Doors, The

Doors, The, American rock band, noted for its use of drama, improvisation, and daring lyrical themes. Formed in Los Angeles in 1965, The Doors consisted of vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboard player Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robbie Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. Having experimented with consciousness-altering drugs, Morrison aimed to reflect a many-faceted world in his songs. Thus, the band's records often contained long, rambling tracks, held together with jazz or blues sequences, allowing the singer to free-associate about subjects as diverse as reptiles, highways, shamans, and sex. “The End”, a song from the group's debut album, The Doors (1967), placed the Oedipal myth in a modern setting. The band also enjoyed successful singles, such as “Light My Fire” (1967) and “Hello I Love You” (1968). Morrison's increasing appetite for alcohol and his fondness for outrage led to numerous public incidents. In 1969 he was charged with “lewd and lascivious behaviour” after a Miami concert. The quality of the band's music declined for a time, but improved again on the album L A Woman (1971). On July 3, 1971, Morrison died of heart failure in a bath in Paris. He has become a significant cult figure in the ensuing years. The Doors, a film treatment of the band's story directed by Oliver Stone, was released in 1991.

The surviving members of The Doors continued to play together for a few years after Morrison’s death, but after releasing a couple of albums they broke up and pursued their own projects. The band’s music remained popular, nonetheless, and in 1993 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The surviving members reunited to perform together, and were joined by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, to mark the occasion. They also appeared together in 2001, backing a number of leading singers who covered Doors songs for an MTV programme. In September 2002 they came together again to perform in California, with The Cult’s Ian Astbury filling in for Morrison, Angelo Barbero on bass, and Stewart Copeland replacing Densmore, who was unable to perform.