The Doors

Legendary film & video appearances (Part I)

The Doors were one of the greatest groups to come out of America during the 60s. Comprising Jim Morrison (vocals), Ray Manzarek (organ, keyboard), Robby Krieger (guitar) and John Densmore (drums), they formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, after a meeting between UCLA film school graduates Morrison and Manzarek. At the time, Manzarek was already in a band called Rick & The Ravens, while Krieger and Densmore were playing with The Psychedelic Rangers, but knew Manzarek from meditation instruction classes. Once assembled, the four piece line-up took their name from Aldous Huxley’s book, The Doors of Perception which, in turn, was borrowed from a line of poetry by the 18th century artist and poet William Blake: ‘If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it truly is, infinite.’

Besides gaining a reputation as an entertaining live act, The Doors soon became known for their visually exciting (and occasionally controversial) television performances. Between 1966 and 1969, the group featured in a variety of promotional clips and on some of the most popular, and obscure, pop music shows of the day. Stateside programmes such as American Bandstand, The Rock Scene – Like It Is and the UK’s Top Of The Pops, all showcased the band. But there are several which feature prominently in the group’s history …

by Keith Badman
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