Rock Revival's Time Capsule (1966): 'The End' Spells the Beginning for the Doors

The Sunset Strip is probably best known in rock circles as the place that started glam-metal in the 80’s but it is also the place that made one of the biggest bands of the 60’s, the Doors.

In 1965 the Doors were an unknown band formed by UCLA film students Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek. Within a year, however, landed their first gig at the Whisky a Go-Go, opening for none other than Van Morrison and Them

Manzarek recalls: "We were the house band at the London Fog, a pathetic little nightclub just down the street from the Whisky, The Whisky was mecca for us. That's where all the big bands played. On our breaks, we'd walk down there and look in the doors and say, 'We're the band from down the street,' and they'd just sort of laugh at us."

The Doors became the house band at the Whiskey and soon developed a cult following. The End was always left to last, sending the hippies and the tourists who came to watch them into a frenzy.

Early on the End was tame; the Oedipal ending was introduced by Jim while tripping on acid (‘Father I want to Kill you, mother I want to…………).

The band expected to be lynched when Jim uttered these words for the first time but the crowd responded by dancing madly.

The band was fired from the Whisky after this gig but within weeks they hit the big time and never looked back.

Image: Courtesy Elektra