The Lizard King speaks to us still. Over 50 years after his death, at the rock’n’roll age of 27, the doors have been opened and the outpourings of Jim Morrison’s mind have been captured and somewhat formalised in this huge volume of poetry, pictures, words and lyrics, A Guide To The Labyrinth.

Frontman of The Doors, hellraiser, crooner, screamer and messiah, Jim Morrison always appeared to harbour notions of himself as the next great American poet. His sister, Anne Morrison Chewning, makes the case for him in an exhaustive collection that, at near 600 pages, can only be for The Doors completist or Morrison obsessive. There are many still out there who would claim to be both. But for some, Morrison’s opaque imagery and entangled symbolism is and was too messy and meandering. But seeing and reading all his work, with explanations from Jim himself and other contemporary writers, really does give a fascinating insight into his processes and intentions. The reptile theme looms large: Labyrinth is an apt title for a mind that coils and curls around its subject with seductive, deadly intent.

On the British rock revival, he wrote, “It became self-conscious … The energy is gone. There’s no longer belief.” The complete opposite of Morrison’s writing that always conveyed the naivety, energy and commitment of his performances.