MIAMI

DINNER KEY AUDITORIUM MIAMI, March 1st, 1969

Haftbefehl für JIM MORRISON nach dem Dinner Key Auditorium, March 1, 1969

Miami, 1. März 1969, war das wohl grösste Spektakel in der Rockgeschichte, denn Jim Morrison ging bei diesem Konzert eindeutig zu weit.

Grossen Einfluss auf Jim Morrison hatte zu diesem Zeitpunkt die Theatergruppe Living Theatre, erklärte Jünger einer Leitfigur Jim Morrisons, des Theatertheoretikers Antonin Artaud. Seit Jahren verfolgte Jim Morrison als glühender Fan die Aktivitäten der Truppe. Nun aber, da die Bühnenshows der Doors voraussagbar und Routine wurden, unternahm er den Versuch, die auf Konfrontation und Schockwirkung zielenden Konzepte des Living Theatre bei seinen eigenen Auftritten zu verarbeiten. Wenn es ein Ereignis gibt, das den Weg zu Jim Morrisons endgültigem Absturz ebnete, dann muss es die Aufführung des Living Theatre am 28. Februar 1969 in der University of Southern California gewesen sein. Hier wurde Jim Morrison Zeuge, wie die Truppe ihr Hauptereignis Paradise Now inszenierte, ein Stück, in dem sie die Manipulation des Publikums exerzierte. Paradise Now war Guerilla-Theater, ein aggressives Spektakel und feierliches Statement im Rahmen der Theaterkunst über Zensur und Redefreiheit, zu dem das endlose Wiederholen gewisser Schlüsselsätze gehörte, die dazu gedacht waren, das Publikum aufzurütteln, es zu spontanen Reaktionen hinzureissen. Zum Höhepunkt des Stücks gehörte es, dass die Schauspieler des Kollektivs sich bis zur Grenze des legal Erlaubten entkleideten, obwohl hier die Polizei einschritt und die Aufführung unterbrach, ehe noch einer der Darsteller an diese Grenze gestossen war. Jim Morrison sass wie versteinert auf seinem Platz.

Am nächsten Tag sollten die Doors ein Konzert in Miami geben, ihr erstes in Florida. Wegen eines Streits mit Pamela verpasste Jim Morrison die Maschine in L.A. und flog der Band hinterher, verpasste unterwegs auch noch Anschlussflüge und betrank sich hemmungslos. Er traf so spät in Miami ein, dass die Band mit einer Stunde Verspätung auf die Bühne kam. Die anderen Bandmitglieder waren bereits verbittert, weil der Veranstalter viel zu viele Eintrittskarten verkauft hatte (anstatt der erlaubten 7000 Zuschauer waren 13000 Zuschauer im Dinner Key Auditorium); es war heiss und ungemütlich im Saal, die Atmosphäre gespannt. Das Publikum war erregt und voller Ungeduld - die Leute hockten wie Tiere auf dem nackten Boden der Halle zusammengepfercht, die Band kam und kam nicht, und die Stories der früheren Krawalle gingen wie ein Lauffeuer durch die Menge. Jeder dachte das gleiche: Dieser Abend würde was Besonderes werden, diese Nacht ginge die Post ab.

Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger und John Densmore erklommen schliesslich die Bühne und begannen zu spielen, in der Hoffnung, Jim Morrison würde ihnen folgen. Das tat er dann endlich auch, doch allen dreien war sofort klar, dass er viel betrunkener war als sonst, als er nun auf die Bühne gestolpert kam. Der Trip von L.A. herüber hatte offenbar seinen Tribut gefordert, denn Jim Morrison konnte sich kaum noch auf den Beinen halten. Die Band ackerte sich durch ihr Programm, gab mehr als deutlich zu verstehen, wann sie Jim Morrisons Gesangseinsatz erwartete, doch ihr Sänger fand es interessanter, sein Publikum mit Beschimpfungen einzudecken und Obszönitäten vor sich hinzunuscheln. Er setzte an zu einem Song, brach nach anderthalb Strophen ab, um von neuem auf das Publikum einzuschimpfen. Da stand er, der vulgäre Poet in seiner ganzen versoffenen und verkommenen Pracht: Arm und Bein um den Mikrophonständer geschlungen, rülpsend und sich zwischen die Beine grapschend, das Mikrophon absabbernd, als sei es ein Eishörnchen, das ihm unter den Fingern zerschmolz.

