Doors 21st Century win lawsuit

[Paul Stanley 0]

LOS ANGELES -- A judge on Monday declined to grant a request by The Doors' original drummer, John Densmore, to bar two other original members from using the band's name on a current tour.

 

 

Densmore sued keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger in February for breach of contract because the two -- along with singer Ian Astbury of The Cult -- were touring using the name "The Doors 21st Century."

 

 

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Gregory W. Alarcon heard arguments but gave no indication when he would make a final ruling on the request for a temporary restraining order.

 

Following Jim Morrison's death of a drug overdose in 1971, the three remaining members of the iconic '60s rock group signed off on a deal preventing any of them from using the name "The Doors" to tour or record unless all three were involved, according to Densmore's suit.

 

Densmore's attorney, S. Jerome Mandel, said the qualifiers "21st Century," were of no use since "they don't appear anywhere" in advertising for the tour of Manzarek and Krieger.

 

"I couldn't open a business called Coca-Cola of the 21st Century," Mandel argued as Densmore looked on from the front row of the downtown Los Angeles courtroom.

 

Mandel said Densmore doesn't want to stop the concerts, but said there's no evidence the defendants will suffer damages if the name of the tour is changed -- he said Densmore wants it to read something like Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger, formerly of The Doors.

 

"These concerts are already sold out," Mandel said. "There is no evidence that if the name is changed, concerts will be canceled," the attorney said.

 

"We fear that they will go out there and run amok, and every one of these ads will say `The Doors,"' Mandel said. "What is my client supposed to do, get a newspaper clipping service so we can watch these guys?

 

"The (1971) contract is very clear. It was intended to prevent the very damage that ensued with these concerts," Mandel said.

 

But John H. Lavely, representing Manzarek and Krieger, said an injunction at this stage would do irreparable harm.

 

"Concerts will be canceled, reputations will be hurt, jobs will be lost," Lavely said, estimating that a name change would cost his clients $3 million.

 

The tour has been successful in so-called mid-range venues like New York's Roseland Ballroom, which has a capacity of about 3,000.

 

Lavely said ads promoting the concerts clearly identify who's performing and who's not.

 

He also argued that the tour is stimulating radio play for The Doors, which is sparking renewed interest and record sales, which benefits his clients as well as Densmore.

 

And Lavely added that the 1971 contract stipulates good faith, and that if a majority wanted to do something, a minority would be required to go along.

 

Lavely cited several legal disputes among music groups -- John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival, Journey, Styx, Van Halen -- where courts ruled groups could continue on when changes occur.

 

The tour, which began in March and is scheduled to pick up again next week in Tampa, Fla., has sparked two other lawsuits, most recently when Morrison's octogenarian parents filed their own trademark infringement suit for monetary damages against Manzarek and Krieger.

 

Also, former Police drummer Stewart Copeland, originally chosen to replace Densmore, sued Manzarek and Krieger in March for breach of fiduciary duty for allegedly not paying him for a few gigs.

 

- Doors messageboard.

[Guest JAxlMorrison]

I agree with Densmore not signing off on commercials because it is well known that Morrison would've never approved. I'm not sure of this lawsuit though, cause it's not like it is false advertisement, they are the "21st Century Doors" and no one is under the impression that they are going to see Jim Morrison there. The band name is different, so therefore I don't think his suit helsd water anyways. Sorry John.

[Guest Lethargic]

I think they have more to worry about from the Morrison family lawsuit. Those guys were in the band, so legally they have a right to perform music they co-wrote and all that. The problem is that they've also been performing Morrison's poetry during concerts and they have no legal rights to do that at all.

[Guest JAxlMorrison]

Yeah but the poetry they performed, "Horse Latitudes", was on one of their albums "Strange Days."

[Guest mesepher]

I think they have more to worry about from the Morrison family lawsuit. Those guys were in the band, so legally they have a right to perform music they co-wrote and all that. The problem is that they've also been performing Morrison's poetry during concerts and they have no legal rights to do that at all.

man, have you ever read Morrison poetry? Outside of things in songs... it's B-A-D~!!!!! WHo would want to recite that rubish? Horse Lattitudes is cool though.

[Guest JAxlMorrison]

Yeah I remember when I first started becoming a huge Morrison fan. I had devoured almost every book out there on him, so I picked up 2 of his poetry books, and yeah most of the stuff is a pain in the ass to understand. Once you get it though, some of it has the power of his lyrics.

[Guest NoCalMike]

I saw Robby Krieger a couple of years ago at a local club. He did some new stuff with his jazz-esque band and a bunch of old Doors tunes. His son did the vocals and he sounded a LOT like Morrison. Oh and they also played the pulp fiction theme.