Bittersweet Trial O' Mine

"“In the middle of it I thought I must have been crazy starting this train wreck! But I think I would do it the same all over again!” laughs John Densmore. The Doors legend is chatting to Hot Press about the lawsuit filed against former bandmates Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger for using the name The Doors of the 21st Century. The resulting countersuit and extensive legal wrangles form the core of his latest book The Doors Unhinged: Jim Morrison’s Legacy Goes On Trial. The opus follows from bestseller Riders On The Storm.
“Well, after going through 20,000 pages of legal transcripts and honing them down to 500 I thought, ‘Wow, I’d like to get this story out. Maybe there is a book here, but I need to make it more interesting than just a trial’.”
Indeed Densmore’s tome is not merely an account of the trial. The narrative is interwoven with tales from The Doors’ heyday, his ruminations on selling out and the ‘greed gene’, Morrison’s own stance on the subject (It’s fucking industry! It’s corporate! It’s the devil!”) and stories of the countless other musicians who offered Densmore support, Neil Young and Randy Newman to name a few.
“Neil’s position on the subject has always been clear,” smiles Densmore. “He’s really against using songs for selling deodorant. He wrote ‘This Note’s For You’, which is a joke about every sentence being for sale.”
During the trial the subject of licensing songs for use in commercials was hotly debated, Manzarek and Krieger in favour, Densmore (supported by the Morrison estate) definitely not.
“I understand a new band trying to pay the rent might have to hawk their song,” muses Densmore. “In our situation it’s different. We’ve done really well. I always think about what Tom Waits said, ‘Do you want to turn your lyrics into a jingle?’
As mentioned, Densmore was supported by Jim’s parents, who were in the courtroom during the trial (Manzarek and Krieger were absent as they were on tour at the time).
“I just felt blessed because I had never met Jim’s father,” he says. “He was an admiral in Vietnam. He and Jim (who had said in press interviews his parents were dead) didn’t really speak. Then at 86 years of age he came to defend his son’s legacy. It was really touching.”
The book was published in America in April. At the time, Densmore stated his intention was to open a dialogue with Manzarek (who passed away in May) and Krieger.
“I sent the last chapter to Ray and Robbie before it was published with a note saying, ‘I want to make sure you guys get this because I write here about how I love you and we are musical brothers, even though some of this is going to be a tough pill’.”
“Let’s talk about Ray,” he continues, “we knew he had cancer. We didn’t know it was going to be that quick. I used to email him telling him I was praying for him. Then, when I heard it was pretty bad, I gave him a call and, fortunately, we had a closing conversation. Ray thanked me for my prayers. He died a few weeks later.”
Currently, Densmore and Krieger are planning an event celebrating Ray’s memory.
“Yeah, that was my idea. I suggested it to Robbie, who I also was estranged from until fairly recently,” he says. “Losing Ray was so big I said, ‘Look let’s play again and let’s make it a benefit and a tribute to Ray’. It will probably be sometime in spring.”
Densmore has been busy over the last few months with various projects, including working with Skrillex on the track ‘Breakin’ A Sweat’, which samples Morrison’s vocals and includes contributions from Manzarek and Krieger.
“When I first met Sonny I was fairly reticent about drum machines,” he states. “As Ringo said when drum machines were invented, ‘Wait a minute, I’m the drum machine!’. Skrillex is a musician and he played guitar and piano. So he understood that live music on top of his electronic stuff might be rather interesting. We definitely want to work together again. We’re just trying to juggle schedules.”
He has also been tending to book tour duties, bringing his self-published title to independent record stores, a marriage that seems to perfectly suit his approach to life.
“I was almost signed to a giant New York publishing house and they kept telling me to write more about Jim!” he notes. “I had to walk away from pretty good front money which would have got me out of the hole I had dug myself in financially. I’m pleased I had total control.”
control.”
And how does touring as an author compare to touring as a musician?
“Well, my left arm is really sore as I have to sign for hours! I love meeting all the people. It’s so many different generations of fans.”
And will the Densmore book tour be coming to Ireland? “I have to get back to the old sod and see my roots! My mother’s maiden name is Walsh, her people are from Sligo! I’m going to try to come across next spring.”
The Doors Unhinged: Jim Morrison’s Legacy Goes On Trial is out now