Stewart Copeland and the Doors 21st Century have “amicably” settled the lawsuit Copeland filed against the group, according to an announcement from the group’s publicist on Tuesday (June 3).
Police drummer Copeland, who played with the reconfigured Doors in 2002, filed the $1 million-plus breach of contract suit on March 7 in Los Angeles after the group replaced him with Ty Dennis earlier this year. Dennis was initially thought to be a temporary replacement while Copeland’s elbow healed from a mountain biking injury, but the group made the move permanent. Terms of the out-of-court agreement were not revealed.
Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek said the personnel change didn’t have anything to do with Copeland’s injury. “Stewart lacked the mystery,? Manzarek said. ?He’s not a mysterious, mystical drummer who’s willing to just be the support to the melodic flights of [guitarist Robbie] Krieger and Manzarek. I mean, we want to float over the top of a good, solid, mystical, mysterious rhythm, and Stewart is very, very busy, and just can’t relax into the pocket.”
Manzarek added that he and Krieger were surprised that Copeland sued them. “It was like, ‘Listen, man, you’re a great guy, but this is just not working out, so thanks a lot, and let’s part friends.’ And he said, ‘OK,’ and then a week later, ‘I’m suing you.’ ‘Oh. (chuckles) All right. Well, let’s not part friends, then.'”
The Doors 21st Century is involved in two other lawsuits-one with founding drummer John Densmore, whose request for a temporary restraining order against the band was denied last month, and another filed by the parents and in-laws of the late singer, Jim Morrison, who has been replaced in the new band by the Cult’s Ian Astbury.
The next show for the Doors 21st Century is June 20 at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan.