The John Densmore Interview Set II

Finding the Feel

I love what Ringo said when drum machines were invented: “I’m the drum machine!” Keltner and I have talked about Ringo. He gets criticized because of his technique, but it’s the feel. For drummers the space between one beat and the next is the whole deal. If you push it, you’re playing military marching band stuff. If you wait till the last second to play the next beat, you’re playing the blues.

That’s a huge thing to us. When The Doors started, we jammed on the blues. But when we got into our originals, Ray and I were finding the feel. Jim’s words gave it to me. It was appropriate for those songs. Thank God we felt the thing the same.