“I couldn’t believe some of things I heard them say. “They tried to convince the jury I was an eco-terrorist because I am involved with a handful of peaceful, credible environmental organizations,” said Densmore, who was once arrested with Bonnie Raitt for protesting the cutting down of old-growth trees. Densmore writes that the opposing legal team attacked his character and labeled him un-American and a communist for not taking the Cadillac deal. Krieger and Manzarek counter-sued, claiming they were being hamstrung by the estate and prevented from making a living as musicians.īased on courtroom transcripts, Densmore works up a cautionary tale of the ugly collision of art and money.

”ĭensmore and the Morrison estate, which includes Morrison’s parents and his widow, sued Krieger and Manzarek to prevent them from using the name or taking the Cadillac deal. Anyone can play Doors songs, unless it’s for an ad for some product. I just wanted them to be clear. “I was not trying to stop them from playing,” Densmore said. It was crucial to honor Morrison’s absence. But he didn’t.”Īs far as Densmore was concerned, the Doors died in a bathtub in Paris in 1971. Apparently I am, too.” I asked Robby to stop and he said he would. “I sent some example of the ad to the estate and said, “Hey, your deceased son has been resurrected and has been performing.

“They started using the name the Doors,” Densmore says. The band advertised themselves as The Doors of the 21st Century, with “The Doors” appearing in big, bold letters and everything else in small fine print. Then Krieger and Manzarek started touring under the Doors name. Jim accused us of making a deal with the devil and said he would smash a Buick with a sledgehammer onstage if we let them .” “We had agreed that we would never use our music in any commercial, but the money Buick offered us had been hard to refuse. “Jim told us he couldn’t trust us anymore,” Densmore tells Rolling Stone.

The doors unhinged by john densmore