"Irgend jemand hier aus Tallahassee?" fragte er. Und auf das ja aus dem Publikum konterte er: "Well, ich hab' da mal gewohnt. Ich hab' da gewohnt, bis ich clever genug war, nach Kalifornien zu ziehen." Von da an ging es nur noch bergab: "Ihr seid doch alle ein Haufen Idioten, wie lange wollt ihr euch denn noch herumschubsen lassen? Euch gefällt das wohl - ihr seid ein Haufen Sklaven. Oder wollt ihr was dagegen tun? Ich red' hier nicht davon, auf die Strasse zu gehen. Ich rede davon, ein bisschen Spass zu haben, ich rede von Tanzen, ich rede von der Liebe zu eurem Nächsten, bis es weh tut, ich rede davon, euch euren Freund zu schnappen, ich rede von Liebe, Liebe, Liebe, Liebe. Hey! Hört her, ich bin einsam, ich brauch 'n bisschen Liebe, hört ihr? Will mich keiner mal 'n bisschen lieben? Kommt schon, ich brauch' euch. Ihr seid so viele da unten, will mich keiner von euch lieben? Na los, Sweetheart. Hey! Wie wär's damit, wenn 50 oder 60 von euch hier raufkommen und meinem Arsch 'n bisschen Liebe gönnen? Na los!" Lewis Martin kommt auf die Bühne und gibt Jim Morrison ein lebendiges kleines Lamm, das Jim an sich klammert und auf den rechten Arm nimmt. "Ich würde es ja ficken, aber es ist noch zu jung". Das Publikum lacht und spendet tosenden Applaus.

Und damit begann Jim Morrison die Kleider abzulegen, warf sein Hemd von sich und knöpfte sich die Hose auf. Vince Treanor versucht Jim Morrison zurück zuhalten, was ihm auch gelingt. Jim Morrison antwortet nur "BULLSHIT". Jetzt, wo er mit dem besoffenen Geschwätz fertig war, wollte er der Menge zeigen, woraus er gemacht war. Der als dramatischer Höhepunkt geplante Striptease des Living Theatre wurde von einem paralytischen Popstar vor Tausenden kreischender Fans in einer Konzerthalle in Miami nachexerziert - im Geiste sah Jim Morrison sich im grellen Licht der Scheinwerfer, wie er der Welt den hochgestrecktem Mittelfinger hinhielt. Über den weiteren Verlauf seiner Entblössung existieren die widersprüchlichsten Berichte. Es sind nie Photos aufgetaucht, die Jim Morrison mit heraushängendem Penis zeigen. Dennoch heisst es, er habe angeblich den Schlitz seiner Lederhose geöffnet - seinen halb erigierten Penis hervorgeholt und so getan, als masturbiere er. Während seines Striptease wurde er mit Höschen, BHs und leeren Flaschen beworfen, aber ein Ordner, der Jim Morrison schliesslich von der Bühne drängte, machte dem Debakel ein Ende. Das Konzert hatte ganze 45 Minuten gedauert.

Obgleich es der explosivste Auftritt war, den die Band bis dahin geliefert hatte, dauerte es ein Weilchen, bis die Presse reagierte. Aber einige Tage später war klar, dass Jim Morrison nicht ungeschoren davonkam. Als die Nachricht von Jim Morrisons Exhibitionismus erhärtet wurde, stiegen Polizeibehörden und Staatsanwalt der Band gehörig aufs Dach, und die Anklagepunkte gegen Jim Morrison reichten von unzüchtigem und laszivem Benehmen bis hin zu unsittlicher Entblössung, Trunkenheit und Gotteslästerung. Den Doors-Camp versetzte es in helle Panik: Wenn Jim Morrison für schuldig befunden wurde, konnte das bedeuten, dass er für sieben Jahre hinter Gittern verschwand.

Die Presse überschlug sich, im ganzen Land erschienen übertriebene Berichte über das Konzert, und die Doors wurden zur bete noire des amerikanischen Rock'n'Roll.

Der Miami Herald schrieb:
"Unter dem Publikum befanden sich Hunderte minderjähriger Schulmädchen ohne Begleitung Erwachsener... Dieser Ausfall war bewusst inszeniert. Jim Morrison hat offenbar unter den Augen seines Publikums masturbiert, er schrie Obszönitäten in den Saal und hat sich entblösst. Er wurde obendrein gewalttätig, schüttelte mehrere Beamte ab und warf einen von der Bühne, ehe er selbst in die Menge hinuntergestossen wurde."

