The Doors are closed!

[brownie]

From Reuters:

FORMER DOORS DRUMMER WINS SUIT AGAINST BANDMATES

By Dean Goodman

Fri Jul 22, 9:25 PM ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The former drummer for The Doors won a permanent injunction on Friday preventing his bandmates from using the rock group's name while touring with a revamped version of the legendary 1960s act.

The Los Angeles Superior Court order also requires keyboardist     Ray Manzarek and guitarist     Robby Krieger, who have been touring as The Doors of the 21st Century, to turn over all the profits earned by the new combo to the original Doors partnership.

The decision represents a major victory for Doors drummer     John Densmore, who told Reuters he was concerned that the band's legacy was being tarnished by its reincarnation as an oldies act.

Manzarek and Krieger, along with British singer Ian Astbury subbing for the late Jim Morrison, are touring Canada as headliners of the "Strange Days" festival, which also features such bands as Steppenwolf, the Yardbirds and Vanilla Fudge.

"They're playing Doors songs and calling themselves the Doors of the 21st Century. I kinda think it's the 19th century, it's looking back," said Densmore, who plays original music with his own band Tribal Jazz.

He teamed up with Morrison's estate -- represented by the parents of both Morrison and Morrison's late wife, Pamela Courson -- to sue Krieger and Manzarek in early 2003.

Under an agreement struck in 1971, the year Morrison died in Paris, all three surviving members as well as the Morrison estate must sign off on any use of the Doors name and logo.

"I'm very pleased that, in my opinion, the legacy is preserved," added Densmore. "I never intended for Ray and Robby to stop playing -- they're great musicians. I hope Doors fans keep going to see them -- it's just the name is owned by me and them and the estate of Jim Morrison, and they kinda ran off with stolen property."

Densmore estimated that Manzarek and Krieger have earned "millions and millions of dollars" on the road in recent years, more than the original band ever made.

A management representative for Krieger and Manzarek in Los Angeles did not return a call.

The Doors rose to fame in the late 1960s with such songs as "Light My Fire" and "Touch Me." After Morrison, their provocative frontman and self-styled "lizard king," died of a heart attack, the band eventually folded.

Its mythology exploded with the 1980 publication of the Doors biography "No One Here Gets Out Alive" and then with     Oliver Stone's 1991 movie "The Doors." The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, with the three members reuniting for a few songs behind Pearl Jam singer     Eddie Vedder.

Edited July 23, 2005 by brownie

[wigwise]

Actually, John Densmore won the suit.

[brownie]

Damn right, editing the thread header

[1ngram]

Densmore come across as a complete pain in the arse. Sound like he wanted his cut but without actually performing so zip to the other two. As if we would notice who the drummer was!

[7/4]

Densmore come across as a complete pain in the arse.  Sound like he wanted his cut but without actually performing so zip to the other two.  As if we would notice who the drummer was!

←

Uh...I'm glad he won. As an original member (like Morison) he deserves a cut.

[BFrank]

I had thought that they used the name "The Doors of the 21st Century" to get around that problem. I guess it didn't work ...

[Adam]

They could start calling themselves the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

[Jazz Kat]

I see his point, it's nothing new, but I think they only used the 21st century part to mean that the musicians were of and playing in the 21st century. I don't know if John talked it out with the other fellas, but that seems the logical thing to do. Don't really see the harm. Yet I ain't the one missing out on a couple million bucks, am I...?

[Tjazz]

I had thought that they used the name "The Doors of the 21st Century" to get around that problem. I guess it didn't work ...

←

So they'll change the name to The Doors Revisited or Half Doors or Riders On The Storm?

Sounds like D21C can still play, but they only get half the revenue. The other half goes to the partnership. (So 1/4 for each of the original members, Jim's estate still gets 1/4 too)

Or maybe the D21C group gets 2/3 of the revenue and John gets 1/3 of the previous tour revenues. Not sure if the agreement is for just the 3 guys. Seems to make more sense. So any of the 3 guys had FULL veto power.

The Los Angeles Superior Court order also requires keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger, who have been touring as The Doors of the 21st Century, to turn over all the profits earned by the new combo to the original Doors partnership.

D21C will just have to leave the word DOORS out of the name. Remember, it was a jury that made the ruling, so like the OJ jury, anything goes.

Edited July 25, 2005 by Tjazz

[Jim Alfredson]

Densmore is the only one in that group with integrity. If it wasn't for him, we'd be hearing Doors tunes in commercials, ringtones, etc. His stance is "we've made enough money... why ruin the songs by selling out?"

I have a lot of respect for that.

[Dr. Rat]

Densmore is the only one in that group with integrity.  If it wasn't for him, we'd be hearing Doors tunes in commercials, ringtones, etc.  His stance is "we've made enough money... why ruin the songs by selling out?"

I have a lot of respect for that.

←

Personally, I think it's kind of silly. The songs were from the outset little bits of lifestyle marketing. Of course Densmore has a right to decide (or help decide) HOW his work is disposed of in the marketplace, but I don't see anything righteous about it. It's just a disagreement over marketing strategy.

--eric

[Jim Alfredson]

If you've read an interview with him, he doesn't see the songs as "little bits of lifestyle marketing." I'm not a Doors fan, but as a musician, I have a lot of respect for where he is coming from.

