John Densmore
| John Densmore | |
|---|---|
Publicity photo of Densmore, 1966
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Paul Densmore |
| Born | December 1, 1944 |
| Origin | Los Angeles |
| Genres | Psychedelic rock, acid rock, blues rock, hard rock, blues, jazz fusion |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, drummer, filmmaker, author, actor, dancer |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Years active | 1965–present |
| Labels | Elektra |
| Associated acts | The Doors, Rick & the Ravens, The Butts Band, Tribaljazz. |
| Website | johndensmore |
John Paul Densmore (born December 1, 1944) is an American musician, songwriter, author and actor. He is best known as the drummer of the rock band The Doors, and as such is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was the sole drummer in the Doors' history and appeared on every recording made by the band. Densmore is also noted for his veto of attempts by the other two Doors members, in the wake of singer Jim Morrison's 1971 death, to accept offers to license the rights to various Doors songs for commercial purposes, as well as his objections to their ongoing use in the 21st century of the Doors name and logo, and his lengthy and successful court battles to gain compliance.
Densmore has worked additionally in the performing arts as a dancer and actor, and written successfully as both a playwright and the author of two books on the topic of The Doors.
Born in Los Angeles on December 1, 1944, Densmore grew up playing piano and later took up drums/percussion for the marching band at his school. He also played timpani in orchestra. Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and California State University, Northridge; at the latter he studied ethnic music under jazz cellist Fred Katz.
Densmore's influences included hard jazz figures Elvin Jones (drummer for John Coltrane) and Art Blakey.
In the mid-1960s he joined guitarist Robby Krieger in a band called Psychedelic Rangers; shortly thereafter they began rehearsals with keyboardist Ray Manzarek and Morrison, forming The Doors in 1965. The quartet released six studio and several live albums, eventually selling over 100 million units.
Morrison’s death in 1971 marked the end of an era, though the surviving trio recorded two more albums of songs and an instrumental backdrop for the late singer’s recorded poetry.
Densmore remained a member until the band's dissolution in 1973. According to Densmore's own book, he quit the band on one occasion in reaction to Jim Morrison's increasingly self-destructive behavior, although he returned the next day. He repeatedly suggested that the band stop touring, but Krieger and Manzarek were resistant to this notion. After The Doors' final performance with Morrison in New Orleans on December 12, 1970, the band agreed to discontinue performing live. The New Orleans performance would be the band's last public performance as a quartet.
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