Latest news with #MladenMikulin
CBC
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Marble bust of rock legend Jim Morrison found, 37 years after it disappeared
The bust was uncovered in Paris during an unrelated investigation Image | CORRECTION Jim Morrison Bust Caption: The grave of American rock singer and poet Jim Morrison stands in France's most famous graveyard, Le Pere LaChaise cemetery, in a photo taken Dec. 8, 1982. The bust disappeared in 1988, and was recovered earlier this year. (Herve Merliac/The Associated Press) Media Audio | As It Happens : Marble bust of rock legend Jim Morrison found, 37 years after it disappeared Open Full Embed in New Tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. A marble bust of rock legend Jim Morrison vanished without a trace in 1988, leaving behind only rumours, speculation and a mystery that baffled fans for decades. Now, 37 years later, it's finally been found — unexpectedly uncovered in Paris during an entirely unrelated investigation. On May 16, the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office announced the recovery of the long-missing sculpture. The police's Financial and Anti-Corruption Brigade discovered the bust while executing a search order from an examining magistrate at the Paris Court. For Jeff Jampol, manager of Morrison's estate, the discovery was as unexpected as it was surreal. "I thought, 'Wow, it's a really interesting twist,'" Jampol told CBC's As It Happens host Nil Köksal. "It was really interesting how they came across it while they were undergoing a different operation." Croatian sculptor Mladen Mikulin installed the bust, carved from Macedonian white marble, to place on Morrison's tombstone in 1981, on the tenth anniversary of the Doors frontman's death. But over time, it was vandalized — its nose and lips chipped, covered in graffiti. And in 1988, it disappeared completely. Now recovered, the sculpture is reportedly in the same condition it was when it disappeared — still marred by decades-old graffiti, the nose still broken. There was no immediate word on whether the bust would be returned to the grave or what other investigation might take place, according to The Associated Press. Jim Morrison of The Doors: Rock and Roll Poet for a Generation Larger than life Morrison and the Doors left an indelible mark on the music scene of the 1960s. Co-creating the groundbreaking psychedelic rock band with keyboardist Ray Manzarek in Los Angeles, Morrison helped launch a sound that was dark, experimental and provocative. "The Doors were a very edgy, dark, psychedelic band, and they sang about and spoke of things that most bands do not," said Jampol. "It taps into a certain zeitgeist and a certain part of the conscious and unconscious. [They] stood apart from every other band I knew." The band exploded from obscurity to stardom with their 1967 breakout hit Light My Fire. At the heart of that mystique was Morrison — nicknamed The Lizard King — whose magnetic voice and outlandish performances, became a symbol of rebellion and counterculture. Before his days on stage, Morrison studied film at UCLA was a devoted reader of William Blake, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg — poets whose influence bled into his lyrics. More than a bust In 1971, at the height of his fame, Morrison moved to Paris with his longtime partner, Pamela Courson. He hoped to devote himself to writing poetry. But just months later, he was found dead in their apartment bathtub at the age of 27. Though no autopsy was performed, his death was ruled a heart attack. Morrison was buried in Paris's famed Père-Lachaise Cemetery, resting among cultural giants like Oscar Wilde, Édith Piaf, and Frédéric Chopin. "Jim had commented he would love to be buried there. He's with his fellow artists," said Jampol. Morrison's grave quickly became one of the most visited in Paris. Tourists and fans alike continue to flock there each year on the anniversary of his death. "In a country where you have the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe and the Notre-Dame Cathedral and Euro Disney and the Louvre Museum and the Champs d'Elysées, Jim's gravesite at Père-Lachaise is one of the top five most visited sites in France," Jampol said. For fans, the bust is a tangible connection to Morrison's legacy. But for Jampol, his essence lies elsewhere. "There's so much mythology and lore ... tied up in Jim Morrison and the band," he said. "Some [fans] are attached to physical objects.… They attach some kind of outsized lore to them." "But for us [and] for the Morrison family, we're interested in the art, the music, the poetry and the filmmaking of Jim. That's what's important to us [than] which guitar Robby Krieger played, or which shirt Jim Morrison wore. 'The art and the message is what's key to us."
