The Doors say Morrison will stay in Paris

Jim Morrison: grave is tourist attraction

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Fans of rock icon Jim Morrison need not worry that the Doors singer will be disinterred next year when the lease on his Paris grave runs out.

Morrison's former colleagues in the Doors say they are confident the French government will allow him to continue resting in peace at the famed Pere Lachaise cemetery.

Upset by throngs of Doors pilgrims, the relations of Parisians buried nearby have petitioned cemetery officials not to renew Morrison's lease when it expires July 6, 2001, the 30th anniversary of his death.

But Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek said the "French government is probably going to supersede that."

To cheering fans at a rare Doors reunion performance in Hollywood on Tuesday, Manzarek claimed Morrison's grave is the No. 4 tourist attraction in Paris -- after the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa and the Beauborg museum.

"It's a great place for him. It would be nice for him to be here, but that's a perfect place for him, the American in Paris," Manzarek said.

Guitarist Robby Krieger added that Morrison always wanted to be buried at Pere Lachaise, and authorities should respect his wishes.

Morrison, who died of heart failure aged 27 after leading the Doors to success with hits like "Light My Fire" and "Touch Me," shares the cemetery with such notables as Irish wit Oscar Wilde, Polish-born composer Frederic Chopin and French singer Edith Piaf.

A full time guard is stationed at Morrison's grave to make sure emotional Doors fans no longer get too emotional and trash the site.

Manzarek, Krieger and drummer John Densmore teamed up on Tuesday with guest vocalists such as Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots and English rocker Ian Astbury of the Cult to tape a TV special for music cable network VH1.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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