In Florida organisierten empörte Bürger daraufhin eine Demonstration gegen den Sittenverfall, und quer durchs ganze Land meldeten sich diverse, zumeist im öffentlichen Dienst beschäftigte Personen zu Wort, die Jim Morrison als Teufel in Menschengestalt brandmarkten. In einem Anfall moralischer Panik schaltete sich sogar das FBI ein und erliess einen Haftbefehl, in dem Jim Morrison der "gesetzwidrigen Flucht" beschuldigt wurde, obwohl er Miami schon drei Tage vor Ausstellung des Haftbefehls verlassen hatte. Vor dem Konzert hatte Jim Morrison sich Sorgen gemacht, dass die Doors allmählich öffentliches Eigentum wurden - nun waren sie öffentliche Feinde, und er war der öffentliche Feind Nummer eins.

In Miami hatte Jim Morrison bewusst einen Krawall anzuzetteln versucht, gelungen aber war ihm damit nur eines: Er hatte sich in den Brennpunkt des öffentlichen Interesses katapultiert. Wie viele Performer war Jim Morrison nicht in der Lage, als gefeierter Star einen kühlen Kopf zu behalten, und aus diesem Grund begann er, sich selbst zu diskreditieren. Jim Morrison war seinem Starruhm nicht gewachsen, weil er nicht an sich glaubte, wie seine Fans an ihn glaubten. Also liess er seinen Zorn am Rest der Band aus, dann am Publikum, und schliesslich an sich selbst. Über sein Publikum ging er hinweg, weil er es verachtete. Von seinem Publikum wurde er wie ein Gott verehrt, doch er wusste, er war nur eine Marionette der Massen; für seine literarischen Allegorien hatten die nichts übrig, sie wollten, dass er sich zum Narren machte.

THE CONCERT

The Doors come on stage. Before the three musicians are even able to begin a song (backstage they agreed on 'Back Door Man'), Jim walks over to the microphone and starts blowing into a harmonica, taking a deep breath through it and producing incomprehensible sounds.

"YEEEEEAAH!", he shouts into the restless audience. "Now listen here, I ain't talking 'bout no revolution and I'm not talkin' about no demonstrations."

Ray Manzarek plays a few chords on the organ. However, Jim isn't being distracted by this. He continues his rap.

"I'm talking about having a good time, I'm talking about having a good time this summer. And you all come out to L.A., you all get out there, we're gonna lie down there in the sand and rub our toes in the ocean, and we're gonna have a good time, are you ready, are you ready, are you ready, are you ready, are you ready, are you ready, are you ready, are you ready, are-are-are-are-areare-ah-ah-ah-ah..."

Robby Krieger gets in tune with Jim's rhythmic screams and plays the intro riff to 'Back Door Man'. Ray Manzarek and John Densmore react instantly, and join in the song.

"FUCK! LOUDER! C'mon, man, GET IT LOUDER! C'mon, GET IT UP, BABY! LOUDER! YEAH! YEAH!", Jim screams over the riff. Eventually he tunes into the song.

"YEEEAH, I'm a back door man.
YEEEAH, back door man.
Men don't know, little girls understand!
All you people tryin' to sleep,
out there makin' with my midnight creep,
yeah, yeah.
I'm a back door man.
Men don't know but the little girls...
YOU UNDERSTAND, DON'T YOU BABY?!
ALRIGHT, C'MON!"

Robby tears into a solo.

"YEEEEEEEAAAH! YEEEEEEEEEEEEAAH! SUCK ME BABY! YOU GOTTA AAUUUGGGGGHHHHHHH! AAUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH FUCK! YEEEEEAAH! RIGHT, YEAH!"

Jim screams and groans into the restless audience. The music becomes restrained. Jim reacts.

"Urgh. Hey, hey, hey. Play softer, babe, get it way down, softer, sweetheart, get it way down low. Soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, sock it to me, c'mon softer."

John beats powerfully on his drums a few times, which normally signals the intro to 'Five To One', but Robby and Ray don't take the bait.

"Hey listen, I'm lonely! I need some love, you all. C'mon. I need some good time lovin', sweetheart, love me, c'mon. I can't... I can't take it without no good love, love. I want some love, lova'lova'lova'lova'-love! Love me sweet, c'mon. Ain't nobody gonna love my ass? C'mon."

The audience laughs. Jim continues in an ironic tone.

"I need ya! There's so many of you out there. Nobody's gonna love me sweetheart, c'mon! I need it, I need it, I need it, I need ya, I need ya, need ya, need ya, need ya, need ya, hah! AAALRIGHT! Hey, there's a bunch of people way back there that I didn't even notice! Hey, how about about 50 or 60 of you people come up here and love my ass, c'mon, yeeahhh, I love ya. C'mon!"

There is growing unrest amongst the audience. The musicians are still trying to play the intro to 'Five To One', but Jim's rap doesn't leave them any space.

