“Dread ripples through me”: When John Densmore lashed out at Pete Townshend and Sting
An issue that many artists come to face throughout their careers is the question of authenticity. At what point is it acceptable to ‘sell out’? Is it ever acceptable to sell out? And what constitutes ‘selling out’? When a band that spouts peace and love allows their music to be used in an advertisement for a corporation that exploits its workers and is essentially capitalist greed personified, many fans are quick to judge. Yet, in a world where musicians struggle to make money from their art alone, some people believe it is acceptable to use capitalism to their advantage; it’s a dog-eat-dog industry, after all.
John Densmore, the drummer of The Doors, isn’t sold on the idea of his music appearing in commercials, believing that he would be betraying his core values as an artist if he let companies use his music to advertise the latest fad or trend. Rising to prominence in the ‘60s, The Doors were icons of the countercultural movement, opposing rife consumerism and artificiality through their blues and psychedelia-infused songs.
Their lead singer, Jim Morrison, was an obsessive artist who didn’t see his musical creations as a way to sell millions of records or be the most famous band in the world. He died in 1971, leaving behind a legacy of true authenticity. This attitude has lingered with Densmore, who believes that many artists are hypocritical in terms of what they preach versus who they allow to use their music.
“Dread ripples through me as I listen to a phone message from our manager saying that we have another offer of huge amounts of money if we would just allow one of our songs to be used as the background for a commercial. They don’t give up! I guess it’s hard to imagine that everybody doesn’t have a price,” he wrote in a 2002 article for The Nation.
He added, “Apple Computer called on a Tuesday–they already had the audacity to spend money to cut ‘When the Music’s Over’ into an ad for their new cube computer software. They want to air it the next weekend, and will give us a million and a half dollars! a million and a half dollars!” He joked, “Dammit! Why did Jim have to have such integrity?”
While discussing this issue with his bandmates, Densmore remained adamant that the band shouldn’t give into such ludicrous monetary offers. “I’m pretty clear that we shouldn’t do it. We don’t need the money,” he explained,” continuing, “If I learned anything from Jim, it’s respect for what we created. I have to pass. Thank God, back in 1965 Jim said we should split everything, and everyone has veto power. Of course, every time I pass, they double the offer!”
He also took the time to call out several English musicians who have given in to having their music used in advertisements. “Those impeccable English artists are falling prey as well. Pete Townshend keeps fooling us again, selling Who songs to yuppies hungry for SUVs. I hope Sting has given those Shaman chiefs he hangs out with from the rainforest a ride in the back of that Jag he’s advertising, ’cause as beautiful as the burlwood interiors are, the car–named after an animal possibly facing extinction–is a gas guzzler.”
While Densmore admits he had a Jag in the ‘60s, he has since come to his senses. “That was back when the first whiffs of rock stardom furled up my nose. Hopefully, I’ve learned something since those heady times, like: ‘What good is a used-up world?’”
