Interactive Chronological History
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Legend: (DU)
= Date Unknown, Date/Playlist, EVENT, Review, Timeline, Link, Quote, Poetry/Lyrics
Early January: Private Residence
- Los Angeles, CA
The Doors play tonight at the Louis Marvin residence
for a small private party.
Thu. Jan. 20: Aborted Trip to Mexico (DU)
Sun. Jan. 23: Jim Gets Arrested - Inglewood, CA
Thu. Jan. 27: Timeline - Space
US, USSR, and the UK sign a treaty
banning nuclear weapons in space. Apollo I blows up on the launch pad killing
Grissom, White, and Chaffee. The space program is halted for three months.
Sat. Jan. 29: Redland's
Bowl - Redlands, CA (DU)
This concert takes at the edge
of the desert with some other local bands.
Fri. Feb. 11: Valley Teen Center - Van Nuys, CA (DU)
T H E D O O R S F I R S T R E A L G I G
Late February: London Fog - West Hollywood, CA
Throughout March: London Fog
- West Hollywood, CA
Soon the band is hired for two more nights and Jim,
playing six days a week now, starts to become more expressive with each performance. Jim
moves out of Ray's and into an apartment with UCLA film friend Phil Oleno.
"See Felix and Jim and I, we were getting a little bit crazy, the three of us.Too crazy. So it was difficult for the band, The Doors, to rehearse really. Jim would rather get fucked up... But Jim would have gone off if somebody had appeared somebody with magic. Or if some situation had manifested itself. But this band was what he was supposed to do. To get the basis for which he could work, and be heard. He got high just being on stage. I mean he got into places where few people get to go. He and the band, too." - Phil O'leno
The band plays stoned every night and usually on acid. The club is often slow or empty and The Doors are free to experiment and do alot of improvisational of songs leading to their unique sound. Around this time, Jim meets Pamela Courson while playing at the club. She attends almost every show and they quickly become inseparable.
Throughout April: London Fog - West Hollywood, CA
The Doors continue at the small club honing their skills
and original sound. Jim is smoking pot all day, drinking all night, he loves
acid and pops speeders when he needs them often while on stage. He is still
self conscious performing but the drugs and alcohol help release his unique
personality as he begins to repel and attract with his antics both on and
off stage. He is stirring up attention and becoming the most talked about
singer in LA. The band is hungry for success and advancement and walk up
to the premier club on the strip, The Whisky, between sets to see what's going
on. Jim seeks out the manager, Ronnie Haran, incessantly and tries to convince
her to come see them play.
"We'd all hang out after hours at Canter's Deli on Fairfax. Every freak in town and every band in town. All Zappa's people and all the Doors. All the Byrds, Arthur Lee with his scarves, Buffalo Springfield, the Daily Flash, Sons of Adam. We'd exchange acid, stories, girlfriends and sandwiches. Morrison stood out because he was incredibly handsome and, if he wanted to, he could get very loud. Everybody attracted a different kind of hanger-on, and even then Jim was already attracting the budding little dark poets and little lost waifs."- Jimmy Greenspoon, keyboards for Three Dog Night
Tue. April 5: Timeline - Of Interest
Grayline Tours first include
the Haight Ashbury district on their tours of San Francisco.
Fri. April 15: Timeline - Vietnam War
Draft card law making burning
draft cards a federal offense is held unconstitutional.
Sat. April 23: Will Rogers State Park - Los Angeles, CA
The war in Vietnam is escalating
and many people are beginning to make known their feelings against the
war. This is called a "No War Toys" gathering in protest of America's increasing
involvement.
C O L U M B I A D R O P S T H E D O O R S
Early May: Ford
Motor Company Training Film - Los Angeles, CA (DU)
The Doors no longer under any
contracts are hired to provide background music to a Ford training film for
mechanics. The Doors compose music for the opening sequence while viewing
the film on a small monitor in a tiny studio. They play pieces from what
will become "The Soft Parade" in an attempt to convey rural America.
Thu. May 5: London
Fog - West Hollywood, CA (DU)
After persistent ploys by Jim,
Ronnie Haran attends her first Doors show at the London Fog and ends up
inviting the band to auditions the following Monday. Around this time, The
Doors are informed that they will be let go after this weekend's performances
by the London Fog due to financial problems and a lack of audience.
"The owner of The London Fog eventually said,
'Listen you guys, you've been here for four months now, and I'm afraid we're
going to have to get a new house band.' We thought, my God, what are we
gonna do now? As the fates would have it, Ronnie Haran, the booking agent
for the Whiskey A-Go-Go, came down to hear us, immediately fell in love
with Jim, loved the music and asked, 'How would you guys like to be the
house band at the Whiskey?' We said, 'Incredible - it just so happens we're
free. Our engagement here is ended,' and we went from making $5 a night to
union scale, $135 a week each - we felt like we were in heaven! We played
with Them, Love, The Seeds, The Turtles, The Byrds. We were the openers."