"Yeeeeeeeeahhh, la-la-la-la. Yeeeeeeeeahhhh, la-la-la-la. Heeeeeeeeyyyeeeaah, la-la-la-la. Yeeeeeeeeeeaahhhhhhhh, la-la-la-la. Nobody gonna come up here and love me, huh? C'mon!"

John beats an accent on his drums again. Finally, Robby and Ray tune in and play the intro riff of 'Five To One'. A girl climbs on stage.

"Alright for you, baby!"

Jim wants to grab the girl, but the security guards are holding her and carry her away. Jim clings to the microphone and comments on the incident.

"That's too bad. I'll get somebody else! YEAH!"

He pauses. The volume of the intro riff of FIVE TO ONE increases. Jim messily and distortedly sings the first verse.

"Five to one, baby,
one in five,
no one here gets out alive, now,
you get yours, I'll get mine,
gonna make it baby if we try, yeah.
Come on!"

Krieger's solo follows. He plays awkwardly, can't seem to concentrate. Jim's voice rises both in volume and power.

"The old get old and the young get stronger,
may take a week and it may take longer,
they got the guns but we got the numbers,
gonna win, yeah, we're takin' over, c'mon!
Let's take over, yeah!"

Robby's main solo follows. Flowing, screeching loud notes tear over John's heavy drum beats. After the solo Jim lets out a shrill animal scream.

"AAAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHH!"

The Doors musically introduce the 'ballroom' phase of the song, but Jim suddenly starts swearing at the audience, something that will have penetrating consequences.

"YOU'RE ALL A BUNCH OF FUCKING IDIOTS!"

People are shouting, whistling and shouting back. An incredible noise arises.

"LETTIN' PEOPLE TELL YOU WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO! LETTIN' PEOPLE PUSH YOU AROUND! HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT'S GONNA LAST? HOW LONG ARE YOU GONNA LET IT GO ON? HOW LONG ARE YOU GONNA LET 'EM PUSH YOU AROUND? HOW LONG? MAYBE YOU LIKE IT! MAYBE YOU LIKE BEING PUSHED AROUND! MAYBE YOU LOVE IT! MAYBE YOU LOVE GETTING YOUR FACE STUCK IN THE SHIT, COME ON! "

John's drum beats become heavier. Unwaveringly he plays on. Robby pauses, Ray plays his bass line. The audience goes wild. Some people scream, others laugh. Jim reacts instantly.

"MAYBE YOU LOVE GETTING PUSHED AROUND! YOU LOVE IT, DON'T YOU?! YOU LOVE IT! YOU'RE ALL A BUNCH OF SLAVES! BUNCH OF SLAVES! YOU'RE ALL A BUNCH OF SLAVES! LETTIN' EVERYBODY PUSH YOU AROUND. WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT?! WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT?! WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT?! WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT?! WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT?! WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?! WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?! WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?!"

Several girls in the audience seem to be screeching in fear. It's noticable that people are totally distraught and frightened. Jim starts with the vocals again.

"Your ballroom days are over, baby,
night is drawing near.
Shadows of the evening
crawl across the year.
You walk across the floor,
flower in your hand,
tryin' to tell me no one understands,
trade in your hours for a handful of dimes,
gonna make it baby in our prime.
Get together one more time!
Get together one more time!
Get together one more time!
Get together one more time!
Get together one more time!
Get together one more time!
Get together one more time!
Get together one more time! Yeeeeah!"

Robby begins an uninspired solo. He is searching for the right notes on his instrument, making mistakes. In the background Jim screams and shouts like an injured animal.

"AAAAAHHHHHH! YYYYYEEEEEEAAHHHH! AAAHHHHHYYEEEAHHHHH! IIIIIIIIAAYYEEEAH! AAAAAAAAIIIIIIIEEEAAAAHH!"

The band pauses. Feedback from the guitar screams out of the amplifier. Robby hits the lower strings.

"Now, come on honey, now you go along home and wait for me sweetheart. I'll be there in just a little while! You see, I gotta go out in this car with these people, ... and get ... FUCKED UP!"

The heavy, archaic rhythm starts again.

"Get together one more time!
Get together one more time!
Get together one more time!
Get together one more time! Yeeeah!"

The group play on for several seconds, looking for the end of the song, then abruptly stop. Jim uses this split second to continue with his rap.

