Jim Morrison

James Douglas (Jim) Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American musician. He was the lead singer of rock band The Doors.

 Early years 
Morrison was of English, Scottish and Irish descent. His father was an officer for the United States Navy. This meant that he moved around very often. Morrison did not have many friends and read many books. When he went to high school in 1962, his teacher was amazed by his culture. In 1964 he went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

 The Doors 
One day in Venice Beach, Morrison saw Ray Manzarek. Manzarek had also gone to UCLA. Morrison sang some verses of Moonlight Drive. Manzarek liked the intensity of the words to the song and asked Morrison to form a rock band with him. Morrison agreed and came up with the name "The Doors". The name was a reference of the Aldous Huxley book The Doors of Perception whose name came from a verse of the famous poet William Blake; "If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite." The Doors was formed by Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore and Robby Krieger. In the beginning, Morrison would sing without looking the audience. After a while, he learned the play with them instead. He would jump and fall at stage with screams and jokes, inspired by rock idol Nick Serven.

Morrison became very famous all over the world as a poet, singer and sex symbol. Morrison had a problem with alcohol. He drank a lot and later albums were not as good as the first one. He wrote more poems and thought about stopping his career with The Doors. He took some drugs (mainly LSD) and become an addict. In 1969, in Miami, it was said that he was drunk and "exposed" himself.

Morrison was inducted, as a member of The Doors, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

 Death 
The last album, L.A. Woman was released in 1971. It is thought to be one of the band's best albums. That year Morrison decided to take a break and go to Paris. On July 3, he was found dead in his bathroom. The cause of his death was heart failure, although no official autopsy took place. Other people think it could have been a murder. His grave is at the Père-Lachaise, at the same place as Oscar Wilde, Molière and many other great poets and authors.

 Related pages 
List of poets from the United States

References

 Other websites 

 The Doors Official Webpage
 MusicChain - Jim Morrison 
 Earliest film of Jim Morrison
 Morrison interviewed at the Miami trial (video) 

Category:American rock singers
Category:Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery
Category:Musicians from Florida
Category:Singers from Florida
Category:The Doors members
Category:1943 births
Category:1971 deaths
Category:Deaths from heart failure
Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni