provided backing music to some recordings of Morrison reciting his poetry. The album was a success, and was followed by a mini-album of previously unreleased live material. Their profile remained high in the 1980s thanks to a considerable amount of color recordings of their concerts and TV performances, and the advent of MTV and the music video genre introduced young audiences to The Doors' music., either through the videos recorded at their concerts, or the originals produced by the same band in the 60s.
They continued like this until 1981, releasing compilations and reissuing records and giving some concerts with hardly any repercussions. In 1981 they would dissolve forever.
In 1979, Francis Ford Coppola debuted Apocalypse Now with "The End" used on the soundtrack, leading new fans to discover The Doors. In 1983 Alive, She Cried was released, which included a cover version of Gloria by the band Them.
1990s and after
In 1991, director Oliver Stone released his film The Doors starring Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison, and some cameos from Krieger and Densmore. Some who had been mentioned to play Morrison were John Travolta, Jason Patric, Keanu Reeves, Michael O' Keefe, Gregory Harrison, Michael Hutchence (INXS) and Bono (U2). Although everyone was impressed by Kilmer's impersonation, the film contained numerous flaws. Band members criticized Stone's portrayal of Morrison, [citation needed ] which made him seem at times like an out-of-control psychopath, rather than the sentimental rock poet that he was The Doors (film) is an American biographical film about the rock band of the same name, directed by Oliver Stone and released in 1991. The screenplay was written by both Stone and Randall Jahnson, based on the book Riders On The Storm by John Densmore, performed by Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison - Lead Vocals, Kyle MacLachlan as Ray Manzarek - Keyboards, Frank Whaley as Robby Krieger - Guitar, Kevin Dillon as John Densmore - Drums.
- The Doors of the 21st Century (2002-2013)
- Ray Manzarek - Keyboards, voice
- Robby Krieger - Guitar, voice
- Ty Dennis - Battery
In 2002 Manzarek (who passed away from cancer in 2013) and Krieger got together and created a new version of The Doors, called "The Doors of the 21st Century". The new lineup consisted of Ian Astbury on vocals, and Angelo Barbera from Krieger's band on bass. At their first concert they announced that drummer John Densmore was not going to play. Later it was learned that he was not able to play because he suffered from tinnitus. Densmore was originally replaced by Stewart Copeland, formerly of The Police, but Copeland broke his arm in a fall from his bicycle. He was eventually replaced by Ty Dennis, the drummer for Krieger's band.
Densmore later claimed that he was never invited to take part in the new group meeting. In February 2003, he issued a legal order to prevent his former teammates from using the name "The Doors of the 21st Century." His motion was denied in May of that year, although Manzarek publicly stated that Densmore was still invited to join the group. It later emerged that Morrison's family, along with Densmore, continued to search for a way to prevent them from using the name The Doors. In July 2005, the band changed their name to "D21C". They now play under the name Riders on the Storm, which is also the name of a tribute band from the northeastern United States. They are licensed to play under names like "old Doors", and "members of The Doors". Densmore has been adamant about not licensing The Doors' songs for use in TV commercials, including a $15 million offer from Cadillac to use "Break on Through (to the Other Side)" 34;, saying that this would be a violation of the spirit in which the music was created. Densmore wrote about this for The Nation newspaper:
People lost their virginity with this music, placed for the first time with this music. I have people who say that there were young people who died in Vietnam listening to this music, other people say they know someone who didn't commit suicide for this music. On stage, when we played these songs, they felt mysterious and magical. That's not for sale.
Manzarek and Krieger agreed to continue to tour and continue the reunion of The Doors, as well as license to advertise with the music, as it is to save The Doors from falling into history. Manzarek was quoted as saying:
We're staying old. We should, the three of us, be playing these songs because, hey, the end is always close. Morrison was a poet, and after all, a poet wants his words to be heard.
The Doors are remembered for their shamanistic performances. However, some members of "the ruling class" they felt that the band's music was nothing more than the music of American rebels. Jim Morrison said:
I like any reaction I can cause with my music. Just anything that leaves people thinking. I think if you can get an entire room full of drunks to really wake up and think, you're doing something.
His popularity continues to be reflected in the continued sales of his work.
