Parisian Telephones

[slimedog]

Hi Vince,
Wonder if you could speculate why Jim called John from Paris and not one of the other lads? It would seem he had the worst relationship with John. Also, who was Jim's best pal in the band? The answer would seem to be Ray but it seems Robbie was the most tolerant of Jim and they also were the writers for the band. Thanks.

[vince]

It is hard to say why Jim might have picked John. Perhaps he tried Ray or Robbyand they were not in. Remember that phones in those days werenot so sophisticated. There were no H.P. even pagers were primative and not widespread.

Jim was fairly isolated from the other guys, as time went on. He did not even associate with Ray as time went on. Remember that Ray was living with Dorothy and he had his own life.

John and Robby were from entirely different backgrounds and had little in common with Jim.

Those were the days when "Bands" lived, ate and slept together. That created a wonderful ebnvironment of getting on each other's nerves and breaking the band up. The Doors all lived independantly. Of all, I would say that the Robby-John relationship was the closest.

When the Band started, Jim and Ray were living together at Ray's house in Venice. Whether or not that relationship continued is quite a question. As time went on Jim became estranged from allof the guys. He was sort of a loner.

Mind you, when they got together for rehearsals and all everyone got along fine. They joked and talkedand discussed manythings. The stress calme diring or after a bad show, missed rehearsal or recording session.

Perhaps Jim called John to test the attitude.If John was recptive and enthusiastic, Jim would know it was time to return.

I think Jim wanted to return. I thhink that he realized that he was going nowhere fast in Paris. Perhaps he realized that he was doing to much to hurt himself and to little to advance his agenda. It is just a matter of timing. Had he come back after he made the call, he might still be active today.

[slimedog]

Thanks for the reply Vince, Tony the bodyguards opinion of Jim was the introverted loner. I think that was a big part of his personality. It would probably surprise a lot of people who only have the image of him as a wildman.

What you said about the phones is true, I don't believe they even had or only buisnesses had answering machines back then.

I think it's possible, too, that Jim called John to test the waters and that if John was receptive to him coming back then all was okay. I'm sure they would have at least recorded again since LA Woman was a critical and commercial success.

People blame being in Paris for Jim's death but if he didn't change his ways, and he gave no indication of doing so, he could've had the same fate in LA.

[J.B.Marx]

Don't know. Was it Paris, was it Pam, was it the whole situation or was it Jim. I think that as long nobody knows what going on with him or help hm out, Jim would have gone sooner or later in L.A.

[J.B.Marx]

Don't know. Was it Paris, was it Pam, was it the whole situation or was it Jim. I think that as long nobody knows what going on with him & help him out, Jim would have gone sooner or later in L.A.

[nephron]

Is it possible that John was the only guy in the group that never really put up with Jim's shit, so to speak, and because of this, Jim, perhaps in some deep way, really respected him most? Kind of like calling your mom when you want to come home after half a semester of college (knowing the answer anyway)?

After reading several of the books, it seems like Ray's relationship with Jim was 'doting' and superficial. Robby may have been too shy. Perhaps John was the only one with the balls?

Vince, only you would know for sure.

[vince]

When Jim was being a bad boy, John was the one who really showed signs of anger. Ray and Robby endured the problem in silence.

That does not mean that John did not like Jim or indicate any form of antagonism. He just reacted to the situation whereas the other did not.

Was it that Jim disappointed John? I could not say. Was there a bond between Jim and John. I cannot say yes or now. I can say that john was fun and light, witty when he was in a normal mood - that is everything was going OK.

Jim liked a certain amount of repartee. That might have formed some intellectual bond between the two. John, of course, would be the best one to describe the relationship between him and Jim.

I think that, since John was the person who put into words that there would be no more public performances with Jim, he was the logical one to call. If John was receptive of his return, all was well. If John, in any small way, suggested that Jim need not return or that all was going well without him, Jim would know that the final performance was history.

I don't know. Jim did not have much in the way of relations with the other guys. Hesomehow felt that they were "Different" that he was. I assume this was a result of his military mentality.