The Doors ‘Morrison Hotel’ building in downtown LA has been damaged by fire
A building in downtown Los Angeles that became famous as the backdrop for an album cover photo by legendary rock band The Doors was severely damaged after a fire broke out Thursday morning.
The building that was once home to a transient hotel known as the Morrison Hotel was the backdrop for the cover photo for the band’s fifth album, titled “Morrison Hotel,” given the nod to the last name of Doors’ frontman Jim Morrison. The photo, taken by famed rock photographer Henry Diltz, was taken on site in December 1969. The album was released in February 1970 by Elektra. Morrison died in July 1971 at the age of 27.
“On this day, December 17, 1969, we were taking photos for the Morrison Hotel album cover,” Diltz wrote on Facebook. “We were in a temporary hotel in downtown LA on Hope Street. The Doors didn’t have permission to take photos, so when the lobby was empty, they quickly ran inside and sat behind the window.”
In recent years, the building, located near the intersection of Pico Boulevard and Hope Street, has been used as a training ground for the Los Angeles Fire Department. It was planned to be converted into affordable housing.
But the building is now being red-tagged after a fire broke out around 11 a.m. PT on Thursday. It took 17 fire departments about an hour and a half to bring the flames under control, according to a report by KTLA-TV Los Angeles.
“Morrison Hotel” features a rougher sound befitting an unfortunate hotel near Skid Row in Los Angeles. The platter opens with the rowdy “Roadhouse Blues” and includes Doors fan favorites like “Peace Frog,” “Waiting for the Sun” and “Ship of Fools.”
