John Densmore is more than just a drummer; he is the rhythmic soul of the legendary rock band, The Doors. His declaration, “The drum was the first fucking instrument,” encapsulates his profound connection to rhythm and its primal human appeal. Densmore believes that our inherent desire to move and dance stems from an unconscious yearning to reconnect with the heartbeat – the very first sound we experience in the womb. Whether it’s a grand orchestra or a raw four-piece rock band, Densmore sees music as a universal attempt to recapture this fundamental rhythm.
As the percussive engine behind The Doors, John Densmore laid down some of the most iconic beats in rock and roll history. This fascination with the universal and ancient heartbeat has been a lifelong obsession for Densmore, tracing back to his childhood in Southern California.
Interestingly, Densmore’s musical journey didn’t begin with drums. “I took piano when I was eight, and I loved it,” John Densmore recalls. His early musical inclinations were towards improvisation rather than strict adherence to sheet music. “I liked improvising on songs I had learned, rather than learning new ones. My teacher would give me songs to play, simplified classical and pop, and I got off on it.” This early foray into improvisation hints at the creative and dynamic drumming style that would later define his work with The Doors.
Seeking to explore other instruments, John Densmore initially set his sights on the clarinet. However, a visit to the orthodontist brought an unexpected detour. Forbidden from playing reed instruments due to his braces, this medical restriction inadvertently guided John Densmore towards the drums. In retrospect, music history might owe a debt to this orthodontist for inadvertently setting the stage for Densmore’s drumming career.
Densmore’s formal introduction to percussion came through school bands. “I was in the orchestra and the marching band with those stupid uniforms,” Densmore reminisces. Despite the less-than-glamorous attire, he found a powerful allure in ensemble performance. “I got a rush from playing with 40 musicians, no matter how amateurish…There’s power in a marching band.” This experience instilled in him an appreciation for the collective energy and impact of rhythmic collaboration.
During his teenage years, John Densmore’s musical horizons expanded into the world of jazz. He became particularly captivated by the drumming of Elvin Jones, renowned for his powerful and evocative grooves with John Coltrane’s band. Jones’s influence resonated deeply with many aspiring rock musicians, and Densmore was no exception. He also immersed himself in the vibrant Los Angeles club scene, witnessing early performances by bands like The Byrds and Love, which offered a glimpse into the burgeoning rock revolution.
A pivotal moment arrived when John Densmore met guitarist Robby Krieger. Their shared musical interests led them to collaborate in a band called Psychedelic Rangers. This early partnership laid the groundwork for future collaborations. Densmore then connected with keyboardist Ray Manzarek, a Chicago native who was involved in a group named Rick and the Ravens, alongside his brothers and a quiet film student from Florida named Jim Morrison, whom Manzarek knew from UCLA film school.
As Manzarek’s brothers departed from Rick and the Ravens, Densmore brought Krieger into the fold. The quartet coalesced, forming a unique sound despite a missing element – a bass player. “We couldn’t find a bass player,” Densmore remembers. “We tried once or twice, but we sounded like the Stones. A white blues band. Who cares? We wanted to be different.” This deliberate choice to forgo a traditional bass player contributed significantly to The Doors’ distinctive and unconventional sound, with Manzarek’s keyboard bass lines filling the lower frequencies.
Early on, John Densmore was determined to infuse his drumming with global influences. “When we were playing in the garage, Bossa Nova was hitting the states,” he recalls. He directly incorporated the rhythmic structure of “Girl from Ipanema” into “Break on Through,” albeit with a more forceful rock edge. “It’s a Bossa Nova beat with a rock feel. We were so turned on by Brazilian music. It’s so relaxed, but it’s tight. So sensual, but loose.” This fusion of Brazilian rhythms with rock sensibilities became a hallmark of The Doors’ eclectic musical palette.
The period between their 1967 debut album and Jim Morrison’s untimely death in 1971 marked The Doors’ ascent to becoming one of history’s most influential bands. Their dark, musically diverse soundscapes, coupled with Morrison’s enigmatic “rock-shaman” persona, distinguished them from their contemporaries. John Densmore’s drumming was integral to this unique identity, providing a dynamic and nuanced foundation for the band’s sonic explorations.
Densmore drew significant inspiration from his jazz drumming idols, shaping his approach within The Doors. “I found myself wanting to really comment on what was going on musically, especially with Jim–and Ray and Robby, on their solos,” he explains. His drumming became a responsive and interactive element, designed to “push them or lay back or whatever was happening in the moment, to encourage that moment.” This improvisational and conversational style of drumming elevated The Doors’ live performances and studio recordings.
“My main thing is dynamics,” Densmore elaborates, highlighting a key aspect of his drumming philosophy. “I think this comes from the school orchestra, fortissimo [very loud] and pianissimo [very soft] and everything in between. That’s music. You can drum that way.” He points to “The End” as a prime example, where his drumming ranges from delicate whispers to thunderous bursts. “Like in ‘The End,’ it’ll be real soft, and then bam-bam! I drop these cannonballs on the tom-toms–in a real quiet section! What the fuck am I doing? I didn’t even know. But later I listened and thought, oh, that heightened the tension, didn’t it? Bridges and verses–contrast them, loud and soft.” This mastery of dynamics became a signature element of John Densmore’s drumming, adding depth and drama to The Doors’ music.
