Tuesday, February 11, 2025

“Stronger Than Dirt. Ridin’ Jim Morrison’s HWY Until The End” by Fred Baggen, a new, fresh and updated recollection and guide to Jim Morrison and The Doors fans

This 143 page book offers personal insights all put together through a dedicated fan perspective as well as from people that were close to The Lizard King, including detailed valuable guides to their music, both official and bootleg releases, as well as to the Paris of Jim Morrison.

“Stronger Than Dirt. Ridin’ Jim Morrison’s HWY Until The End” by Fred Baggen, a new, fresh and updated recollection and guide to Jim Morrison and The Doors fans



One of the biggest and most enduring Rock icons of all time, Jim Morrison of The Doors continues to passionate new generations of music fans with his charismatic presence and songs, despite that on July 3rd, 50 years will pass since his untimely and controversial death at age 27 in Paris, France. Morrison and The Doors have influenced music, writing and the arts in general since they first came to the public eye in 1967, keeping up one of the most loyal and dedicated fanbase in Rock music ever since. Among those fans is Fred Baggen, who puts together an interesting and original literary work entirely based on his experience as Doors fan, as he puts it a “Memoir Fanatique”. The book goes beyond his own recollections and memoirs though, he gathers a new, updated and as complete as possible guide to Jim Morrison and The Doors fans, analyzing the career, personal life and works of the Rock icon, providing also the several theories about his mysterious death at age 27.

The Book

In the preface by Gilles Yepremian, who was one of the last friends Morrison made, already while he was living in Paris shortly prior to his death, he  provides some of his own recollections on Morrison as well as what he believes truly happened on the night of July 3rd 1971 in Paris. The book goes beyond recollections though, and Baggen gathers a new, updated and as complete as possible guide to Jim Morrison and The Doors.
Looking further inside The Doors fanbase , there are those who have dedicated their lives to Jim Morrison and the band, such is the case of  the American photographer Michelle Campbell, here she shares some thoughts and recollections illustrated with photos she took of other fans and members of Morrison’s inner circle visiting the icon’s gravesite, throughout the years.
For the first time, other fans can also have access to the words exchanged between The Doors business side and the author, which at times were not the best of words… Baggen, who’s also a graphic designer that has designed several Doors theme posters and illustrations, popular among the band’s fan community, starts the book with his first memory of the band when he listened to their live album “Absolutely Live” in 1983, throughout the book he tells how that same album, indirectly caused some mixed feelings with who was behind The Doors during the 1990’s (including members of the band he has passionately dedicated a large part of his life to).  An interesting collection of newspaper and magazine clippings related to Jim Morrison and The Doors, the many photon illustrations taken at the Morrison’s grave in the Pére Lachaise Cemetery in Paris (including captures of among others, members of the band and Morrison’s parents), and the Gilles Yepremian personal photos taken of Morrison back in 1971 shortly before his death, are also part of “Stronger Than Dirt”.

Overall, “Stronger Than Dirt”, which refers to The Doors lyrics of “Touch Me”, it’s an original, interesting literary work, focusing more on Morrison, and, despite the many books published over he years about the legend, provides new and updated insights and detailed valuable guides to their music, both official and bootleg releases, as well as to the Paris of Jim Morrison.

 

About the Author

Fred Baggen (1967) is a self-publishing author, interested in untold stories and obscure cultural and historical subjects. He wrote biographies about the founder of the Dutch department of the Church of Satan, is the editor of autobiographical stories of an Amsterdam Red Light District legend, and has written music biographies of Supersister and The Doors. His latest book is devoted to the 50th anniversary of Jim Morrison’s ‘life in death’, titled “Stronger Than Dirt. Ridin’Jim Morrison’s HWY Until The End”

“Stronger Than Dirt. Ridin’Jim Morrison’s HWY Until The End” is published by Aldus Boek Compagnie, a small, independent publisher based in The Netherlands, publishing fiction and nonfiction, and seeks to distinguish itself through personal, attentive authorial assistance, accurate editing, and excellence in design and typography. One of our most successful titles is a 1000 page biography of Dutch 1970s progrock legends Supersister, published December 2020.

Get the book

“Stronger Than Dirt. Ridin’Jim Morrison’s HWY Until The End” is a bilingual edition, combining Dutch and English, and can be ordered directly from the publisher / author and will be shipped to all destinations worldwide. Go to https://www.aldusboekcompagnie.nl/product/4386101/fred-baggen-stronger-than-dirt-ridin-jim-morrison-s-hwy-until-the-end



 

Watch a video preview of the book

Also watch The Doors interview with Richard Goldstein for PBS, 1969

Visit the official Facebook page for more on the book and the author

Visit Aldus Boek Compagnie

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