Jim Morrison Collected Written Works Set For June

Set for publication just prior the 50th anniversary of Jim Morrison's death is The Collected Works Of Jim Morrison: Poetry, Journals, Transcripts And Lyrics, via the HarperCollins imprint. Variety reported the nearly 600-page book features such famed Morrison pieces as Wilderness, The American Night, along with the Doors frontman's iconic poems, "Horse Latitudes" and "The Celebration Of The Lizard."

Variety reported, "The collection, which will be published on June 8th, consists of 160 visual components accompanied by excerpts from Morrison’s 28 private, never-before-seen notebooks (including the Paris notebook, which is believed to be Morrison’s final journal, reproduced at full reading size). Additionally, the print collection will be accompanied by a digital audiobook that includes a full recording of Morrison’s last poetry recording session at the Village Recorder on his 27th birthday in 1970."

The book, which sells for $50, was produced with the full cooperation of the Morrison estate. Poetry, Journals, Transcripts And Lyrics features a forward by author Tom Robbins, a prologue by Morrison’s sister, Anne Morrison Chewning, and notes by Jim Morrison’s confidante and filmmaker, Frank Lisciandro.

While chatting on Britain's Absolute Radio, Roger Daltrey recalled his overriding recollection of the 1970 Isle Of Wight gig in which the Who performed alongside the Doors, among others: ["Well, my main memories of that show were backstage and I was sittin' round a campfire with Jim Morrison, sharing a bottle of Southern Comfort. Needless to say, we finished the whole bottle. He then went off into the darkness, kinda sideways. I went onstage sideways, and that's the last I saw of Jim, sadly. But what a really nice man he was. Much different than most people realize. He was very deep thinking and a sad loss for the music business — that's for sure."] SOUNDCUE (:25 OC: . . . that's for sure)