We're lucky to have former Doors road manager Vince Treanor here to answer fan questions and share some of his memories. Ask Vince about anything related to the equipment The Doors used, stage set-ups, specific concerts, the band after Jim's death, and working on the Oliver Stone movie.
Hi Vince,
Lately there have been some discussion on the Lizard Lounge if this event was filmed in it`s entirety(including the FULL Doors set)....Greg Shaws book states that the whole thing got caught on tape by D A Pennebaker, Inc "but reportedly the darkened stage during The Doors` set interfered with the quality of the filming."
While other sources seem to indicate that only portions or very little of their performance got filmed...
As this footage has never come into circulation I was wondering if you could add anything to confirm or negate these "rumours"..?
If you also could tell a little about the show itself and how it went, it would be greatly appreciated.
Hopefully Vince add something about the actual concert. But in regards to the footage, YES the Doors set was filmed and does indeed exist. Pennebaker doesn't have it.
wha happened wrote:Hopefully Vince add something about the actual concert. But in regards to the footage, YES the Doors set was filmed and does indeed exist. Pennebaker doesn't have it.
what about the darkened stage and all of that supposedly interferring with the quality of the footage?true or false?
And have you actually seen this footage?
I now because I talked to someone that seen it. Paul Rothchild seen it and commented on it. Yet another person knew the private collector with it. Bottom line is, don't hold your breath waiting for it to surface. We can't even get an official release of the Isle Of Wight or a deal for the most bootlegged Doors concerts (the Matrix). Word of mouth is very powerful, if one soundman gets screwed for the work he did, then others find out about that and are unlikely to put themselves in the same situation.
If you want to make another topic about this, go for it. We don't want to take up this space which is dedicated to Vince.
p.s. you guys should really register or use a name, it gets confusing seeing ever post from "guest".
This festival was played in the Bad Year. As you may know we were Untouchable for the first several months of 1969 owing to the outrage of a rather dull show in Florida.
Toronto was like other in that time. Police were watching and listening for the slightest sign of unusual behavior by Jim. In general they have warrants already written ready to serve if there was a problem.
We all felt this pressure and everyone was worried that Jim would not remember the uproar of Miami and would test the limits. The result would have been a disaster - even in Canada.
The show was restrained. Jim was somewhat subdued. In fact, if it was not for the blandness of the show the setting and Jim's behavior would have been ideal.
When you ask about photos, recordings and filming, it is difficult for me to answer. Remember that my attention was, as always, focussed ont he groups as they performed. We always had to be prepared fro Groupies and Snatchers racing up on stage. The grabbers were the most dangerous because in their attempt to grab something they could take awa, and they didn't muc care what it was, they could, and sometimes did, make a mess of things on stage in their mad dash.
The Band Boys job was to keep people off stange. My job was at the sound console and beside John in case he broke a drum head. Photographers of any kind were not welcome because they endagnered the plugs for the amps so it required a special request from the boys to allow them on stage without suffering a roughing up and being, unceremoniously, pushed off.
this lesson was learned early at the Alice Cooper show in early 1968 when one of Bills friends kicked the pugs out.
1969 I think was a sort of plateau for the Boys. We all knew Jim had done nothing really wrong. The furor was purely political. But the threat of arrest at yet another show really put a limit on how far Jim dared to go. One could say that Toronto, like other places that year, we musically a reasonable performance, it was also restrained. The music was trending toward Blues, under pressure from Ray and Jim being somewhat frightened of the ever present police. Mediocer would be the best description under the circumstances.
Oh, People, How to tell you about something so long ago. It was, at the best of times, so dificult to describe a Doors performance. You can name the set list, critique the playing and singing. But it was the atmosphere, the Ambience, the excitement that was tangible on stage. That I cannot tell you. You just have to be one of the Band Boys who were allowed to be on stage, to really know the feeling of a Doors performance and the little twining of interplay between the boys.
Well, Did I answer your question> I hope so. I never know if I come to the core of the inquiry but I will try for each of you.
Just a though from the star of this show - It's open here and you can ask. I am not aware of all the tapes and filming done over those years. But if I know anything about it I will tell you. If I don't know I will say so and perhaps Ed, who is monitoring the forum here will step in and help out. Or others. It matters not.
Thank you very much for your reply Vince, it`s a real thrill to get to ask someone like you that was actually there throughout several years of the Doors` career....truly priceless..
ps:hope you`ll find a publisher who will publish your stories...I know I`d definetly buy it!
Thank you for your encouragement. It lends enthusiasm for the long project. Right now I am embroiled in rebuilding two organs donated to churches here. That keeps me pretty busy in day and Evenings I try to relax a bit. You know, I have found that I have writing spurts. Suddenly I have this compulsion to worte and it come pouring out. We'll see. I have about 120 pages written.
You might see some of it, the Forum owner has posted some submissions, I think Singer Bowl, Hwd Bowl, New Haven and some other items are still there.
I am not sure of the days before England are there. How to become a Band Boy, and the search for Randy and his friend from Columbia, Md.
One story poped into mind just now - The draft protester from U. Nevada. He got lost somhow.
There is so much..
Well, Ican't write it all now. I'll have to say.... More Later.
