Doors Music Group

Coming from across Europe, the United States and Japan, fans left flowers and pictures of themselves at the grave of Jim Morrison to commemorate his death 25 years ago Wednesday in his Paris apartment. Riot police provided security at the Pere Lachaise cemetery in northeastern Paris, allowing 100 fans at a time around the simple grave site that reads "James Douglas Morrison 1943-1971." At least 200 others waited outside, smoking pot, drinking and playing Doors songs on the guitar.

The 1960s-era rock band the Doors and musician Carlos Santana reached a tentative settlement of claims accusing a music archive of violating their rights by selling merchandise and offering free online recordings. The musicians and their licensing companies, including Sony BMG Music Entertainment, reached the proposed agreement last week with the Bill Graham Archive and its chief executive, William Sagan, according to a filing in federal court in San Jose.

A Florida State University student named Jim Morrison came to Los Angeles in early 1964 with books of his handwritten poetry, rhymes that would become the dark, lyrical core of the music of the Doors as they tore up the Sunset Strip. One song that was \o7not \f7in those books, however, was "L.A. Woman." "No, he made up most of the words to 'L.A. Woman' on the fly right there in the studio," says Robby Krieger, the guitarist of the Doors.

At the top of a winding staircase, a larger-than-life photograph of Jim Morrison, shirtless, seductive and forever young, looms as the song "Back Door Man" pulses through the room. Forty years after making its recording debut, the Doors -- one of America's greatest rock 'n' roll bands, whose lasting sound has inspired generations of musicians and fans -- are being honored with a comprehensive exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

The official story goes like this: On the last night of Jim Morrison's life, the rocker went to a movie in Paris, listened to records, fell ill and died of heart failure in his bathtub at the age of 27. But rumors have always swirled around the death of the Doors' frontman and, 36 years later, a former Paris nightclub manager is telling a different story. In a new book, Sam Bernett says that Morrison died in a toilet stall at his club after what he believes was a heroin overdose.

This is the end? Not for the Doors, not even close. Jim Morrison died in Paris in summer 1971, but his music not only keeps playing, it's getting louder. The surviving members of the band -- Ray Manzarek, John Densmore and Robby Krieger -- have been mired in assorted legal disputes in recent years, but now word is coming from their reunifying camp that they believe it's time to put their band's legacy (and, ahem, potential profitability) front and center.

Bob Dylan is singing "The Times They Are A-Changin' " in a television ad for healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente these days, and who could argue? With Led Zeppelin pitching Cadillacs, the Rolling Stones strutting in an Ameriquest Mortgage ad and Paul McCartney warbling for Fidelity Investments, it's clear that the old counterculture heroes of classic rock are now firmly entrenched as the house band of corporate America. That only makes the case of John Densmore all the more intriguing.

John Densmore, co-founder and drummer of the Doors, filed suit against former band members Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, charging that a tour organized by the pair represents a breach of contract and trademark infringement. On the tour, due to play the Universal Amphitheatre on Friday, Stuart Copeland, formerly of the Police, substitutes for Densmore, and Ian Astbury, formerly of the Cult, stands in for singer Jim Morrison, who died in 1971.

Ray Manzarek of the Doors fired back Thursday at former bandmate John Densmore for filing a lawsuit against the reconstituted classic rock group and its new projects. "John has always been a hothead, and now he is suing the Doors in a fit of pique," said keyboardist Manzarek. "It's sad, really.... I think he feels left out and worries that people think he's the least important part of the Doors. And I think he has begun to think that about himself."

Doors members file lawsuits What's up with Doors drummers? First, John Densmore, the rock group's original drummer, filed suit in February, seeking to block former bandmates Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger from performing under the name Doors 21st Century. Now, Stewart Copeland, who initially was tapped to replace Densmore in the reconstituted group, has hit them with a $1-million suit, RollingStone.com reports, charging that they breached an oral contract to use him on a tour and album.