The Great Escape
A Night at the Whisky with Eric Burdon



A couple of summers ago, I caught part of a Roseanne segment with Eric Burdon. Unfortunately, I missed some of his talk about Jim, but I did catch this much of a story of Jim at the Whisky:

It seems that Eric and Jim spent some time together once Eric moved to LA. They sometimes frequented The Whisky and other LA clubs. On this particular occasion, an unknown band from Texas was playing the Whisky, and Jim wanted to sit in with them. From what Eric said, it sounded like Jim was pretty intoxicated. The band was thrilled to have Jim perform with them, and started playing a blues jam. But Jim was in the mood for one of his "raps" and proceeded to berate the audience on the subject of revolution, offering his diatribe to the effect that America had already had its revolution, and those who thought one was happening now were ... Eric didn't go one, we can kind of get the jist.

Anyway, the Whisky emptied out, and according to Eric, he was the only one left besides Jim and a black security guard. Eric and the security guard tried reasoning with Jim, cajoling him, and every other method they could think of to get him off the stage and out of the Whisky to no avail. Finally, the security guard pulled out his gun and said "Get off the stage, Morrison, or I'll plug ya!" The California Highway Patrol showed up, and grabbed Jim by the shoulders of his leather jacket. While they were attempting to get Jim into a patrol car, he slipped out of the jacket and ran across the tops of the cars parked on Sunset, disappearing into the night half naked.
 
[Regarding Eric's relationship with Jim, a Melody Maker interviewer reported: I had spent the previous day with Eric Burdon, who is alive and unhappy and living in L.A., but seems to have found a "spiritual" companion in Jim Morrison. Eric has become a much loved "local" as he would anywhere and I related to Jim how the owners of the Whisky, apparently afeared of Morrison in his more boisterous moods, would get Eric to soothe the savage beast. Eric described himself as "feeling like the cow sent in to pacify the bull" on these occasions. But Morrison liked Burdon. "I like anyone who will get drunk with me for the right reasons in the right way." (from "Jim, The Angel Faced Rasputin, " Melody Maker, May 2, 1970)]
 


Copyright 2002 by laciefae/Waiting-forthe-Sun.net

The life and times of Jim Morrison of the Doors, explored through original articles, exclusive interviews, special features, his creative influences and legacy, and other resources.
The Great Escape