While Anaheim is primarily known as the home of Disneyland, another big piece of the city’s pop culture legacy is the rock band No Doubt. The former Stefani house on Beacon Avenue in Anaheim plays a major role in the band’s history. After their formation, No Doubt regularly practiced in the garage of this house. When they finally found their breakthrough hit, “Just A Girl,” the house was seen in the music video (the neighbor’s house to the left could be seen as well), as Gwen Stefani sings in the driveway. The band even named their record label Beacon Street Records, as well as naming one of their albums “The Beacon Street Collection,” all in reference to their beginnings at this home. A shot of the band in the driveway can be seen on the back cover of the album.
Michael Jackson’s classic music video for “Thriller” was filmed around Los Angeles, California. The exterior of the theater where Michael watches watches a film can be found in Downtown Los Angeles.
LOCATION: 630 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014
In the Angelino Heights neighborhood near Echo Park, you’ll find the house from the video. The same home appeared in the film “Teen Witch.” Just a couple doors down is the house from “Charmed” (also seen in “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo”) and across the street is the house from “Grandma’s Boy.”
LOCATION: 1345 Carroll Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026
The dance scenes in the street were filmed in Downtown Los Angeles. This area has since become heavily populated by the homeless.
LOCATION: Union Pacific Ave / Calzona St, Los Angeles, CA 90023
The Doors are an iconic Los Angeles band and there are quite a few locations in Southern California closely tied to the band.
Lost in the decay of one of the more derelict areas of downtown Los Angeles sits the the former Morrison Hotel. In it’s heyday, the hotel was a place for transients, with rooms available at discounted rates. While the band originally asked permission to photograph on the premises, management declined. In typical Doors fashion, however, the band snuck inside anyways, when the clerk left the front desk. The famous cover photo was taken, without permission, on December 17, 1969.
Today, the building sits empty. However, just behind the boarded up doors and windows exists some wonderful architecture and the interior to one of the most famous album photographs of all time. Once a year, a pop-up event is held, which restores the place to looking like it did in it’s prime.
LOCATION: 1246 South Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Over in Laurel Canyon, you’ll find the house where Jim Morrison lived with his girlfriend and penned the song “Love Street,” about Rothdell Trail and the surrounding neighborhood. Morrison would sit out on the balcony and watch hippies outside, which is where the song title is derived.
LOCATION: 8021 Rothdell Trail, West Hollywood, CA 90046
Located right beside the Jim Morrison house is the Canyon Country Store. The store is referred to specifically in “Love Street” as “this store where the creatures meet.” At the height of the 1960s counterculture movement, the Canyon Country Store served as a meeting place for musicians, such as Joni Mitchel, David Crosby and Mama Cass Elliot, all of whom penned songs about the neighborhood, with the latter even living in the basement of the store for a period. The store is still open today and remains a popular spot for locals.
LOCATION: 2108 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046
The Doors famously served as the house band at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, until they were fired after performing the spoken word section of their song “The End.” The Whisky remains an active music venue.
LOCATION: 8901 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
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