Apparently only John Densmore of The Doors has his head screwed on straight. Who’da thunk it? This is really ironic when you consider Densmore was the one who really just absolutely hated lead singer Jim Morrison. One would figure that Densmore would take the years of psychic abuse, sells Morrison?s songs on Madison Avenue and take the money and run. So why doesn?t He?
“People lost their virginity to this music, got high for the first time to this music,” Densmore said. “I’ve had people say kids died in Vietnam listening to this music, other people say they know someone who didn’t commit suicide because of this music?. On stage, when we played these songs, they felt mysterious and magic. That’s not for rent.”
That not only sets the Doors apart from the long, long list of classic rock acts that have had their songs licensed for major U.S. commercial campaigns, it also has added considerably to Densmore’s estrangement from former bandmates Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger, a trio that last set eyes on one another in the Los Angeles County Superior Courthouse last year. (full story at The L.A. Times)
Right on, dude. Right on.
For the record, I?ve always hated Manzarek and his bogus hippy-drippy bullshit. I just wanted to get that in.
And the the frizzy-haired one? I have no opinion on him.
I think it is cool as hell that he won’t budge on the issue, but I don’t really hold it against an artist if they want to use their music in commercials.
I used to think it was a big deal, but I really don’t have a problem with it anymore. I think the artist should be careful who they sell to. Pete Townshend kinda pissed me off when he sold Happy Jack to Hummer. Fuck Hummers.
It’s actually Townsend who’s raised my ire about this. The Who are still one of my favorite bands ever but I’m getting sick of them eagerly providing the soundtrack to any commercial that comes offering a few pennies.
Yeah, but wasn’t it Densmore who was into that whole “let’s go into the woods and be naked with other men and explore our manhood” BS? I think so. That bugs me as much as the licensing the music thing.
What’s the difference between this and going on tour without Densmore and with Ian Astbury?
No point, just throwing my two cents in…
It was okay to be hippy-drippy in the ’60s. I dislike Manzarek for still trying to pull off the hippy shit in the new millenium while simultaneoulsy trying to squeeze his “legacy” for every last penny.
Don’t even get me started on Astbury. At least the tour failed miserably…as it should’ve.
Townshend is keeping The Who’s music alive.
Densmore’s an idiot. His music is not THAT important. And they made a lot of money on it in the past, this is just a new way for it to make money and stay somewhat relevant. If anything, it’s for his kids.
Whatever, I think Densmore sounds like a dumb hippie.
In the case of the Doors, selling songs for advertising would probably not tarnish any legacy (real or imagined), as people have already had nearly 40 years to develop their own attachments to the music.
I was listening to the Concretes album yesterday for the first time in a while and, even though I’d been listening to it _before_ the Target commercials came out, all I could think of while hearing “Say Something New” was dancing people selling things to a red and white backdrop.
By the way, that’s not an indictment for the Concretes in any way at all. All for them making some pocket change.
Just that those Target commercials play ALL THE DAMN TIME!