Bill Siddons
Encyclopedia
Bill Siddons is best known for managing The Doors
from 1968 to 1972.
After the death of The Doors' lead singer Jim Morrison
he managed the remaining three members for two records. He was the one person in the United States Pamela Courson
contacted from Paris
after Morrison had died. He arranged the funeral and burial with Pamela, but never saw Jim's body due to the closed casket and his aversion to seeing his friend dead. “We buried Jim correctly,” says Siddons, “and that perhaps was my greatest achievement: making sure we kept it quiet until it was done the right way. Nothing to hide, but we knew what was going to happen because we’d just been through it with Jimi
and Janis
."
Siddons began his career as a teenage roadie with the Doors while still attending high school
in Redondo Beach
, where he would also meet and get together with later Manson
follower Lynette Fromme
. Soon he was road manager, and six months later was the manager of the band. He and the band parted ways when the band dissolved after Jim's death and re-formed into "the Butts Band", and he suggested moving to a standard 15 per cent commission arrangement. They re-united around the release and marketing of the Jim Morrison poetry record, An American Prayer which re-launched awareness of The Doors' historical significance and sextupled their royalties. His character appears in the Oliver Stone
movie on The Doors
.
Siddons had this to say about his initial meeting with Jim Morrison: "So what was my first impression of Jim? He scared me to death."
Post-Doors, Bill Siddons continued his career as a manager in the music industry. He managed or co-managed such groups as Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Poco
, America
, Van Morrison
, Pat Benatar
, Jerry Cantrell
, Robert Palmer (singer), John Klemmer
, and, in more recent times, was a co-founder of Core Entertainment, a professional management firm representing Alice in Chains
, another band which dealt with the death of its frontman, and others.
He is married to comedian Elayne Boosler
.
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
from 1968 to 1972.
After the death of The Doors' lead singer Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
he managed the remaining three members for two records. He was the one person in the United States Pamela Courson
Pamela Courson
Pamela Susan Courson was the long-term companion of Jim Morrison, vocalist of The Doors. After the deaths of Morrison and Courson, her parents petitioned an out-of-state court to declare that the couple had a common-law marriage.-Early life and involvement with Morrison:Courson was born in Weed,...
contacted from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
after Morrison had died. He arranged the funeral and burial with Pamela, but never saw Jim's body due to the closed casket and his aversion to seeing his friend dead. “We buried Jim correctly,” says Siddons, “and that perhaps was my greatest achievement: making sure we kept it quiet until it was done the right way. Nothing to hide, but we knew what was going to happen because we’d just been through it with Jimi
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and Janis
Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
."
Siddons began his career as a teenage roadie with the Doors while still attending high school
University High School
-Canada:* University Hill Secondary School, Vancouver, British Columbia-Arizona:* University High School , Arizona* University High School , Arizona-California:* University High School , California...
in Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach may refer to:*Redondo Beach, California, USA*Redondo Beach, Washington, USA, a small board-walk beach in Des Moines, Washington*Redondo Beach , by Patti Smith and covered by Morrissey*Redonda Beach, a similarly named place in Portugal...
, where he would also meet and get together with later Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
follower Lynette Fromme
Lynette Fromme
Lynette Alice "Squeaky" Fromme is an American member of the Manson Family. She was sentenced to life imprisonment for attempting to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford in 1975...
. Soon he was road manager, and six months later was the manager of the band. He and the band parted ways when the band dissolved after Jim's death and re-formed into "the Butts Band", and he suggested moving to a standard 15 per cent commission arrangement. They re-united around the release and marketing of the Jim Morrison poetry record, An American Prayer which re-launched awareness of The Doors' historical significance and sextupled their royalties. His character appears in the Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
movie on The Doors
The Doors (film)
The Doors is a 1991 biopic about the 1960s-1970s rock band of the same name which emphasizes the life of its lead singer, Jim Morrison. It was directed by Oliver Stone, and stars Val Kilmer as Morrison, Meg Ryan as Pamela Courson , Kyle MacLachlan as Ray Manzarek, Frank Whaley as Robby Krieger,...
.
Siddons had this to say about his initial meeting with Jim Morrison: "So what was my first impression of Jim? He scared me to death."
Post-Doors, Bill Siddons continued his career as a manager in the music industry. He managed or co-managed such groups as Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Poco
Poco
Poco is an Southern California country rock band originally formed by Richie Furay and Jim Messina following the demise of Buffalo Springfield in 1968. The title of their first album, Pickin' Up the Pieces, is a reference to the break-up of Buffalo Springfield. Highly influential and creative,...
, America
America (band)
America is an English-American folk rock band that originally included members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek. The three members were barely out of their teens when they became a musical sensation during 1972, scoring #1 hits and winning a Grammy for best new musical artist...
, Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
, Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States...
, Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with the grunge/metal band Alice in Chains, as lead guitarist, backing and co-lead vocalist, and co-lyricist. He performs lead vocals on his solo projects, and is part of Alice in Chains' harmonizing...
, Robert Palmer (singer), John Klemmer
John Klemmer
John Klemmer is an American saxophonist, composer, song writer and arranger.He was born in Chicago, Illinois and began playing guitar at age 5 and alto saxophone at age 11. His other early interests included graphics and visual art, writing, dance, puppetry, painting, sculpting and poetry...
, and, in more recent times, was a co-founder of Core Entertainment, a professional management firm representing Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
, another band which dealt with the death of its frontman, and others.
He is married to comedian Elayne Boosler
Elayne Boosler
Elayne Boosler is an American comedian.Boosler was born and raised in Brooklyn, the youngest child and only daughter of a Russian-acrobat father and a Romanian-ballerina mother...
.