Jim Morrison: 1969

Frequently what we bring into a relationship colors it and makes it a self-fulfilling prophecy. Jim Morrison was known to pick up on people's expectations of him and reflect it back to them this is what may have happened in Howard Smith's November 6, 1969 interview with Jim Morrison that is now available either as a single CD or as part of The Smith Tapes which are now available.A little background. Howard Smith wrote The Village Voice column `Scenes' which ran for twenty years. Smith interviewed a lot of rock `n' roll luminaries such as John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger (as a matter of fact the Jim Morrison interview came about because of a cancelled interview with Jagger), Janis Joplin (four days before her death), Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Frank Zappa, Lou Reed, Joe Cocker, as well as Jane Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Abbie Hoffman. Smith was also the only journalist to report from inside the Stonewall Inn during the riots in June 1969 (which is credited with starting the modern gay rights movement), so Smith had some pretty heavy counterculture credibility and credentials when he interview Morrison in November of 1969.In the brief introductory notes to the Jim Morrison interview Smith says that Morrison came in with a retinue of people in tow and was drunk. It is obvious there are a lot of people in the background, during the interview itself Morrison asks Doors secretary Kathy Lisciandro for coffee, towards the end of the interview he pulls Tom Baker into the interview, and at one point Morrison sends a woman that's in the office out on an errand. It's also obvious they had been out drinking the night before when he sends the woman out on the errand and she says "you remember Jerry from last night?" and Morrison responds "Oh, I met you?" but as for being drunk Morrison doesn't sound drunk, he may be hung-over but this is one of the best and most quotable interviews Jim Morrison ever did.During the interview there are times when the questioning and Morrison's answers are contentious and this may in part be due to Smith's shock at Morrison "being drunk" and what he considers Morrison's disdainful attitude towards the interview. As I mentioned this one of Morrison's most quotable interviews, they're quotes that are used regularly in Doors movies, documentaries and profiles even today. Quotes such as "we're the band you love to hate," "I've noticed that when people are joking they're usually dead serious, and when they're dead serious it's usually pretty funny," "I felt like a large mammal, a big beast"Insightful of Morrison's relationship with his fellow Doors members and his hopes for the future of the band (he thought The Doors could go on for another 7-8 years). There's also some insight into Morrison himself, what he really thought of his image as a sex symbol, his awareness of his alcoholism or that Jim Morrison, the lizard king, the 60's counterculture hero who wrote The End attended a Peggy Lee concert!The Morrison interview has been around for a long time its on Youtube in sections, and an excerpt was recently touted as being a "lost" Jim Morrison interview, but it can't be that "lost" if it's on Youtube. Despite it being available in bootleg form Howard Smith's interview with Jim Morrison is an excellent interview, the sound of course has been restored and is clearer, if you've heard a bootleg version of the interview, this is much clearer you hear a lot more of Morrison's interactions with the others in the room, and it is much handier to have the whole interview on one CD. The Howard Smith interview with Jim Morrison may only be something only The Doors fan who needs everything may want, and it doesn't have much introductory information or any hindsight recollections from Smith, but it does let the interview stand on its own and its own context.If you're a student of the 60's the  The Smith Tapes Box Set  boxset is available, and for the amount of interviews and the influence the interviewees have had on our society makes it a bargain.Jim Cherry writes The Doors Examiner.

This was clearly one of the best interviews I've heard with Jim Morrison. The interviewer, Howard Smith, although was at times a little irritating in his questions and comments to Jim. Under the circumstances, Jim did very well and came across as witty, funny and intelligent, the side of Jim Morrison that the media continues to ignore. Obviously, this cd is a must have for Doors fans, but I'd say that anyone who wants to know a bit more about Jim Morrison, then this is a place to start. At least it's in Jim's own words, not someone else's! There will never be another one quite like you Jim :-)

Coy is the only word to describe Morrison. He had a quick wit, was excellent at answering a question with a question which frustrated the interviewer, in fact Smith admits same during the interview. No real "dirt' in the interview-he blew off the arrest in Florida for indecent exposure as a 5150,..like, it is what it was.

This interview is classic.So much knowledge can be obtained.

Superb, amazing, funny, very human interview with the great man. Now all we need is the lost Jerry Hopkins interview tapes to be found + remastered!!

Absolutely excellent. They insult each other. lol.

Interesting interview. Like anything with Morrison you never know if he's putting you on. Overall a very good recording.

Very good

Fantastic x