National Post
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- National Post
Jim Morrison bust stolen from his Paris grave in 1988 has been found
Article content PARIS — Police have found a bust of Jim Morrison that was stolen nearly four decades ago from the Paris grave that has long been a place of pilgrimage for fans of the legendary Doors singer and poet. Article content Article content The bust taken in 1988 from Pere-Lachaise cemetery was found during an unrelated investigation conducted by a financial anti-corruption unit, Paris police said in an Instagram post Monday. Article content There was no immediate word on whether the bust would be returned to the grave or what other investigation might take place. Article content Article content Morrison, the singer of Doors classics including Light My Fire, Break on Through and The End, was found dead in a Paris bathtub at age 27 in 1971. Article content He was buried at Pere-Lachaise, the city's cemetery that is the final resting place of scores of artists, writers and other cultural luminaries including Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein and Edith Piaf. Article content The 135-kilogram bust made by Croatian sculptor Mladen Mikulin was added to the grave in 1981 for the 10th anniversary of the singer's death. Article content 'I think it would be incredible if they put the bust back onto where it was and it would attract so many more people, but the cemetery wouldn't even be able to hold that many people,' Paris tour guide Jade Jezzini told The Associated Press. 'The amount of people who would rush in here just to see the bust to take pictures of it, it would be incredible.' Article content Article content Known for his dark lyrics, wavy locks, leather pants, theatrical stage presence and mystical manner, Morrison has inspired generations of acolytes who congregate at his grave to reflect and sometimes to party, including a major gathering for the 50th anniversary of his death. The site has often been covered with flowers, poetic graffiti and liquor bottles left in tribute. Article content He was undergoing a cultural renaissance when the bust was stolen in the late 1980s, which peaked with the 1991 Oliver Stone film The Doors, in which Val Kilmer, who died in April, played Morrison. Article content Article content London artist Sam Burcher recently returned to the now more subdued grave site that she first visited 40 years ago when the sculpture of Morrison was still in place. Article content 'The bust was much smaller than all of these grand tombs. It was very modest, so I was quite surprised by that,' she told the AP. 'But the other thing was the atmosphere, it was buzzing. There were people partying, smoking, music, dancing, and then I brought strawberries and kind of gave them out to everyone … it was just such an amazing experience.'
The Independent
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Bust of Doors singer Jim Morrison that was stolen nearly 40 years ago has been recovered
Police have found a bust of Jim Morrison that was stolen nearly four decades ago from the Paris grave that has long been a place of pilgrimage for fans of the legendary Doors singer and poet. The bust taken in 1988 from Père-Lachaise cemetery was found during an unrelated investigation conducted by a financial anti-corruption unit, Paris police said in an Instagram post Monday. There was no immediate word on whether the bust would be returned to the grave or what other investigation might take place. Morrison, the singer of Doors classics including 'Light My Fire,' 'Break on Through,' and 'The End,' was found dead in a Paris bathtub at age 27 in 1971. He was buried at Père-Lachaise, the city's cemetery that is the final resting place of scores of artists, writers and other cultural luminaries including Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein and Edith Piaf. The 300-pound bust made by Croatian sculptor Mladen Mikulin was added to the grave in 1981 for the 10th anniversary of the singer's death. 'I think it would be incredible if they put the bust back onto where it was and it would attract so many more people, but the cemetery wouldn't even be able to hold that many people,' Paris tour guide Jade Jezzini told The Associated Press. 'The amount of people who would rush in here just to see the bust to take pictures of it, it would be incredible.' Known for his dark lyrics, wavy locks, leather pants, theatrical stage presence and mystical manner, Morrison has inspired generations of acolytes who congregate at his grave to reflect and sometimes to party, including a major gathering for the 50th anniversary of his death. The site has often been covered with flowers, poetic graffiti and liquor bottles left in tribute. He was undergoing a cultural renaissance when the bust was stolen in the late 1980s, which peaked with the 1991 Oliver Stone film 'The Doors,' in which Val Kilmer, who died in April, played Morrison. London artist Sam Burcher recently returned to the now more subdued grave site that she first visited 40 years ago when the sculpture of Morrison was still in place. 'The bust was much smaller than all of these grand tombs. It was very modest, so I was quite surprised by that,' she told the AP. 'But the other thing was the atmosphere, it was buzzing. There were people partying, smoking, music, dancing, and then I brought strawberries and kind of gave them out to everyone ... it was just such an amazing experience.' Morrison cofounded the Doors in Los Angeles in 1965 with Ray Manzarek. Robby Krieger and John Densmore joined soon after. The band and its frontman burned brightly but briefly, releasing albums including 'The Doors' 'Strange Days," and 'Morrison Hotel, whose The California site that gave that album its name and cover image was seriously damaged in a fire last year. After their final album, 1971's 'L.A. Woman,' Morrison moved to Paris. His cause of death was listed as heart failure, though no autopsy was performed as none was required by law. Disputes and myths have surrounded the death and added to his mystique.
