| Like a
trippier, more mystical, West Coast equivalent of the Velvet
Underground, the Doors went against
the 1960s flower-power grain,
taking an uncompromising look at the underbelly of the American
psyche. Jim Morrison's dark, surreal poetry gave the band's
blues-based rock a cerebral edge, and his wild, shamanistic
on-stage presence electrified audiences. From their debut single,
"Light My Fire," to their later recordings such as
"Riders on the Storm," the Doors remained consistently
intriguing even when their songs didn't, a feat largely credited
to Morrison and his violatile personality. Eventually, Morrison's
hard living caught up to him--he died in Paris at only 27 years of
age, leaving behind a legacy that would inspire countless younger
musicians. |
