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,
I came across this comment on a concert trading site from someone who attended the show and had this to say about The Who's set.
The Door's amps were laying on their backs along the front of the stage during the Who's set. Too bad My Generation is missing from the tape because the performance this night was one of the most destructive I ever witnessed. Since Pete was pissed about the Door's equipment being left on the stage he ran out to the front of the stage at the end of Generation and started attacking thier amps with his guitar. [...] While the Who were trashing the stage and their equipment the Who's roadies were facing off with the Door's roadies who were not happy about Townshend's attack on the Door's amps.
Do you recall this or have anything to add?
Thanks again.
First the story could not be true because the Doors had no "Roadies". They never did before or during my tenure.
There were three people there that night representing the Doors technical crew. Myself, Ken Kowalski and Toni Parisi.
Had any of the Who's "Roadies" attacked the Door equipment there would have been three bangs. The guitar hitting just one amp. Ken hitting the guy who did it and the guys body hitting the ground. I think it would have stopped there.
The Who NEVER, at any time, in any way, for any reason "Attacked the Doors equipment. The Who were not rowdie, street urchins. Nor were they Vandals. They had a performance and part of it was to demolish some of their amps. It was planned and orchestrated. It was not random nor vicious. They were and remain a professional group that had a gimmick.
Rather that "Face Off" after the Who completed their set. We three helped to remove their equipment from the stage and they, in turn assisted us with the moving of our equipment. The entire relationship was co-operative and friendly at all times. Once more, had there been a "Face Off" as this imbicile suggests, I have the feeling that one look at Ken would have disuaded anyone from doing anything so foolish. If they did underestimate who they were dealing with, I think Toni and I could have watched while Ken beat the living shit out of all of them.
In any case, the loud mouth publicity seeker who write this slanerous article forgets that if the crew fromn the Who attacked the crew from the Doors, there would have been only 3 people to attack and I was one of them.
If the fool who wrote this article had the brains to remember, there was no "Front" of the stage. They were on a rotating turntable - until nearly the end of their set when the drive mechanism failed. Any place the faced at any time during the rotation of the platform was "Front".
As for our amps being laid down on the stage - It is possible that - to save time in the change over - we had laid some of them down in this fashion. If this is so - where are the photos - it was with the permission and co-operation of the Senior member of the technical crew for the Who. Not to mention their Road Manager.
In summary - This article was likely written by someone with a vivid imagination who was not even present at the performance that night. The story is laced with lies, and ignorance and people like that should have their fingers broken so they will not write such trash again.
The SInger Bowl was, and will be, a point of controversy. Everything was fine until that turn table stopped and then the crowd became "Restive". In the resulting chaos people were hurt, equipment stolen and some "Good Guys" came forward to help.
Our relations with the Who was agreeable, co-operative and considerate. We worked together to put on a show and, through no one's fault, things went not as planned. I repeat that no one attacked the Doors equipment. There would have been big problems had they done so. Think about it - if they destroyed the amps, how did we play?
People like to talk about what they know nothing of. I suppose it gives them some sort of notoriety - therefore nuisance value. Truth is more important than idle gossip. I must say - it was a night to remember.
vince wrote:The Who NEVER, at any time, in any way, for any reason "Attacked the Doors equipment. The Who were not rowdie, street urchins. Nor were they Vandals. They had a performance and part of it was to demolish some of their amps. It was planned and orchestrated. It was not random nor vicious. They were and remain a professional group that had a gimmick.
The story of The Who smashing The Doors equipment didn't sound right to me.
The Who trying to outdo The Doors performance wise?
Sure, I can buy that.
Destroying their equipment?
Not really.
Glad to hear the real story from someone who was there.
Way too much sensationalist fiction about both bands out there.
jamestkirk wrote:And "truth" can be rather boring to those who love to perpetuate the myths.
Thanks, Vince. We need your BOOK to be written & released!!
But then, wouldn't it be rather boring for those myth lovers to find that The Doors & rockers of all genre were for the most part--professionals.
