Posted on: August 22nd, 2008 Jim Morrison Stops Spinning In His Grave
The Doors’ Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger will have to pay $5 million to drummer John Densmore and the parents of Jim Morrison and Pamela Courson, Morrison’s widow, as the legal battle between the former band members has finally been settled. The lawsuit started in 2003, when Densmore sued his band mates after they “improperly invoked The Doors’ name and images” when Krieger and Manzarek toured as “The Doors of the 21st Century” which was one of the worst conceived ideas in the history of rock (click here for our Fake Doors feature). Densmore didn’t object to the duo playing Doors music when they toured, he just asked that they not use the name, logo or any Morrison-era imagery, which the duo eventually did.
This isn’t the first time the surviving members of the Doors have disagreed since the band splintered. Densmore routinely rejects the Doors music from being used for commercial purposes — each member has equal veto power over business deals — denying possible deals with Cadillac and Apple, which the other two members approved of. “Morrison had been adamant against doing commercials and Densmore wanted to honor Morrison’s memory,” the appeals court said in its ruling. Yeah Densmore. Finally a rock star, who is not a pimp. Rockheap’s hat goes off to him.