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Biography: Jim Morrison: Is Everybody In...? The Ceremony Is About To Begin...
Jim Morrison (December 8, 1943 - July 3, 1971) was born in Melbourne, Florida and was the son of Admiral George Stephen Morrison and his wife Clara Clark Morrison, whom of which were both employed by the United States Army.Jim as a child, because of parents employed by the Navy, moved around alot. He would move to a new home every few years to every few months, and at a four year old was when he first moved, but only for vacation.
The Morrison's were taking a family trip in New Mexico during the year of 1947 (which made Jim four). Whiling traveling in a desert for hours it might of seemed just to get to their destination, something happened to Jim that may have changed the course of his life.
Jim woke up from a nap, and so did his brother and sister, to see on the side of the road 'Indians scattered on Dawn's Hiway, bleeding.' Jim claims this is when he first tasted fear and is described as follows:
The first time I discovered death... me and my mother and father, and my grandmother and grandfather, were driving through the desert at dawn. A truckload of Indians had either hit another car or something- there were Indians scattered all over the highway, bleeding to death. I was just a kid, so I had to stay in the car while my father and grandfather went to check it out. I didn't see nothing- all I saw was funny red paint and people lying around, but I knew something was happening, because I could dig the vibrations of the people around me, and all of a sudden I realized that they didn't know what was happening any more than I did. That was the first time I tasted fear... and I do think, at that moment, the souls of those dead Indians- maybe one or two of them-were just running around, freaking out, and just landed in my soul, and I was like a sponge, ready to sit there and absorb it.
Some claim Jim's parents (preferably mother) said to him: "It's okay Jimmy, it's just a dream... Just a dream, Jimmy." They've denied that this ever happned.
As Jim grew to become a teenager he became interested in the writings of many authors like Frederich Nietsche, William Blake, and Aldous Huxley. Jim went from bookstore to bookstore to buy books of various essays and poems. This is when Jim became serious about Poetry.
During High School Jim started becoming rebellious and started using drugs. Influenced by the book "The Doors of Perception," Jim slowly followed into a path which included alcohol and drugs.
Jim, in High School met a Jeff Morehouse. Jim also had many other friends and, with some, created 'fake' radio commercials that were very strange. These friends also got him in trouble many times. One notable time is once they told Jim to go up a stairway in a school that 'only' allows people to go down the stairway. Jim walks up the stairway and is caught by a Hall Monitor, which I'd assume. Once Jim was caught he was put on a school court and was asked if he pleads guilty or not guilty. Jim said: "I plead not guilty as I don't have any legs."
Jim spent his time in High School chasing 'bees' and doing drugs, but, ofcourse, everyone changes. Well, Jim really didn't until friend Jeff Morehouse introduced him to Tandy Martin, which Jim started dating thereafter.
One very notable story about Jim and Tandy dating is described:
Jim and Tandy were walking through the park when they came to a statue of a nude man. Jim froze.
"Tandy, I dare you to kiss that nude man statue's glutious maximus!" Jim started laughing as Tandy had an ugly look on her face.
"I will not kiss that statues... Whatever you call it!" Jim stares.
"Just put your round lips on it!"
At the end of High School Jim's grades were very high... Well, way above average, and it seemed Jim's parents were proud... But Jim wasn't. He refused to go to graduation. Jim's father forced him and threatened him to go... But Jim didn't. Jim didn't even want to go to college. His father payed for a local college. Jim was out of luck.
Jim, after graduating from High School in Virginia, Jim left Virginia for Florida. He didn't tell Tandy until a night before he left...
Jim moved to his grandparents home in Florida and attended St. Petersburg Junior College and then Florida State University for Film. He dropped out of Florida State after making a recruitment film for the college. Jim, in 1964, decided to go to UCLA for Film.
Jim went through his years in UCLA and met Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore, which would be members of the historical rock group "The Doors."
Jim, in about 1965, created a controversial Film in UCLA involving a woman in only her underwear dancing on top of a Television Set while a movie of a Nazi raid was on the Television.
After the Film controversy, Jim got together with Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore and created "The Doors." Using Jim's poetic lyricism and the bands great slow sound, they would become huge.
In 1965 The Doors began recording demos and played in bars, and eventually the "Whisky A-Go-Go."
