Remembering Danny Sugerman, the teenage manager of The Doors
Fronted by the legendary Lizard King, Jim Morrison, The Doors released a cascade of hits that defined the psychedelic sixties and early seventies. Guided by the poetry of Morrison, The Doors had an almost indefinable sound – slightly too avant-garde for traditional rock, not too high on flower power to be considered hippies. They combined free-form jamming with the electricity of rock to create a unique sound that has made their musical immortal.
Besides the efforts of Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby, and John Densmore to produce hits like ‘Riders on the Storm’ and ‘People are Strange’, there was another man responsible for putting The Doors in the history books. And he got to work doing so at only 13 years old. Danny Sugerman’s story is the stuff of dreams for teenage rock fans because he broke into the inner fold of his favourite band and eventually wound up working with them as their second manager.
Sugarman’s childhood was said to be affluent but boring. He might’ve lived in the same neighbourhood as Fred Astaire, but he wanted something a bit more rock and roll. He quickly became a fan of The Doors in middle school, frequently attending their shows.
After one concert, armed with what can only be described as thirteen-year-old bravado and a reverence for Morrison, he managed to get in contact with the band. From there, he began working with them part-time, compiling a band scrapbook and answering fan mail. The Doors were so impressed by his work ethic that they let him continue while he finished high school.
In 1971, at only 17 – Sugerman was officially hired as their manager. What he lacked in tangible industry experience he made up for with his fierce love of the band’s music, and he was a valued member of their inner circle because he understood their vision so well. It was a dream come true for Sugerman until the summer of ’71 rolled around, and Morrison tragically passed away.
Still, he maintained his connections with the band by managing Ray Manzarek’s solo career. The tenacious nature The Doors had seized upon was soon recognised by others in the music industry and led to him working with many major voices, including Iggy Pop.
Sadly, Sugerman dealt with a crippling heroin addiction that sidelined his career, a fate suffered by many in the music world. However, after discovering spirituality, he found himself on the road to recovery. He wrote about his grapples with addiction in his autobiography: Wonderland Avenue: Tales of Glamour and Excess.
Oliver Stone utilised his connection to The Doors in the 1991 film, The Doors, which he advised on. The same year, Sugerman would also help put out compilations of Morrison’s poetry and lyrics. Sugerman also helped write the biography of the Doors’ lead singer, No One Here Gets Out Alive.
He remained a close friend of Doors members until his death in 2005, with Manzarek telling Rolling Stone: “He was a fine, good and decent man. Smart as a whip with a very high I.Q. He was my great friend. His heart was in the heavens, and he is now in the light with the Buddha and Jim Morrison.”
