I have always had a fascination with The Doors. Their music, lyrics, and mystique beckoned me at a very young age. The Doors took me on many, many trips through their music. One of the many cool things about Ray was the fact The Doors lacked a bassist, so Manzarek usually played the bass parts on a Fender Rhodes Piano. Wow, that was cool. I will miss you Ray, thank you for the music. I will shed a tear for you brother.
James Douglas “Jim” Morrison- December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971
I have always been fascinated with Jim Morrison and The Doors. The music, the words, the vibe, have always been an influence on me. The words of Jim were especially near and dear to me. He was not afraid to push the envelope on subject matter. The words, both read and heard, made me think and develop my own writings (some day I’ll share some of my poetry here). When the book No One Here Gets Out Alivecame out in 1980 i poured through it in attempt to try and learn more about Jim. Though he was lost to us long ago, Jim and The Doors remain prevalent today. Movies, new touring with guest singers, re-releases and remastered recordings, Jim and The Doors live on. Here is one of my favorite pieces “American Prayer”:
Do you know the warm progress under the stars?
Do you know we exist?
Have you forgotten the keys to the Kingdom?
Have you been borne yet & are you alive?
Let’s reinvent the gods, all the myths of the ages
Celebrate symbols from deep elder forests
[Have you forgotten the lessons of the ancient war]
We need great golden copulations
The fathers are cackling in trees of the forest
Our mother is dead in the sea
Do you know we are being led to slaughters by placid admirals
& that fat slow generals are getting obscene on young blood
Do you know we are ruled by T.V.
The moon is a dry blood beast
Guerilla bands are rolling numbers in the next block of green vine
amassing for warfare on innocent herdsmen who are just dying
O great creator of being grant us one more hour to perform our art & perfect our lives
The moths & atheists are doubly divine & dying
We live, we die & death not ends it
Journey we more into the Nightmare
Cling to life our passion’d flower
Cling to cunts & cocks of despair
We got our final vision by clap
Columbus’ groin got filled w/ green death
(I touched her thigh & death smiled)
We have assembled inside this ancient & insane theatre
To propagate our lust for life & flee the swarming wisdom of the streets
The barns are stormed
The windows kept & only one of all the rest
To dance & save us
W/ the divine mockery of words
Music inflames temperament
(When the true King’s murderers are allowed to roam free a 1000 magicians arise in the land)
Where are the feasts
we were promised
Where is the wine
The New Wine
(dying on the vine)
Here is another that just “reaches” me and I love it to this day: “Stoned Immaculate”:
I’ll tell you this…
No eternal reward will forgive us now
For wasting the dawn.
Back in those days everything was simpler and more confused
One summer night, going to the pier
I ran into two young girls
The blonde one was called Freedom
The dark one, Enterprise
We talked and they told me this story
Now listen to this…
I’ll tell you about Texas radio and the big beat
Soft driven, slow and mad
Like some new language
Reaching your head with the cold, sudden fury of a divine messenger
Let me tell you about heartache and the loss of god
Wandering, wandering in hopless night
Out here in the perimeter there are no stars
Out here we IS stoned
Immaculate.
I have had several friends tell me to check out DEAD SARA recently. I was not disappointed with this band at all. Raw, soulful, powerful vocals from vocalist Emily Armstrong paired with crunchy, tasty guitar licks from Siouxsie Medley combined with a solid rhythm section of Sean Friday on drums and Chris Null on bass make a solid unit. If you are wondering, DEAD SARA took its name from the song “Sara” by Fleetwood Mac. Some people have misheard the lyrics “Said Sara” as “Dead Sara” in the song.
In April 2012, the band released their debut eponymous album through the label, Pocket Kid Records, produced by Noah Shain (Atreyu, Skrillex). The album peaked at No. 16 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Albums chart.
DEAD SARA seems to be taking the world by storm. With nods by Grace Slick, appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live”, and performing spring dates with Chevelle and The Used, the band spent the summer of 2012 touring as part of the Vans Warped Tour in the US. During the 2012 Sunset Strip Music Festival, Emily Armstrong performed “Soul Kitchen” with Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek of The Doors. In early fall 2012, the band toured with The Offspring and Neon Trees. In early 2013 they will hit the road with The Muse.
DEAD SARA received the “Best New Rock Group” award at the “3rd annual Vegas Rocks! Magazine Awards 2012” on August 26, 2012. DEAD SARA opened the awards show, which was broadcast live on AXS.tv, with a live performance of “Weatherman”
the Hellion Rocks 