Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Barnes & Noble (1997), Hardcover, 387 pages
Description
Here is Jim Morrison in all his complexity-singer, philosopher, poet, delinquent-the brilliant, charismatic, and obsessed seeker who rejected authority in any form, the explorer who probed "the bounds of reality to see what would happen..." Seven years in the writing, this definitive biography is the work of two men whose empathy and experience with Jim Morrison uniquely prepared them to recount this modern tragedy: Jerry Hopkins, whose famous Presley biography, Elvis, was inspired by Morrison's suggestion, and Danny Sugerman, confidant of and aide to the Doors. With an afterword by Michael McClure.
User reviews
LibraryThing member JollyContrarian
Rock biographies can be wonderful things - Guralnick's two volume life of the king Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley and Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley; the Gillmans' Alias David Bowie; and anything by Lester Bangs rank amongst the best biographies written about anyone
For me a decent biography has to have a thesis: A (perhaps controversial) view of its subject that the authors, having immersed themselves in research, can present, backed by evidence, to put a new perspective or shed some new light on a familiar subject: to tell a new story for a casual reader. Hopkins and Sugarman make no such effort: Morrison is portrayed as a clever, well-read alcoholic with an authority problem and a pretty apparent (but entirely unexplored) general social unease. The events of his life are thus trotted out is a somewhat patchy fashion, without the attempt to stitch together some overlying narrative or explanation where it feels one is called for: after all this phenomenon still occupies some (diminishing) part of the collective consciousness nearly forty years later. Yet James Morrison comes across as no more worthwhile or interesting a figure than Robbie Williams or Amy Winehouse, and while that may be true, I doubt it, and it doesn't explain the eerie and evocative content of nearly all the Doors' records. I can't imagine a Robbie Williams over the opening credits of Apocalypse Now, nor coming up with an album closer like Maggie McGill or Riders on the Storm.
This book doesn't even pretend to be a story about the rest of the band, and therefore leaves this fascinating artifact we still know as The Doors pretty much uninvestigated, let alone unexplained. Ray Manzarek is, at least, a peripheral figure: poor Robby Krieger and particularly John Densmore are barely mentioned, and the relationships, dynamics and creative processes of the band - which led to some undeniably memorable and haunting music, after all - are wholly unexplored. In any case Jim Morrison, even in his own right, can't be understood properly except through that prism, so this feels to me to be a dramatic failing.
Lastly, Hopkins and Sugarman indulge in absurd speculation about Morrison's demise - or more accurately the lack of evidence for it. Yet all of Morrison's behaviour before his, er "disappearance" - as patiently documented in this volume - points to exactly the sort of early death he apparently suffered, and the idea that such a publicity seeking (and utterly recognisable) drunkard could suddenly, miraculously, vanish without trace from the entire planet's conscience simply beggars belief.
There must be more rewarding accounts of The Doors than this.
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- but despite having an undoubtedly fascinating subject in Jim Morrison and good pedigree in the Rolling Stone credentials of its authors, No One Gets Out Of Here Alive fails to impress on any level. For me a decent biography has to have a thesis: A (perhaps controversial) view of its subject that the authors, having immersed themselves in research, can present, backed by evidence, to put a new perspective or shed some new light on a familiar subject: to tell a new story for a casual reader. Hopkins and Sugarman make no such effort: Morrison is portrayed as a clever, well-read alcoholic with an authority problem and a pretty apparent (but entirely unexplored) general social unease. The events of his life are thus trotted out is a somewhat patchy fashion, without the attempt to stitch together some overlying narrative or explanation where it feels one is called for: after all this phenomenon still occupies some (diminishing) part of the collective consciousness nearly forty years later. Yet James Morrison comes across as no more worthwhile or interesting a figure than Robbie Williams or Amy Winehouse, and while that may be true, I doubt it, and it doesn't explain the eerie and evocative content of nearly all the Doors' records. I can't imagine a Robbie Williams over the opening credits of Apocalypse Now, nor coming up with an album closer like Maggie McGill or Riders on the Storm.
This book doesn't even pretend to be a story about the rest of the band, and therefore leaves this fascinating artifact we still know as The Doors pretty much uninvestigated, let alone unexplained. Ray Manzarek is, at least, a peripheral figure: poor Robby Krieger and particularly John Densmore are barely mentioned, and the relationships, dynamics and creative processes of the band - which led to some undeniably memorable and haunting music, after all - are wholly unexplored. In any case Jim Morrison, even in his own right, can't be understood properly except through that prism, so this feels to me to be a dramatic failing.
Lastly, Hopkins and Sugarman indulge in absurd speculation about Morrison's demise - or more accurately the lack of evidence for it. Yet all of Morrison's behaviour before his, er "disappearance" - as patiently documented in this volume - points to exactly the sort of early death he apparently suffered, and the idea that such a publicity seeking (and utterly recognisable) drunkard could suddenly, miraculously, vanish without trace from the entire planet's conscience simply beggars belief.
There must be more rewarding accounts of The Doors than this.
