The Doors Set Aside Ugly Feud For A Reunion Concert And Tribute To Keyboardist Ray Manzarek
When Ray Manzarek, 74, died of cancer in Germany on May 20th of this year, The Doors remaining members set aside their 6-year feud and are planing to reunite for one show this 2013 as tribute to the late keyboardist.
"We're talking about it," said guitarist Robby Krieger in an interview with CNN, adding, "Not sure when or where it will be, but we'll definitely do it."
Drummer John Densmore, on the other hand, has recently released his new book The Doors Unhinged: Jim Morrison's Legacy Goes on Trial, which features his six-year feud with Krieger.
The two surviving band member's ugly fight started in 2003 when they were offered by Cadillac a $15 million deal.While Manzarek and Krieger wanted the deal, Densmore was against it to honour Jim Morrison, the band's vocalist who died in 1971. "Jim told us he couldn't trust us anymore, he told Rolling Stone.
Morrison discovered that majority of the band members wanted to close the $75,000 deal with Buick and that their hit song "Light My Fire" will be used in its commercial changing the lyrics to "Come on Buick light my fire."
"We had agreed that we would never use our music in any commercial, but the money Buick offered us had been hard to refuse. Jim accused us of making a deal with the devil and said he would smash a Buick with a sledgehammer onstage if we let them (change the lyrics)," said Densmore.
Their feud became uglier when Manzarek and Krieger began touring again using the name The Doors of the 21st Century in 2002. Morrison's estate and Densmore was against it and sued them for using the band's name. Instead, Manzarek and Krieger were introduced as Manzarek-Krieger or Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors.
Before Manzarek passed away, Krieger received a voice mail from the keyboardist in early May and delivered news about his failing health. "'This is Ray Manzarek, your keyboard player, and I'm dying -- but maybe not!' the drummer said in the phone message.
The guitarist told Rolling Stone, "I can't hate him forever. I just wish he (Densmore) had wanted to play with Ray and I before this all started."
"We are going to do at least one show for Ray and have a big send off. That's either the start of it or the end of it, I don't know," added The Doors' guitarist.
Meanwhile, punk band X and the "World's Greatest Party Band" will deliver a set at the Pacific Ampitheater in California on Thursday, July 18, as tribute to Manzarek.
"The fact that we exist is in and of itself a tribute to Ray," said Exene Cervenka, co-lead vocalist of the band. Cervenka had the chance to play alongside the Doors drummer at West Hollywood's Roxy Theater in 2012.
This will be the punk band's first appearance since Manzarek's passing.