Published in ROLLING STONE
By JERRY HOPKINS
NEW YORK—Jim Morrison, looking like Che Guevara with heavy beard and long cigar, was in town with the Doors last week taping a Critique show for the National Educational Television network.
The Gig (an Elektra Records brainchild) consisted of a ten-minute interview with rock writer Richard Goldstein and 35 minutes of music. A 15-minute discussion of their music with a panel of critics is to be added later.
Morrison was casually dressed and almost unrecognizable behind the sunglasses he wore, and his mood was relaxed and assured. He would not, however, discuss any details of his adventures in Miami, for which he will soon stand trial on public exposure charges.
“Right now, we’re still fighting extradition,” he explained. “I just can’t talk about it all. Three or four years of my life are at stake, you know.”
Morrison said the Doors had long wanted to do an educational TV performance, because the NET has little of commercial TV’s fear of controversy. “here the group has complete freedom to play whatever they want,” he stressed.
“There are no guest stars, no patter and no dancing girls—just serious talk and serious music presented in an appropriate, professional and respectful manner.”
“Welcome to educational television,” said Goldstein, obviously jittery. “You once told a reporter that you would like to be known as an ‘erotic politician.’ Has that desire changed any?”
Just a catch phrase for journalists, Morrison replied. That’s all.
Q: How does it feel to be the Jesse James of Rock?
Morrison: William Bonney would be more accurate. Jesse James was motivated by greed, while Billy the Kid did it for the fun of it. All Americans are outlaws.
Q: How does it feel to be the father of the Decency Movement?
Morrison: Feels good to be the father of anything, I guess.
Ray Manzarek, Doors organist, pointed out that the Doors seem to serve as a focal point, for many adults, of the country’s unrest. “It’s very easy,” he said, “for them to stop just four of us.”
Robby Krieger, the lead guitarist, agreed: “It’s a shame for the old to get back at the young.”
Both Manzarek and Morrison stated repeatedly that the group did not feel qualified to discuss politics, but Goldstein continued to ask questions along that line. Finally, Morrison said, “Well, you were at Chicago. You tell me what it was like.”
“It was like a Rolling Stones concert,” Goldstein reported.
Perhaps the most revealing moment came when Morrison attempted to read The New Creatures, a small, privately printed book of his poetry which he gives only to friends.
After faltering on the first few lines, he smiled warmly and gave up.
“I just can’t read this stuff too well,” he admitted with some embarrassment.
“Music gives me the kind of security I need, I guess. I certainly admire poets who can just stand up and read their poems. I wish I could.”
Doors Will Do It In A Bull Ring
LOS ANGELES– The Doors are working again, or soon will be. Announcement of five concert dates following a three-month layoff which, in turn, followed the alarmed reaction to the Doors now-legendary performance in Miami.
The Miami “obscenity” ???? hasn’t been resolved yet—not in court anyway—but in the interim the Doors say they will hitting the road again.
The first concert was set for May 31st at the Plaza Monumental, the largest bill ring in Mexico City. This was to be the first rock concert ever staged in the 48,000 seat amphitheater and ticket prices –scaled down to accommodate everyone—started at 40 cents and topped out at an even dollar (that’s twelve and a half pesos).
Three additional concerts have been set for June—the 13th in St. Louis, the 14th in Chicago and the 15th in Minneapolis. While a fourth June date, yet unspecified, will be announced for the Doors’ home town, Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles concert will be part of Elektra Record’s Monday night concert series at the Aquarius Theater. The Aquarius is the West Coast showcase for Hair and normally is closed on Mondays.
This Local date also replaces a proposed four-day series of performances earlier announced for the Whisky a Go Go. The group’s fifth album was to have been recorded live at the Whisky and now it may be recorded at the Aquarius.