"HEY, I'M NOT TALKIN' ABOUT NO REVOLUTION!
I'M NOT TALKIN' ABOUT NO DEMONSTRATION!
I'M NOT TALKIN' ABOUT GETTIN' OUT ON THE STREETS!
I'M TALKIN' ABOUT HAVIN' SOME FUN!
I'M TALKIN' ABOUT DANCIN'!
I'M TALKIN' ABOUT LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR, TILL IT HURTS!
I'M TALKIN' ABOUT GRAB YOUR FRIEND!
I'M TALKIN' ABOUT LOVE, I'M TALKIN' ABOUT SOME LOVE, I'M
TALKIN' ABOUT SOME LOVE, I'M TALKIN' ABOUT LOVE, LOVE,
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! GRAB YOUR ...
FFFFFFUCKIN' FRIEND AND LOVE HIM! COME ON! YEAH!"

Robby uses the breathless silence in the audience to play the intro of TOUCH ME. John and Ray join in seconds later. Jim is being distracted by this and sings part of the first verse, but then furiously stops.

"Touch me babe,
can't you see I am not afraid...
HEY WAIT A MINUTE! WAIT A MINUTE! WAIT A MINUTE! HEY WAIT
A MINUTE, THIS IS ALL FUCKED UP! NO, WAIT A MINUTE, WAIT A
MINUTE, WAIT A MINUTE! YOU BLEW IT, YOU BLEW IT, YOU BLEW
IT!"

At that very second Vince Treanor rushes behind Jim. He had seen that the singer had put his right hand inside his trousers, and with the left hand was now fiddling with the button. Vince grabs Jim by the belt of his dark brown leather trousers and pulls him tightly to himself. Jim furiously shouts into the microphone.

"NO, C'MON, WAIT A MINUTE! WAIT A MINUTE! I'M NOT GONNA GO ON! WAIT A MINUTE! I'M NOT GONNA TAKE THIS SHIT! I'M COPPIN' OUT, NOW WAIT A MINUTE!"

Jim manages to release himself from Vince Treanor's grip.

"BULLSHIT!"

Masses of people climb on stage. Jim and Vince are being pushed aside. Jim is happy about the fans, who start dancing on the stage, and shouts out his commentaries from the background. Robby and John have in the meantime broken up playing TOUCH ME. Only Ray continues on his organ, but stops after a few seconds while John starts playing a short drum solo. After a few seconds of silence, Robby suddenly produces the guitar intro to 'Love Me Two Times'. Jim sings in an uninspired tone.

"Love me two times, babe, love me twice today,
love me two times, babe, I'm going away.
Love me two times, yeah,
one for tomorrow, one just for today,
love me two times, going away.
Love me one time, babe, do not speak.
One time babe, knees got weak.
Love me two times, yeah,
one for tomorrow, all through the week.
Love me two times, going away.
Love me two times, going awaaaaaay.
Alright, yeah!"

Ray plays an accurate solo on his organ, while people are still running around the stage. The police try to push them off, but only partly succeed in doing so. Jim clings to the microphone and continues the song.

"Love me one time, babe, do not speak,
love me one time, babe, and my knees got weak.
But love me two times girl, last me all through the week.
Love me two times, going away.
Love me two times, babe, love me twice today,
love me two times, baby, going awaaayyy.
Two times, babe, one's gotta be soft,
love me two times, going away,
love me two times, going away,
love me two times, going away!"

Applause rises. Jim nods his head. At least he has mastered one song without any interruption. Meanwhile the police have cleared the stage. In the hope that a slower rhythm might calm people down, The Doors start playing 'When The Music's Over'. Jim slowly gets back to his microphone.

"When the music's over,
when the music's over, yeaah.
When the music's over,
turn out the light,
turn out the light,
turn out the light, yyyeeeeeeeeeeeaaahhhh.
When the music's over,
when the music's over, yeeeah.
When the music's over,
turn out the light,
turn out the light,
turn out the light."

Jim continues singing, but now in a deep, drunken slur, totally devoid of emotion.

"Music is your special friend,
dance on fire, it intends,
music is your only veeeeaaaah!
Un ... til the end! Until the end! Until the end!"

Robby Krieger's distorted guitar solo follows. Jim starts howling again, then barks like a dog.

"Yeeeeeeeeeaaah! Yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaah! Yeeeeeeee- ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-aaaaaauuuuugh!"

The band are vamping to the tune of 'When The Music's Over', and Morrison suddenly decides to add a note of seriousness to the evening's proceedings.

"Now listen! I used to think the whole thing was a big joke. I used to think it was something to laugh about. And then the last couple of nights I met some people who were doing somethin'! They're tryin' to change the world! And I wanna get on that trip! I wanna change the world. Wanna change it. Yeeeeeeaaaaaahhh - change it."

Longish pause, The Doors continuing to vamp, expecting the worst. Everybody looks to Morrison, waiting for it, and it comes. He suddenly exclaims:

"THE NEXT THING WE'RE GONNA DO IS TAKE OVER ALL THE SCHOOLS!!!"

