Half a century since their enigmatic yet erratic frontman Jim Morrison died, the psych-blues-jazz rock & roll of The Doors retains its allure with each new, successive generation still looking to the counterculture to pave the creative path forward from the fringes.
Maintaining the hypnotic rage against the man and keeping the live-fusion essence of The Doors humming is Unlocking The Doors (UTD), a Wollongong-based Doors tribute band comprised of four talented musicians and die-hard fans.A self-described "absolute Doors tragic", the charismatic Richie Mikic leads UTD who perform regularly nationally.
Ahead of shows in Melbourne and Adelaide, we catch up with Richie to find out which Doors songs they never cover, whether Morrison would've been a social media addict, and which colour door is best to walk through.
What makes Unlocking The Doors unique to other Doors tribute acts?
UTD are unique as we've been given approval of our authenticity by Jim and Ray.
A dearly beloved friend and fan is touched with the gift of mediumship. He's attended our shows and witnessed Jim along with Ray admiring our efforts and "digging what we feel". Ray even mentioned he had a crush on Sandy [keys and bass] who is of matching heritage to his wife Dorothy (Fujikawa) Manzarek.
Are there any Doors songs/ material you won't play (for whatever reason)?
We won't play songs from the albums succeeding Jim's death. They're a different vibe, a different musicality.
They're brilliant albums and don't receive the credit they deserve, but they don't have the fourth element that created the madness of The Doors.
What's the most requested Doors track you get asked to play; and on the flip how often do you get asked to play obscure Doors songs?
'Roadhouse Blues' is a must at every gig. Get ready to be sledged if it isn't played. Everyone at some time in life has woken up in the morning and got themselves a beer; it reminds us of our glory days and you want to scream it to the world!
We actually do play quite a few obscure tracks. We play what we like, that way the authenticity is rampant.
Favourite piece of poetry from Jim Morrison?
'The Severed Garden' without a doubt. It's a very romantic view of death which Jim was very passionate about. The words flow and they make you believe. You get a glimpse of what Jim saw when he would stare out to the world and think.
The band have a trio of shows upcoming in Adelaide and Melbourne; you must be looking forward to being back on the road again?
We had to re-scheduled Adelaide and Victoria three times so yeah, we're keen! We've actually been very busy since the NSW lockdowns lifted the last time.
We started up again straight away and we've pretty much reached a new peak in our playing. Recent Queensland shows gave us match fitness and we proved it with a home-town gig last weekend. The people went nuts.
Last time we chatted, you said if Jim hadn't died so young he would have moved into films; can you expand on that? And do you think he would have formed other bands later in life?
Film was Jim's first passion and he would have written quality scripts just as he wrote quality poetry.
We're still analysing and loving his poetry 50-plus years on. May I say it, he would have matched the stylings and cut of Stanley Kubrick. Cult classics, spoken of for generations, somewhat timeless.
Although The Doors time was more than 50 years ago now, how relatable does their music remain for younger audiences?
The kids love it. I see the teenagers at the front of the stage singing every lyric and joining me in reciting Jim's poetry. That's testament man, you don't get anymore evidence than that.
If Jim Morrison had been alive during the social media age, would he have been a regular content poster?
Jim, social media? Maybe in the beginning but not long term. I honestly cannot answer that but my gut feeling says no. I think he'd like us to pick up a book instead. "Read some Nietzsche and then we'll talk," I could imagine him saying.
Some fun questions: You're presented with a red door, green door and yellow door. Which one do you walk through and why?
Green. It's not primary. It's the odd one out. Why's it there? Why did they do that? Who did that? Do you see where I'm going with this?
Best local takeaway joint for a midnight feed that will leave you with a food coma?
FatBoy Grill & Pide Market St. Wollongong. T.H.E. B.O.M.B!
Which fictional character best describes your personality?
I'd like to say Dr. Nick Riviera from 'The Simpsons'. I'm pretty good at greeting a room and saying stupid stuff that doesn't necessarily make me look stupid. Well, I like to think. . .
Last show you binge-watched (and what kept you glued to the screen)?
'Mad Men'. Everyone wants to be Donald Draper in one way or another. I love era-precise cinematography and they nail it. Smooth, snappy-dressed corporates who know how to party. There's interest there.
Unlocking The Doors 2022 Tour Dates
Sat 26 Mar - The Gov (Adelaide)Fri 1 Apr - Sooki Lounge (Melbourne)
Sat 2 Apr - Eddie's Bandroom (Melbourne)
Fri 15 Jul - Mansfield Tavern (Brisbane)
Sat 16 Jul - Kings Beach Tavern (Sunshine Coast)
Sat 30 Jul - Paddo RSL (Sydney)
