The Dors group is the best rock band in America in the late sixties of the last century

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The Dors are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965. The Doors instantly became popular, even the usual promotion in such cases was not required. The Dors, whose photos did not leave the pages of glossy magazines, became the first in the record number of sold "gold" albums, and eight such records were sold in a row, which has never happened in the history of rock music.

Such success is due to the unusual style of performances and the unsurpassed talent of the soloist, Jim Morrison. The music of The Doors was beautiful, acted hypnotically: those who listened to the first track did not leave until the rest were heard. This phenomenon of the Dors group was studied by psychologists, but they could not explain the reason for such super-attractiveness.

A bit of history

In the summer of 1965, Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison met, who had once known each other. Young people discussed the situation in American show business and decided to create a rock band. Both had good data, Jim Morrison wrote poetry and composed music, and Ray was already a professional musician at that time. Laterthey were joined by John Densmore, drummer and backing vocalist. At the same time, guitarist Robbie Krieger was accepted into the group. The Dors group did not escape the so-called turnover, the musicians left and returned several times. Only Morrison and Manzarek never doubted the correctness of the choice.

This line-up is considered the main one, but, apart from the main members, outside musicians were periodically invited to record CDs and hold concerts. These were bass and rhythm guitarists, keyboardists and harmonica virtuosos, without whom blues compositions could not take place.

The group "Dors" differed from similar musical groups in that it did not have its own bass player. For session studio recordings, he was invited, and in concerts the bass guitar part was imitated by Ray Manzarek on the Fender Rhodes Bass keyboard. And he did it with one hand, and with the other he played the main melody on the electric organ.

Musicians invited to participate in concerts

• Douglas Luban, bass player, has featured on three studio albums.
• Angelo Barbera, bassist.
• Eddie Vedder, lead vocals.
• Raynal Andino, drums, percussion.
• Conrad Jack, bassist.
• Bobby Ray Henson, rhythm guitar, percussion, backing vocals.
• John Sebastian, blues harmonica.
• Lonnie Mac, lead guitar.
• Harvey Brooks, bass guitar.
• Ray Neapolitan, bass guitar.
• Mark Banno, rhythm guitar.
• Jerry Schiff, bass guitar.
• Arthur Barrow, synthesizer,keyboards.
• Bob Globe, bass guitar.
• Don Wess, bass guitar.

Soloist of the group "Dors"

Jim Morrison, vocalist, composer, author of lyrics to his own songs, was born on December 8, 1943 in the family of a naval officer. He is one of the most notable and charismatic musicians of the 20th century. The singer's entire creative life was associated with the Dors group, which he himself created together with pianist Ray Manzarek.

Rolling Stone magazine ranks Morrison as the greatest rock artist of all time. The history of the musician is a series of successful projects created by him in collaboration with other members of the Dors group. The philosophical approach to life brought to the work of Jim Morrison that special flavor that was absent in the songs of other representatives of rock music of that time. The passion for the works of Friedrich Nietzsche, Arthur Rimbaud, the work of William Faulkner, William Blake affected.

Morrison studied at the Faculty of Cinematography in Los Angeles, where he managed to make two author's films, and these works did not concern music, but were full of philosophical reflections. In 1965, after the formation of the Dors, Jim Morrison devoted himself entirely to rock music. And just six years later, on July 3, 1971, he died of a heroin overdose.

The Dors without Jim Morrison

After the death of the soloist, the rest of the participants tried to continue their creative activity,but were not successful. Songs that had a hypnotic effect on the listeners, such as Jim Morrison's Riders On The Storm, were no more. The Dors group ceased to exist.

Further projects

In 1978, the Dors' album An American Prayer was released, featuring phonograms of Jim Morrison's own poetry readings. The recitation was combined with musical and rhythmic accompaniment of other members of the group. Editing was done with a simple overlay method.

This project was also not successful, neither commercial nor artistic. Some critics called the album blasphemous. And some compared it to a Pablo Picasso masterpiece cut into pieces, when each of the fragments individually is of no value.

In 1979, one of the famous hits of the Dors called The End was included in the film "Apocalypse" directed by Francis Ford Coppola, which is dedicated to the Vietnam War.

Discography

Studio session albums recorded at various times in the studio:

1. The Doors - Recorded in January 1967, the first "gold" format, sold over 2 million copies.
2. Strange Days ("Strange days") - created in October 1967.
3. Waiting For The Sun ("Waiting for the sun") - the album was recorded in July 1968.
4. The Soft Parade ("Soft procession") - the disc was released in July 1969year.
5. Morrison Hotel - Released February 1970.
6. L. A. Woman ("Women of Los Angeles") - the album was recorded in April 1971.
7. Other Voices ("Other Voices") - created in October 1971 as a symbolic farewell to the untimely departed Jim Morrison.
8. Full Circle ("Full circle") - an attempt to record an album with new songs in July 1972, dedicated to the anniversary of the death of the main soloist.
9. An American Prayer is a failed compilation of Morrison's poetry set to music.