RIP...

From: mailadmin@thedoors.com
Subject: Latest News from The Doors: Jan 7, 2005
Date: 1/7/2005 4:40:33 PM

Danny Sugerman, who first saw The Doors in concert in 1967 and landed a job at their West Hollywood office answering fan mail, eventually becoming the group's manager, died last night, at the age of 50, after a long struggle with lung cancer. Born in L.A. in 1954, Sugerman attended Westchester High School and immediately became involved with The Doors. He co-wrote the 1981 New York Times best-selling Jim Morrison biography, No One Here Gets Out Alive, with Jerry Hopkins, then followed up with the autobiographical Wonderland Avenue and books on Guns N' Roses and The Doors. Sugerman also consulted Oliver Stone on his 1990 movie The Doors, which starred Val Kilmer as Morrison. Danny had been co-managing The Doors with Jeff Jampol and the L.A.-based management company The Firm.

'From the time he joined our fold -- as the 14-year-old kid Jim Morrison suggested we hire to do our scrapbook -- until his passing, Danny Sugerman has been a driving force behind The Doors,' said the band's drummer, John Densmore. 'He wrote a bestseller about the band and guided our career for over 30 years. I was with Danny a couple of hours before he passed; he knew he was going. I only hope that when my time comes, I face it with as much courage and dignity as Danny did. He crossed over as a Bodhisattva.'

'Danny Sugerman was a great friend of mine, and a fantastic manager for The Doors,' said keyboardist Ray Manzarek. 'His mind was sharp as a tack, with a very high IQ -- I loved creating with him. Danny and I set out to keep the name and the poetry of Jim Morrison alive back in 1973, and we continued working together until his death. I will miss him deeply. Now he's gone into the light, into the arms of the Buddha whom he so loved. Danny is standing side-by-side with his great friend, Jim Morrison, and the two of them will now be laughing together into eternity.'

'Danny was the original, number one Doors fan right up until the end,' noted guitarist Robby Krieger. 'He was so obsessed with Jim Morrison and The Doors that he never stopped to realize what an amazing life he had. Danny never ceased to amaze me: That annoying little kid who hung around the Doors office finally talks his way into answering fan mail. Next thing, seemingly overnight, he becomes a best-selling author. Danny takes Jerry Hopkins' research on the Doors and crafts it into possibly the best rock-and-roll book ever written. It's amazing how many lives have been changed (hopefully for the better) by No One Here Gets Out Alive. Then Danny lands a nice little job for himself: manager of The Doors. Pretty neat. But the smartest thing he ever did was to marry Fawn Hall. Theirs was one of the best marriages I knew of. Danny, wherever you're going, I hope you end up with Jim again. Lynn and I loved you until the end.'

'Danny Sugerman was more than a friend and a business partner to me,' said Jeff Jampol, The Doors' co-manager. 'He was an awe-inspiring mentor, a cherished, loving advisor and a living, breathing example of honesty, giving, service and, above all, grace and dignity. He taught me so much. It's funny -- I thought it was about business, but it was actually about life, spirit, and how to be a better human being. I'm going to mourn him terribly, but I have the very enviable duty of keeping his light and his legacy alive, through the music of The Doors, the words and poetry of Jim Morrison and the principles Danny instilled in me. I'll consider myself doubly blessed if I can pass on to others even a sliver of what I received so freely from him. I miss him so much already.'

Sugerman is survived by a brother, Dr. Joseph, sister, Nan, and wife, the former Fawn Hall. A recovering addict, he was active with organizations like the Drug Policy Foundation, Musicians' Assistance Program and NARAS' MusiCares Foundation.

Private services are being planned. The family is requesting that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made in Danny's name to the MusiCares/MAP Fund, 817 S. Vine Street, Hollywood, CA, 90038.

- January 6, 2005

I can't stomach Ray Manzarek, but Sugarman's autobio - not that awful Jim book but "Wonderland Avenue" - is a very entertaining read. Good stuff on the Stooges & others too.

I know Ray's personal landscaper - and he says Ray is the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet.

Really amazing life.

I did not anything about him.

We discover some great characters just because they have passed.

It looks he was more than a diehard fan. I cannot find a word for such a devotion.

How are the current reincarnation
of the Doors? I've resisted
checking them out, just kinda
seems sad milking the original
monikor like that..................

The new Doors put on an awesome show davido, I saw them last year, it was really good. Robby Krieger was unbelievable, and the guy who sang did a nice job of sounding like Jim Morrisson without trying to be Jim. It was the best show I have ever seen besides the Stones everytime I've saw them and the Who.

nice post.thanks.

john scialfa

Good to hear this!
There were some mighty fine
musicians in the band, I'm glad
if they are getting their due without
being crass/ exploitive about it.

