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Yorkshire Evening Post |
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Their one and only performance in this country was two years ago. Despite numerous attempts to have them back since then, The Doors have never crossed the Atlantic for a follow up performance. But after six months of negotiations and discussions with the group and their managemnts in America and England, the Doors have been netted for the five day mammoth Isle of Wight Festival of Music, set for August 26 -30. The Doors and their leader, Jim Morrison, could be dubbed the most controversial and perhaps the most successful rock group on the earth. At the Roundhouse in London in September, 1968, their act was a sell-out and hailed as the biggest, most exciting development in progressive rock music. Progress continues. In three years of high-voltage existence, The Doors have been awarded five successive gold albums for million-dollar sales on each of their Elektra albums - the only rock group in the world to achieve such a success. Jim Morrison (that’s him in the chair) [refers to photograph] and his three aids, Robbie Kreigar, John Densmore and Ray Marzarek, are uncompromising in their moods. They have been criticised, maligned, adored, reviled and reported. They have been described as satanic Primitive. But since the days John Peel began playing their records on his radio shows there has been little doubt about their ability, power and magnetism. The American Rolling Stones. When I called Fiery Creations Limited, who are staging this year’s spectacular, 40 full-time staff were already engaged at Festival Headquarters in the sleepy village of Totland, and making arrangements to cater for an expected influx of a quarter of a million young people. Impressive. Inquiries have been pouring in from Yorkshire and tickets, which have been on sale in 300 agencies since July 3, are going fast. Last year it was Bob Dylan who drew the young from all corners of the world to the little island of 1000,000 population. This year’s line-up is as impressive, perhaps even more so. Leonard Cohen is booked along with Ritchie Havens, a smash last year., Chicago, The Who, Pentangle and many may more |