[Dr. Rat]

If you've read an interview with him, he doesn't see the songs as "little bits of lifestyle marketing."  I'm not a Doors fan, but as a musician, I have a lot of respect for where he is coming from.

←

No doubt he has a different view of things that I have, or than Jim Morrison had. And certainly he has a right to try to protect his vision of that music, naive as I might see it to be.

I just don't see that as virtuous. I'd say that all music from which people have made millions of dollars, that are being avidly sought after by commercial advertizers, are already commodoties, and, in fact were created as commodities and are in no way degraded by being used to sell some other commodity.

I'm not saying that the Doors music is somehow degraded for being popular, I'm just saying that the reverence we have for popular music hits on the one hand, and the complete and utter disdain we have for advertizing on the other is a symptom of a sort of denial: a denial that there the dividing line between successful "art" and "commerce" is not at all easy to draw. And probably not even worth the effort.

My point is something like: Among artists everyone has always already "sold out." There is no not "sold out." All there is is different ways of selling out to choose amongst, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

--eric

[Chrome]

[Dr. Rat]

I'd say that all music from which people have made millions of dollars, that are being avidly sought after by commercial advertizers, are already commodoties, and, in fact were created as commodities and are in no way degraded by being used to sell some other commodity.

←

Are you saying that it's the popularity that makes the music a commodity? Or that all music (and therefore all art) = commodities because they were created to be "consumed"?

It almost sounds like your getting into the "death of the author" type stuff, because I bet a lot of the creators, even of popular music, don't view their music as a commodity ...

←

Well, I'm not quite going that far with it (death of the author). I would go so far as to say that the author's intention is only ONE of the things to look at.

And I'd say that part of the reason why artists would be quick to deny that their work are commodities is because they have a misplaced disdain for the concept "commodity."

If you think of a commodity as an item created with the intention of it being traded, then art is a commodity. I'd even push it so far as to say that all art is ipso facto commodified and that the essential question isn't whether but how it is commodified. I think this is a much more reasonable and even healthy basis for discussion than the false dichotomy between commerce and art that we've been desperately trying to maintain for the last 100 years or so.

--eric

[Tjazz]

The show was sold and booked as the Doors of the 21st Century, but after an injunction July 22 by Doors original drummer John Densmore that prevented the reformed band from using the Doors name, the band announced July 23 that they are now known as D21C.

Nonetheless the classic act was here, or least guitarist Robby Krieger and keyboardist Ray Manzarek, were. They were rounded out with Phil Chen on bass, Ty Dennis on drums, and, with the unenviable task of filling in for The Lizard King, was Ian Astbury formerly of the Cult.

The DOORS are opened!

Calgary Sun

Edited July 25, 2005 by Tjazz

[Tjazz]

With an enthusiastic opening of Roadhouse Blues, Astbury really took off. Krieger and his trademark Gibson SG and Manzarek did not allow themselves to be left behind.

Musically this group has progressed further than anything heard on their previous records.

Astbury didn’t miss the opportunity to mock the injunction, even in the middle of songs.

Calgary Sun

I didn't know D21C had any "previous" (or current) records.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Maybe some people are unaware that Manzarek, Krieger, and Densmore put out two albums as The Doors after Morrison died (Other Voices & Full Circle). And then after that, Densmore and Krieger formed The Butts Band. No one really cared for any of these.

I'm waiting for the 21st Century Butts Band. Now, that's got a ring to it.

Mike

[PHILLYQ]

Maybe some people are unaware that Manzarek, Krieger, and Densmore put out two albums as The Doors after Morrison died (Other Voices & Full Circle). And then after that, Densmore and Krieger formed The Butts Band. No one really cared for any of these.

I'm waiting for the 21st Century Butts Band. Now, that's got a ring to it.

Mike

←

With the obesity epidemic is that a big band?

[chris olivarez]

I'm glad Densmore won the suit. There's enough bands touring that are at best gutted versions of the original. Credence is one example that comes to mind. Densmore's suit ensures that there is one less parody making the rounds.

[Kalo]

I'm happy for Densmore.

Still, I'm puzzled by the continued high repute in which this band is held.

I guess that there's more of a following for "existential bubblegum" music than I would ever have imagined. As far as I'm concerned, they're the bastard offspring of Jacques Brel and the 1910 Fruitgum Company.

Never underestimate the power of a dead frontman. (Why else would INXS, for example, now have a TV show?)

Edited July 26, 2005 by Kalo

[BERIGAN]

I hope the 58 former drummers of Pearl Jam will be inspired by this lawsuit, and will force 'em to change their name to Oyster Marmalade.

[Kalo]

Too bad Keith Moon's not still around to put an end to the charade known as "The Who."

[Michael Fitzgerald]

I'm no fan of the recent Who, but I mean, compared with Creedence Clearwater Revisited, it's another world. The Who has the lead singer and the guitarist/prime songwriter. What does CCR have - oh, the drummer and bassist. Oh yeah. Like they were soooo distinctive.

Mike

[Tjazz]

Grand Funk Railroad also tours around with a different singer!

The Doors, The Eagles, The Rolling Stones, The Who - a bunch of old guys singing oldies.

Edited July 26, 2005 by Tjazz