Rocker Paul Rodgers missed out on the chance to replace Jim Morrison as The Doors frontman because he was living in a country retreat and the legendary band struggled to track him down.
The Free and Bad Company singer was Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger's top choice to join them in the band following Morrison's death in 1971 and they travelled to the U.K. intending to offer him an audition.
But Rodgers was busy working at a remote countryside hideaway and couldn't be located by the Light My Fire hitmakers - and it was almost 40 years before he found out about the band's failed mission.
Rodgers tells Uncut magazine, "I discovered quite recently that I was lined up to join The Doors, which blew my mind. Robby Krieger told me that The Doors were all fans of Free and, after Jim Morrison's death, they came to England looking for me.
"Thing is, at that time, I had buried myself in the country, working on things, and they couldn't get hold of me. My jaw actually dropped, like in a cartoon, when Robbie told me this. Would I have joined them? I dunno. It's hard to say, looking back. But I think not. I tend to form bands, that's what I do. Although it's always flattering to be asked!"