The Doors Forum

Hi Vince, what do you think of this?-

http://www.waitingforanecho.com

I think it's a pretty witty book, leon seems like a cool guy.

Did him and Jim seem close friends vince from what you saw?.

Leon did work for the Doors as publicity manager in the office. He did travel with Jim on a trip to Paris - paid for by Morrison. How much time he spent with Jim I cannot tell you. I was not socially involved with Jim as others were.

The background between Leon and Jim was about as far apart as you could get. There was little in common aside from the association factor, drugs and drinking. When anyone traveled or associated with Jim it was at his expense.

Leon is a funny guy. He was an "Artist" but I am not sure how succesful. Leon is also somewhat of a serious guy with lots of abstract thoughts. Possibly therein lies a similarity to Jim.

Now, he is cashing in on the celebrity of Jim.

- that´s what I´ve always thought.

Leon is a an amateur and he hustled himself into the Doors organization as some kind of a pr guy.- And he was of course an acquaintance with amateur Bill Siddons

- and when Morrison really needed help in Miami, Leon with Bill ran for cover!

It was too hard, wouldn´t you know!

Hi Hamlet

Leon did ingratiate himself into the group. You are correct. However it was based on his extensive and very effective, activities as PR front man for the group prior to our tour to Sweden and Denmark.

There was also a factor of friendship with Bill. It is my understanding, but not certain fact, that Leon knew Bill prior to his (leon) going to Denmark to study art.

Yes, You have 100% on Miami. When the entire story should have hit every fan, teen and music publication like a broadside from the Missouri, no one did anything.

Remember also that Bill completely ignored the PR score that they would have achieved had they put on a benefit performance to support the LEAGUE OF DECENCY that was promoted by Mike Lavesque.

All in all, the handling of the Doors publicity was a sad affair. There were many chances to mitigate unhappy circumstances that were lost.

Thanks for you response.

- Hi Vince, thanks for your reply. I hope you are fine!

I know that Siddons happened to meet Leon at a mutual friend´s.

After having heard that Siddons managed The Doors and they were going to Europe, Leon suggested that he´d do the pr there.

I have always felt that Morrison was left alone after Miami, by everyone including the core of The Doors organisation.

Morrison screwed the gig up, but didn´t he also screw a lot of other gigs up as well?

Damage control should have been executed!- Every teen and music publications should have the story, defending Morrison.

As a matter of fact, I have a Circus magazine from 1970, where a reader expresses some concern that Morrison is indeed figthing for himself in Miami.

- But I don´t think it would have been such a cool idea for The Doors to join the rally for decency.

Wasn´t it The Nixon morale and his silent majority against The Doors and their kind of moral stance in the first place?

And wouldn´t it havee been a total sell-out for The Doors?

Remember also that Bill completely ignored the PR score that they would have achieved had they put on a benefit performance to support the LEAGUE OF DECENCY that was promoted by Mike Lavesque.

Maybe Jim didn't allow it? From what I've read of him, the last thing he seemed to be was a hypocrite. He seems to have been one of the few that wasn't a hypocrite (in the culture of the day), eg...Nixon (lol), the judge (bribed), and even the kids rallying for decency, the majority of whom were probably naked and doing drugs that night.

As far as Leon is concerned, I get the idea also that he's either cashing in, or crying for attention. Most of his language is either silly, or very Morrison'esque, imo.

Hamlet- There were several groups considered to be the bad boys. The Doors were the late comers - as a result of Miami. They were also, as a result of the efforts of a political zealot - made the target.

For them, with the other bad boys of the industry to put on a benefit for the League would not have meant joining it it would have put Levesque in an awkward position. They are all scremeing for decency and hailing the Doors as bad guys and here ate the Doors, Fugs abd a few others essentially supporting them.

Jim was not lacking in decencuy nor did he advocate indecency. He did advocate testing the boundries and extremes. That is not necessarily indecent.

Jimdid nothing in Miami that was wrong. He did not incite a riot nor did he use unusual language that was out of common usage in that period or area- though the judge would not allow the community stanbdard defense.

Im did not voice an opinion against my suggestion. Robby did think it was a good idea.However, by the time I realized that Bill was doing nothing about it- as a gigantic PR stunt - it was past the opportune time.

Jim was not supported by Leon or anyone else. You are right that he was left to hang out alone.

Keep in mind, however, that after a highly succesful year, the results of Miami was to basically put them out of business. You can imagine that they guys blames Jim for what was, in reality, a major political move by a greedy and probably corrupt prosecutor looking for a big story.

Why that performance was picked on is beyond me. Sure, Jim was drumk and used some"Offensive" language (Offensive to a puritan) but he did nothing that others did not often do. He certainly was NOT the only performer to appear on stage after drinking.

I think it the result of a few of the religious wrong parents who questioned why their children arrived hime with most or all of their clothes missing. Upon hearing that their sheltered children were at a doors concert- the lid came off.

Can you imagine their outrage at finding out the Jim Morrison advocated that their precious children expose their bodies, made in the image of god, to public (Pubic) view. Saints preserve us!!!

The Doors missed the opportunity to smash that political hack, minimize the damage and turn the whole thing into a wonderful PR coup

The first would have been that benefit- What could Mikie and his puppet buddies do or say about all those groups "Supporting" him As far as Jim rejecting it on the basis of hypocrisy - Jim never advocated indecency. Besides - he, of all, should have known of the benefit to his cause. You can stand on principal but when you are faced with spending time in the Dade county prison you have to get a little practical.

- Vince, this is brillant! The sheer audacity is very cool, indeed!

A trojan horse to invade the mind of the silent majority a la "if you can´t join them, beat them!"

It could have been a turning point, instead of the farce that turned into a horrible fiasco for Morrison.

Of course they would have been turned down at the mere suggestion of being added to the bill for "rally for decency".

But then The Doors could have staged their own rally, with the bands you mention.
A whole set devoted to Morrison reciting his poetry, the media present, etc.

You would have taken action, instead of taking shit.

But I´ve always thought that Miami also happened b/c Morrison wanted out of The Doors.

I think he gave it 6 more months in the fall of ´68.

And his immaturity took it too far March the 1st ´69