TRiBE recently ran an article resulting from an interview with Patricia Kennealy-Morrison, in which her views on her relationship with Jim Morrison were expressed exactly as she wished. 

In all fairness, I feel the voice of Pamela Susan Morrison, (formerly Pamela Courson) should also be heard, as accurately as is possible in posthumous dialogue. As most of Jim's fans know, Pamela's death from an overdose of heroin occurred approximately 
three years after his untimely demise. Six years of diligent research and interviews with family, close friends, aquaintances, business associates, and others are presented in a cohesive, and for the most part, refreshingly unbiased manner in "Angels Dance and Angels Die" by Patricia Butler. 

The assumption that numerous women inhabited Jim's heart in countless capacities during the course of his lifetime is not far fetched. He was magnetic, initially by his undisputed physical beauty. Beyond that was high intelligence, talent, wit... A man who was intricately challenging, both indulging and self indulgent, to a fault: A fatal fault. 

One common thread in his biographies is the reasonable conclusion that late in life, Jim was enmeshed in the painful process of deciding priorities, grappling with loyalty to those he loved, and coming to grips with the possible reality of finally achieving peace within himself, as well. Commitment to a soulmate must have weighed heavily in his struggle to gain control of his own future and destiny... 

I had the opportunity to attend one of Ms. Butler's signings at a local bookstore, where I met and talked with her, also taking part in a group discussion, which I recorded. 

It surprised and intrigued me to learn she was only nine years old when Jim died, and began this project as an unpublished secretary with an urge to break out of her mundane surroundings and do something. The quest for that "something" led her to Paris, where she happened across a frenzy centered around "someone" interred in Pere-Lachaise. Her curiosity about the 
phenomenon of Jim's "beyond the grave" influence on past and present generations inspired her to delve into the enigma of Jim Morrison... and ultimately, Pamela. 

"Angels Dance and Angels Die" traces the relationship from start to finish-- of both Jim and Pam. The stage for their meeting is set with a tangible picture of each's childhood, pieced together from documented events and from impressions imparted by people involved, directly and indirectly... willingly and not so willingly. Photographs, many of which I've never seen, were revealing, and the book's narration is approached in a predominately open-ended non-conclusive manner, offering few personal opinions as "fact". 

The author notes that up to now, Jim's biographies have drawn only a faint sketch of the woman with whom he had apparently spent far more time than any other. Enough time, she maintains, to meet California's criteria to grant a widow's stipend under "common law marriage" status. During their estimated five years of co-habitation, Jim and Pam had more than once aquired a marriage license, but had neglected to follow through with a formal ceremony. When Jim died, Pam was the sole heir of his estate in a will drawn up on February 12, 1969. 

Sometimes life's mysterious fabric allows for the interwoven harmony of two souls who complement and strengthen one another. The union of Jim and Pam had no such happy ending. The testimonies of those interviewed reinforced the images of a couple deeply entrenched in inner turmoil, repeating the same acts of "sabatage" so consistently there were no reserves to fight obstacles thrown into their paths by others. 

Some of the voices lept from the page with their sincerity of grief, tugging at my intuitive heartstrings more than others. Cheri Siddons, wife of Doors' manager Bill Siddons got my full attention each time she "spoke", particularly in this passage from the book: "It was never 'The Doors!' right? It was never that. I mean the crowd was always screaming 'Jim! Jim! Jim!' And he looked at me once and said, 'Cheri what do they want from me? They don't know me, they don't know who I am. What do they want?' I mean that was the crux of it to me, right there. I always compared Jim to Mick Jagger because Jagger would be one person when he was backstage, and when he got onstage, he became the star-- he knew how to make that switch. Jim couldn't make that distinction, and he didn't even have the desire to make it. Somehow everyone got to Jim more. Everyone was sucking more, wanted more. Maybe because Jim was prettier, deeper-- it could've been a lot of reasons. But I think somewhere in the middle of it, he didn't want to play anymore and yet this cogwheel was going around him; everyone was counting on him, everyone's livlihood, the record company, the band... everybody was there wanting him to do this." 

Some extremely controversial subject matter is examined, rumorous dirty laundry aired, and hypothetical theories regarding their veracity are laid out in plain language. Most disturbing are the excerpts from Jim's lawyer Max Fink's unpublished manuscript,  which mainly concern Jim's "secrets" supposedly revealed to Fink while under the duress of the Miami trial proceedings. 

Ms. Butler includes the most detailed account of Pamela's short life after Jim's death I have ever read, with a logical, although partially speculative set of scenarios surrounding the circumstances of her death. Accidental overdose, suicide...murder? As in Jim's death, the long-shot possibilities are open to endless debate. At least in Pamela's case, an autopsy was performed. 

Concrete conclusions about the exact nature of their deaths will likely always be a grey impenetrable area, but glimmers of new light are shed in this book. 

And somewhere, in the pure white light of Truth, angels dance... and never die.