p2pnet news view Music | Advertising:- There’s been a bitter and ongoing legal battle between the three surviving members of famed 60s rock band, The Doors, whose vocalist, Jim Morrison ( extreme left), died at a tragically early age.

Now, “In a victory for the estate of the late Jim Morrison, the California Supreme Court has slammed the Doors shut,” says the Los Angeles Times.

A court, “denied a petition by two of the surviving members of the Doors, keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger, to review a lower court’s decision that blocked them from touring under the name of the band that rose to fame on the Sunset Strip in the 1960s and recorded dark hits such as ‘Light My Fire,’ ‘L.A. Woman’ and ‘Riders on the Storm’.”

Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger are, “on the hook for more than $5 million after they were found by lower courts to have improperly invoked The Doors’ name and images during a 2003 concert tour,” says the Associated Press, going on:

“After the high court declined to hear their appeal on Aug. 13, they’ll have to pay up to drummer John Densmore, the parents of the deceased lead singer Jim Morrison and the parents of Morrison’s deceased wife, Pamela Courson, who died in 1974.”

In 2002, Densmore declined an offer from the other two to go on a concert tour as The Doors, says AP.

“Densmore said he didn’t object to Manzarek and Krieger touring and singing The Doors’ songs, as long as they didn’t call themselves The Doors, use the group’s distinctive logo or any other Morrison-era imagery.”

Densmore and the parents sued Manzarek and Krieger in 2003, “after the two began touring the country with Ian Astbury, former lead singer of The Cult, and calling themselves The Doors of the 21st Century,” says the story, continuing, “Since Morrison’s death in Paris in 1971, the remaining band members and the parents split Morrison’s share of the still-flourishing sale of The Doors’ music and memorabilia. Each partner has veto power over business deals.

“Seven years ago, for instance, General Motors offered the partnership $15 million to use “Light My Fire” to sell Cadillacs, and everyone but Densmore wanted to take the deal. Densmore also refused an endorsement deal offered by iPod maker Apple.”

The court also permanently banned Manzarek and Krieger from using the name, likeness, voice or image of Jim Morrison to promote their band or their concerts, and ordered them to return all profits earned by them to the owner of The Doors name, says MarketWatch.

Manzarek and Krieger now call themselves Riders on the Storm.

. .Stumble It!

Los Angeles Times -’The Doors’ won’t be touring, court says, August 21, 2008
Associated Press -Legal dispute among The Doors nears end, August 22, 2008
MarketWatch -Court Slams Two of the Surviving Members of The Doors, August 21, 2008

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This entry was posted on Friday, August 22nd, 2008 at 5:50 am and is filed under Advertising, Music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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