December 30, 2004
The Doors Take On Morrison Hotel Slumlord / Band May Reaquire Name The Doors
Source: www.undercover.com by Paul Cashmere
The Doors have joined about 40 residents of the Morrison Hotel in Los Angeles who are taking action against their 'Slumlord' for allowing their residence to become a rat infested hole.
The Morrison Hotel, at 1246 Hope Street in Los Angeles, was used by The Doors as the name and cover of their 1970 classic album which featured 'Roadhouse Blues'.
"A slumlord took it over. It was a gentleman's hotel back in the old days" Doors member Ray Manzarek tells Undercover News. "There are lots of Hispanic people living there and the slumlord is not keeping the place up".
The help raise funds for the tenants to take legal action against the slumlord, The Doors plan on putting some music up on the internet. "The Doors are going to join a protest and do some work" he says. "Robbie Kreiger, myself and my son Pablo are going to do a remix of one of the songs from Morrison Hotel and put it up on the internet and give the proceeds to legal fund for the tenants of the Morrison Hotel".
The 111 room building has been neglected for decades according to reports. Now 40 tenants are taking action claiming the manager has failed to "repair the unsafe, unsanitary and uninhabitable conditions".
The Doors are considering which song to use to help the residents. "We are talking about a couple of different things" Ray says. "Indian Summer is definitely one of the songs which is up for consideration. You Make Me Real is a possibility too. It will be one of maybe four songs".
Forty residents have taken the action against the owner Hope Pico Co and Sauli Danpour, the hotel's manager.
An arraignment has been scheduled for January 26, 2005.
* Ray Manzarek Hopes The Doors Will Again Soon Be The Doors
The Doors of the 21st Century may soon be able to call themselves The Doors again before they arrive in Australia for the Melbourne International Music Festival.
Founding member Ray Manzarek is hopeful the current court-case actioned by original drummer John Densmore will rule in their favour. "The law suit still has to be decided. Perhaps by the end of January we will hear something from the judge as to what the final disposition of the case is" Manzarek tells Undercover News.
For Manzarek, the court case has been a waste of time. "It's been long and ridiculous" he says. "You know what it is, when a rock band stays together long enough someone in the band will lose their mind and sue the other members. That's what happened - Beach Boys, Pink Floyd - somebody has got to sue".
Regardless of the name, the live set for the upcoming Melbourne International Music Festival will feature classic Doors. "In my mind we are The Doors, we will play Doors and regardless of the actual name, we will play the same songs like 'Light My Fire', 'Break On Through' and 'When The Music's Over'" Ray says.
The Densmore court action has destroyed the friendship with Ray. "It made it one of intense antagonism" he says.
The Densmore legal action is just one of the cases The Doors are facing. The other came from former Police drummer Stewart Copeland who for a brief moment was with The Doors and sued after discovering he was out of the band when he read about it in a magazine article. "Stylistically it didn't work out. There is a certain style that works for Doors songs and music and it did not mesh. That was a lawsuit too. If Ty (Dennis) ever leaves hopefully he won't sue. I'm getting sued by drummers".
The Doors will perform their first ever Australian shows in February 2005.
They will perform in Perth at the Moonlight Music and Wine Festival in Perth on December 19, Sydney Entertainment Centre on February 23, Brisbane Convention Centre on February 25th and the Melbourne International Music Festival on February 26th.