A Wild Sanctuary: Chateau Marmont

The Chateau Marmont is one of the most famous hotels in the world, known for its luxurious accommodations and discreet staff. But the hotel is also known for something else: its association with rock n' roll. Over the years, the Chateau Marmont has played host to some of the most famous musicians in the world, and its place in rock n' roll history is firmly secured.

So, how did the Chateau Marmont become the most rock n' roll hotel? There are a number of factors that contributed to this reputation, including the hotel's location, its famous long-term residents, and its scandalous stories and infamous incidents.

One of the most important factors in the Chateau Marmont's association with rock n' roll is its location. The hotel is situated on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, which has long been a hub for the music industry. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, many famous musicians lived and played in the clubs and venues along the Strip, and the Chateau Marmont became a natural gathering place for these artists.

But it wasn't just the hotel's location that made it so appealing to rock stars. The Chateau Marmont's discreet staff and laid-back atmosphere also played a major role. Unlike many other high-end hotels, the Chateau Marmont was (and still is) known for its relaxed and welcoming vibe. The staff are famously discreet, and the hotel is known for being a place where famous people can come and go without being hassled or bothered by the paparazzi.

This atmosphere made the Chateau Marmont the perfect place for rock stars to escape the pressures of fame and relax in relative anonymity. Many famous musicians, from Jim Morrison to Led Zeppelin, have spent long periods of time living at the hotel, enjoying the privacy and tranquility it offered.

But it wasn't just the long-term residents that gave the Chateau Marmont its rock n' roll reputation. The Chateau Marmont has been the site of many wild stories over the years, and these incidents have only added to the hotel's rock n' roll reputation.

One of the most famous incidents took place in the 1930s, when the movie star Jean Harlow was staying at the hotel with her husband, the producer Paul Bern. One night, Bern was found dead in the couple's room, the victim of an apparent suicide. The scandal rocked Hollywood and added to the Chateau Marmont's reputation as a place where anything could happen.

In the 1960s, the hotel was home to many famous musicians, including Jim Morrison of The Doors. Morrison was known for his wild behavior, and he often caused chaos at the hotel. One night, he allegedly hung from the balcony of his room, taunting the staff and causing a scene.

The Chateau Marmont has also been the site of many wild parties and events, including the notorious 2011 party hosted by rock star Anthony Kiedis, which reportedly involved naked women and a fire in one of the bungalows.

The Chateau Marmont was also the site of a famous incident involving the comedian John Belushi. In 1982, Belushi was staying at the hotel with his friend, the guitarist and songwriter Kathy Smith. The two were partying hard, and Belushi was using drugs heavily. One night, Belushi overdosed in his room and died.

The incident was a shock to the entertainment industry, and it added to the hotel's reputation as a place where excess and indulgence were the norm. The incident was later chronicled in the book "Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi."

The Chateau Marmont has also been the site of many more lighthearted incidents. For example, the comedian Groucho Marx was once kicked out of the hotel after he smuggled a goat into his room. The goat reportedly caused a ruckus, and the hotel staff was forced to evict Marx and his four-legged friend.

Keith Moon from The Who was considered a regular during the era he drove a car into the swimming at another hotel but was notorious for his wild behavior, and the incident only added to his reputation as a rock n' roll badass.

Other famous incidents at the Chateau Marmont include actor Dennis Hopper's 1970 party, where he reportedly set fire to a pile of cocaine and burned his hand, and comedian John Waters' infamous party in the 1980s, which involved a live chicken being thrown into the swimming pool. The Chateau Marmont has been a haven for musicians for many decades, and it's no secret that some of the most scandalous incidents in the hotel's history have involved rock stars and other musicians.

Another one of the most notorious incidents took place in the late 1960s, when Led Zeppelin rented out several floors of the hotel for a wild party. The band members reportedly threw televisions out of the windows and trashed the rooms, causing thousands of dollars in damage. The incident was so wild that the hotel's management banned the band from ever returning.

The hotel was also a frequent haunt of the Rolling Stones during their heyday. In fact, the band's frontman, Mick Jagger, reportedly wrote the lyrics to "You Can't Always Get What You Want" while staying at the Chateau Marmont.

In the 1970s, the hotel became a popular spot for punk rockers and other musicians associated with the emerging punk scene in Los Angeles. One famous incident involved the band X, who were staying at the hotel while recording their album "Wild Gift." The band's guitarist, Billy Zoom, reportedly got into a fight with the hotel's manager over noise complaints, and the band was evicted.

The Chateau Marmont was also the site of many wild parties and incidents involving the members of Guns N' Roses. The band's frontman, Axl Rose, reportedly trashed his room during one stay, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage. The band also famously performed a cover of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" in the hotel's lobby during a particularly wild party.

Anthony Kiedis, the frontman of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has a long history with the Chateau Marmont. In fact, Kiedis has been a frequent guest at the hotel since the early days of his career, and he has many stories to tell about his experiences there.

One of the most infamous incidents involving Kiedis at the Chateau Marmont took place in the early 1990s, during the height of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' fame. Kiedis was staying at the hotel with the band's guitarist, John Frusciante, when the two of them decided to throw a party in their room.

