Editing The Doors (section)

=== ''Morrison Hotel'' and ''Absolutely Live'' (November 1969 – December 1970) ===
[[File:Doors - Morrison Hotel.jpg|left|thumb|Photo by [[Henry Diltz]] used on the cover of ''[[Morrison Hotel]]'']]
During the recording of their next album, ''[[Morrison Hotel]]'', in November 1969, Morrison again found himself in trouble with the law after harassing airline staff during a flight to Phoenix, Arizona to see [[the Rolling Stones]] in concert. Both Morrison and his friend and traveling companion [[Tom Baker (American actor)|Tom Baker]] were charged with "interfering with the flight of an intercontinental aircraft and public drunkenness".{{sfn|Riordan|Prochnicky|1991|p=347}} If convicted of the most serious charge, Morrison could have faced a ten-year federal prison sentence for the incident.{{sfn|Hopkins|Sugerman|1980|p=284}} The charges were dropped in April 1970 after an airline stewardess reversed her testimony to say she mistakenly identified Morrison as Baker.{{sfn|Hopkins|Sugerman|1980|p=290}}

The Doors staged a return to a more conventional direction after the experimental ''The Soft Parade'', with their fifth LP ''Morrison Hotel'' in 1970.<ref>{{cite web |first=Harvey |last=Kubernik |author-link=Harvey Kubernik |title=Ray Manzarek on the Doors' 6 Studio Albums: The 'Lost' Interviews |url=https://bestclassicbands.com/ray-manzarek-interview-doors-12-18-19/
|work=Best Classic Bands |date=February 12, 2022 |access-date=June 14, 2022}}</ref> Featuring a consistent [[blues rock]] sound, the album's opener was "[[Roadhouse Blues]]". The record reached No. 4 in the United States and revived their status among their core fanbase and the rock press. [[Dave Marsh]], the editor of ''[[Creem]]'' magazine, said of the album: "the most horrifying rock and roll I have ever heard. When they're good, they're simply unbeatable. I know this is the best record I've listened to&nbsp; ... so far".{{sfn|Hopkins|Sugerman|1980|p=284}} ''[[Rock (magazine)|Rock Magazine]]'' called it "without any doubt their ballsiest (and best) album to date".{{sfn|Hopkins|Sugerman|1980|p=284}} ''[[Circus (magazine)|Circus]]'' magazine praised it as "possibly the best album yet from the Doors" and "good hard, evil rock, and one of the best albums released this decade".{{sfn|Hopkins|Sugerman|1980|p=284}} The album also saw Morrison returning as main songwriter, writing or co-writing all of the album's tracks. The 40th anniversary CD reissue of ''Morrison Hotel'' contains outtakes and alternative takes, including different versions of "The Spy" and "Roadhouse Blues" (with [[Lonnie Mack]] on bass guitar and [[the Lovin' Spoonful]]'s [[John Sebastian]] on harmonica).<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Morrison Hotel |title-link=Morrison Hotel |others=The Doors |type=40th Anniversary edition CD booklet & Liner notes |year=2007 |publisher=[[Rhino Records]] |last1=Botnick |first1=Bruce |author-link1=Bruce Botnick |last2=Fricke |first2=David |author-link2=David Fricke |id=R2 101173}}</ref>

July 1970 saw the release of the group's first live album, ''[[Absolutely Live (The Doors album)|Absolutely Live]]'', which peaked at No. 8 position on the charts.{{sfn|Gaar|2015|p=102}} The record was completed by producer Rothchild, who confirmed that the album's final mixing consisted of many bits and pieces from various and different band concerts. "There must be 2000 edits on that album", he told an interviewer years later.<ref name="Jackson" /> ''Absolutely Live'' also includes the first release of the lengthy piece "Celebration of the Lizard".

Although the Doors continued to face de facto bans in more conservative American markets and earned new bans at [[Salt Lake City]]'s [[Salt Palace (arena)|Salt Palace]] and Detroit's Cobo Hall following tumultuous concerts,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/the-doors-cobo-arena-1970/ |title=How the Doors Got Banned from Detroit's Cobo Arena |last=Lifton |first=Dave |date=May 9, 2015 |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |access-date=January 15, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://mildequator.com/performancehistory/concertinfo/cancelled/700411.html |title=The Doors Cancelled Performances {{!}} Salt Lake City 1970 |website=Mildequator.com |access-date=January 15, 2020}}</ref> the band managed to play 18 concerts in the United States, Mexico and Canada following the Miami incident in 1969,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://mildequator.com/performancehistory/concertdates1969.html |title=The Doors Concert Dates & Info 1969 |website=Mildequator.com |access-date=January 15, 2020}}</ref> and 23 dates in the United States and Canada throughout the first half of 1970. The group later made it to the [[Isle of Wight Festival 1970|Isle of Wight Festival]] on August 29; performing on the same day as [[John Sebastian]], [[Shawn Phillips]], [[Lighthouse (band)|Lighthouse]], [[Joni Mitchell]], [[Tiny Tim (musician)|Tiny Tim]], [[Miles Davis]], [[Ten Years After]], [[Emerson, Lake & Palmer]], [[the Who]], [[Sly and the Family Stone]] and [[Melanie Safka|Melanie]];<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r233269|first=Richie|last=Unterberger |title=Isle of Wight Festival |website=AllMusic |access-date=October 3, 2020}}</ref> the performance was the last captured on the band's [[Roadhouse Blues Tour]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://mildequator.com/performancehistory/concertdates1970.html |title=The Doors Concert Dates & Info 1970 |website=Mildequator.com |access-date=January 15, 2020}}</ref>

On December 8, 1970, his 27th birthday, Morrison recorded another poetry session.<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=An American Prayer |title-link=An American Prayer |type=CD booklet |year=1995 |publisher=Elektra Records |last=Lisciandro |first=Katherine |id=CD-61812}}</ref> Part of this would end up on ''[[An American Prayer]]'' in 1978 with music, and is currently in the possession of the Courson family.{{sfn|Weidman|2011|p=375}} Shortly thereafter, a new tour to promote their upcoming album would comprise only three dates. Two concerts were held in Dallas on December 11. During the Doors' last public performance with Morrison, at [[The Warehouse (New Orleans)|The Warehouse]] in New Orleans, on December 12, 1970, Morrison apparently had a breakdown on stage. Midway through the set he slammed the microphone numerous times into the stage floor until the platform beneath was destroyed, then sat down and refused to perform for the remainder of the show.{{sfn|Riordan|Prochnicky|1991|pp=438–439}} After the concert, Densmore, Manzarek and Krieger came to a mutual agreement that they should end their live act, claiming Morrison was ready to retire from performing.{{sfn|Hopkins|Sugerman|1980|p=309}}{{sfn|Densmore|1990|p=263}}