Former Doors drummer John Densmore won a permanent injunction against his ex- bandmates Friday, preventing keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger from continuing to tour or record under any name that contains the words “The Doors.” The two had been touring with various members under the name “The Doors of the 21st Century” since 2003.
“I think our old lead singer would be happy,” Densmore told Rolling Stone on Saturday, referencing the late Jim Morrison, who died in 1971, effectively ending the original incarnation of the group.
Densmore was joined in his suit by Morrison’s parents, as well as the parents of Morrison’s common-law wife, Pamela Courson. Under the terms of the ruling, Manzarek and Krieger are required to give Densmore and the Morrison estate portions of the profits from their recent tours. The ruling also restores the band partnership that the group began with, where each of the four members held an equal share.
“It’s a sweet little democracy that Jim orchestrated with no lawyers, in a garage in Venice, California,” Densmore told Rolling Stone after filing the suit in 2003. “And he included veto power in case anybody didn’t like what went down. I’m just trying to keep the integrity of what we did a long time ago.”
Krieger and Manzarek could not be reached for comment by press time.
Source rollingstone.com.
