The Doors of the 21st Century

[Mr Badguy]

I know they`ve currently disbanded but I recently picked up their "L.A. Woman Live" DVD.

I thought it was pretty good.

Those guys can still really play although they look ancient.

However, many fans of the original Doors cry sacrelige when you mention the band continuing without Mr Mojo Risin.

Ian Astbury did a pretty decent job without going too far and trying to impersonate Jim.

Why shouldn`t Manzerek and Krieger go out and play those songs?

They wrote them and nobody can bring Morrison back.

Is it fair to force these dudes into retiring just because of an unfortunate death that they were not to blame for?

Where do you place it in the list of strange reunions, with Queen, Lynryd Skynryd and Thin Lizzy all playing shows without crucial deceased members?

Hell, even Elvis`s band went on tour with him on a big screen singing.

Let`s talk about this shit.

[Rikk]

I saw part of the DVD. It's not bad. But it feels wrong. I can't explain it.

I think QUEEN should not exist.

I think LYNYRD SKYNYRD should not exist.

I think this version of the DOORS should not exist.

At least until Van Zant, Mercury and Morrison all come back from the dead...

[Hardrock69]

From the very first time I heard the Clut, I thought that Ian Astbury was the bastard step-nephew of Jim Morrison.

Sounds just like him.

Some of us would like to see the above bands (except for Lynrd Skynyrd) simply because we have never seen them live at all, and would dig seeing at least SOME of the original members perform live.

I would LOVE to see the 21st Century Doors one time.

Hell, I never thought I would ever get to see any version of Pink Floyd, but wound up seeing them in K.C. in 1994.

No need to mention my attempt to see Queen + Paul Rodgers...

snarrrrl....

[Terry]

Well, other people are free to do what they want, and go and see these bands now...

But for me, none of the bands mentioned above are The Doors, Skynard, Queen, Thin Lizzy, or the Who for that matter...

For the Doors specifically, it was never a case for me thinking that Morrison WAS the Doors. What Robbie, Ray and John did instrumentally was just as important in defining the unique sound that band had as anything Jim did.

Skynard is just a sad joke. You could forgive these guys doing a reunion tour in the late 1980s, as a way to maybe have some closure on a positive note and end things other than the way they did in 1977, but releasing albums with such titles as Skynards Innards, mining the back catalog for umpteen million greatest hits compilations, and going out on the road billed as Skynard when you have, what, Gary Rossington and Billy Powell left out of the band that went down in that plane in 1977...I don't give a shit if Ronnie Van Zandt's little brother IS up there singing, or if Pyle is drumming or not...that shit is just a disgrace.

Astbury is trying to cop a Morrison, albeit in an understated manner...Rikk is right; the Doors without Morrison just plain doesn't feel right. The Who never felt right without Moon there, and now that Entwistle's gone. Pete and Rog should pack it in far as billing themselves as the Who.

These band names are name brands as much as anything else, and there is a part of me that thinks the band names are being retained for financial reasons as much as anything else, and that just smacks of greed and being disingenuous...

Take a look at what Zep did, as opposed to what all these other bands are doing; Bonham died. I'm sure Page, Plant and Jones could have continued on under the Zep name and kept on going. But they didn't.

Has to do with dignity and respect; for the fallen bandmates, the fans and for the music.

That's the way I see it, anyway.

[POJO_Risin]

As with anything...my beliefs are this...

if it's not the original...don't sell it as the original...

The Doors were big for one reason...and that reason is dead...

so are the Doors...

[FORD]

Queen & Paul Rodgers sound pretty good together, and I'd like to hear what they could do on their own. I don't think they should use the name though. Freddie Mercury WAS Queen, and they'll never escape that reality. And since John Deacon obviously isn't interested either, that's only 1/2 the band. Change the name, write a new album and carry on.

As for the "Doors", I didn't mind the odd one off show where they would get Eddie Vedder or whomever to come up and sing a few songs. Astbury would be a great choice for that sort of thing. But for (again) 2 of the original 4 members to tour under the name "The Doors" is ridiculous. And yes, Jim WAS the Doors, just as Freddie WAS Queen.

It's not a slight against the musical talents of Brian May or Ray Manzarek. Hell they slight their OWN talents by admitting they can't make a buck without milking their dead friends.

The fake Skynyrd is the WORST joke of all. They have not only made a mockery of Skynyrd's music, but the band's personal beliefs as well. Ronnie Van Zant was a proud liberal who wrote lyrics in favor of handgun control ("Saturday Night Special") and against racism ("Sweet Home Alabama"). He would be sickened to see his little brother and the rest of those half assed posers playing a fucking Chimp innauguration party.

