the back doors

Inducted Members: Chris Conrad, Jim Hakim, Mark Hartman, Bob Welsh, Bob Zivny

Legendary vocalist Jim Morrison’s death at age 27 all but ended the Doors’ career. Though their time was relatively brief, the Doors built a collection of records that could stand against practically any other American band’s output. Their hits, from “Light My Fire” to “Love Her Madly,” are all-time classic rock tracks that are as relevant decades after their release as they were during Morrison’s lifetime. 

In 1967, in Northeast Pennsylvania, a young Jim Hakim was introduced to the Doors’ legendary sound by his friend Jerry Kishbaugh. Hakim, a Wilkes-Barre native, had been in and out of rock bands for the majority of the 1960s, but went on a near decade-long hiatus from music when disco rose in prominence. During his time off, Hakim dabbled in acting and modeling, but music eventually called again in the early 1980s.

Hakim placed a newspaper ad looking to attract musicians to a novel and risky project: a tribute act to the Doors. In fact, this project was classified as a “specialty act” in their day, as the concept of a tribute artist was essentially unknown to the general population. The interest Hakim derived from his ad and musical connections formed the basis of the Back Doors, one of the first tribute bands of not just the Doors, but any artist.

The original Back Doors — which included Hakim, Chris Conrad, Mark Hartman, Bob Welsh, and Bob Zivny — were officially formed in 1980 and began touring in 1981. The group was fully committed to the Doors’ performance style and studied videos of the original band for regular inspiration. Hakim, in particular, was a revelation as Morrison, and fans were amazed by his faithful interpretation of “The Lizard King.” Hakim would occasionally bring his pet iguanas on stage during performances, with varying degrees of cooperation from the reptiles.

The Back Doors gained a huge following in the United States and Canada, despite never having a record to their own name to promote. They toured hundreds of thousands of miles for over 22 years, entertaining crowds typically ranging between 500 and 2000 people. The band also picked up some rock legends as fans, with Aerosmith, Rush, and Bryan Adams all catching the Back Doors live in concert during their prime. 

For presenting the Doors’ music to a generation who never experienced the original band in person, the Back Doors received media attention and accolades in the United States and Canada. In addition, they were a hit with the local media and fans. Each year, on the evening of Christmas, the Back Doors made a tradition of playing a show in Wilkes-Barre.

Over time, the Back Doors went through many iterations, with Hakim serving as a constant surrounded by a revolving group of musicians. However, band members left the Back Doors on good terms, and the connections Hakim built during his time on tour allowed him to fill out the band’s ranks. In recruiting members for the Back Doors, Hakim put an emphasis on choosing Northeast Pennsylvania-based musicians.

Throughout his time fronting the Back Doors, Hakim was a tireless defender of Morrison’s legacy, and made clear his intention to imitate, not replace, Morrison’s voice as the proper vehicle for the Doors’ music. At multiple points during the 1980s and early 1990s, Hakim’s name was in the mix to play Morrison on-screen. Most notably, Hakim was in the running to star in Oliver Stone’s The Doors before the Morrison role was filled by Val Kilmer. Hakim praised Kilmer’s performance, and credited the film with reenergizing the Back Doors’ fanbase.

The Back Doors beat countless tribute acts to the punch by decades when they took on the Doors’ outstanding catalog. They were well-known for their ability to bring to life the Doors’ music and performance style, which is to say they were nothing short of extraordinary on stage. There are the Doors and there are tribute bands, and skewing very close to the former are the Back Doors.