Let it rip!
I just sign this post from James. Vince, do consider to write a book.
You have everything to do a great book. You have a fantastic and unique 5 years road experience with one of the most important bands of R&R history. In this period you contacted with so many strong personalities. You have been there and so you can demystify many "events" described in other books.
And, last but not least, let me tell you that you do write very well. You have a very interesting reflective discourse. Many of us here are not only interested in knowing from you the facts. We are also deeply interested in knowing your feelings and thoughts even after more than 40 years.
This band was great and change some aspects of our personalities and therefore our life. It's good to have other perspectives from people that know what they talk about. As I told before you are in an unique positions to do it. I'm sure you take pleasure in telling these stories so I'm also sure that taken from these samples an editor will be interested in publishing an eventual manuscript from you.
I hope I was a positive contribution for persuading you to do it
If I may be so indulged, let me clear up the mystery of a book and why it has not been written - more accurately, completed (I like to be accurate)
I have a book written. It is not complete and likely owing to time and fading memory will never be. A kindly person suggested that he could help get it published. I sent him the existing test and he commented on editing. As you all know, I am not the world's greates typist. Shame on me that I don't proof read and get rid of typos but there are so many people asking for responses - and I do have other things I must attend to - like it or not. I write slowly as well, bringing my thoughts to the surface, turning them into the printed test and hitting SUBMIT.
He had suggested that it would take some time and cost a good deal to make corrections. I suggested that I could do that, leaving him to make what editorial amends he felt necessary. He thanked me for my time, suggested he wished me good luck and ended the discourse. The Doors Story sits, alone and rarely visited in the dark remote, almost inaccessable segments of my hard drive. There was another issue as well. He suggested that the book was too long and publishers would not want to take a chance on a first book by an unknown author - regardless of the notoriety of the subject or the author. I can not see how 4 years of history can be written in 100 pages. What do I know.
Stories of my life - How about my 4 years in China. Not that they were overly exciting until a young fellow who was working at the yard was cheated. He then allied himself with a former school mate who was producing counterfeit graduation books for ShenZhen University. As a result of a disgruntled "Runner" and an arguement over payment, my friend was alone in their house when the police, having been tipped off by the runner, arrived. This young guy went through about 8 hours of hell, including being paraded naked, bloody and beaten down the street to the police station. The story of cruelty, abuse, sex, intrigue, deception and bribery extended over the next 15 months. Finally, a carton of cigarettes unlocked the doors and the boy, with only ragged pants and torn T shirt to cover his body was let free to walk, barefoot, along nearly 2 miles of remote dirt road before he came to the main street and civilization.
I was in the office of the boat yard when s call came and a strange voice was heard. Can anyone say that Joy could cover such a moment? He was in SheKou and I in ZhuHai separated by a ferry ride across the Pearl River. That ride never took longer than on that day. There is more to this story but that is the point of it all.
I think I have not had a lot of excitement in my life. But when it happened, it was exciting. Like making a movie - 5 minutes of frantic action surrounded by hours of exhausting boredom.
Well, in my view concerning the opportunities to release a book today there are numerous ways to do it without having to worry about its length. For e.q release it in digital form, etc. Actually I've been editing your recollections, putting together everything since your very first posts and have to tell you that they connect to each other pretty well and despite the few corrections that had to be made, it is in a rather great flow up there in the standards of John's or Ray's book (though yours is undoubtedly honest to the latter). All we have to do is put them in chronological order (though that's also a subjective thing to do, as it can be done the other way like Dylan did in his 'Chronicles,' jumping back and forth in time).
If I may, I'd suggest you Vince not to worry about any of these aspects, just write your pieces and I'm sure all of them will have its place one day. There are a lot of information in there, absolutely no need to cut back on them or leave a thing out. More so as I see it you're not the kind of man who's volatile and writes about one thing in five sentences.
"Because when the crowds finally begin to accept you
you become the suspect of your artistry" Buk
