The Doors Forum

Hi Vince,

you had stated that none of John's drums were stolen during your tenure. It appears at least one snare drum was snagged. In a post on John's board someone stated they stole one of John's snares during 1969 and that they still had it and they wrote in apologizing. John confirmed it was his and he did remember it going missing.

John

captainjack4u Aug 8 2005, 06:09 AM Post #1


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Group: Members
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Joined: 7-August 05
Member No.: 45



Hello John

After almost 40 years I thought it time to fess up to you. I'm not proud of what I did. I'm not sure you are even going to remember, but let me get this off my chest. You can reply if you care to but will understand if you don't.
Toronto either 1968 or 1969, You, (The Doors) played, at I believe, the CNE. I went to the concert with my older sister, at the time I was probably 14 or 15 and a newbie drummer, playing with a few friends in Toronto. It must have been close to winter as I remember my sister was wearing a large coat. She had friends working the show so we were back stage during the end of the performance. I remember there was a problem with your snare, I believe you tore the head and you swapped it with another. Well being young and stupid I stole your Ludwig Chrome snare after the show and my sister took a maraca.
Well I played on that snare for years until I pretty much gave up drumming. It has been in the company of some pretty awesome musicians, but that's not my claim to fame only theirs. It spent quite a few years in storage until coming back out of the closet about 4 years ago when my oldest daughter Mackenzie began to play drums, at the time she was 16. Well let me tell you that old snare still has the magic. My 2 daughters along with 2 of their best friends formed an all girl rock band "Aroarah" in the Sacramento area 4 years ago where I now live. Their band moved to LA last year and my daughter had a custom kit made by "Sako" the drum tech for "System of a Down". The only drum she did not replace was your old snare. My daughter just had her 21st birthday 5 days ago, my other daughter Morgan, a guitar player, and the other band members are all 19. The girls recently moved back to Sacramento from LA for a short time to save some money. Mackenzie has taken drum lessons here in Sac and LA and is currently taking jazz lessons from Matt Marucci.
Now I'm sorry if I pissed you off back in 1968-69, I don't know if it fucked up your tour, or just your day, but I have to say that it has been magical for my daughter, she is a far better drummer than I ever was, must be my bad karma, people see her and can't believe there is a girl back there drumming, so I have to thank you for inspiring me to play but more so thank you for my daughter having the opportunity to play on your old snare. By the way she knows the story and treasures it as much as I do.
Should you want it back after all these years I would understand and I would return it to you. Again John I apologize and probably should have said something years ago.

I hope to hear from you, but understand if you don't reply.

Thanks for all the great years of music

Jack


That was an outrageous story... I do remember missing one of my snare drums, but it didn't mess up the tour... I'm glad to see it's been put to good use... good luck to your daughter!
john

http://forum.johndensmore.com/index.php?showtopic=43

Well I stand corrected - Memory fails sometimes. In fact, I believe I have written in the story of Filore East, that John's entire drum set and Ray's organ was stoled from the Filmore theater after the last show. These were recovered on the steps of the nearby police station.

should have remembered a stolen snare., however.

Interesting about that story. When John left the stage there was no looking back. The drum was stolen after the show. John had no way of knowing about it as I would have replaced it immediately. Bob Greene would have known as I would submit an expense account after each road show, but John likely would never have known.

Of course itis politic for him to "remember" and if this penetant says he stole it, there is no denying the facts.

Robby had a guitar stolen at Singer Bowl.

We got hit once in a great while. Of course any theft was costly and a grave inconvenience.

How nice of this fellow to write to John and how kind is John in return. Just another example of the character of my little drummer boy - John was absolutely the greatest - in performance and character.