As it is known, the 1960s was the decade that rock ‘n’ roll started taking over the world. Those were the years that the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Doors, and many more iconic bands experienced the peak of their careers. A key figure in the ’60s scene was the Rolling Stones. Their music influenced the entire history of rock that came after them, and it is possible to trace the ways in which the spirit of the period inspired them in many of their songs and stage performances.
Many consider the Rolling Stones’ classic era to be the mid-’60s. Mick Jagger, the frontman of the band, understandably wanted to improve his performance on a rock scene filled with so many legendary names, and in 1968 he asked his agent Tito Burns for advice. His agent told him to go and watch the Doors live and observe, and that’s how the story of Mick Jagger and Jim Morrison’s encounter began.
Who Did Mick Jagger Ask For Help To Perform Better?
In 1968, agent Tito Burns advised Jagger to observe the Doors in action to find the inspiration he had been searching for regarding his big American concert. The Rolling Stones frontman immediately booked a flight to Los Angeles, went to The Doors’ office, and demanded to speak with Jim Morrison. Morrison was staying at a motel in LA at the time. Jagger traveled there, and when he got there, he and Morrison engaged in a conversation.
During the conversation, Jagger asked the Doors frontman for advice on the great performance he dreamed of putting on. In Stephen Davis’ book ‘Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend’ published in 2001, Frank Lisciandro, Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek’s close friend, recalled this conversation. He revealed that as the conversation was going, Jagger asked Morrison if he meditated before shows, to which the vocalist responded by saying no.
Following that, Jim Morrison asked how Brian Jones was doing, as he was not doing well at the time. Then, Mick asked Jim if he knew the beat generation writer William Burroughs, which he didn’t. Ultimately, the pair decided to evaluate the live performances of their period. He noted that they found the concerts of those times extravagant and exaggerated and they laughed together.
Lisciandro added that the two names who suddenly found themselves in the middle of the rock scene were both a bit shy about it, but this shyness did not hinder their work in any way. He also stated that it was evident that the two praised each other’s musical talent.
Frank Lisciandro’s notes on the encounter between Jim Morrison and Mick Jagger reads:
“They laughed together about how everything was overblown. They had grown up with movie stars and cowboy heroes and everything, and then all of a sudden they were center stage. They were both kind of boyishly bashful about it, and yet in full command. And it was very evident that they had mutual respect for each other’s talent.”
Mick Jagger undoubtedly did justice to the American concert and hundreds more after this speech. The Doors, on the other hand, gave the legendary Hollywood Bowl performance in the same year. While it’s unknown whether Jagger got the inspiration he wanted for his big performance from Morrison, the encounter between the two iconic figures has remained a beautiful anecdote in rock history.