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LibraryThing member vampyredhead
A very good biography on Jim Morrison. Very interesting and insightful
LibraryThing member lriley
An important book for me. When I was in the Coast Guard in the early 80's I was more into punk rock. Stationed in the Cape Cod area one day I was driving around in a thunderstorm and something I almost never did-- I turned off the cassette player and tuned in a radio station and on comes Riders on
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the Storm. Not that I hadn't heard it before but I remember being in awe this day. The lyrics---into this house we're born, into this world we're thrown--amazing. Anyway a couple years later when I was discharged I came home with the idea that I'd run for a while on my discharge money (including two months of leave) and the unemployment I was eligible for. It wasn't a bad plan but I got bored and this is when I first really began to read and this particular biography describes how Jim even as a very young teenager was just devouring the classics and the beats and the existentialists and those destined to flame out like he himself eventually did. It provided me with my first real reading list and when I hit Celine I've been hooked ever since. Show Less
LibraryThing member vicarofdibley
the roller coaster life that was Jim Morrison. he remains the lizard king
LibraryThing member mandabrewer
Not having grown up in the heyday of The Doors, I was previously unaware of the mysterious nature of Jim Morrison. A friend of mine, an avid Morrison fan, piqued my interest and when I found "No One Here Gets Out Alive" in a local thrift store for $1, I knew I had to read! And, I'm very glad I did!
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I was (and remain) fascinated by Morrison and the other Doors. In fact, I am highly impressed with their music and their lives. It has made me an absolute DOORS fan! Show Less
LibraryThing member Jacey25
One of the best rock'n'roll memoirs ever. You really get into Jim's life and it has stories that will stick with you forever. Truly a good read even if doubt has been cast on the some of the stories veracity.
LibraryThing member Anagarika-Sean
This biography was alright. It was interesting learning about these strange characters, and what they did.
LibraryThing member taylor12
Title: No One Here Gets Out Alive
Author: Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugerman
If you like biography, on singers who overcome obstacles and realization about themselves then you will enjoy No One Here Gets out Alive by Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugerman. The book is set in the 60’s in Los Angeles, with
The narrator of the story is Jim Morrison a rock star or a legend. Jim Morrison is leading vocalist for the band the doors.
Jim Morrison battled his curiosity. He went pass real life boundaries just to see what will happen. No one could tell him what to do.
This is a great book showing an American rock star at his prime. I recommend this book to a lot of people.
Author: Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugerman
If you like biography, on singers who overcome obstacles and realization about themselves then you will enjoy No One Here Gets out Alive by Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugerman. The book is set in the 60’s in Los Angeles, with
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Jim Morrison and his curiosity. The narrator of the story is Jim Morrison a rock star or a legend. Jim Morrison is leading vocalist for the band the doors.
Jim Morrison battled his curiosity. He went pass real life boundaries just to see what will happen. No one could tell him what to do.
This is a great book showing an American rock star at his prime. I recommend this book to a lot of people.
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LibraryThing member Jbaughman123
Name: No One Here Gets Out Alive.
Author: Danny Sugerman, Jerry Hopkins.
If you like to read biographies about rockstars from the 60's, then I would definently reccomend this book to you. It is all about the life and death of Jim Morrison, and how clever he was with the lyrics he wrote. This book
Author: Danny Sugerman, Jerry Hopkins.
If you like to read biographies about rockstars from the 60's, then I would definently reccomend this book to you. It is all about the life and death of Jim Morrison, and how clever he was with the lyrics he wrote. This book
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also explains how tough it is to deal with drugs, and dealing with the life of a rockstar. It is also interesting to see all the different things Jim and the other characters do. And, lastly, I think this book is great because the author did a great job of what was going on. Show Less
LibraryThing member engpunk77
Biography of Jim Morrison. Not much to say...if you like the Doors or Jim Morrison, I'm sure you'll like it!
I was way into Jim and the doors when I was in 8th and 9th grade. Probably not a good thing...his life seems so glamorous, which works if you're of age and a rock legend. It doesn't work that
I was way into Jim and the doors when I was in 8th and 9th grade. Probably not a good thing...his life seems so glamorous, which works if you're of age and a rock legend. It doesn't work that
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way when you're 13. Show Less
LibraryThing member MerkabaZA
If you're a fan of the Doors then you can;t do worse than pick this up. It's an interesting read detailing the history of the band and the trials and tribulations of Jim Morrison.
LibraryThing member purplequeennl
I attempted to start this a couple of times, but struggled to get into it mostly due to how badly written it is. It is sporadic in its anecdotes, some of them feel like they don't have a point. There are a lot of people mentioned, many whom aren't introduced, so as a reader I was unsure what
I did enjoy the insight, although I had hoped to have a clearer idea about his demise, but it seems it will always be shrouded in mystery. The only thing I can be sure of is that with the quantity of alcohol and drugs Jim consumed, if he had faked his death, he probably wouldn't have survived for many years after. An interesting read, although a difficult one at times, which didn't flow well.
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relevance they had to Jim Morrison or to the event begin spoken about. But I did wonder if the chaotic way in which this was written was deliberate, to try and give an idea what it was like being around Jim Morrison and in that period of time in the late 60s, early 70s - a reflection of the time and the man.I did enjoy the insight, although I had hoped to have a clearer idea about his demise, but it seems it will always be shrouded in mystery. The only thing I can be sure of is that with the quantity of alcohol and drugs Jim consumed, if he had faked his death, he probably wouldn't have survived for many years after. An interesting read, although a difficult one at times, which didn't flow well.
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Original publication date
1980 (1e édition originale américaine)
1981 (1e traduction et édition française, Christian Bourgois)
ISBN
0760706182 / 9780760706183