PREVIEW

For Doors reunion, almost like old times

by Patrick Berkery    for The Inquirer   www.philly.com

If you're scoring at home, here's the latest on the Doors reunion tour (officially billed as the "21st Century Doors") hitting the Tower Theater Saturday night.

Jim Morrison -- currently playing that Great Gig in the Sky -- won't be there, but he's been replaced by the ably-voiced and similarly-shamanistic Ian Astbury of the Cult.  Original drummer John Densmore (who suffers from the hearing affliction tinnitus) is out and is suing his former bandmates over his exclusion and their tour.  Densmore's replacement, former Police drummer Stewart Copeland, has already been sacked and is also suing, claiming original members Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger violated a verbal contract to use him on the tour and a possible album.  (Ty Dennis is now manning the drum kit.)

Manzarek's glasses must have rose-colored lenses, because he laughs heartily at the circumstances surrounding the seminal psychedelic-rock act's reunion.

"This is just 21st-century litigious America, a couple of drummers going hysterical," the ebullient keyboardist proclaimed over the phone from his home in Southern California.  "With Stewart, there was a verbal commitment to play a few gigs.   Guess what, man?  It didn't work out.  John's whole thing stems from tinnitus.  It's a totally frivolous lawsuit."

Checkered or not, Manzarek said the reunion couldn't be better timed, given the current political climate.

    "It's full circle, man.  The Doors are back and we're in the middle of a war, and we're going to have to fight the establishment one more time.  There's another way of doing things.  It's got to do with art, and energy and passion, and love of America."

(thanks, Tom)

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