(From the Birmingham Evening Mail, 31 October 2000.)

Doors With Strings Attached

by Andy Coleman

SEEMS like cult rock band The Doors are back in fashion. Fatboy Slim has sampled lead singer Jim Morrison's voice for his new single, UB40 are releasing their version of 'Light My Fire' and now violinist Nigel Kennedy has teamed up with former Killing Joke frontman Jaz Coleman and the Prague Symphony Orchestra for an album of classical versions of the band's songs.

'Riders on the Storm: The Doors Concerto', released this week, features orchestral renditions of Jim Morrison classics like 'Light My Fire' and 'People Are Strange'.

The surviving members of The Doors have greeted the work with delight.

Violin concerto

'When I first heard the Violin Concerto I was just stunned by the brilliance of it,' admits Ray Manzarek. 'Nigel Kennedy's violin was like Jim Morrison's voice. It's a really thrilling piece and I'm looking forward to playing it.'

Jaz Coleman, who has produced similar work with Led Zeppelin's 'Kashmir' and the music of Pink Floyd, says: 'I wanted to reincarnate Jim Morrison on a single string.'

It was not all smooth sailing, however. While recording with the orchestra Jaz broke his ankle and spent ten days listening to the work in progress from his hospital bed.

He says: 'The most marvellous thing about all of this is that I felt it was my destiny to not only work with the Prague Symphony Orchestra, and not only to break my ankle, but then at the end of it to be offered the Composer in Residence position. It's pretty fine and fills me with joy.'