Here is the book that Rolling Stone called "the first Doors biography that feels like it was written for the right reasons, and it is easily the most informed account of the Doors' brief but brilliant life as a group".
Riders on the Storm: My Life with Jim Morrison and the Doors
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Doors drummer Densmore, who had a love-hate relationship with lead singer Morrison, sympathetically chronicles the self-destructive Lizard King's rise and fall. "Densmore's detailed account . . . is often narrated in a glib style" but remains "indispensable for fans of one of rock music's most flamboyant and controversial groups," said PW . Photos.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Such is the mystique, the iconoclastic reverence, the enduring commercial success and marketability of Jim Morrison, enigmatic lead singer of the Doors, 19 years after his death, that Densmore, founding Doors member and drummer, is repeatedly upstaged in his own autobiography. Densmore's inside-out account of the group's history perceptively examines relationships, dynamics, creative evolution, difficulties, and artistry, but Morrison in his many guises--angst-ridden poet, Lizard King, pop icon, and alcoholic--invariably dominates every chapter, story, and anecdote. In fact, Densmore addresses significant chunks of italicized text directly to Morrison in a therapeutic attempt to reconcile his own ambiguous feelings, often becoming overly confessional. This book should be very popular, especially as filmmaker Oliver Stone's anticipated Doors movie will undoubtedly create a new wave of Jim Morrison/Doors mania. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/90.
- Barry Miller, Austin P.L., Tex.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
- Barry Miller, Austin P.L., Tex.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
55 of 57 people found the following review helpful
By A. M. Rowe
Format:Paperback
I enjoyed this book immensely. Densmore has a personable, clear, consise style of writing and expresses himself very well. I felt I was there as he described events that happened 30 years ago. I laughed out loud at certain anecdotes in the book, especially when he describes avoiding the draft. For being the "uptight" one in the Doors, Densmore does have a sense of humour that comes through in his writing. He neither trashes Jim, nor does he gloss over Jim. He just tells it like it was. I never sensed any jealousy, just frustration, intimidation, fear, anger, but also admiration and brotherly love. Complex feelings. Clearly that's what Densmore is trying to get through, he wants to explain himself and isn't trying to hide or gloss over. There are many great anecdotes in this book, some funny, some sad, some plain scary! I could understand why Densmore felt the way he did at any given time, he explains it so well. The Doors were 4 very different personalities, obviously. I don't see any of them as being "the bad guy", but they obviously bumped heads due to personality clashes. That's life! Densmore was a teenager when he joined the Doors, so he pretty much grew up with them as well. That's another thing I found so interesting, Densmore sharing his growing-up with the reader, the things he learned along the way. He often addresses Jim directly in the book, telling Jim he learned integrity from him. I couldn't put this book down, very addictive reading.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By "jackvasile"
Format:Paperback
John Densmore's account of his life with Jim Morrison is a sensitive, searching memoir that invites readers to share its intimate point of view. Densmore details the genesis, breakthough, and dissolution of The Doors with an honesty made palpable by his obvious need for truthful answers. Anchoring the narrative are excerpts from a long letter Densmore wrote to Morrison after his death, and it is through this letter that the drummer enables us to understand how haunted he is by his time working and touring with Morrison, a gifted and difficult artist capable of both clear-eyed transcendence and frustrating childishness, of lucid grace and drunken mumblings. Densmore's reconciliation allows us access not only to his life with Morrison, but to our own lives with people who might similarly inspire and baffle us. RIDERS ON THE STORM makes for a wonderfully moving read, and Densmore's deft placement of Morrison's lyrics and poetry throughout illuminates what a fine and pioneering rock lyricist he was.
43 of 50 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I feel sorry for John Densmore. Despite having been a rock star, the member of what was one of the world's top half dozen rock groups, with all the groupies and money and glamor that that entailed, he remains at this book's writing phenomenally insecure - a nebbish who never found himself despite immersing himself in the California human potential culture purported to deliver exactly that.
