More than five decades after Jim Morrison’s tragic death, the surviving members of The Doors—John Densmore and Robby Krieger—are opening up about their former frontman and the lasting impact of his loss on the legendary rock band.
In a new interview with Louder Sound, Densmore and Krieger revisited the band’s rise to fame and Morrison’s untimely passing in 1971, reflecting on what could have been if the iconic singer had lived.
Jim Morrison’s Death at 27 Marked the End of an Era
Jim Morrison, the enigmatic lead vocalist of The Doors, died in Paris at the age of 27. The official cause of death was listed as heart failure. At the time, Doors manager Bill Siddons told Rolling Stone that Morrison had reportedly been coughing up blood, suggesting a possible lung infection.
“Jim’s demise was heartbreaking,” drummer John Densmore said. “It was so good live, and then it eroded. I hated that. But now, many years later, I’ve come to see he was a shooting star—meant to make a quick impact, then disappear.”
Guitarist Robby Krieger added, “When Jim went to Paris, I thought he’d come back eventually and we’d pick up where we left off. But it wasn’t meant to be.”
Life After Jim Morrison: Could The Doors Have Continued?
After Morrison’s death, the remaining members of The Doors faced the difficult decision of whether to continue the band without their iconic frontman.
“We didn’t want to give up the musical synchronicity,” Densmore said. “But who’s going to fill those leather pants?”
The band briefly experimented with Densmore, Krieger, and Ray Manzarek sharing vocal duties. However, the chemistry wasn’t the same. “They were OK,” Densmore admitted. “But without Jim, what is The Doors?”
Manzarek, the group’s keyboardist and another original member, passed away from cancer in 2013, leaving Krieger and Densmore as the last surviving members of The Doors.
The Doors’ Legacy and What Might Have Been
Looking back, both surviving members speculate on how the band’s musical direction could have evolved if Jim Morrison had lived.
“Had Jim lived, I think our music would’ve gone more in the direction of ‘Riders on the Storm,’” Densmore shared. “We all loved film, and Jim and Ray were UCLA film school grads. I think we would’ve experimented with soundtracks and cinematic concepts. Editing film is a lot like drumming—it’s all about timing.”
Krieger echoed the sentiment, reflecting on The Doors’ ever-evolving sound: “I do sometimes wonder what The Doors might’ve sounded like through the ’70s and even the ’80s. But the beauty of the band was the element of surprise. That’s why the music still holds up today. I still play those songs and it feels like no time has passed.”
