Ex-Doors Unveil New Name

Founding Doors members Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger, along with singer Ian Astbury, unveiled Riders On The Storm as the band’s new name at the August 5th debut taping of VH1’s upcoming live concert series, “Decades Rock Live.”

The group temporarily adopted the moniker D21C after a Los Angeles judge ruled last month in favor of former member John Densmore, who filed suit against the band for its use of “Doors of the 21st Century,” the name it had toured under for more than two years.

“‘Riders On The Storm’ is the last song the band recorded and a fitting beginning for a new chapter,” manager Tom Vitorino told Pollstar. “The bottom line is that these guys are going to move forward and play music. They’re doing this so that people who love Doors music have a place to hear it live and played by the guys who actually wrote the music. It makes sense.”

Fans will have a chance to check out Riders On The Storm on the inaugural broadcast of “Decades Rock Live” in October. The concert series, produced by VH1 Classic and World Productions, is filmed at the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J.

Other artists appearing on the program’s debut are Perry Farrell, Macy Gray, Pat Travers, John Sebastian, the original Vanilla Fudge, and Antigone Rising.

“VH1, Trump Taj Mahal and World Productions created nothing short of an absolutely first-class production,” Vitorino said. “Their integrity is all over this. And the first band they decide to do this with is the one that is getting tortured in the court.”

– Deborah Speer