Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
The Doors Are Getting Their Own Day In L.A.
The Doors at a 1968 press conference. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)
()
The legacy of The Doors can be a complicated one. Some hail them as an indelible force in the era of psychedelia, what with Jim Morrison’s musings on Strange Days and lizard kings, as well as his detours into altered states of mind. Some are, uh, less impressed, saying the band’s significance doesn’t extend much farther than the hyper-sexual posturing of its frontman.
But it can’t be denied that The Doors are a particularly L.A. band. There is the fact of their history, of course. Morrison and keyboardist Ray Manzarek met while they were students in UCLA’s film program. The band formed in Venice, and their lore would be built through their live appearances (and photoshoots) around Los Angeles. There’s also something to be said about the sonic qualities of their sound; languid, murky, and suggestive of something dirty, their music is analogous for the haze that descends on L.A. during the late afternoon.
So yes, The Doors are L.A.’s representatives in the field of classic rock, and the city will acknowledge this when they designate January 4 as "Day Of The Doors." The proclamation ceremony will take place on Wednesday, exactly 50 years after the release of The Doors' first album, at 4:30 p.m. by the intersection Pacific and Windward Avenues, where the "Venice" lettering is. Drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robby Krieger (two of the last surviving members of the band) are expected to attend. Councilman Mike Bonin will be on hand to make the proclamation.
()
Support for LAist comes from
The Jim Morrison mural in Venice. (Photo by Ruth Hara via the Creative Commons on Flickr)
Both Bonin and the band members say that, while the group is considered an L.A. band, its heart lies in Venice, specifically. "Venice is a place were many have chased their pleasures or dug their treasures. It is a place that birthed The Doors and taught us all to cherish the funky, weird and world-renowned vibe that Jim, Ray, Robbie and John helped make famous," Bonin said in a statement.
Densmore, according to Rolling Stone, said in a statement that it was, “Very apropos that the Doors are jumpstarting our 50th in Venice where we started.” He added, "Our songs sprang up out of the Pacific like beautiful, edible silverfish ... and apparently the world took a big bite,” which is a very Doors thing to say.
The event is free and open to the public. And here's a video of them playing on KTLA(!).
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
First aspiring spectators must register online, then later in 2026 there will be a series of drawings. -
It's thanks to Tropical Storm Mario, so also be ready for heat and humidity, and possibly thunder and lightning.
-
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass suspended a state law allowing duplexes, calling more housing unsafe. But in Altadena, L.A. County leaders say these projects could be key for rebuilding.
-
L.A. County investigators have launched a probe into allegations about Va Lecia Adams Kellum and people she hired at the L.A. Homeless Services Authority.
-
This measure on the Nov. 4, 2025, California ballot is part of a larger battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year.
-
After rising for years, the number of residential installations in the city of Los Angeles began to drop in 2023. The city isn’t subject to recent changes in state incentives, but other factors may be contributing to the decline.
![A Black woman sits at a dais with a flag in the background. A name placard in front of her reads: Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kell[um].](https://scpr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5425437/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6298x3897+0+0/resize/640x396!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscpr-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F76%2F00%2Febed9a7a4fbd9e5ba12997e51d59%2Fgettyimages-1258669633.jpg)
Best of LAist