He's insecure about girls, insecure about who's his friend, insecure about his drab middle-class roots, insecure about his life prospects and failure to have accomplished much of anything until he became part of the Doors. Some of the introspection in here is so bare and revealing it's almost embarrassing to read. The picture of this naďve Everyman locked into a creative foursome with Jim Morrison, the quintessential dangerous and destructive rock star, is priceless.
America was transiting from harmless British Invasion into superficially benign Flower Power, but Morrison meanwhile was wearing black, singing about sex and death, leading concerts that were like dark seances with somber endings, and challenging bandmates and audiences alike to confront their darker selves and deeper fears. He scared the hell out of the likes of John Densmore.
Morrison, as we know from organist Ray Manzarek's book "Light My Fire", once demanded that Densmore be kicked out of the group; he was just too neurotic and got on Morrison's nerves. Densmore found Morrison, particularly as his alcoholism and erratic behavior grew, so disturbing that Densmore had chronic skin rashes from the stress.
Densmore represents a certain sad byway of that era - people whose pursuit of peace and love, meditation and marijuana, sought to cover or compensate for intense feelings of inadequacy. Many young people who haven't quite found their way in life can feel lost in this way. Marijuana seducing them into compulsive introspection certainly couldn't have helped much. But accomplishing something - like, say, being a pretty fine jazz-rock drummer as Densmore was and putting out a unique body of work like the Doors' music - ought to have helped someone get past that. Densmore doesn't seem to have done so, remaining both lost and searching well into middle-age, and failing to see that maturity required moving beyond that. (Although later chapters touching on his men's movement involvement with Robert Bly suggest that perhaps he was getting a clue about this.)
Densmore's insecurity notwithstanding, this is still a worthwhile book. His painful honesty renders his memoir less varnished than Manzarek's and occasionally more convincing. Densmore gets us a little closer to what really happened with Morrison's death. Most signs point to an accidental heroin overdose, with the heroin provided by girlfriend Pam Courson, who later OD'ed herself, and who was being pursued by a French count who also used and also died of it. Densmore also gets us closer than Manzarek to the tragic sense Morrison projected and held of himself, that he told people he didn't think he'd live beyond youth, that he started every day rebelling against the universe before breakfast. Densmore found playing live behind him "intoxicating ... my new religion," but saw what a price Morrison paid for the edge-living that fed his fire, too brightly and too quickly consumed. A Doors concert, Densmore says, left "everyone in attendance ... cleansed - security guards included. What a show. A truly religious experience. Much better than church. Almost as good as sex! Better! A communion with twenty thousand people."
Densmore loved him as well as fearing him; some passages of the book are written as the letters Densmore would be writing him, if he could. Densmore finds common themes in Morrison's self-destruction and the suicide of Densmore's own mentally ill brother, including his own survivor's guilt and wondering if he could have done more to have saved either - concluding, ultimately, that no, he couldn't. Morrison in a later age might have gone through rehab, but at that time his associates had no clue about what he was doing or how to deal with it. A pity. There have been many dead rock musicians but few took so much potential with them when they went.
He's insecure about girls, insecure about who's his friend, insecure about his drab middle-class roots, insecure about his life prospects and failure to have accomplished much of anything until he became part of the Doors. Some of the introspection in here is so bare and revealing it's almost embarrassing to read. The picture of this naďve Everyman locked into a creative foursome with Jim Morrison, the quintessential dangerous and destructive rock star, is priceless.
America was transiting from harmless British Invasion into superficially benign Flower Power, but Morrison meanwhile was wearing black, singing about sex and death, leading concerts that were like dark seances with somber endings, and challenging bandmates and audiences alike to confront their darker selves and deeper fears. He scared the hell out of the likes of John Densmore.
Morrison, as we know from organist Ray Manzarek's book "Light My Fire", once demanded that Densmore be kicked out of the group; he was just too neurotic and got on Morrison's nerves. Densmore found Morrison, particularly as his alcoholism and erratic behavior grew, so disturbing that Densmore had chronic skin rashes from the stress.
