Densmore's lengthy court battles to gain compliance with his veto, based on a 1960s contract requiring unanimity among Doors members to use the band's name or music, ended with total victory for him and his allies in the Morrison estate.

[6] Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and California State University, Northridge; at the latter he studied ethnic music under jazz cellist Fred Katz.

[7] Densmore's drumming influences included hard jazz figures Elvin Jones (drummer for John Coltrane), whom he referred to as his idol,[8] and Art Blakey.

[10] In 2010 Modern Drummer magazine referred to his ride cymbal work as some of the most distinctive in classic rock, and noted "Working without a regular bass-playing foil ... Densmore favored a lean, crisp, clear style in feel-good rhythmic explorations that, like the band's songs, gathered together ideas from blues, pop, jazz, classical, and Latin, Eastern, and African music.

"[11] Together with Krieger,[12] Densmore studied under Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar at the latter's Kinnara School of Music in Los Angeles.

[13] John—a brilliant drummer, "The End" proved that, in my book; that's some of the greatest drumming I've ever heard in my life; irrespective of the fact that I'm involved in this album, it's incredibly creative drumming—has an instinct for when.

The quartet, after two years of work, became star attractions in 1967, and released six studio and several live albums, eventually selling over 100 million units.

Densmore left rock and roll in the 1980s, moving to the world of dance as he performed with Bess Snyder and Co., touring the United States for two years.

He also produced and co-scored the feature film, Window of Opportunity, a dark comedy about corporate greed written and directed by Samuel Warren Joseph.

[22] Densmore, Manzarek and Krieger, after Jim Morrison's death, allowed "Riders on the Storm" to be used to sell Pirelli Tyres, but in the United Kingdom only.

Densmore later stated that he "heard Jim's voice" in his ears and ended up donating his share of the money earned to charity.

In 2003, Densmore vetoed an offer by Cadillac of $15 million for "Break On Through (To the Other Side)" citing Morrison's historic and vehement opposition to licensing the Doors' music, notably their best-selling single "Light My Fire" for a Buick television commercial,[23] as well as Densmore's strong negative views on the subject of commercially licensing Doors songs and recordings.

[29] At the event, Los Angeles Councilmember Mike Bonin introduced Densmore and Krieger who ceremonially lit a Doors logo beneath the famed 'Venice' letters.