After shooting the ‘Morrison Hotel’ images for said album, Jim Morrison’s need for drink drove the band down to L.A.’s skid row, where The Doors happened upon a little dive bar called ‘Hard Rock Cafe’. The boys were all piled in John Densmore’s VW van with photographer Henry Diltz, when they collectively spotted the joint with the now famous name on East 5th St. and all said,“Oh, we gotta go in there!”

Side one of ‘Morrison Hotel’ would end up being named ‘Hard Rock Cafe’, and famously pictured on the back of the album. The shots taken that day back in December of ’69 are some of my favorite Doors’ pics. Years later photographer Henry Diltz recalled:

 I guess though sometime the next year after the album came out with that picture on the back, they [The Doors] got a call from England and this guy says, ‘Hello. Would you mind if we use that name on the back of your album? We’re starting a cafe over here in London and we would like to use that name.’ And they said, ‘No, go ahead,’ and that was the beginning of it. Now every time I go into a Hard Rock Cafe, whatever city I’m in, I always feel like I should get a free hamburger. 

December 1969, Los Angeles, CA – The Doors barside at the original Hard Rock Cafe on East 5th Street in Los Angeles’ Skid Row. Sadly, it’s no longer there. — Image by © Henry Diltz/Corbis

December 1969, Los Angeles, CA — The Doors outside the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Los Angeles — Image by © Henry Diltz/Corbis

December 1969, Los Angeles, CA — The Doors drinking with the locals at the original Hard Rock Cafe in Los Angeles — Image by © Henry Diltz/Corbis

December 1969, Los Angeles, CA – Jim Morrison of the Doors, stands amidst a group of men outside the original Hard Rock Cafe in the skid row area of downtown L.A. – Image by © Henry Diltz/Corbis

December 1969, Los Angeles, CA — Los Angeles rock band The Doors barside at the Hard Rock Cafe in Los Angeles. The Doors are (L-R): John Densmore, drums; Robbie Krieger, guitar; Jim Morrison, vocals; Ray Manzarek, keyboards. — Image by © Henry Diltz/Corbis

December ’69, Los Angeles, CA — The Doors at the Morrison Hotel — Image by © Henry Diltz / Corbis. The band was denied permission to photograph inside the Morrison Hotel by the proprietors, so they waited ’til no one was looking and snuck in while Henry Diltz snapped the now famous pic from outside the hotel.

December 1969, Los Angeles, CA — Rock band the Doors inside the Morrison Hotel during the photo shoot for the album cover of the same name. The Doors are: (l to r) keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, singer Jim Morrison, and drummer John Densmore. — Image by © Henry Diltz/Corbis

December ’69, 1246 South Hope Street, South Park, Los Angeles, CA — Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek outside the Morrison Hotel — Image by © Henry Diltz/Corbis

December 1969, Los Angeles, CA — The Doors at the Morrison Hotel — Image by © Henry Diltz/Corbis

Source: The Selvedge Yard