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Bust of Doors singer Jim Morrison that was stolen nearly 40 years ago has been recovered
PARIS (AP) — Police have found a bust of Jim Morrison that was stolen nearly four decades ago from the Paris grave that has long been a place of pilgrimage for fans of the legendary Doors singer and poet. The bust taken in 1988 from Père-Lachaise cemetery was found during an unrelated investigation conducted by a financial anti-corruption unit, Paris police said in an Instagram post Monday. There was no immediate word on whether the bust would be returned to the grave or what other investigation might take place. Morrison, the singer of Doors classics including 'Light My Fire,' 'Break on Through,' and 'The End,' was found dead in a Paris bathtub at age 27 in 1971. He was buried at Père-Lachaise, the city's cemetery that is the final resting place of scores of artists, writers and other cultural luminaries including Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein and Edith Piaf. The 300-pound bust made by Croatian sculptor Mladen Mikulin was added to the grave in 1981 for the 10th anniversary of the singer's death. 'I think it would be incredible if they put the bust back onto where it was and it would attract so many more people, but the cemetery wouldn't even be able to hold that many people,' Paris tour guide Jade Jezzini told The Associated Press. 'The amount of people who would rush in here just to see the bust to take pictures of it, it would be incredible.' Known for his dark lyrics, wavy locks, leather pants, theatrical stage presence and mystical manner, Morrison has inspired generations of acolytes who congregate at his grave to reflect and sometimes to party, including a major gathering for the 50th anniversary of his death. The site has often been covered with flowers, poetic graffiti and liquor bottles left in tribute. He was undergoing a cultural renaissance when the bust was stolen in the late 1980s, which peaked with the 1991 Oliver Stone film 'The Doors,' in which Val Kilmer, who died in April, played Morrison. London artist Sam Burcher recently returned to the now more subdued grave site that she first visited 40 years ago when the sculpture of Morrison was still in place. 'The bust was much smaller than all of these grand tombs. It was very modest, so I was quite surprised by that,' she told the AP. 'But the other thing was the atmosphere, it was buzzing. There were people partying, smoking, music, dancing, and then I brought strawberries and kind of gave them out to everyone ... it was just such an amazing experience.' Morrison cofounded the Doors in Los Angeles in 1965 with Ray Manzarek. Robby Krieger and John Densmore joined soon after. The band and its frontman burned brightly but briefly, releasing albums including 'The Doors' 'Strange Days,' and 'Morrison Hotel, whose The California site that gave that album its name and cover image was seriously damaged in a fire last year. After their final album, 1971's 'L.A. Woman,' Morrison moved to Paris. His cause of death was listed as heart failure, though no autopsy was performed as none was required by law. Disputes and myths have surrounded the death and added to his mystique.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Shocking act of rock vandalism is SOLVED after 37 years
This is The End - of a 37-year search. That's what authorities in Paris were saying Monday after they recovered a bust statue of late rock icon Jim Morrison which had been missing since 1988. The bust of The Doors front man - which was first declared missing from a Paris cemetery - was recovered Monday by investigators assigned to a fraud case, a source told Agence France-Presse (AFP). The statue was initially crafted by Croatian artist Mladen Mikulin in 1981, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Light My Fire singer's mysterious 1971 passing at the age of 27. Authorities working under finance and anti-corruption probes were the ones to recover the statue, which had been missing for 37 years, officials said. The grave of the iconic rock star - who sang classics such as Light My Fire, Touch Me, Roadhouse Blues, and Riders on the Storm - remains an attraction for rock fans following Morrison's 1971 passing. Morrison's death has never been clearly defined, as early reports placed him in a bathtub after suffering a heart attack. French journalist Sam Bernett said in his 2007 book The End: Jim Morrison that the account was a muted version to protect the legacy of the musical artist, the AFP reported. Bernett said that Morrison fatally overdosed on heroin at his former Paris nightclub Rock 'n' Roll Circus. Morrison was in the bathroom of the venue, which was on the Left Bank in Paris. 'The flamboyant singer of 'The Doors,' the beautiful California boy, had become an inert lump crumpled in the toilet of a nightclub,' Bernett said in the book. Bernett said of Morrison to People in 2021: 'He had his head between his legs. He had white fluid around the lips and the nose, and his eyes were closed. I saw that something was very wrong.' Commenters on The Doors subreddit had varied opinions about the recovered bust - which has graffiti on it - and what should be done with it moving forward. 'Looks rough. Wonder what the chances are of cleaning it up, or restoring it somehow,' one user said. Commenters on The Doors subreddit had varied opinions about the recovered bust - which has graffiti on it - and what should be done with it moving forward Another person said that the bust remains 'iconic just like it is,' to which another user joked, 'Grab a Sharpie, then.' One user noted that 'so much Doors history is happening this year in particular,' adding that 'it's finally nice to get some news that isn't something depressing for a change. Among the factors they mentioned included the recovery of the bust; a December blaze of a downtown L.A. structure known as the Morrison Hotel. Also mentioned was the April 1 death of actor Val Kilmer, who played Morrison in the 1991 movie from Oliver Stone, The Doors.