(1972)
Fri. May 6: Warner Playhouse - Los Angeles, CA
The Doors play this after-hours
gig from 2:00 a.m.- 4:00 a.m. after their London Fog show. The playhouse
also features exotic dancers amongst a few other rock bands.
L A S T P E R F O R M A N C E A T T H E L O N D O N F O G
Sat. May 7: Last
Performance at the London Fog - West Hollywood, CA (DU)
This is The Doors final appearance
and the London Fog closes shortly after due to financial problems later
re-opening as Sneaky Pete's on May 13th.
Sat. May 7(2): Warner Playhouse - Los Angeles, CA
Mon. May 9: Whisky
A Go Go - Audition - West Hollywood,
CA (DU)
Fri. May 12 - Sat. 13: Brave New World - Hollywood, CA (DU)
The Doors open for Arthur Lee
of Love. This club closes down shortly after this performance.
Fri. May 13(2): Warner Playhouse - Los Angeles, CA
"Night Flight" performance from
2:00 a.m. - 4:00 a.m.
Fri. May 13(3): Royce Hall Auditorium - UCLA
This is the school's 7th semi-annual
exhibition of student films. Ray is among the headliners at this mega-popular
event featuring his movie Induction.
Sat. May 14(2): Warner Playhouse - Los Angeles, CA
"Night Flight" performance from
2:00 a.m. - 4:00 a.m.
Thu. May 19: Betty's
Music Shop - Venice, CA (DU)
The Doors play for a small crowd
hanging outside the music store this afternoon. The Doors begin by looking
at some equipment and end up doing a short four or five song impromptu set.
T H E D O O R S B E G
I N T H E I R L E G E N D A R Y S T A
N D A T T H E W H I S K Y
( 5 / 2 3 / 6 6 t o 8
/ 2 1 / 6 6 )
T H E W H I S K Y A - G O - G O 1 9 6 6
Mon. May 23: Whisky A Go Go - Opening Night - 8901 Sunset Strip, West Hollywood, CA
Tue. May 24 - Fri. 27: Whisky - Opening for Captain Beefheart & Buffalo Springfield
The Doors are opening for Capt.
Beefheart who are just returning from a successful European tour and Buffalo
Springfield who are new and still unheard of at this point. Some of the members
of Springfield include Neil Young and Steve Stills. Their rise to stardom
will be phenomenal and much faster than The Doors rise will eventually be.
They will play The Hollywood Bowl in just 2 months. However, with much dissension
in the band they will dismember in a year after three solid albums.
Sat. May 28 - Wed. June 1: Whisky A Go Go - Opening for Love - West Hollywood,
CA
The Doors open shows for Love,
featuring Arthur Lee, who have signed with Elektra Records earlier this
year - the first band ever signed by Elektra. Love, who formed in April
of 1965, released "Little Red Book" this Spring and are receiving national
attention and it is "7 and 7 Is" released later in July that will put them
on the charts. Both songs are off there debut album simply titled Love.
Mon. May 30(2): Hullabaloo - West Hollywood, CA
The Doors open this after-hours
performance with "Light My Fire" after their regular gig at the Whisky.
"I just remember that some of the best musical
trips we took were in clubs. There's nothing more fun than to play music
to an audience. You can improvise at rehearsals, but it's kind of a dead atmosphere.
There's no audience feedback. There's no tension, really, because in a club
with a small audience you're free to do anything. You still feel obligated
be good, so you can't get completely loose; there are people watching. So
there is this beautiful tension. There's freedom and at the same time an
obligation to play well. I can put in a full day's work, go home and
take a shower, change clothes, then play two or three sets at the Whisky,
man, and I love it. The way an athlete loves to run, to keep in shape."
Thu. June 2 - Fri. 17: Whisky A Go Go - Opening for Them - West Hollywood, CA
The Doors open for Them (with
Van Morrison) for a two week engagement. Van Morrison founded the band in
1965 in Belfast. Them is currently on a West Coast tour that will be their
only U.S. tour with Van Morrison who quits the band after their return to
Europe. These shows are sellouts and totally awesome! The Doors members had
a hard time even finding a place to watch Them on opening night it was so
packed! Them plays their popular hits "Gloria", "Baby, Please Don't Go",
and "Here Comes the Night". Jim thought very highly of Them as did all The
Doors. Jim especially liked Van's usually drunken violent performances in
which he would scream and yell while slamming the mic stand into the stage.