This sentiment elicits loud applause from the (largely student) audience. Jim continues, warming to the theme.

"AFTER WE TAKE OVER ALL THE SCHOOLS WE'RE GONNA TAKE OVER ALL THE ..."

His voice trails off.

" ... THE ... YEEEEEEAAAAH!"

He gives up. Jim decides to turn his attention to singing, and comes up with a passable phrase he sometimes adds to the song 'The End'.

"Away, away, away, away in India.
Away, away, away, away in India.
Away, away, away, away in India.
Away, away, away, away in India."

Robby Krieger effortlessly takes over the mournful melody, and turns it into a beautiful, repetitive, Indian sounding lick. Jim senses when to return to the song; it all gels nicely.

"Before I sink into the big sleep
I want to hear, I want to hear
the scream of the butterfly,
an' I'm howlin',
come back babe,
back into my arms."

He breaks off abruptly.

"Hey looky here! We're gettin' tired of hanging around!
Waitin' around with our heads to the ground.
I hear a very gentle sound.
Very near yet, very far,
very soft and very clear,
come today, babe, come today.
What have they done to the earth?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered,
ripped her and bit her,
stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn and
tied her with fences and
dragged her down.
I hear a very gentle sound.
Very near yet very far, very soft and very clear,
come today, baby, come today ..."

A girl's outburst has distracted Morrison - he breaks off:

"Huh? What's that? What you say, baby? ... Say huh? ... Say what? ... Say what? ... Say what? ... What's that? ... What's that, honey? Come on, tell me again ... Aw, come on, I can't hear you - now tell me what you're sayin' ... you want me to what?"

The crowd are becoming restless with Jim's flirting, and some people start to boo and scream.

"Huh? ... I can't hear you!"

The Doors vamp on as ever, and Jim gives up on the girl. The audience continue screaming.

"YEEEEEAAAH, right! "

Obviously John Densmore is bored. He tries to disturb the rising tension with some heavy drum beats. Nobody listens but screams out nasty words. Jim answers one of the guys and helps him to get on stage.

"Man says he's no animal ... what are you? What's your name, man? How are you doin'?"

There is incredible unrest in the auditorium. It seems everybody has forgotten this is a concert. There is no music anymore. Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore are silent, save for Ray's bass vamping.

"Has anybody ... anybody out there got a cigarette?", Jim asks. He invites more people to come on stage.

"Hey, I'm gettin' lonely up here. I need some love! Don't know about you man!"

Jim now decides to get playful and do his Lenny Bruce routine.

"Hey, I can't believe all those people sitting way up there, man - why don't you all come down and get with us, man? Come on! ... What ... What are you ... in the fifty cent section or what?! Come on!"

Uproar and laughter follow. A few hundred people move towards the stage and start climbing it. But this is not enough for Jim.

"Come on down here! Come on! .... Closer, man! We need some love!"

Pause. Ray Manzarek continues vamping on his bass pedal. Jim notices nobody coming down from the upper seats and gives up on them. The stage is crowded anyway.

"Well you gonna stay way away."

Another pause. Now Jim thinks it's a good time to get a little autobiographical in his Bruce routine. The audience respond to each of his statements with cheers and whistles.

"You know I was born here in this state - you know that? ... Yeah, I was born right here in Melbourne, Florida in 1943. I think they call it 'Cape Something', I don't know ... yeah, but I, I left for a little while but I came back and I went to a ... a little, uh, junior college in St. Petersburg, you know where that is? ... Then I left there and I went up to a little uh ... college in Tallahassee called 'F.S.U.' ... Then I got smart ... Then I went out to a beautiful state called California! Went out to a little city, name of Los Angeles ...."

Jim Morrison's autobiographical sketch is over, and he decides to return to his favourite mantra.

"Now listen, I'm not talkin' about no revolution, an' I'm not talkin' about no demonstration! I'm talkin' about having fun! I'm talkin' about dancin'! I wanna see you people get up and dance! I wanna see you people dancin' in the street this summer! I wanna see you have some fun. I wanna see you run around. I wanna see you paint the town. I wanna see you ringin' out. I wanna see you shout. I wanna see some fun. I wanna see some fun from everyone."

The whistles from the audience get louder. After a short pause Jim starts singing again.

"Weeeeee are together. We're together. We're together baby. We're together ... Get it up!"

Somebody from the audience screams up at Morrison: "Somebody else gets to this fucking thing, Jim!". Several listeners produce other unintelligable screams. The singer suddenly rounds on them and asks matter-of-factly:

"We want the same thing, don't we?"

