Who else would show up for a 2pm talk at the University of Rochester’s Strong Auditorium to hear a talk by the drummer of the Doors but tired bikers and students of “Pop Music of The Sixties?” Both of these groups were well represented but a surprising amount of really young kids got in line at the mics, one stationed in each aisle, to say “I’m a big fan of the Doors” and then ask questions about the lyrics of a particular song.
The UofR’s Junior Ivy League campus is an idyllic oasis on the banks of the Genesee near where the Eire Canal crosses the river. You can just imagine how you could get your life in order if you just buckled down and studied. I was never able to pull that last part off. I did take 8 hours of photography classes here from a great teacher, William Jenkins, and I hung around in Joe Barrett‘s dorm room.
John Densmore had a great, light touch and talked about those magic moments when the band would “just vamp on a drone chord” while Jim conjured spirits. I loved it when he explained how as drummer he was responsible for starting songs but when he couldn’t remember how a song went he would just ask for the melody to be sung to him. Not the tempo or pattern. That is good drumming in a nutshell.
Leave a comment