The exhibit opened on August 17, 2012 at Forbidden Restaurant and Bar, located at 8512 Santa Monica Blvd in the building formerly known as 'The Doors Workshop,' where The Doors had their rehearsal hall and offices for nearly 4 years. The opening is also the weekend of the Sunset Strip Music Festival where The Doors are being honored this year. In speaking with The Doors management, they conveyed they really 'like' the photos, and are planning on including some of them in a forthcoming project.
If you see one of the photos of which you would like to purchase a signed print of, please email me using the contact form at the bottom of this page, with the title of the photo and what size you would like (standard photo sizes: 8 x 10, 11 x 14, 12 x 18, 16 x 20 or 20 x 30) and I will contact you privately regarding cost and shipping.
Thank you for your interest!!!!
"Open Doors" Photo Exhibit
CLICK TO ENLARGE
"People Are Strange" The view of Los Angeles through a gate at the edge of a lookout found at Lookout Mountain and Appian Way. This is the spot and the view (although more congested now) that Jim Morrison stood and viewed during a self identified depression, and wrote the lyrics to The Doors’ hit single, “People Are Strange.”
"Door Behind the Door" 40 years after his alleged death, Jim Morrison can be seen ‘hiding’ all over the world. This large, iconic image was to be found one late night walking down Hollywood Boulevard.
"Stands By Themselves" Jim Morrison’s infamous leather pants set the rock star attire standard. This brown pair was photographed hundreds of thousands of times, most famously at The Doors’ legendary Hollywood Bowl concert, and at the Miami concert where Jim was accused of indecent exposure. During the riot that ensued at the show, a concert-goer threw a gallon of orange day-glow paint on stage. When viewing these pants where they are on display at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood, you can see numerous traces of the orange paint.
"L.A. Woman" The iconic lyrics to L.A. Woman in Jim Morrison’s own hand. The track L.A. Woman, as well as the entire album by the same title, was recorded here at 8512 Santa Monica Blvd., then The Doors’ Workshop (rehearsal hall/offices). The album was recorded downstairs, with producer Paul Botnick and the mixing board located upstairs. The vocals were sung by Morrison were performed in and recorded from the downstairs bathroom.
"Star" The Doors’ star of Hollywood Blvd., as people hurry by. Located in front of the Hard Rock Cafe, which also houses the original handwritten lyrics for L.A. Woman, and Morrison’s infamous brown leather pants, of Hollywood Bowl and the Miami concert fame.
"Yep, That's Him" Artist Rip Cronk refreshes his famous mural of Jim Morrison, located on a beachside building at Venice Beach in the summer of 2012 while using Morrison’s famous “Lion Shoot” photo for reference. Venice Beach was the location of the re-meeting of Morrison and Manzarek in 1965 where “The Doors” were born.
"Self Proclaimed Arsehole" This graffiti found on the ceiling of Room 32 of the Alta Cienega Motel, where Jim Morrison lived on and off for 3 years, is one of the most astute quotes attributed to Morrison.
"Strangest Life I’ve Ever Known" A portrait and just a small sample of the graffitti found in Room 32 of the Alta Cienega Motel, where Jim Morrison lived on and off for 3 years. The room is a living and ever changing shrine to Morrison. During his stay here, numerous events happened, including a visit from Mick Jagger right before the infamous Hollywood Bowl concert of The Doors, as well as one of the final scenes of Morrison’s film “HWY” being filmed here.
"Last US Residence" Pamela Courson lived at this apartment located at 8216 1/2 Norton Ave., West Hollywood. Jim Morrison’s reading chair, books and other belongings resided here, and Jim did too, on and off between here and Alta Cienega Motel. Morrison’s image peers out the window of this building, now marked with this plaque memorializing it as “Last U.S. Home of Jim Morrison.”
"Keys to the Kingdom" The key to Room 32 at the Alta Cienega Motel, where Jim Morrison lived for 3 years on and off rest on the table now located in that room, where a fan has inscribed lyrics to Moonlight Drive in Morrison’s honor.
"Bells of Love" A familiar sight and landmark in Laurel Canyon, the bells on top of what is known as the ‘Love Street House” at 8021 Rothdell Dr. Jim Morrison and Pamela Courson lived at this house where he penned the famous song and at the time that the debut album by The Doors was released, and they were the subject of the very first billboard advertising a rock and roll band, located on Sunset Blvd., just west of Laurel Canyon.
"Mr. Mojo Risin" At The Doors’ Workshop (now Forbidden Restaurant), one day Jim Morrison made an anagram from his name on a chalkboard. It read “Mr Mojo Risin” and became a memorable part of the song L.A. Woman, which was recorded at the workshop - the band downstairs, Jim doing vocals in the bathroom, and producer Bruce Botnick and the mixing board located upstairs. Known forever by this acronym, he is memorialized by a fan on a brick on Sunset Boulevard, on the front of Rainbow Bar and Grill.
"The Doors Door" The entrance to Jim and Pam's "Love Street" home. Open, but nobody home. This photo was taken shortly after an arsonist set the home ablaze the evening of December 29, 2011.
"9000 Building" Looking up from the front entrance at the address, to the top of the building of this famous music industry building located at 9000 Sunset Blvd. At the top of this building, Jim Morrison walked the ledge on night, a featured scene at the closing of his independent film, “HWY.”
"Rainbow Rider" This billboard has been placed atop the infamous Rainbow Bar and Grill in West Hollywood in anticipation of the 2012 Sunset Strip Music Festival, where The Doors are being honored. The billboard is an almost duplicate of the billboard placed on Sunset Blvd just west of Laurel Canyon for the release of The Doors' debut album. That particular billboard was the very first in history to advertise a rock and roll album.
"Rooftop Gate" Looking at and through the gate to what is now called The Morrison Hotel, where Jim Morrison lived on the rooftop during the summer of 1965. This was where he lived when re-meeting Ray Manzarek on Venice Beach, just a block away from the apartment, and The Doors were born.
"Here Sat a Poet" The plaque memorializing the bar stool that Jim Morrison sat in on and off for over 3 years at Barney’s Beanery on Santa Monica Blvd. This plaque was placed on Jim Morrison’s birthday, December 8, 2008, and signed by Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek and John Densmore at a party that night hosted by Jim Ladd.
"Closed Doors" Located across the street from The Doors Workshop (now Forbidden Restaurant and Lounge), around the corner from Alta Cienega Motel where Jim Morrison lived, Elektra Records (The Doors’ label), and Themis (Pam Courson-Morrison’s boutique), this establishment held the account that served thousands of snacks, beverages and other needs while The Doors worked on rehearsing and on business matters at 8512 Santa Monica Blvd.
"Five Star" Architectural detail from the concrete molding surrounding the entrance way to the Morrison Hotel, 5th & Hope St., Los Angeles. The Doors had a photo shoot at this location for the cover of their album “Morrison Hotel” after Ray and Dorothy Manzarek found the location during a drive. In various photos taken that day of The Doors, the molding is clearly visible.
"Universal Language" They say music is the universal language, and The Doors are the biggest speakers! In the wondow of a business establishment boasting it communicates in English, Russian and Spanish, we see the reflection of the infamous mural of Jim Morrison in Hollywood. The mural can be found off LaBrea near Franklin.
"Etched in Stone" Astute words by Jim Morrison are etched in a granite wall at Venice Beach, very near the rooftop that Morrison lived on. One day while walking that beach, the fates arranged a meeting between he and former UCLA schoolmate Ray Manzarek, and The Doors were born.