One very notable moment of "The Doors" was during a "Whisky A-Go-Go" performance which Jim sang "The End." Jim sang the whole song fine, and the band played the same until Jim sang the line: "Father. Yes son? I want to Kill You. Mother. I want to... F*** YOU!!!" and then fell into the drumset. "The Doors" were then fired from the "Whisky A-Go-Go."
Though Jim sang the real lines on the song, the "Whisky A-Go-Go" permits teens, so, that gives a good reason.
After the "Whisky A-Go-Go" show a man talked to Jim and "The Doors" and got "The Doors" a record deal with "Elektra Records". The Doors released their first record in 1967. The record's name? "The Doors."
"The Doors" kept releasing albums and kept touring, which some shows were controversial because of him passing out on stage, and become bigger and bigger. Until "The Doors" released "Waiting for the Sun," which was a more poppier album and then "The Soft Parade," which was an orchestrated album.
During 1969 Jim Morrison became less interested with "The Doors" and went on to write two volumes of poetry entitled "The Lords and The New Creatures." Jim Morrison during this time was getting serious with long time girlfriend Pamela Courson, which he met in college. Jim Morrison, while getting serious with Pamela Courson, married in a Wiccan Handfasting Ceremony, which is close to a wedding, to Patricia Kennealy, a music critique. Jim claims he did it 'just for fun.'
After publishing "The Lords and The New Creatures," Jim decided for an extensive tour with "The Doors." Usually "The Doors" would tour on weekends because of Jim's antics, but Jim wanted a full tour. This was a mistake, ofcourse, as on March 1, 1969 at the "Dinner Key Auditorium" Jim started calling the audience members 'F****** Idiots" and other things in that manner. Jim was arrested later on and put on trial.
After the Miami Trial was over fo Jim, Jim started slipping away from music and into poetry. Jim was ready to start his writing career, but, ofcourse, he had to finish his contract with "Elektra Records" first. So he did.
"The Doors" then released "Morrison Hotel." The original 'Doors style' was coming back. This is when "The Doors" released their final album... "LA Woman."
Jim recorded the vocals to the album "LA Woman" quickly and the band did the same with the music. During this time Jim released another privately published book entitled "An American Prayer." He gave it to his friends as he did with "The Lords and The New Creatures."
After recording "LA Woman" Jim and his long time girlfriend, Pamela Courson, moved to Paris. Jim moved to Paris to start his writing career. And while he was in Paris he spent alot of time with Pamela, and for the first time, a smile from a man of mysteriousness.
On July 2, 1971, Jim and Pam spent their final hours together. A Restaurant. A Movie. Then the final night...
On the night of July 2, 1971, Jim found his wife with a stack of Heroine on a table, and since Jim hated it once Pamela did Heroine, Pamela said it was Cocaine. Jim snorted some.
Jim couldn't write, he was distracted, so he started drinking, watching slides of Pam and himself in Paris. They then started listening to some "Doors" records. The last song Jim supposedly ever listened to was "The End..."
Jim and Pamela fell asleep. During the night, about 1:00 AM July 3, 1971, Pamela awoke and tried to wake up Jim. She had to shake and slap him several times to wake him up. He complained of chest pains. He then started bleeding and vometing. Pamela got Jim into the bath tub. Pam went to her bed and fell asleep. She claims that she heard Jim say faintly "Pam, you're my girl..." If so, those were Jim's last words...
Then, after all of the suffering Jim went through, Pamela found Jim dead in the same bath tub at the age of 27... At approximately 5:00 AM on July 3rd, 1971... Jim was gone... Pamela claims there was a faint smile on Jim's bloody face...
Jim Morrison was burried at the "Le Pere Lachaise Cemetery," where he chose to be buried weeks before. He rests with many famous poets and writers including Oscar Wilde, Richard Wright, and many more.
Jim Morrison's legacy was revived in the Oliver Stone movie in 1991 entitled "The Doors." Many lies were in the movie which make it more of an entertainment film, not an educational film...
"The program for this evening is not new, You've seen this entertainment through and through. You've seen your birth, your life and death, You might recall all of the rest. Did you have a good world when you died? Enough to base a movie on?"
-"The Movie," Jim Morrison.
Contributed by: ©Zack Pomerleau, 2005.
Contributor e-mail: Zack.Pomerleau@Gmail.com
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