The Lizard King's Death Commemorated

07/03/01 5:00pm

by Matt Mernagh (CHARTattack)

Everyone in the office decided to show up today wearing tight leather pants and frilly shirts to honor the death of The Doors' frontman, Jim Morrison. [Editor's Note: Doesn't M&M wear that style of clothing every day?]

Today is the 30th anniversary of Morrison's death. The visionary poet died in Paris from heart failure, presumably caused by consuming a lethal combination of alcohol and asthma medication. The night before his death he reportedly had also snorted heroin.

Ray Manzarek, the keyboard player for The Doors and the band's manager, Danny Sugerman will be holding a wake of sorts at Les Bouffes Du Nord in Paris to commemorate the event. They'll be screening some rare Doors videotape and answering questions from audience members.

A Lizard King revival of sorts seems to be at its most feverish high since the Oliver Stone movie The Doors came out in 1991. While the movie probably served as the catalyst to make "Roadhouse Blues" ubiquitous in froshy nightclubs, those revivalists will have more to sink their teeth into this time around.

Last week a new live Doors album was released titled Bright Midnight: Live In America. The album will be part of a five album series of Doors records that will come out at a rate of one per year.

If you're up to watching the tube, MuchMoreMusic will be featuring Storytellers: The Doors (A Celebration) at 10 p.m. EST. We won't be watching it because we'll be busy honoring Morrison in our own way: with an ass-pocket of whiskey, "Texas Radio & The Big Beat" on repeat (the Alive She Cried version) and a notepad full of desert imagery poetry.