On December 12th, 1970, four days after his 27th birthday, Jim Morrison gave his final live performance with The Doors at a rock and roll venue in New Orleans known as 'A Warehouse'. A recording of this performance was made, and for years the tape has been the subject of much speculation concerning its contents. Following its re-discovery by stage manager George Friedman, the original 7" 1800ft reel has been kept safely in storage, allowing few details to escape to public knowledge. At MildEquator.com, we're proud to feature here for the first time ever - actual photographs of the tape and box to show fans and collectors of The Doors exactly what awaits to be heard...
Be sure to check out the New Orleans Concert Info page for an exclusive first-hand review of the show, memorabilia and more!
In an e-mail written in 2011, George Friedman discusses the tape:
"I received word that your column had had some inquiry about the lost tape of the Doors concert at the Warehouse, Jim Morrison's very last performance. The tape isn't lost. I've had it in a safety deposit box for several years. I was a stage manager at the Warehouse during that and most of the shows at that classic venue. The tape is in two-channel stereo, having been recorded by 'Stagehand Bob' on the same machine he used for just about every early show at the Warehouse.
My recollection is that I came upon the tape when Beaver Productions moved its offices out of the Warehouse, Uptown into a building at the Riverbend. The Doors tape, along with a stack of other Warehouse show tapes, were cast off and left behind as debris during the move. The rest of the tapes may have been destroyed. I regret leaving behind the Jimi Hendrix tape.
At sometime along the way, I spoke with a gentleman named Sugarman, who represented himself to be a manager of the Doors. Mr. Sugarman said that the keyboard player had only a curiosity interest in that night's rendition of 'Riders on the Storm,' if I have that song's name right, but had no real interest in acquiring the tape, Jim Morrison's last performance notwithstanding.
The Doors shows back then were chaotic, but the Warehouse performance was more music than theater. An exception to that would be at the very end of the show, when Morrison, who was wacked near a stupor that night, suddenly jumped up, grabbed the microphone and then smashed it right through the floor of the stage. What an ending to a great show. Nobody knew it when it happened, but the music indeed was over when they turned out the lights and the Doors left the stage."
Copyright © George Friedman
TRACKLIST - DECEMBER 12TH, 1970 - NEW ORLEANS
House Announcer (Brian Glynn)
Roadhouse Blues
Back Door Man
Love Her Madly
When The Music's Over
Riders On The Storm (Aborted)
Ship Of Fools
Crawling King Snake
L.A. Woman
Hyacinth House
"You know what really burns my ass?"
Maggie M'Gill >
Been Down So Long >
Hoochie Coochie Man
Who Do You Love
Palace In The Canyon
Light My Fire*
-Summertime (Instrumental)
Love Me Two Times
Riders On The Storm
Soul Kitchen
The End
* Featuring Members of 'Kansas'
TECHNICAL INFO:
TAPE SIZE: 7"TAPE SPEED: 3.75IPS
TAPE LENGTH: 1800ft At 3.75ips = 96mins (Side A)/96mins (Side B)
For more information on the show, visit our New Orleans Concert Info page!