Roadhouse Blues – The Doors

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"Well I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer!"

I joined one of the school rock bands at the age of 14 - I had an "In" - my brother was the lead singer and guitar player.  We played mostly originals that I would co-write with him but would occasionally throw in the odd cover.

I can remember my first gig clear as day - the band had taken me down into the park and got me high for the first time on some rather sticky Lebanese hash - before I knew it I was tearing up the organ solo on Light My Fire like a demented Ray Manzarek and ended the gig with my feet up on the grand piano playing Johnny Be Goode!  It was brilliant and I pretty much decided after that that music was going to be my thing.

Of course the Doors were one those bands that just epitomized the whole sex, drugs and rock and roll aspect of music that I was drawn to - the absolute animal magnetism of Jim Morrison - the "no need for a bass player" 'cos you have Ray Manzarak's left hand - Robby Krieger's unique guitar style and John Densmore keeping it all together behind the kit.  

Rider's On The Storm blew me away when I first heard it - the story, the atmospherics, the organ riff with its sinister descent down the keyboard - People Are Strange - Hello I Love You - Break On Through - The End...  The music was brilliant but the mystique around the band - the Californian vibe, the drugs, the sex, the rock and roll - it's everything I ever wanted.

But for some weird ass reason I never ended up listening to Morrison Hotel and so for years I missed out on one of my favorite road trip songs.  From the opening groove - the harp - the killer keys - you can just feel the car eating up the miles as the white lines fly underneath.  The Chorus - as the track manages to swing even more - perfect driving music.

Of course I had no idea what the title of the track was - for years I thought it was called Let It Roll!  I eventually had to google it - "I woke up this morning and...." Roadhouse Blues - The Doors.  Couldn't have a more perfect name for a track like this!

This is the first track of my "carjacking" of Chris' list - you can normally find me skulking away on Music to Grieve to or even being all cerebral on Music to Write An Essay To - but I am super stoked to be spending the next month with you - expect more Californian vibes next week!

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You can learn more about The Doors here:

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About the Curator - Andrew McCluskey

The first visual memory I have is that of the white upright piano in Singapore, Hell and the dark forces lived at the bottom, Heaven and the Angels at the top. They would play battles through my fingers and I was hooked.

For the next month I'm hijacking Chris' list and will be sharing some of my favorite road trip music.  You can check out my lists here:

• Music to Grieve to
• Music to Write An Essay To