The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California by vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger. The Doors' music was a fusion of psychedelic rock, hard rock, blues-rock, and acid rock. They were considered a controversial band, due mostly to Morrison's cryptic lyrics and unpredictable stage persona. The remaining members of the band dissolved it in March 1973,short of two years after Morrison's death on July 3rd 1971. Despite a career that barely totaled eight years, The Doors still enjoy a huge cult following as well as status in the mainstream music industry as being hugely influential and original. According to the RIAA, they have sold over 32 million albums in the US alone.

The origins of The Doors lay in a chance meeting between acquaintances and fellow UCLA film school alumni Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek on Venice Beach California in July 1965. Morrison told Manzarek he had been writing songs (Morrison said "I was taking notes at a fantastic rock-n-roll concert going on in my head") and, with Manzarek's encouragement, sang "Moonlight Drive". Impressed by Morrison's lyrics, Manzarek suggested they form a band.

'The Doors' self-titled debut LP was released in the first week of January 1967. It featured most of the major songs from their set, including the 11-minute musical drama "The End". The band recorded the album in a few days in late August and early September 1966, almost entirely live in the studio, with several of the songs being captured in a single take.

In March 1967, The Doors performed at The Matrix Club in San Francisco, California. The March 7 and 10 shows were recorded by a co-owner of The Matrix, Peter Abram. These recordings are notable as they are among the earliest live recordings of the band to circulate. On November 18, 2008, The Doors published a compilation of these recordings, Live at the Matrix 1967, on the band's boutique Bright Midnight Archives label.

In September 1967 the Doors gave a memorable performance of "Light My Fire" on the Ed Sullivan Show. According to Ray Manzarek, network executives asked that the word 'higher' be removed in favor of 'better', as you couldn't say 'high' on national TV. The group initially agreed to this, but nonetheless performed the song in its original form, either because they had never intended to comply with the request, or Jim Morrison was nervous and forgot to make the change (Manzarek has given conflicting accounts). Either way, 'higher' was sung out on national TV, and a furious Ed Sullivan cancelled another six shows that had been planned. To which Jim Morrison reportedly said: "Hey man, so what? We just DID the Ed Sullivan Show".

The second Doors LP, Strange Days, continued to explore the genre of acid rock. The closing track, "When the Music's Over," evoked the length and drama of "The End." The album was also commercially successful and featured now-classic Doors songs such as "People Are Strange" and "Love Me Two Times."

In April, the recording of the third album was marred by tension as a result of Morrison's increasing dependence on alcohol. Approaching the height of their popularity, the Doors played a series of outdoor shows that led to frenzied scenes between fans and police, particularly at Chicago Coliseum on May 10.

On December 9th, 1967, The Doors performed at an infamous concert in New Haven Arena in New Haven, Connecticut which ended abruptly with Morrison's on-stage arrest by local police.

The Miami incident refers to a Doors concert on March 1, 1969, at the Dinner Key Auditorium in Miami, Florida where Morrison gave a controversial performance. The restless crowd was subjected to Morrison's lack of interest in singing songs that night, as well as to his unconventional emotional outbursts, screaming challenges to the audience, and making irreverent social statements. The confusion and taunts led to some out-of-control situations, such as Morrison allegedly exposing his penis, which resulted in an abrupt end to the show after only one hour.

Their fourth album, The Soft Parade (1969), released in June, further distanced the group from their core fan base, containing pop-oriented arrangements and horn sections. The lead single "Touch Me" featured saxophonist Curtis Amy.

The Doors gave two concerts at the Earl Carroll Theatre (then called the "Aquarius" theatre) on Sunset Bvd, Hollywood.

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