When The Doors mimed their first television appearance
The Doors were leading figures in the American countercultural revolution, rising to prominence with their blues-infused, psychedelic rock in the 1960s. Fronted by the enigmatic Jim Morrison, the band weaved poetry and rock music, with the singer considering himself more of a poet than a musician.
A keen interest in literature led Morrison to begin writing from a young age. Influenced by symbolist and existentialist writers, Morrison immersed himself in books before choosing to study film at UCLA. After graduating, Morrison set up residence on the rooftop of his friend’s apartment. Soon enough, he formed The Doors with his former classmate, Ray Manzarek, whom he bumped into on the beach.
Drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robby Krieger were added to the line-up, and, using the poems Morrison had written on the rooftop, the band began to form songs. After performing at local venues, including support slots for Van Morrison’s band Them, they released their first single, ‘Break On Through (To the Other Side)’ in 1967.
The track appeared on The Doors’ self-titled debut album, acting as the record opener. Thematically, it explored the idea of achieving alternative levels of perception, which can only be accessed through altered states, such as psychedelic drug use. Opening with the lines, “You know the day destroys the night/ Night divides the day/ Tried to run/ Tried to hide/Break on through to the other side,” Morrison introduced himself as a complex writer.
Although the song failed to make much of an impression upon its release, hitting number 126 on the US charts, it is now one of the band’s most well-known. Talking to Hit Parader, Morrison explained the song’s origins, stating, “I was walking over a bridge. I guess it’s one girl, a girl I knew at the time.”
The band picked the song for their first television appearance, which was broadcast on February 18th, 1967. Appearing on a local program, Boss City, in Los Angeles, The Doors performed ‘Break On Through (To the Other Side)’ to a small crowd of fans. However, the word ‘performed’ might be a stretch because, although there is no surviving footage, the band reportedly mimed the whole thing.
When a ticket for the show was discovered in 2018, fans realised that it predated their performance on She-Bang, which was widely believed to be their first television appearance. It’s a real shame that no video evidence of the band miming on Boss City exists. It marked their first appearance on people’s screens, something they would become accustomed to in the following years as they became one of America’s most successful bands.