After the show, Ronnie Haran threw a welcoming party at her apartment for
the guys, in which Jim was absent. John attended and saw the other side of
Van Morrison - a quiet and sensitive man with little interest in small talk.
Mon. June 6: Timeline
- Space
Unmanned spaceship Gemini 9 lands
on the moon.
Sat. June 18: Whisky A Go Go - On-stage with
Them - West Hollywood, CA
The Doors appear on-stage with
Them at the end of the late show on their last performance of their engagement.
The stage is set-up with both bands' full equipment! They play an extended
25 minute version of Wilson Pickett's "In The Midnight Hour" and "Gloria"
is the 20 minute grand finale. Van Morrison later comments that this performance
with The Doors was one of the highlights of his career with Them. The bands
played an all ages 4:00 p.m. matinee and late shows on Saturdays and Sundays
during this booking.
Wed. June 22 - Wed. July 10: Whisky A Go Go - Opening
for Gene Clark
The Doors reputation continues
to grow. Jim is really acting up on stage often appearing crazed and this
brings The Doors much attention, especially Jim. People start calling The
Whisky asking about The Doors. Jim continues to give X-rated performances
while constantly tripping. Jim is mastering the stage while drawing people
off the Strip and record companies to the shows.
"He was kinda ahead of his time on certain things, like swearing . . . But those calls kept coming in. 'When's that horny motherfucker comin' in' the phones were incredible. We never got that many calls before for just a second group." Elmer Valentine, Whisky Owner
Sat. July 16 - Sat. 23: Whisky A Go Go - Opening for The Turtles and First Review
"The general idea was to blow the headliners
off the stage." (1972)
Wed. July 27: Whisky A Go Go - Opening for The Chambers Brothers and Johny
Rivers
Thu. July 28: Starlight Ballroom - Oxnard, CA
Also performing: Them; The Count
Five ["Psychotic Reaction"]
Thu. July 28(2): Earl Warren Showgrounds - Santa Barbara, CA
This is the "Mid-Summer Spectacular
Show of Shows" and it runs from 7:30 p.m. till midnight and is promoted
by James Salzer. Salzer holds the distinction as the first promoter to book
The Doors in a larger concert venue. (There's another great trivia question
for the hardest of Doors fans!)
The local newspaper, in writing
an article about the upcoming show, describes The Doors as "a controversial
group in Los Angeles coming to Santa Barbara direct from the 'Whisky A Go
Go' in Hollywood". The Doors are already considered "controversial" as far
north as Santa Barbara even though they are still only the opening band.
Also performing: Them; The Count Five
Fri. July 29 - Sun. 31: The Fifth Estate - Phoenix, AZ (DU)
Mon. Aug. 1 - Thu. 4: Whisky A Go
Go - The Rolling Stones & David Crosby
During this time the Rolling stones are in town for
a recording session and stop by to hear The Doors. They are reportedly not
very impressed. Also around this time, Jim gets into it with David Crosby
who is performing with The Byrds. On the night of Lenny Bruce's death Crosby
stops by to hear some music wearing shades throughout the evening. Jim while
performing shouts to Crosby that he can't hide behind his sunglasses and an
argument ensues. Also performing: Johny Rivers; The Chambers Brothers.
Fri. Aug. 5: Starlight Ballroom
- Oxnard, CA
The Doors show up at promoter Salzer's Arcade Record
Store to lend support against an ordinance being passed in Oxnard banning
dancing in an attempt to thwart the evolution of the current music scene.
Also performing: The Seeds
Sat. Aug. 6: Earl Warren Showgrounds
- Santa Barbara, CA
The Doors play Salzer's show with The Seeds from 8:00
p.m.- midnight which is held in the Flower Show Building.
Sun. Aug. 7 - Tue. 9: Whisky A Go
Go - West Hollywood, CA
Also performing: Johny Rivers; The Chambers Brothers
E L E K T R A & T H E D O O R S
Wed. Aug. 10: Whisky A Go Go - Jac
Holzman Comes to See The Doors
Jac Holzman, president of Elektra Records, arrives
at the club to check out The Doors with thoughts of signing them to his
record label. Jac is initially not impressed one bit. He is begged to return
by Arthur Lee of Love who is signed with Elektra. If it wasn't for Lee The
Doors may have been overlooked by Elektra. Holzman returns over the next
several nights and begins to become very intrigued and is soon captivated
by The Doors' sound but questions its commercial potential. He calls staff
producer Paul Rothchild in New York and asks him to fly out and check out
the band and together they will make a decision whether or not to sign The
Doors.
