Customer Reviews

Mr. Mojo Risin': Jim Morrison, the Last Holy Fool

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With a deft pen Mr. Dalton cuts through the man-made creation that many of us know as Jim Morrison to expose something more truthful. A tragic figure caught in the idealistic and pretentious 60's, trying to use music to transcend, yet ultimately defined and cliched, trapped in his own celebrity. Not always easy to stomach the book paints a picture of the rock scene and the 1960's far and away from the nostalgic musings we hear on the subject today, the picture the author paints is far more sinister. Yet through it all Morrison's music stands as a testament to his genius, and the often dark journey you take with the author serves the necessary task of shattering the creation that is Jim Morrison. When this was accomplished I felt I had an insight into Jim, a deep empathy and closeness that our pop culture seeks to conceal.

This is one fantastic look at Jim Morrison. It really does give you some insight into the man, myth and legend, without becoming to over-the-top. Not to mention the fact that I learned a lot about other poets that influenced him. Mindful, insightful. It really gives you the blood and guts of the man right in front of your eyes. Go Dave! I wonder what else your have in store for us with other rockers of days gone by.

"mr. mojo rising" is the best book on jim morrison to date. if you admire morrison and understand who the man was, you will appreciate the non-academic, poetic nature of this book that paints a picture of jim as a creative but also very human and flawed individual who dug his own hole and yet was still a well intentioned, noble young man full of talent and passion as well as self destructiveness and rebelliousness. although at times i was a little annoyed at dalton's slightly excessive cynicism and criticism, as a whole it strikes the balance perfectly between admiration and construtive commentary, giving the intelligent fan an imaginative rush and a glance into the underground literary/pop rock vision that is all too rare in the literature available about jim and the underlying message of his art. ignore dalton's occasionally arrogant dismissal of morrison's attempt to transcend rock and actually change things, and you will find that no other study of morrison is as penetrating into his motives and the inspirations that formed his attitude to authority and oppositional philosophy of life. a passionate study of a somewhat misguided but nonetheless truly great figure, the like of which popular culture will probably never see again. a must.

David Dalton relates the life and death of JM in a style I have found severely lacking in the multitude of other bios. Here the Lizard King is seen through the eyes of an obviously well versed writer. No hero-worship here, yet a fair factual account presented in an enchanting language. "Pieces of Osiris" indeed. Not recommended for recent Hooked on Phonics graduates. Highly recommended for any Doors/Morrison fans looking for something different or for anyone looking for a simply marvelous and rewarding read.

Jim Morrison is one of the most written about performers of rock n' roll and "Mr. Mojo Risin'" stands as one of the wildest, most poetic biographies ever produced on the self-proclaimed Lizard King. David Dalton writes in a rich, feverish style that makes the book just as enjoyable to read as it is to look at. He describes in great detail Morrison's influences such as Jack Kerouac, William Blake and Nietzsche. What we end-up with is an intellecual dissection of Morrison's art, his rise to legendary heights with The Doors, one of the most influential of all rock bands, is described in mythic fashion, which is fitting considering men like Morrison are like Che Guevara, they are the mythic figures of our time in our culture. The is very fascinating when concerning the literary influences that contribute to the great lyrics of classics such as "Break On Through" and "The End." This is significant because it helps understand why the music of The Doors does not decrease in popularity, with a rich literary force in the music, it survives as does good literature. "The End" remains as vital as Conrad's "Heart Of Darkness." Jim Morrison comes off not just as a tragic poet, but also as an artist looking for answers in that which is almost spiritual, he was the first performer in rock who used the concert setting as a seance, as a religious event more than just a fun time. Consider his shamanistic movements on stage and the invoking power of the music in numbers such as "When The Music's Over." Of course, this is lost today in most of Morrison's influence on modern music when you look at bands like Marilyn Manson, Godsmack and Disturbed, even older bands with The Doors influence stamped on them such as Iggy Pop & The Stooges and Alice Cooper are more about the shock viscera than deep poetic journey. Dalton's writing is also intellectual in it's insight, as when he rightfully writes about the conservative landscape being also a breeding ground for monsters and also describes in interesting fashion the 60's and radical art changes that occurred during the era. The true delight of this book is the words, Dalton writes with great poetic prose, describing everything with visceral energy and rich phrasing which is enhanced by the great selections of photographs showing The Doors on stage and individual shots of Morrison dressed all in black leather, looking like a rebel with the heart of a poet. He almost seems prophetic. This is a poetic read and a great tribute to The Doors, their time, their music and their timelessness.

As a true Doors fan and a knowlegable Jim Morrison studier, I felt that this author took a bad approach to this book. I disliked how Jim was portrayed as just some drug addicted kid who happened tobe born with an above average IQ. If you like the Doors as much as I do, I recomend you stay away from this book as you will end up angry with the author for his bad judgment.