Jim Morrison's stolen grave bust found after 37 years

Jim Morrison's stolen grave bust found after 37 years

A sculpture of the late American singer and poet Jim Morrison that hung from his gravesite in for nearly four decades Paris According to the French police, the man who had disappeared was found again.

Jim Morrison bust found after 37 years

“After 37 years of absence, the bust of Jim Morrison, stolen from Père Lachaise Cemetery in 1988, has been rediscovered,” the Paris regional directorate of the judicial police said in a statement Instagram post on Friday with.

The regulator added: "This iconic symbol for the singer's fans was rediscovered as part of an investigation by the Financial and Anti-Corruption Brigade under the supervision of the Paris Prosecutor's Office."

A happy moment for the Jim Morrison Foundation

A representative from the Jim Morrison Foundation said: Rolling Stones magazine said they were “happy about the rediscovery” of the statue. He stressed: "It's obviously a piece of history and Jim's family wanted her to be at his grave, so it's pleasing that she's returned."

The connection to music history

Jim Morrison, the charismatic frontman of the 1960s psychedelic rock band The Doors, died in 1971 at just 27 years old. His grave in the French capital attracts many music fans. Located in the Père Lachaise Cemetery, it is considered one of the most popular tombs in Paris, according to the city's official tourism website. Every year crowds gather there on the anniversary of his death on July 3rd.

The story of the bust

The bust, created by Croatian sculptor Mladen Mikulin, was installed on his grave to mark the tenth anniversary of Morrison's death. Unfortunately, she disappeared in 1988. The gravestone, which was damaged in the 1980s, was replaced by his parents in 1990 and bears the inscription "True to His Spirit" in Greek letters.

Anniversaries and keepsakes

On the 20th anniversary of Morrison's death in 1991, police had to use tear gas to clear fans from the cemetery as riots broke out. Alcohol and music were also banned at the 30th anniversary, but thousands of fans still came to lay wreaths and take photos. “There’s a Doors song being played somewhere in the world every day,” former Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek said at the time. “The energy of Jim Morrison is still with us, in the airwaves.”

A short but lastingly impactful life

Morrison, also known as “The Lizard King,” developed a reputation for his heavy drinking and shocking stage performances. He left the band in 1971 to devote himself to writing poetry and moved to Paris with his girlfriend Pamela Courson. However, he died in her Paris apartment later that year. Courson reported to authorities that she found the singer lifeless in the bathtub. The official cause of death was heart failure, but no autopsy was carried out, which gave rise to numerous conspiracy theories.