I plan on going to see the Doors, I just think they'd be better off having Jimbo on the big screen singing, than to have someone trying to sing and look like Jim.
There will never be another Jim Morrison, just like they'll never be another band like the STONES.

<and the guy who sang did a nice job of sounding like Jim Morrisson without trying to be Jim.>

"The guy who sang..." is Ian Astbury of The Cult (one of my favourite singers of all time).

Live shows from The Doors can be bought at www.disclive.com in superb quality. I bought "Live From The Five - NY 2004.05.05" Fantastic show!

BTW, Ian Astbury DOES NOT try to sound like Jim Morrison. Actually, he has a similar voice, (more high pitched though) but totally his own style .

For the movie "The Doors" he was offered the part as Jim, but turned it down. Instead Val Kilmer showed up for audition with home-made movies of himself in a Jim Morrison-outfit, singing Doors-songs

Hi;

Right there, Dandelion (nephew?)!

And Astbury is, besides, most famous for puttin down Madonna when she made a heavy pass on him around -88. No shit.

Still, not that I yet have heard the New Doors (I´m one of the few strange cats that have Doors together with you-know-what-gruop as my absolute favorites), I would consider Manzareks idea from 1971-72 of tuckin in Iggy Pop as lead singer as the most productive solution... But it may be worth listening to.

Sugerman is a personality that will be missed in the world of rockenrål... /BB

Wow - I met this guy back in High School(1971) when me & some buddies got the idea of having a concert at our school and I (knowing the Doors where local) tracked down their management (Mr. Sugarman) and when to his office in Hollywood. He was a very nice guy, took the time to listen to these (3) teenagers who had no money, just this idea of staging a show on our football field & stands.

(told him the place would hold at least 5000)

He told us the Doors hadn't done a High School show since before their 1st album,
and they had just performed in Long Beach, Calif. to about 10,000...

too bad, good guy - MLC

For all you Doors fans out there..

Just thinking about this band while writing the about note made me remember the
1st time I saw them, right after their 1st album & Light My Fire came out.

My older brother got a job at a record store, back in the 60's on Hollywood blvd,
a place that sold "British" records back then, only one of two in So, Calif.
It was owned by a British guy (Lou Lewin) and lot's of music people used to go there for their music. I got to hear, Hendrix, Cream amoung others before the rest of America was exposed to them...

My brother used to bring me and a couple of buddies to work on Saturday's
(we were 13 at the time) we would goof off around Hollywood early in the day
and around noon, we went to the local nightclub (the Hullabulu) and get 1st in line for the night's show, when my brother got off work, he would cut in line with us, some of his friends would show up and cut too. people were cool in those days, nobody said anything about the cutting, others did it too. And we would have front row seats for; the Doors, Love, the Seeds, Buffalo Springfield,
Hour-Glass (band before the Allman Bros - Duane Allman was awesome!!)

The girls back then were really taken with the crazy/cool singer from the Doors
(Jim) he had to be high on Acid that night, the way he was acting, but once he
looked down on me & my friends and smiled - I think he got a kick out of young
kids at his show digging his music... Memories!!!!! MLC

That must have been so cool. Wow!!! I would have loved to experience the original line-up with The Doors too. That's a totally awesome memory I think. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I miss Jimbo, what a voice. It wouldn't surprise me one bit, if he faked his death tho. Jim's capable of it, about the only one that is capable of successfully pullin' off a stunt like that and gettin' away with it. He was fed up with the crap of the music world and wanted to write, but shit JIMBO, we miss YA!

But, that guy singin' for The Doors, look at him in their 4-some picture on the website, he is definately dressed and has his hair like THE JIMBO! I don't like that, not one bit!

<But, that guy singin' for The Doors, look at him in their 4-some picture on the website, he is definately dressed and has his hair like THE JIMBO>

No one has the copyright on a rock'n'roll-look. Astbury looks that way, and sounds like he does. It's some hard shoes to fill, but somebody's gotta do it. There were rumours about Astbury would join The Doors for about 10 years before he actually did it, so it wouldn't have been an easy decision to make for him.

BTW, he's out with a solo record now.

I agree if anyone could pull off faking his death, it would be Morrison! I thought Val Kilmer did an unbelieveable job in the movie, THE DOORS. It was almost TOO GOOD! I really wish I'd seen them live, one of the few big bands I missed! Jim died way too soon.....if indeed he died! Either way, the music ended. What a lose, an awesome poet with a unique stage presence!

I saw Jim's tomb three years ago in Paris. It smelled like piss.

JumpingKentFlash