Jim Morrison’s favourite West Hollywood haunts
The enigmatic Jim Morrison led The Doors from 1965 until his untimely death in 1971, aged just 27. The vocalist, who channelled his love of poetry into the band’s blues-influenced rock and roll sound, became a key figure of the late ‘60s countercultural movement. Sexually free, leather-clad and unafraid to provoke, Morrison symbolised a new era of guitar music that dared to push boundaries.
He was born in Florida before moving to Los Angeles for university, where he met his future bandmates and formed The Doors. The band became incredibly popular, known for Morrison’s bold performances, and he even became the first rockstar to be arrested on stage.
Morrison, plagued by personal turmoil, moved to Paris shortly before his death, hoping to wean himself off drugs while awaiting trial after exposing himself on stage. However, before then, he lived in West Hollywood. Los Angeles was Morrison’s playground, and he spent his time frequenting various shops, bars, restaurants and venues when he wasn’t performing or recording music that would come to shape rock ‘n’ roll.
The Doors became the house band of the iconic Whisky a Go Go in 1966, the year before they released their self-titled debut album. This time spent performing was crucial, although Morrison eventually got The Doors banned after he added some controversial lines to his performance of ‘The End’, referring to incest and murder.
When the band weren’t at Whisky a Go-Go, you could find them at venues such as Kaleidoscope, which is now known as The Comedy Store. The venue, located at 8433 Sunset Boulevard, was also the discovery place of The Byrds.
The Doors were also keen to stock up on alcohol for their performances, although Morrison eventually became addicted, which tragically led him to experience life-ending heart failure. Morrison often visited Gil Turner’s Liquor Store on 9101 Sunset Boulevard, which was a popular haunt attended by many rockstars, or Monaco Liquor at 8513 Santa Monica Boulevard.
Just down the road was The Doors’ Workshop, located at 8512 Santa Monica Blvd, which is now a restaurant. Yet, the band would come here to record, laying down some of the tracks from L.A Woman here. The building wasn’t far from a strip club called The Extension, where Morrison could sometimes be found, often giving interviews here.
Finally, one of Morrison’s other local joints was the Cinematheque 16 down Sunset Boulevard, which is now an independent book shop called Book Soup. Morrison was a film buff – he studied the medium in university – and he often watched movies here. Yet, he also recited poetry at the venue, with his performance of An American Prayer’s ‘Far Arden Blues’ recorded here.
Much of Morrison’s career was spent between venues on Sunset Boulevard or Santa Monica Boulevard, places that have become intrinsic to rock and roll history, partly due to figures as legendary as The Doors’ complex frontman. His flame burnt fast and bright, and these locations provided him with the space to indulge in a reckless rockstar lifestyle – one that he succumbed to in 1971.