Some people scream yes.

"We want the same thing. We want the whole hog, don't we babe?"

Much to the delight of his fellow musicians, Jim finally returns to the song.

"We want the world and we want it ...
NOOOOOOOWWWWWWW! YEEEAAAH!"

The group play their familiar parts, and Jim gets back to his usual lyrics. The band seem to be relieved.

"So when the music's over,
when the music's over, yeeeaaaah,
when the music's over,
turn out the light,
turn out the light,
turn out the light!
Music is your only friend,
dance on fire, it intends,
music is your only friend ...
un ... til the end,
till the end,
until the ... eeeeeeeend!"

'When The Music's Over' duly completed, and with the trembling stage still swamped with people, Morrison unceremoniously lays into the 'Ceremony' intro to 'Light My Fire'.

"Wake up! You can't remember where it was, had this dream stopped? The snake ... was pale gold, glazed and shrunken. ... We were afraid to touch it. The sheets were hot, dead prisons. Nooooowwww ... run to the mirror in the bathroom, look, she's coming in here ... I can't live through each slow century of her moving ..."

Jim pauses and turns to the group, while the audience moves forth and back. Everybody screams.

"... I let my cheek slide down the cool smooth tile ... feel the good cold stinging blood ... the smooth ... hissing ... snakes of raaaaiiiin!"

The band suddenly lance into 'Light My Fire'. Morrison is on the case immediately, but he suddenly sounds very drunk, slurring the words terribly.

"Know that it would be untrue, know that I would be a liar,
if I was to say to you, girl we couldn't get much higher.
Come on baby light my fire,
come on baby light my fire,
try to set the night on fire!
Time to hesitate is thru', no time to wallow in the mire,
try now we can only lose, our love become a funeral pyre.
Come on baby light my fire,
come on baby light my fire,
try to set the night on fiiiiiireeeeee!"

Ray plays an accurate solo without mistakes. Everybody hopes that Jim has calmed down, but some more fans climb up on the stage again, stomping on the wooden floor and dancing. The stomping comes through the microphone P.A. and creates a dull rumbling. Robby Krieger takes over the solo and plays the melody of 'Eleanor Rigby'. Jim squats down in front of Robby, his eyes following the movements of Robby's left hand from only inches away, flying across the neck of his guitar. He jumps up again, lights up a cigarette, then snatches the cap off an unsuspecting policeman's head, throwing it into the raging audience. The fans applaud, as the cop snatches Jim's hat with the metal skull on, and likewise lets it sail frisbee-like into the audience. Everybody's laughing. After Robby's solo Jim shares a beer with one of the guys on stage. He returns to the microphone, surrounded by screaming and dancing fans. All instruments stop immediately except Ray's heavy bass.

"YEAH, I WANNA SEE SOME DANCIN'! I WANNA SEE SOME DANCIN!"

Jim pauses for a second.

"YEEEAHHH, I WANNA SEE SOME FUN, WANNA SEE SOME DANCIN'! THERE ARE NO RULES, THERE ARE NO LAWS, DO WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO! DO IT!"

There is an incredible noise in the hall. Jim struggles hard to be heard.

"AAALLLRIGHT!"

Lewis Martin comes on stage and gives Jim a live lamb. Jim puts it under his right arm.

"I'd fuck her but she's too young!"

The audience howls and whistles.

"Yeeeaahhh! Now listen, anybody that wants to come up here and join us and do some dancin', have some fun, just get on up here! Come on! COME ON!"

Robby interrupts Jim with the intro to the final part of LIGHT MY FIRE. In the meantime countless people have accumulated on stage. Someone takes the lamb off Jim and he clings to the microphone.

"Time to hesitate is thru', no time to wallow in the mire,
try now we can only lose, and our love become a funeral pyre.
C'mon baby light my FIRE!
COME ON BABY LIGHT MY FIRE!
TRY TO SET THE NIGHT ON...
KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE UNTRUE, KNOW THAT I WOULD BE A
LIAR,
IF I WAS TO SAY TO YOU, GIRL WE COULD'NT GET MUCH HIGHER!
COME ON BABY LIGHT MY FIRE!
COME ON BABY LIGHT MY FIRE, C'MON!
TRY TO SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE!
TRY TO SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE!
TRY TO SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE!
TRY TO SET THE NIGHT ON - FIREEEE!"

After the song's outro the audience erupts. Jim shouts out further comments above the noise.

