25 Great Moments in Rock Drumming: John Densmore, “Touch Me”
25 Great Moments in Rock Drumming – Day 12: John Densmore, “Touch Me,” from Soft Parade by The Doors
“Touch Me” was one of The Doors’ greatest arrangements and experiments with orchestration. The result was something akin to rock filtered through a jazz and mariachi prism. The song begins with John Densmore pounding out an insistent, primal beat before Jim Morrison vocals enter with a lion-like roar. “Touch Me” is full of Densmore’s tasteful drumming, alternately rocking, jazzing and bopping.
On the money …John was channeling the jazz and rock god’s in percussive homage to Morrison’s homilies and the rest of the band contributed equally well. The Doors were an absolute phenomenon and John rose to the occasion with every beat.