The Lizard King's

...birthday is today. Jim Morrison would have been 68 years old, or, is 68 whether you believe rumors that he's still alive. Rumors of him living in Africa, working for the CIA, returning to the states as a suit and tie businessman, or wandering around the country like a gypsy - among so many other conspiracies. Stephen King claims that he picked up a hitch-hiker in Texas one night, swearing that it was Jim years after his death. One of the weirdest aspects about his death is the fact that no one was contacted regarding it for three days following it. Not the media, not the band, not his friends, not even his family.

So, what better way to celebrate his birthday than to celebrate his rap sheet -

September 28, 1963 in Tallahasee, Florida. Charges of petty larceny, disturbing the peace, resisting arrest and public drunkenness at a football game


December 9, 1967 in New Haven, Connecticut. He was booked on charges of indecency, public obscenity, disturbing the peace and resisting arrest. He was maced backstage by a cop, then started telling the story during the performance of Backdoor Man, until the cops stepped out on stage and stopped the show. Little blue suit, little blue hat, little blue pig...


January 28, 1968 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jim was arrested at the Pussycat a' Go Go for public drunkenness and vagrancy. On the ride to the station and while being booked, Jim was livid and incited the cops who threatened to beat him up after their shift ended.

March 1, 1969 in Miami, Florida. His felony charge was for lewd lascivious behavior, two misdemeanors for public profanity, two for public exposure and one for public drunkenness. Police said Jim exposed himself on stage.

- He was supposedly arrested two more times before his "death". Once in November of 1969 in Phoenix for drunk and disorderly conduct on a flight to see the Rolling Stones. And finally, in August of 1970 in Los Angeles for suspicion of drunkenness. He got piss-drunk and passed out on the front porch of a west hollywood home.

One thing's for sure, while all of the other bands of his time were singing about love and peace, Morrison brought darkness to rock n roll, not to mention revolt and an anti-authority feel to his followers and concerts. I've always been a fan for this very reason.

As drunk, out of control, drugged-up, and unusual as he was, he's one of my heroes...