Stewart Copeland sues The Doors

Copeland Sues Doors for $1M

Ex-Police drummer seeking damages for breach of contract

By Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna
Rolling Stone

Former Police drummer Stewart Copeland has slapped keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger of Doors 21st Century (as the new incarnation of the Doors is now known) with a $1 million suit. Copeland -- who has filled the drum seat left vacant by original Doors drummer John Densmore since last summer -- claims that Doors 21st Century members Manzarek and Krieger breached an oral contract to use him for the band's upcoming tour and album.

"In or about February 2003, after exploiting the credibility, talent, and reputation to plaintiff Copeland to launch and generate heat for the tour and album and once the success of the Doors 21st Century was assured, defendants breached the oral contract," reads the suit, filed Friday. "They purported to hire a replacement drummer, keeping plaintiff's 20% of the net profits for themselves."

Copeland had played a handful of dates with band last year before his elbow injury forced the cancellation of a December show. He reportedly aggravated the injury during the band's January 19th show in Las Vegas, and drummer Ty Dennis has filled in for the band's recent performances.

The lawsuit comes on the heels of a suit filed February 4th by Densmore against Manzarek, Krieger, Copeland and Ian Astbury, the former Cult singer who is singing in place of the late Jim Morrison. Densmore filed an injunction against this incarnation of the band's use of the Doors name and logo.

Representatives for Copeland, and Manzarek and Krieger would not comment on the lawsuit.

(March 10, 2003)

 

Well now, isn't that a fine mess! What's with this, anyway? The project is dead in the water before it had a chance to get off the ground. Almost worthy of Morrison himself...

ED

 

You have to admit... it's kinda funny, two Doors drummers sueing the band at once!

HZ

 

And who will the next drummer be after everybody realizes that?!? They'll have about as much luck keeping one as Spinal Tap did!

ED

 

What a mess, indeed. I was so thrilled awhile back when I learned that the Doors would be touring again. Everything has gone downhill since then.

 

Jim Morrison really was the heart & soul of the Doors. They shouldn't be touring as the Doors to begin with. This whole thing is a mess. Is anyone going to the shows?

 

Strange that this was made public the day Stewart gets inducted into the RNR Hall Of Fame.

 

I heard they tried to get "Stumpy Joe" to fill in for Stewart but were told that "he died in a bizarre gardening accident" some time ago.

 

Man, it just keeps getting weirder and weirder.....

 

And I'm a big Stewart Copeland. I was so looking forward to a good tour, an interesting album, and probably in the end a nice live DVD. But that performance on the Tonight Show recently, left a lot to be desired.

 

Only partially agree..Robbie wrote most of the top 40 songs.....

As to the topic of the thread...If Manzarek is involved...what do we expect? He's just a tad on the selfish side.

 

Actually the drummer from The Police is now also suing The Doors - or more appropriately, what's left of them.