Bottom line, if half your band is dead, or otherwise uninterested, your band no longer exists. Get a life. And yes Roger & Pete, that means YOU.

[Hardrock69]

If they are not original, I do not think of them as such. I could barelyu get a grip around The Who touring with a different drummer. But without the Ox I REALLY don't think of them as "The Who".

Much like I never for one fucking second ever considered van hagar to be "Van Halen".

But, as with Queen & Paul Rodgers, I never got to see ANY of the musicians in The Who in a live setting. So if they were to come here, I would go just to see Daltrey & Townsend.

[Shaun Ponsonby]

Originally posted by FORD
Freddie Mercury WAS Queen,

Not true. A list of some of Queen's biggest hits and who wrote them...

Another One Bites The Dust-John Deacon
We Will Rock You-Brian May
I Want To Break Free-John Deacon
Radio Ga Ga-Roger Taylor
A Kind of Magic-Roger Taylor
Now I'm Here-Brian May
Fat Bottomed Girls-Brian May
Under Pressure-Queen/Bowie
Who Wants To Live Forever...?-Brian May
Hammer To Fall-Brian May
Tie Your Mother Down-Brian May
Flash-Brian May
You're My Best Friend-John Deacon
Thank God Its Christmas-Brian May/Roger Taylor
And "The Miracle" and "Innuendo" were all written as a joint effort.

The thing about Queen is they each individually wrote huge hits (something which is a very rare achievement in any band)-and I'd say Brian May is just as instantly recognisable as Freddie Mercury.

[Shaun Ponsonby]

As for the Doors of the 21st Century (who, I believe are called Riders on the Storm now), as long as they don't call themselves "The Doors", then thats fine with me. I actually loved the DVD (although the crowd look like they are at a TV show recording), and I agree with Badguy's comments about Astbury's performance.

I do have a problem with Thin Lizzy and Lynyrd Skynyrd touring under those names, though. If they went under a different name, then OK. If they wrote/played on the songs, they have every right to play them, but to go under those names could danger the band's reputation. Queen + Paul Rodgers don't go under the name "Queen", (and they do Free and Bad Company songs as well-its nearly a Paul Rodgers show as much as it is a Queen show) and "Riders on the Storm" aren't calling themselves "The Doors".

And, as for Guns N Roses...

Actually, there was an article of this nature is Classic Rock a few months back-if I get really bored I'll post it.

[Shaun Ponsonby]

Originally posted by FORD

And yes Roger & Pete, that means YOU.

I don't think they're listening. Maybe they are too busy selling out Hyde Park (where Live8 London was held)

Personally, I'd rather have these people playing together than playing solo.

But, if we are going to say that we are not allowing anything other than original line ups, then that means goodbye Deep Purple with Ian Gillan, Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson, Whitesnake "1987" and onwards, AC/DC with Brian Johnson, UFO with Michael Schenker, The Scorpions with Uli Jon Roth/Matthais Jabs, just about every Judas Priest album due to the revolving door of drummers, everything Yes did "The Yes Album" and beyond...shall I go on?

[Hardrock69]

No shit.

I agree.

[FORD]

Originally posted by Shaun Ponsonby
Not true. A list of some of Queen's biggest hits and who wrote them...

Another One Bites The Dust-John Deacon
We Will Rock You-Brian May
I Want To Break Free-John Deacon
Radio Ga Ga-Roger Taylor
A Kind of Magic-Roger Taylor
Now I'm Here-Brian May
Fat Bottomed Girls-Brian May
Under Pressure-Queen/Bowie
Who Wants To Live Forever...?-Brian May
Hammer To Fall-Brian May
Tie Your Mother Down-Brian May
Flash-Brian May
You're My Best Friend-John Deacon
Thank God Its Christmas-Brian May/Roger Taylor
And "The Miracle" and "Innuendo" were all written as a joint effort.

The thing about Queen is they each individually wrote huge hits (something which is a very rare achievement in any band)-and I'd say Brian May is just as instantly recognisable as Freddie Mercury.

The other members may have written those hits, but it was still Freddie who performed most of them. Yes, Brian and Roger sang some songs also, and they still do. But a frontman like Freddie Mercury isn't just another piece in the puzzle.

Some bands have generic frontmen. But those bands usually fade into obscurity after a few hits and are easily forgotten. The bands with the stand out frontman are the legends.

The Stones without Mick Jagger? unthinkable.

Zeppelin without Plant? ridiculous.

Van Halen without David Lee Roth? They tried. And failed.

Brian & Roger might bring the music, but Freddie brought the show

[Loons The Great]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
As with anything...my beliefs are this...

if it's not the original...don't sell it as the original...

The Doors were big for one reason...and that reason is dead...

so are the Doors...

Makes sense to me, see.