The Doors: Happy to check in at Morrison Hotel fifty years later

The legendary band's guitarist Robby Krieger recalls the heady days of the group's rise and fall, as well as jamming with Van Morrison and the tragic death of lead singer Jim Morrison 

The Doors have just re-released Morrison Hotel: Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore

When The Doors performed 'Baby, Please Don’t Go at the London Fog nightclub on Sunset Strip in California in the spring of 1966, they had drawn significant inspiration from an Irish source. It was the band Them, fronted by a young Van Morrison, that had caught the American group's attention with their feral blast of the blues standard.

The Doors were further enthused when offered a two-week residency supporting the band at the famous Whiskey a Go Go venue in June of that year. On the last night of the run both bands would get up on stage for a final encore of 'Gloria'. While only a few photos exist of the two Morrisons, Van and Jim, it proved to be a high-voltage event with reports of Van Morrison getting “violent with the mike stand”.