Jim Moorrison was a large reason I became a poet - one of a handful of early influences on my development as a poet. Much of my early efforts in poetry a decade and a half and more ago was styled after his free-form stream-of-consciousness. Jim Morrison is probably the most unique, and still least understood, personalitlies to emerge from the pantheon of late '60’s pop culture figures - the same should be said of the Doors as a whole in terms of the role they played in the late '60’s So-Cal/LA/SF music scene. They were the most original concept line-up of musicians for a major rock act of that time with a poet lead singer, a Hammodg organ player (Ray Manzerik - sp?) and a guitarist who was more inclined towards the Jazz mode rather than rock. There were more original, inventive band concepts going on at that time but largely in what was in the “underground” at that time - mostly outside the U.S. at that. Jim, to me, was a rock star, yes, but also more than a rock star - the truest and closest thing to a pure artist that the late '60’s pop culture had to offer. I don’t mean to say he was the greatest frontman, musician, vocalist or poet of that time. He was part of that time period and helped to define it and was defined by it, but he was also one of the few figures that paradoxically transcended that time period and resisted being defined and, therefore, confined by it. I feel, as the years since his death stretch into further decades from now, he will be truly more appreciated as the poet he was - not necessarily among the all-time greats, but certainly better appreciated for his contributions to the art/craft. It’s not that he’s not now appreciated for that contribution, but even 35+ years since he died, I think his presense as a classic rock radio staple still has him stuck in modern pop culture’s collective conscious perception mostly --to his, and our, detriment-- as a rock star, but as time goes on I think academia will more and more accept him into the ranks of important 20th Century poets - American or otherwise. HIs interest in the beat poets, ancient and modern philosophers and obscure early 20th Century Blues musicians, and promotion thereof, largely impacted my own interest in them as well. The same goes for his love of Greek and other mythologies of ancient times as well as Native American culture. Yes, he was a part of the late-'60’s L.A. music scene/culture, but he most definitely was not exactly a hippie --too much of a nihilistic existentialist for that classification–, but he was also not entirely one of the proto-punks/proto-metalists/genre-benders that were just emerging at that time whose own impact was not to be seen until the '70’s like: Iggy Pop; David Bowie; MC-5; Lou Reed/Velvet Underground; Patti Smith; Alice Copper; New York Dolls; Jonathan Richman; Tom Waits; et. al. He was more like a darker Elvis-figure with a pagan philosopher’s soul. Even though I’ve moved on from my initial infatuation with JM’s poetry style in my early poetry efforts as I’ve evolved and matured as a poet, I believe I still retain a small stamp of his impact on me.
I think the closest thing the '90’s alternative culture had to a Jim Morrison-type figure was Mark Sandman of Morphine fame. I think, as time goes by, he will be greater appreciated for his unique approach to music --2-string slide bass vocalist with saxaphone, drums/percussion and no lead guitarist as his minimal line-up, for instance-- and, most-especially, his poetic soul. It’s too bad he died --of natural causes and on-stage, at that-- on the cusp of becoming more widely known by the mainstream culture at large at that time (6-yrs. ago). I love, admire and respect Kurt Cobain and appreciate his contribution to the '90’s music scene/culture and value his poetic soul as well; but, as time goes by, I have a feeling that Mark Sandman will be greater appreciated than he is right now, and at least equally with KC. If this mention of Mark Sandman is your first encounter of him, I suggest you buy at least one of Morphine’s several albums - any will do, but I suggest their 2nd “Cure For Pain” as the best introduction. It’s not necessarily their best per-se, but it is the release that put them on the map of national alt-rock consciousness at that time. Also, check out the Mark Sandman 2-disc (w/ bonus DVD) “Sandbox” anthology that came out a year or two ago - mostly focusses on his numerous pre-Morphine efforts, along with solo explorations and Morphine side-projects and rare/unheard Morphine tracks as well. Treat Her Right and Candy Bar were just a couple of the other bands he started back in the '80’s Boston (Cambridge specifically) alternative scene before forming Morphine.
–enough from me - my apologies for this lengthy reply,
lhw - AKA: The Straight-faced Clown AKA: M.C. Tape-Hiss