Known for their classic hits such as “Riders on the Storm” and “Light My Fire,” The Doors, formed by UCLA students Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, lead singer Jim Morrison and drummer John Densmore, were an influential and controversial rock band in the 1960s.
While the band’s heat has slowly fizzled out over the years, it’s quickly warming up again thanks to drummer John Densmore’s new book titled “The Doors: Unhinged.”
In his book, Densmore explains why he choose integrity over greed after lead singer Jim Morrison’s death and describes how he handled being sued by his former bandmates for more than $40 million because of his choice.
I had the opportunity to speak with Densmore to get a better insight on the development of his book:
What inspired you to write this book?
“Well the book is about a legal struggle in which I had to sue my bandmates to stop them from using the name without Jim. You know it’s kind of like the [Rolling] Stones without Mick Jagger or The Police without Sting. So, I wrote the book because some hardcore fans in the beginning thought I was ruining the band that they loved, and this explains that I was trying to preserve the legacy of the band.”
How did you take being sued by your band members? Did you feel betrayed? Were they making you out to be the villain?
“Well, I sued them to stop them from using the name. And they sued me back. I felt a bit betrayed because we had contracts saying we owned the name all together. When you don’t have a case, you tend to assassinate.”
What do you want readers to get from this book?
“Hopefully, they get the idea that I was trying to preserve the legacy. The band is, Jim, Ray, Bobby and John. Not Ray, Robby, Ian, Fred and Shirley.”
Can you tell me a little bit about your book signing events?
“I go to independent record stores, which is the perfect situation, because they get press about their store, and I sell a bunch of books. It’s really great; I get to meet a lot of fans.”
Do you think your fans have changed throughout the years? Do you have a younger following now?
“That’s what’s really interesting; sometimes they’ll be three generations of fans in one family. It’ll be a daughter with her dad who turned her onto The Doors, and then she’ll be holding a baby. It’s really cool.”
How did you make the transition from being the lead drummer in The Doors, to becoming a New York Times bestselling author?
“Well, I wrote for years. It’s hard to learn how to write. It’s hard to find your own voice. Everybody can write, but to get your uniqueness it takesa long time, it’s kind of like practicing an instrument.
Do you have any more plans for more books in the future?
“I do. In my head I have a couple of more books.”
What do you think these books will be about?
“I was thinking about writing about all of the great musicians that I’ve met. Carlos Santana, Ravi Shankar, the Conductor of the LA Philharmonic, George Harrison.”
Who was a really big idol to you while you were in the band? Who did you aspire to be like, or share the same work ethic as?
“John Coltrane is a jazz sax player. His drummer Elvis Jones was my hero.”
How did you get into drumming?
“Well, I played piano as a kid, and I wanted to play any instrument when I got into high school band. I was going to play clarinet but I had braces. The orthodontist said, ‘No, that will bend your teeth out, and we’re trying to push them back.’ So then I decided on drums.”
What would you say your favorite song is that you’ve played with The Doors?
“Oh, that’s not a fair question. ‘L.A Women’ — I like the album very much.”
How does it feel to know that you’ve inspired so many people with your music?
“Fantastic!”
If your readers had no idea about you at all, what would you want them to take from your book?
“That money is like fertilizer. When hoarded, it stinks. When spread around, it grows.”
