Jim Morrison before "The Doors"

Disclaimer:

Robbie Freeman did not take these photographs,

according to Jim Morrison's biography Ray Manzarek did.

 

           

The Summer of 65'

The summer of 1965….Jim Morrison was taking a film class and Robbie Freeman was taking a photography class at UCLA with Edmund Teske.

Jim Morrison was re-editing his UCLA end of term Workshop 170B Film.

Often Jim and Robbie would slip into Bungalow 3K7a trailer behind Gypsy Wagon snack bar and smoke a joint…..

Throughout the summer, Robbie carried his manual Minolta 35mm

camera as a requirement for his class with Teske.

Robbie and Jim would get high and take photos while they cruised around Los Angeles area: Will Rodgers State Beach, The Self Realization Center, The Red Log House and at Morrison’s apartment on Goshen Ave.

“Jim would never pose for a photo unless he was making

an odd motion or a bold statement”.

That fall of 1965 Jim came to Robbie’s home in Topanga Canyon and played a demo of six songs with Ray and his brothers

(Rick and the Ravens). Jim had written the lyrics himself and

“The Doors” had asked Jim to sing them himself.

It was before the revolution.

Truly, this special and important work documents the months

before Jim Morrison joined the Doors.

The photos of Jim playing with a gas mask, climbing a fire escape as well as hiding behind a Jacket, smoking a joint, passing a joint and lying on the beach all make a statement of who Jim was and became to be.

These photos are a true piece of American history.

 

 

 

 

robbie@beforethedoors.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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