After Morrison’s passing, John Densmore continued to collaborate with Krieger and Manzarek, exploring new musical territories. In the early 1970s, he ventured into reggae with Krieger in The Butts Band, predating reggae’s widespread popularity in the United States.
“We were in Jamaica, before reggae came here,” Densmore recounts. He recognized the pioneering genius of early reggae artists. “The rightful geniuses of reggae–Marley, Jimmy Cliff and a few others–were coming to the States just after us, and they made a big impact. But we were on it before Clapton did “I Shot the Sheriff” or the Police or any of that.” This foray into reggae demonstrates Densmore’s continuous quest for musical exploration and his openness to diverse genres.
The surviving Doors members reunited in the late 1970s for An American Prayer, an album setting Morrison’s poetry to new music. However, John Densmore was ready for a change of pace from the rock world.
He found a creative outlet in the Los Angeles theater scene, particularly with Tim Robbins’ group, The Actors’ Gang. His work with them earned him an L.A. Weekly Award for the music he composed for Methusalem, directed by Robbins. “It was a blast”, Densmore says. “It was street theater–vibrant. It felt like the ’60s.” The immediacy and spontaneity of theater resonated with Densmore, offering a different kind of creative energy.
This theatrical experience led him to Peggy Fury’s renowned acting class, a training ground for future stars like Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer. “I didn’t have my drums, and I realized, I’m more nervous in front of 12 people than 20,000 at Madison Square Garden,” he laughs. The class pushed him outside his comfort zone and prompted self-discovery. “I thought, ‘This is good–this’ll keep me out of trouble! OK, I’m the instrument.’” More profoundly, the class sparked a realization about his evolving creative desires. “I realized I wanted to write; that’s what came out of that.”
Densmore’s foray into writing resulted in several works, including the one-act play Skins, in which he also acted. He also received an NAACP Award in 1987 as producer of Rounds.
Subsequently, he embarked on writing his autobiography, Riders on the Storm: My Life With Jim Morrison and The Doors, published in 1990. “It’s not as exciting as playing music, but you don’t have to depend on fucked-up musicians,” he quips about the writing process. “And you can do it by yourself in the middle of the night. I’ve been trying to find the music between the sentences.” Riders on the Storm was critically acclaimed, with The New York Times Book Review praising it as “well-written and touching,” and USA Today calling it “as good an account of the history of The Doors as has been printed to date.”
John Densmore rejoined Manzarek and Krieger for The Doors’ induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, solidifying their legendary status.
Since then, Densmore has expanded his writing portfolio, contributing articles to publications like The Nation, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, and the Los Angeles Times, among others. He has also worked on documentary films, including the acclaimed Road to Return and Juvies (narrated by Mark Wahlberg), and has returned to his musical roots.
His enduring passion for jazz and his ongoing exploration of global sounds led to the formation of his band, Tribaljazz.
“It was a real high to play with this global village,” Densmore enthuses. Tribaljazz allowed him to explore rhythms in a new context. “It was fun for me, because there were two master African drummers. I used to work really hard with no bass player in The Doors. I was the pulse. With Tribaljazz, I could play with one hand and have it still be a strong groove.” Tribaljazz, featuring guest vocals from Michael Franti and actress Alfre Woodard, was produced by Densmore at his Henhouse Studios in Los Angeles.
“I had been mouthing off about being a jazz drummer since before the Doors,” Densmore jokes. “So I finally put my sticks where my mouth had been.” Tribaljazz became a realization of his long-held jazz aspirations.
Densmore further broadened his musical horizons through collaboration with Persian-music master Reza Derakshani, producing and performing on the album, Ray of the Wine.
“I met Reza and immediately thought, what an incredibly talented, extremely shy, charismatic Persian musician. He was playing all these exotic instruments and singing in Farsi,” Densmore recalls. Intrigued by Derakshani’s artistry, he proposed a cross-cultural musical exchange. “He asked me if I would take his music and arrange it with my Western influences. He trusted me because of my background.” Densmore assembled a trusted group of musicians, and they collaborated with Derakshani in Los Angeles.
In addition to Riders On The Storm, John Densmore penned a second memoir, The Doors Unhinged: Jim Morrison’s Legacy Goes On Trial, published in 2013. “It had to be written. It was a tough book, but I needed to get out what I had been through with the legal system. This book meant so much to me, that I passed on a NY pub deal because they were going to ruin it. I’m proud that many illustrious musicians wax on the back about how much they liked it.” The Doors Unhinged offered a candid account of his legal battles to protect The Doors’ artistic legacy.
Currently, John Densmore continues to explore the spaces between words and rhythms. He recently released his third book, The Seekers: Meetings With Remarkable Musicians. “Each chapter is about a different artist who has fed me artistically. Writing is a little easier on a 76-year-old,” he reflects. “I gotta pace myself. No disrespect to Jim and his 27 years, but I’ve been in it for the long run.” The Seekers, available in print and audio, further showcases Densmore’s enduring curiosity and his lifelong engagement with the world of music and creativity.
