12:01 The Doors John Densmore part two - Off The Road on HPR's All Things Considered February 2021 John recently released his latest book, The Seekers, Meetings with Remarkable Musicians (and Other Artists). After documenting his time with The Doors in previous offerings, this one also provides plenty of stories about the band, but does so in the context of highlighting various musicians, artists, teachers and other people who helped influence him and shape his life. John joined us remotely from his home in Santa Monica, California. The Doors were a groundbreaking rock band that fused poetry, blues, various styles of rock and other musical flavors into a composite like few bands before them. With sometimes darker overtones and singer Jim Morrison’s charismatic personality and stunning lyrics, they exploded into popularity in the late 1960’s, creating an enduring sound that decades later retains its power and freshness. John Densmore played drums on every Doors album and was there from the beginning. It’s hard to measure just how significant their body of work has become. The Doors have factored into rock music ever since, are an enduring part of radio programming around the world, and their music, recorded more than a half century ago, maintains a freshness, and timeless sound that defies it’s age. It’s still rebellious, psychedelic, tense and defiant. Jim’s incredible voice and wide range of singing styles, Ray Manzarek’s signature keyboard work, Robby Krieger’s distinctive guitar sound, and John Densmore’s solid playing and jazzy drum licks continue to engage fans the world over. John, for his part, bore witness to numerous chapters of their short career, and has been reflecting on it ever since.