Densmore represents a certain sad byway of that era - people whose pursuit of peace and love, meditation and marijuana, sought to cover or compensate for intense feelings of inadequacy. Many young people who haven't quite found their way in life can feel lost in this way. Marijuana seducing them into compulsive introspection certainly couldn't have helped much. But accomplishing something - like, say, being a pretty fine jazz-rock drummer as Densmore was and putting out a unique body of work like the Doors' music - ought to have helped someone get past that. Densmore doesn't seem to have done so, remaining both lost and searching well into middle-age, and failing to see that maturity required moving beyond that. (Although later chapters touching on his men's movement involvement with Robert Bly suggest that perhaps he was getting a clue about this.)
Densmore's insecurity notwithstanding, this is still a worthwhile book. His painful honesty renders his memoir less varnished than Manzarek's and occasionally more convincing. Densmore gets us a little closer to what really happened with Morrison's death. Most signs point to an accidental heroin overdose, with the heroin provided by girlfriend Pam Courson, who later OD'ed herself, and who was being pursued by a French count who also used and also died of it. Densmore also gets us closer than Manzarek to the tragic sense Morrison projected and held of himself, that he told people he didn't think he'd live beyond youth, that he started every day rebelling against the universe before breakfast. Densmore found playing live behind him "intoxicating ... my new religion," but saw what a price Morrison paid for the edge-living that fed his fire, too brightly and too quickly consumed. A Doors concert, Densmore says, left "everyone in attendance ... cleansed - security guards included. What a show. A truly religious experience. Much better than church. Almost as good as sex! Better! A communion with twenty thousand people."
Densmore loved him as well as fearing him; some passages of the book are written as the letters Densmore would be writing him, if he could. Densmore finds common themes in Morrison's self-destruction and the suicide of Densmore's own mentally ill brother, including his own survivor's guilt and wondering if he could have done more to have saved either - concluding, ultimately, that no, he couldn't. Morrison in a later age might have gone through rehab, but at that time his associates had no clue about what he was doing or how to deal with it. A pity. There have been many dead rock musicians but few took so much potential with them when they went.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting interior look at the Doors
I had intended to place this book onto my Amazon wish list for later ordering, but then accidentally clicked on one-click ordering instead. Oh well. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Victor Mark
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great ride
This book hit the mark. He captured the magic of the chemistry that made The Doors special. He clearly articulated his point of view from his upbringing, how the band was formed,... Read more
Published 25 days ago by stu arsht
3.0 out of 5 stars
Review
The author seems to hold on to a lot of anger, which seems to give the book a negative vibe. Interesting recount of the events though.
Published 1 month ago by Unknown willum
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Excellent Read....
John Densmore is a good writer and he makes you feel as if you are there as things happen. I think anyone who loves the Doors or Jim Morrison will thoroughly enjoy this book. Read more
Published 3 months ago by ellnbchristi
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting but Redundant
I wass interested in the book since Desmond was in the band, which I thought would provide a first-hand accounting of Morrison and the Doors, whioh it did, and that was of course... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Dave Vileta
4.0 out of 5 stars
A little self-indulgent, but a great reminisce if you were there...
It's cliche to say the 60s were special but they were and this story does a pretty good job portraying aspects of the late sixties through the prism of one of the great bands and... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Roger Lennert
2.0 out of 5 stars
yawn..
i was very disappointed in this read..boring all about Densmore..do not recommend..if you want to read a good book check out Light My Fire by Ray Manzarek or Angels Dance and... Read more
Published 4 months ago by nancy p
5.0 out of 5 stars
Riding the storm with John!
I finished this book in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down. It is not just about Jim Morrison, but the doors in general. Read more
Published 5 months ago by bookworm77
4.0 out of 5 stars
survivor
RECEIVED FREE COPY FROM LIBRARY
In some ways Densmore was the odd man out in the Doors. According to him, it was either that or being consumed by Jim Morrison's funeral... Read more
In some ways Densmore was the odd man out in the Doors. According to him, it was either that or being consumed by Jim Morrison's funeral... Read more
Published 5 months ago by likes good books, music, movies
3.0 out of 5 stars
Memoir from a disgruntled band member
John Densmore is for lack of a better description, an iconic drummer. Morrison and Densmore had a difficult working relationship and the takeaway is that Densmore enjoyed the... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Jorge Barbarosa
