JOHN DENSMORE'S USE OF "PRESS ROLLS" IN THE DOORS' MUSIC

 

Having examined the "Latin beat" used by The Doors’ drummer, John Densmore, to spice up the rhythm of some of the band's songs (link to the article here), let us now consider another distinctive feature of his sound: the "press roll".

This percussive technique, also known as a "drum roll", has been used extensively on drums, particularly the snare drum, since the 19th century. It originated in military bands, where it was used to accompany soldiers' marches or to create a dramatic and solemn atmosphere during executions.

Spreading from this grim context, the drum roll was adopted by street bands ('marching bands') in the second half of the 19th century, adding color to town festivals in the southern United States with their simple, festive music.

Taking it a step further, we find ourselves in the sizzling world of jazz, born in the early 1900s. Among its constituent elements are the street bands that played at festivals and celebrations, both public and private, in New Orleans.

It was here that the drum roll became part of the jazz idiom, although it was not yet definitively codified as a rhythmic device or widespread among drummers.

At this point in our journey, one of the most important and influential drummers in jazz history, Art Blakey, enters the scene.

In the 1950s, he began using 'press rolls' within the jazz style known as hard bop, officially introducing this technique into the jazz aesthetic and establishing it as a hallmark of his own thunderous drumming prowess.

The tight, progressively faster and more powerful strokes that the drummer's sticks outline on the snare drum create an electrifying sense of suspense for the listener. This builds to a powerful, indistinct humming which abruptly dissolves into a vibrant closing, usually on the crash cymbal.

To illustrate this exciting rhythmic figure, we recommend listening to tunes in which it is used by Art Blakey himself, such as: 'Moanin' (recorded in October 1958), at min. 0:58 (link here), and 'Free for All' (recorded in February 1964), at min. 0:33 and min. 0:44 (link here).

John Densmore was inspired by this influential source to incorporate 'press rolls' into the rhythmic patterns that characterized The Doors' music.

Like the other members of the group, the drummer was very passionate about jazz, and he soon realized how well the 'drum roll' could fit into the soundscapes that The Doors had been creating since the first half of 1966, combining rock music and theatre.

In chronological order of release, Densmore's first "press roll" can be found on the group's debut LP, The Doors, recorded in August 1966, at 2:04 in the track "End Of The Night".

Here, the 'press roll' emphatically marks the impending explosion of the song's final, desperately evocative chorus, like a rapidly burning fuse leading to an explosive device's detonator.

On the following album, Strange Days (recorded in spring/summer 1967), the drummer uses the 'press roll' on more than one occasion.

The first instance occurs on the second track of this excellent LP, "You're Lost Little Girl".

Here, Densmore leads the arrangement to the chorus with an imaginative drum roll that culminates in a dull thump on the bass drum (for example, at min. 0:40 and min. 1:40).

This creative technique is reminiscent of the traditional use of drum rolls in 19^th century circus performances.

The case of "When The Music's Over", also included in "Strange Days", is different.

The composition is structured as a suite, with one of its highlights being the extended "press roll" preceding Jim Morrison's wild, painful scream (listen from min. 08:01 to min. 08:08).

This effect is an expressive masterpiece that sees theatre and rock come together with dynamic force and is achieved through the increased sonic tension created by the drum roll. The latter is played on the tom-tom instead of the snare drum to produce a darker, more muted sound.

In November 1967, The Doors recorded another chapter in their unique blend of rock and theatre with the song "The Unknown Soldier". It was first released as a single in March 1968 and ended up on their third album, 'Waiting for the Sun', in July of the same year.

At the heart of this memorable song lies a tragic depiction of a military shooting. Instruments fall silent and group vocals simulate a firing squad preparing to execute a condemned soldier.

In this intense and powerful soundscape, the drums dive into an extremely realistic 'press roll', only to stop abruptly and make way for the sound of gunfire (listen from min. 1:21 to min. 1:31).

Breaking away from the traditional song structure, the revolutionary middle section of 'Unknown Soldier' employs the 'press roll' as its main stage element, breathing new life into its ancient origins while adapting it for late 1960s rock.

The various settings in which Densmore's drums utilize "press rolls" demonstrate the versatility of this technique and the exciting, expressive profile it gives to The Doors' music.

Throughout the band's career, other tunes were punctuated by drum rolls, sometimes more prominent than others, in both the studio and live performances.

Thus, The Doors' drummer adapted a jazz rhythmic figure for rock, emphasizing short, passionate passages that blend American musical tradition and innovation with incisive flair.

P.S.: My book "The Doors Through Strange Days"- The most comprehensive journey ever made through The Doors' second LP, is out and available on Amazon.com, uk, mx, ca, it, etc.

Here’s a link:

Amazon – “The Doors Through Strange Days”