SOUNDCHECK   from Cleveland Free Times   June 18-24, 2003

ROBBIE KRIEGER   Doors guitarist

When Harley Davidson asked them to reunite last year for an anniversary concert in Los Angeles, Doors' guitarist Robbie Krieger and keyboardist Ray Manzarek obliged and recruited Cult singer Ian Astbury and Police drummer Stewart Copeland to play with them.  Copeland has since left the group (Ty Dennis replaced him), and both he and original drummer John Densmore have filed lawsuits against the group.   But that hasn't stopped Krieger and Manzarek from touring as the Doors 21st Century.   They're also working on an album of new material, due out by the end of the year.   -- Jeff Niesel

If you were to write a book about the Doors, what would you call it?

RK:   I don't know.  I'd have to think about that one.

What's the best Doors tribute band you've ever seen?

RK:  The best one I've heard is Wild Child.  They're pretty good.   Soft Parade is pretty good, too.   None of them are anything like we were.  I hate to think that people think that's how the Doors were.  Most of the guys who play Jim are pretty good.   They get the moves down and the voice.  But the whole mood of it is wrong.  It's not spontaneous.  And the music is never very close.

Who has better odds of winning their lawsuits -- Stewart Copeland or John Densmore?

RK:  We settled the one with Stewart.  John has no chance of winning either.   I don't know why he's doing it.  That's what most people are saying.   But that's his thing.  He lost the first part of it where he tried to get an injunction to keep us from playing these gigs, so I don't know why he's continuing it.

When he's singing "L.A. Woman" does Ian Astbury ever break into the Cult's "Fire Woman."

RK:  So far he hasn't.  I've been thinking about maybe doing a couple of Cult songs, though.

When you played in Florida, did Astbury expose himself?

RK:  I think if he did, you would have heard about it.  I told him he should do the Miami rap.   I don't know if you know what that is.  It's on the boxset.  Right before the alleged incident, Jim's putting the crowd down and telling them, "I ain't talking about no revolution.   You're all a bunch of jerks.   You didn't come here to see music.  You just wanted to see a freak show.  You wanna see it?"   I told Ian to do that part, but he chickened out.

Have you ever used the line "c'mon baby light my fire" to pick up women?

RK:  Not really.  Too obvious.

Did you consider trying to recruit Val Kilmer to take Morrison's place?

RK:   For a minute.  He sang most of that stuff in the movie, but I think he would be pretty expensive.

Who would have done Morrison better -- Scott Stapp or Eddie Vedder?

RK:   God, I don't know.  They're both good.   They're both big Doors fans.  It's unbelievable.   When we did the thing with Eddie, he was drilling me for hours on Morrison.  Same with Scott.   Scott was real into the Doors.  In fact, he told me that when he first started Creed, he decided to move to Melbourne, Florida, because that's where Jim was from.

Whose cover of "Crystal Ship" is worse -- Duran Duran's or George Winston's?

RK:   Oh god, I don't know if I've ever heard Duran Duran's.   I must have heard it.   Obviously the fact that I don't remember it must mean it wasn't too good.

Excluding Ray Manzarek, who's your favorite keyboardist?

RK:  Herbie Hancock.  I've met him a couple times, and I had his guitar player, Wah Wah Watson, in my band for a while.  Herbie did sit in with us once in Malibu Canyon at a club that was near his house.

The Doors were named after an Aldous Huxley book in which he described taking mescaline.  What was y our most mind-altering drug experience?

RK:  The first time I took morning glory seeds.  It was just a total change of mental state.  After that I had taken acid, a lot stronger stuff, but it was never as much of a change as that first time.  Later that night, I went to see Bob Dylan play in Long Beach.   That was the first time he went rock 'n' roll, and it was really crazy.

Do you think Morrison might really be alive somewhere?

RK:  If he was still alive, I would have heard from him by now.

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