Hard Rock Cafe

The Doors outside the original Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Los Angeles (1969). Source

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I have never eaten at the Hard Rock Cafe in Kuwait and I've only been there once to check out the interior design before it opened. Tacky is an understatement. My favorite Hard Rock is the one in London, but that was a long time ago.

Quick, what is the connection between Hard Rock Cafe Inc. and Jim Morrison’s drinking problem?

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Answer: The back cover of The Doors “Morrison Hotel” album shot in downtown Los Angeles.

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After shooting for the album cover at the said hotel in December 1969, Jim Morrison’s itch took him and the band to a dive bar across the street called “Hard Rock Cafe.” The crew took some pictures at the bar and the band later decided to use them on the back cover of the album and called the entire B-side “Hard Rock Cafe” as a tribute to the joint.

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Jim and the band knocking down a few brews at the Hard Rock Cafe. Source

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Soon after the album was released the band received a phone call from a guy in London asking them if they minded if he used the name for a café he’s opening not far from Buckingham Palace, to which Jim replied: “No.” And the rest, as the cliché goes, is history.

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For a dramatic portrayal of Jim Morrison's genius and his short and messy life, watch Oliver Stone's The Doors. For a closer look at the man himself, check out the award winning documentary "When You're Strange."

The Doors Sampler

Roadhouse Blues
Light My Fire
People are Strange
Spanish Caravan

Cars Hiss By My Window

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Listen

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