By: David Schultz

I am stymied by which of these story puzzles me the most.

Surely, you've come across the story associated with the picture on the left. In 1997, rock historian Brett Meisner posed for a snapshot at Pere Lachaise cemetery and the spirit, or ghost if you will, of its most famous resident, Doors lead singer Jim Morrison, decided to make an appearance. Those who believe in the hooey that is Ghost Hunters can revel in the fact that the photo apparently isn't doctored. Many will try to debunk the ghostly phantasm as nothing more than a trick of the light. However, if Jim Morrison's death was a hoax and he's still wandering around the planet, it would be hard for him to show up at his "grave" as a ghost.

The appearance of a ghostly Lizard King pales in comparison to the news that founding Velvet Underground member John Cale had to cancel an appearance at the Museum of Modern Art to discuss "Dyddiau Du," his recent media installation in the Wales Pavilion at the Venice Biennale due to a sports related injury. The 67-year-old musician apparently competes in skyscraper stair climbing races and hurt his knee while training. The man responsible for the unsettling drone on "Heroin" and the relentless organ on "Sister Ray" is now a StairMaster God. Fascinating.

Labels: Jim Morrison, John Cale, The Doors, Velvet Underground

In conjunction with the 36th anniversary of Jim Morrison's death, a Parisian nightclub owner is casting doubts on the final scene of the mythic figure's life. Per the legend, The Doors' singer's corpse was found in a bathtub by his girlfriend Pamela Courson. In the absence of foul play, no autopsy was performed, leaving the official cause of death a small mystery.

Sam Bernett, the manager of Paris' Rock 'n' Roll Circus club, now claims that Morrison didn't die in the tub but rather died of a heroin overdose in the bathroom of his nightclub and that the singer’s death was covered up to avoid any investigation by the police into the nightspot’s drug activities. "The club was full of dealers," says Bernett. "Jim disappeared to the lavatories at around 2am. Then, about half and hour later, a cloakroom attendant came up to me and told me someone was locked in a cubicle and wasn't coming out. It was then that I got a bouncer to smash the door down. I recognised the U.S. Army combat jacket and the riding boots which he never took off. It was Jim Morrison."

The club owner, now 62 years old, claims the singer was then hauled from the club to his hotel room by bouncers under orders from a representative of the club’s owner Paul Pacini. "I was told ‘We saw nothing, we heard nothing, we shut up! Ok? It’s what we better do to avoid a scandal.'" A spokesperson for France’s Police National says they will consider the new evidence.

Although Bernett's story may cloud the issue of where Jim Morrison died, conspiracy theorists should take note: it does confirm that Jim Morrison is in fact dead.

Labels: Jim Morrison, The Doors

Charlie Crist, Jeb Bush's successor as governor of Florida is reportedly "seriously considering" pardoning dead rock star Jim Morrison for his 1969 conviction for indecent exposure. Refusing to let sleeping dogs or deceased singers lie, the Doors Collectors Magazine petitioned the governor and may have the Republican politician questioning the legality of the possibly "bogus" accusations. Ray Manzarek reiterated Morrison's innocence, saying that he only pretended to expose himself at Miami's Dinner Key Auditorium. "He taunted the audience," said the Doors' keyboardist. "'I'm going to show you! I'm going to show it to you!' Then he took his shirt off, held it front of him like a bullfighter's cape, [and] wiggled it around as if there was something going on behind it."

Rather than have his legal team looking into the proprieties of the convictions of inmates sentenced to death or looking into updating the State's beleaguered voting system, Crist announced that they will review the 38 year old conviction to determine whether they will clear the long-dead singer's name.

Who knows, if Jim is cleared maybe he'll come out of hiding in Oregon for the ceremony?

Labels: Jim Morrison, The Doors