Things were getting busy at the label. So many interesting and creative people trucked through the front hall, came in for meetings, and were calling, calling, calling. Among those passing through the front hall were the other three Doors - Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore. On those occasions, both Ray and Robby acted as if I was non-existent, not so much as a 'hi,' or a glance in my direction. John, however, always attended by his long-haired dachsund Otto, was friendly and normal, perhaps because Otto would come running to see me, and get under the reception desk. While retrieving him, John would chat for a short while.
However, there was no sign of Jim in person. He did call in just to catch me up on things we'd talked about, i.e. he had located the two guys he had been writing a script with at UCLA Film School, before the Doors were put together, and he was going to take the script to Paris with him, to continue work. I'd encouraged him to do that, and I was pleased that it had worked out.
He seemed to be very focused on film and scripts during our chats, but none of them were particularly long, unlike the first call. He was obviously busy, and I heard he was staying away from booze, which we had also talked about. I'm quite sure this was a conversation he had with many of his friends at that time. I had alcoholics in my family, and I suggested to Jim that he might have that problem. Though he listened politely and responded intelligently, it was pretty obvious that he thought he could stop on his own - a common mistake that alcoholics make - and I left it at that. If he could, he would.
Sometime towards the end of the year, Larry Saul, our then-regional promotion director, offered me a job as his secretary. No more ringy-dingy, no more tied to the telephone line!
I got to work with the local promotion guys west of the Mississippi, all of whom were WEA employees, and though I missed opportunity to assist all and sundry with their incoming calls, I was now much more involved with the music than before.
Jac was bringing in artists like Harry Chapin and Carly Simon. The Doors had completed the album, "L.A. Woman," with at least two killer songs, "Riders On The Storm," and the title track. I no longer saw Densmore and Otto, as I was sitting in the back of the building by then, but I did get to know Bill Siddons and Danny Sugerman, the Doors manager and office assistant respectively, who came in often to consult with the sales department and the promotion department.
January 1971, WEA had its first convention coming up in Palm Springs, which I was expected to attend. Clothes for some of the evening events were an issue, the budget being a bit tight, but Diane Gardiner, who was working in the publicity department, sharing the next-door office with Billy James, hauled three of us secretaries over to Themis one lunch time.
Themis wasn't open that much, and certainly never until the afternoon, but Pam Courson had some very nice clothing on sale - although nothing in my price range! I hadn't met Pam before, but she turned out to be very pleasant, though she spent some time grumbling to Diane about Jim and how badly he was treating her. As this grumbling was going on in a high-end boutique largely funded by him, there was a certain irony at play!
However, Pam was very generous and gave me a black dress that I was admiring, which I wore at the convention. I certainly couldn't have afforded to buy it at that time. About two weeks' salary. Here I am in the dress in January!
Soon thereafter, Jac decided we should throw an opening party for the new building - in March.
Photos: Elektra logo, the location of Themis back in the day, a poster insert to LA Woman, and me wearing the Themis dress.
PART FIVE NEXT WEEK. JIM RE-ENTERS THE STORY!
I first met him in September 1969, and then we caught up again in around October 1970. He died in July 1971. I think that period of his life was significant in many ways, not just a friendship with me.
Posted by: sally stevens | 02/20/2011 at 07:59 PM
Wow, not until 1970!? So you developed a relationship with Jim quickly and only over a six or seven month period? Is that right? It seems amazing how many people he seems to have touched in such a short period of time. I don't mean to say it's not possible that he did this only that it seems uncommon. Thanks for writing about your experiences. What a fantastical time to have been around the LA music scene.
Posted by: Kyle Wegner | 02/20/2011 at 07:49 PM
Thanks, Kyle. Fixing the typos! I didn't even start work at Elektra until August 1970!
Posted by: sally stevens | 02/20/2011 at 07:27 AM
This post says the party at Elektra was in March 1970 and the next post says it was the last time you saw Jim, as he left for Paris. But what about the rest of 1970? I thought Jim left for Paris around March of 1971.
Posted by: Kyle Wegner | 02/19/2011 at 09:06 PM
Interesting, what kind of films was Jim planning, I think that is so cool.
Posted by: grunge | 01/21/2011 at 01:44 PM
I'd just started at Atlantic when the Palm Springs convention was held and I remember Ahmet saying that Diane was one of his "ears" on the west coast and I should take care of her. I had seen her at events with John Carpenter and thought they were an item, so I booked them a room together. Which did not go over well with either of them. But the music was great!
Posted by: Will Yaryan | 01/21/2011 at 04:50 AM
Great stuff very down to earth! Was the pic of themis from then or just the location more recently? Sometimes I'm over there and think about all the Doors history in that one block/area.
Posted by: Patrick Ney | 01/20/2011 at 10:36 PM