A wave of activities were announced for 2006 to mark the 40th anniversary of the band's first album. Another box-set of studio recordings was released, a book: The Doors by The Doors and the start of production of an authorized documentary about the group. The Doors along with the Grateful Dead and Joan Báez received an award for their success at the 2007 Grammy Awards. Also in 2007 they received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
At the beginning of January 2012, an unpublished song, «She Smells So Nice», came to light, which will be added to the reissue of the album L.A. Woman whose sale is scheduled for January 24 of that same year.
In 2015, the Library of Congress selected The Doors for inclusion in the National Archives Register based on its cultural, artistic, or historical significance.
Style
The band's musical style is based on a mix of blues and psychedelia. Manzarek brings elements of classical music and blues (due to the influence of his parents); Krieger, from flamenco and Densmore from jazz along with Latin contributions. The group's lyrics, primarily composed by Jim Morrison, departed largely from the pop conventions of their day. In the texts of the first albums (The Doors, Strange Days), the visionary element typical of psychedelia appears expressed in images that drink from the romantic and symbolist tradition, updating it with nods to existentialism and psychoanalysis. In reference to the above, Morrison's taste for the poetry of the French symbolists, such as Rimbaud or Verlaine, is noteworthy. In the latest albums, such as L.A. Woman, Morrison's lyrics evolve towards simpler and more immediate lyrics, in the blues style.
Philosophy
The original ambition of The Doors is to successfully integrate elements of various arts including poetry, theater and of course music trying to represent common life and always trying to take advantage of it. Morrison and Manzarek believed that rock could become a new Dionysian religion, offering audiences an experience comparable to Greek tragedy or shamanic ecstasy. Here you can see the influence that reading the work of Friedrich Nietzsche had on the band and, specifically on Morrison. The name of the band is part of the quote from [Aldous Huxley]] The doors of perception "when the doors of perception are purged, everything will be reflected before man as it is: infinite".
Members
Like The Doors
- Jim Morrison - Voz (1965-1971, his death).
- Ray Manzarek - Keyboards (1965-1973, 1978-1981).
- Robby Krieger - Guitar (1965-1973, 1978-1981).
- John Densmore - Battery (1965-1973, 1978-1981).
Like The Doors of the 21st Century
- Ray Manzarek - Keyboards, voice (2002-2013).
- Robby Krieger - Guitar, voice. (2002-2013).
- Ty Dennis - Battery. (2002-2013).
Live Musicians
- Ian Astbury voice (2002–2007).
- Angelo Barbera bass (2002–2004).
- Stewart Copeland battery (2002–2003).
- Phil Chen bass (2004–2013; 2021).
- Brett Scallions voice (2007–2010).
- Miljenko Matijevic voice (2010).
- Dave Brock voice (2010–2013).
Timeline
Discography
Studio Albums
- The Doors (1967).
- Strange Days (1967).
- Waiting For The Sun (1968).
- The Soft Parade (1969).
- Morrison Hotel (1970).
- LA Woman (1971).
- Other Voices (1971).
- Full Circle (1972).
- An American Prayer (1978).
Live Albums
- Absolutely Live (1970).
- Alive, She Cried (1983).
- Live At The Hollywood Bowl (1987).
- In Concert (1991).
- Live In New York (1997).
- Live In Detroit (2000).
- Live At The Aquarius Theatre: The First Performance (2001).
- Live At The Aquarius Theatre: The Second Performance (2001).
- Bright Midnight: Live In America (2002).
- Live In Hollywood: Highlights From The Aquarius Theatre Performances (2002).
- Backstage And Dangerous: The Private Rehearsal (2002).
- Live In Philadelphia 1970 (2005).
- Live In Boston 1970 (2007).
- Live In Pittsburgh 1970 (2008).
- Live In Vancouver (2010).
- Live At The Matrix 1967 (2008).
- Live At The Bowl (2012).
- London Fog (2016).
Compilation Albums
- 13 (1970).
- Weird Scenes Inside The Gold Mine (1972).
- The Best Of The Doors (1973).
- The Doors Greatest Hits (1980).
- The Best Of The Doors (1985).
- Greatest Hits (1996).
- Essential Rarities (2000).
- The Best Of The Doors (2000).
- The Very Best Of The Doors (2001).
- Legacy: The Absolute Best (2003).
- The Very Best Of The Doors (2007).
- The Future Starts Here: The Essential Doors Hits (2008).
- The Platinum Collection (2008).
- When You're Strange: Music From The Motion Picture (2010).
- A Collection (2011).
- The Singles (2017).