The party quickly got out of hand, and Kiedis and Frusciante ended up trashing the room, causing thousands of dollars in damage. Kiedis later wrote about the incident in his memoir, "Scar Tissue," in which he describes how he and Frusciante tore apart the furniture, smashed the TV, and even urinated on the walls.

Despite the damage they caused, Kiedis and Frusciante were allowed to stay at the hotel, and Kiedis has continued to visit the Chateau Marmont over the years. In fact, he has even used the hotel as a recording studio, and has been known to rent out one of the bungalows for extended periods of time in order to work on his music.

These are just a few examples of the many scandalous incidents involving musicians at the Chateau Marmont. The hotel has long been known as a place where anything can happen, and where musicians can let loose and indulge in their wildest fantasies.

But while these scandalous stories may have helped to cement the Chateau Marmont's reputation as a rock n' roll hotel, it's important to remember that the hotel's association with music goes beyond these wild events. The hotel has also been the site of many memorable moments in rock n' roll history.

For example, the hotel's famous penthouse suite, which has been occupied by numerous famous musicians over the years, was the site of Jimi Hendrix's final interview before his death in 1970. The hotel has also been the site of many famous photo shoots and album cover sessions, including the cover for Led Zeppelin's album "Physical Graffiti" and the cover for Joni Mitchell's album "Ladies of the Canyon."

In addition to these moments of rock n' roll history, the Chateau Marmont has also played an important role in shaping the sound of rock n' roll. The hotel's infamous Room 29 has become legendary in music circles as the place where many famous musicians wrote some of their most iconic songs.

Room 29 is one of the most famous rooms at the Chateau Marmont, and it has a long and storied history that has been the subject of much speculation and fascination over the years.

The room is located on the second floor of the hotel's main building, and it has been occupied by a number of famous guests over the years. However, what makes Room 29 particularly interesting is the fact that it is said to be haunted by the ghost of a former guest.

According to legend, the ghost is the spirit of a woman named Leone Jensen, who was a former model and actress. Jensen stayed in Room 29 in the 1960s, and she reportedly died there under mysterious circumstances.

Over the years, guests who have stayed in Room 29 have reported strange occurrences, such as doors opening and closing on their own, unexplained noises, and a feeling of being watched by an unseen presence. Some guests have even claimed to have seen the ghostly figure of a woman in the room.

More recently, the room has been occupied by the musician Jarvis Cocker, who used it as a recording studio for his album "Room 29." The album was inspired by the history and mythology of the Chateau Marmont, and features songs that tell the stories of some of the hotel's most infamous guests.

Overall, Room 29 is a place that is steeped in history, myth, and legend. It is a place that has played host to some of the biggest names in Hollywood and music over the years, and it remains a source of fascination and intrigue for many people who are drawn to the hotel's unique blend of glamour, decadence, and mystery.

For example, in the 1960s, singer-songwriter Neil Young wrote some of his most famous songs, including "Cinnamon Girl" and "Cowgirl in the Sand," while staying in Room 29. Other famous musicians who have stayed in Room 29 include the Eagles, who wrote some of their biggest hits while staying in the room, and Led Zeppelin, who reportedly wrote their classic song "Stairway to Heaven" while staying at the hotel.

But it's not just the famous musicians who have stayed at the Chateau Marmont who have contributed to its rock n' roll reputation. The hotel's staff have also played an important role in shaping the hotel's association with music.

For example, the hotel's longtime manager, Philip Pavel, was known for his love of music and his close relationships with many famous musicians. Pavel was responsible for many of the hotel's most famous moments, including the time when he arranged for the Rolling Stones to stay at the hotel during their infamous 1972 tour of America.

The Stones' stay at the Chateau Marmont was a wild and chaotic affair, with the band members throwing televisions out of their windows and generally causing havoc. But Pavel was able to keep the chaos under control, and the Stones' stay at the hotel became the stuff of legend.

In addition to Pavel, other hotel staff members have also played important roles in the hotel's association with rock n' roll. For example, the hotel's longtime bartender, George Geary, was known for his close relationships with many famous musicians, including Jim Morrison and John Lennon.

Geary's stories about his interactions with these musicians are the stuff of legend, and he has become a key figure in the hotel's rock n' roll mythology.

In conclusion, the Chateau Marmont's association with rock n' roll is the result of a complex set of factors. Its location on the Sunset Strip, its discreet staff, and its laid-back atmosphere all played important roles in attracting famous musicians to the hotel.

But it's not just the long-term residents who contributed to the hotel's rock n' roll reputation. The hotel's scandalous stories and infamous incidents also helped to cement its place in music history, as did the many famous moments in rock n' roll history that have taken place within its walls.

The Chateau Marmont is more than just a hotel. It's a cultural institution, a place where the worlds of music and Hollywood intersect, and where the legends of rock n' roll are born. And while the hotel's association with music may have started as a happy accident, it has become an integral part of the hotel's identity and a source of fascination and inspiration for musicians and fans alike.