"I didn't like them at first. But I was drawn
back. I went four straight nights, then spoke to them and said I wanted
to record them." - Jac Holzman, President Elektra Records
Thu. Aug. 11 - Sun. 14: Whisky A
Go Go - Opening for Love
Mon. Aug. 15 - Sat. 20: Whisky A
Go Go - Paul Rothchild Arrives to See The Doors
On August 15th, Paul Rothchild and Jac Holzman come
to the Whisky to hear The Doors. After that second set, Holzman and Rothchild
approach the band and offer them a contract this very night! The Doors
are excited but tell Elektra they need to think it over. Holzman and Rothchild
return to New York and The Doors hire Max Fink as their attorney while
thinking the deal over. On the 16th, Max Fink and Elektra begin negotiations.
"I came to the club and there was a small crowd,
not big. The Doors opened, and I heard one of the worst sets of music I have
ever heard in my life. Knowing that the record company always gets to hear
the bad sets, and that I had just traveled across the country to hear them,
I stayed and heard one of the greatest sets of music I have ever heard in
my life!"
Wed. Aug. 18: The Doors Sign with
Elektra
The Doors sign a contract with Elektra but it isn't
until November of this year while touring in New York that they agree on
a complete contract specifying seven albums among other details.
"The people said everyone in town was trying
to sign us up, but it really wasn't true . . . in fact, Jac Holzman's might
have been the only concrete offer we had. We may have made him come up with
the best deal possible, but there's no question we weren't that much in demand." (1969)
F I N A L W H I S K Y P E R F O R M A N C E - O E D I P A L S E C T I O N
Sun. Aug. 21: Whisky A Go Go - Final Performance * (DU)
D O O R S R E C O R D F I R S T A L B U M
Wed. Aug. 24 - Wed. 31: The Doors Record Their First Album - Sunset Sound Recording Studios - 6650 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA (DU - These recordings are also speculated to take place in early September)
Thu. Sept. 15 - Sun. 18: Bido Lito's - Hollywood, CA (DU)
The Doors had tried to play here
in the past and did many auditions but were never booked. Well, after securing
a record deal and causing quite a stir on the Strip they are greatly welcome.
Since The Doors have just recorded their first album, they are all extremely
loose and carefree during these performances. Also performing: The Seeds.
F I R S T P U B L I C I T Y S H O O T
Late September: Publicity Shoot - Venice, CA (DU)
The Doors take a day out to walk
around Venice while being photographed for their first publicity shoot. You
can already see the professionalism and seriousness the band takes in portraying
their image, especially Jim.
Mon. Oct. 31: Halloween 1966 - The
Doors hit New York City
The Doors arrive in NYC and check
into the Henry Hudson Hotel on 57th St. They attend an extremely weird Halloween
party at Ondine's on the Upper East Side. This is the same place where they
will be giving their first East coast performances booked sight unseen and
only by reputation as L.A.'s hippest band with a sound unlike anything that
is being played in NYC.
Tue. Nov. 1 - Wed. 30: Ondine Discotheque - NYC
Tue. Nov. 15: The Doors Officially Sign With Elektra - NYC
The Doors officially sign with
Elektra as exclusive recording artists for seven albums. Elektra also makes
several business moves to boost the promotion of the band. First, Jac Holzman
decides to hold back the release of the album until the beginning of the
next year so Elektra could give The Doors utmost attention - this was to
be the only record released in that month. Second, Steve Harris hires several
young and attractive girls to create an air of excitement at all the shows,
throwing underwear and coming on to Jim during performances. Third, Holzman
reserved a billboard on the Strip to promote the band's first release, the
first of it's kind, in a genius marketing strategy scheme.
Thu. Nov. 24: Thanksgiving - NYC
The Doors spend tonight as guests
at producer Paul Rothchild's home and take a night off from playing at The
Ondine.
Late November: Photo and Video Shoot
The band does a photo shoot for the album cover (DU) and shoots a video towards
the end of the month for the upcoming single release "Break on Through" in
an Elektra studio with director Mark Abramson.
Early December: The Doors return from NYC
Ray, Dorothy and John decide
to drive back together on Route 66. Upon returning, Jim and Pam first move
in together at 1812 Rothdell Trail in Laurel Canyon. They spend some of
their happier days here although they are broke. Jim writes the song "Love
Street" while staying here about Pamela and the nearby Canyon Country Store.
They do alot of drugs and many dangerous things together always trying to
scare each other. John and Robby also get a place together in Laurel Canyon.
Thu. Dec. 8: Jim Morrison's 23rd Birthday
Fri. Dec. 9 - Sat. 10: The Sea Witch - Hollywood, CA
Fri. Dec. 16 - Sat. 17: The Sea Witch - Hollywood, CA
Sat. Dec. 31: Private Residence - Montecite, CA (New Year's Eve)
The Doors bring in the New Year
playing at a private party - 1967 will be quite a year!
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