"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! NOW I WANNA SEE SOME ACTION OUT THERE! I WANNA SEE SOME ACTION OUT THERE! I WANNA SEE SOME ACTION OUT THERE! I WANNA SEE SOME ACTION OUT THERE! I WANNA SEE SOME ACTION OUT THERE! I WANNA SEE YOU PEOPLE COME ON UP HERE AND HAVE SOME FUN! NOW COME ON, LET'S GET ON UP HERE! NO LIMITS, NO LAWS, COME ON, COME ON!"

An incredible noise ensues. People shout, screech, howl, applaud, whistle.

"THIS IS YOUR SHOW! ANYTHING YOU WANT GOES! NOW COME ON!"

The audience returns a hundredfold "Yeah!" and storm the stage again. It is perfect chaos.

"ANYTHING YOU WANT! LET'S DO IT! LET'S DO IT! LET'S DO IT!"

One of the promoters pushes through to the microphone and shouts: "Hold it, someone's gonna get hurt! HOLD IT!" Jim takes the microphone out of his hand.

"ALRIGHT! NOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA LEAVE UNTIL WE ALL GET OUR ROCKS OFF!"

At this point someone throws a bag of red paint at the singer. Jim's pants get covered with paint. One of the security guards has had enough, and amongst all the howling from the fans, he shoves Jim off the stage. The other Doors flee when the guy in the audience starts throwing bags of paint at them as well. It takes Morrison almost 10 minutes to break free from the crowd and to disappear behind the stage curtain into his dressing room. Shortly after that he emerges from backstage up at the balcony. For minutes he stares as if in a trance down at the chaos in the hall below him.

Not until an hour later is the hall empty. Pieces of clothing are lying around everywhere, being swept together into a pile 5 foot high. Backstage soon afterwards, everybody's good mood returns. The Doors share a few cans of beer with the cops. The officials laugh, and say that they had had fun. Bill Siddons gives the policeman whose cap had been purloined by Jim a couple of dollars as compensation.
(Quelle: © 1998 Rainer Moddemann, The Doors Quarterly Magazine)

+++++ +++ +++++

Jim Morrison: Begnadigung nach über 35 Jahren?
18. April 2007

Jim Morrison: Begnadigung nach über 35 Jahren?
Dem Doors-Oberhaupt soll Jahrzehnte nach seinem Tod Gerechtigkeit widerfahren. Floridas Gouverneur Charlie Crist, ein Doors-Fan durch und durch, rollt den Fall rund um die Verhaftung des Sängers beim Skandalkonzert 1969 wieder auf.

Jim Morrison, ein Rock'n'Roll Bad Boy?
Miami (al) - Der neue Gouverneur Floridas Charlie Crist zieht kurz nach seinem Amtsantritt im Januar die Aufmerksamkeit vieler Rock'n'Roll-Anhänger auf sich: Jeb Bushs Nachfolger spricht sich für die Begnadigung des 1971 verstorbenen Doors-Sängers aus.

Morrison stand 1970 wegen "Erregung öffentlichen Ärgernisses und Gotteslästerung" vor Gericht. Bei dem Konzert in Miami 1969, das den Abstieg der Kultband einläuten sollte, begann er, nachdem er seine Fans mit wüsten Beschimpfungen attackierte, sich zu entblößen. Sein Striptease gipfelte angeblich, es sind niemals konkrete Beweise aufgetaucht, darin, dass er den Schlitz seiner Lederhose öffnete und sein bestes Stück hervorholte.

Er wurde zu einer Geldstrafe von 500 Dollar und acht Monaten Zwangsarbeit verurteilt, kam jedoch gegen eine Kaution von 50.000 Dollar frei. Gegen das Urteil legte der Doors-Frontmann Revision ein, doch bevor er sich vor Gericht verteidigen konnte, starb er am 03. Juli 1971.

Der 34-jährige Kabelfernsehproduzent Dave Diamond hatte Crist letzten Monat um die Begnadigung Morrisons gebeten, denn "man solle ihn als Künstler und nicht als weiteren Rock'n'Roll Bad Boy in Erinnerung behalten". Morrisons 87-jähriger Vater, Admiral George S. Morrison ist laut einem Telephoninterview sehr erfreut über die eventuelle Rehabilitation seines Sohnes.

Crist, ein bekennender Fan der Doors, lässt den Fall um den viel zu jung gestorbenen Sänger nun von einem Team wieder aufrollen, um den erhofften Freispruch posthum zu bewirken. Er sagt: "Er [Morrison] hat versucht, seinen Namen reinzuwaschen und ist vor Beendigung seines Ziels gestorben. Sofern man ein Herz besitzt, muss das einen berühren. Jedenfalls sollte es das."
(Quelle: © by www.laut.de)