"I guess it all makes sense in the end. When you're living and living becomes unbearable, you want to die. Then, when you're dying, you finally realize you want to live. It's just more of the same old shit, the same human insanity as always, wanting what we don't have, right up until the moment we get it.."

Remembering Danny...
Oct 11, 1954 - Jan 5, 2005
Missed and Loved.

so true.

Well, danny sugarman lived a full life long before the age of most rock stars. He could have easily died before thirty but lived until 50? (am I right?).

I really enjoyed reading wonderland avenue and hope it will be republished again, this time with some pics of himself and morrison. I also hope that they get the rights to make it into a movie that has been talked about.

Yes, I think Danny would've been the first to tell you that he sure did live a full life.. in fact.. several full lives...but still wanted more.. and _should've_ had more. It's sad that he lived his last years finally clean and sober and then was taken out by Cancer. He beat it several times before it finally won the battle.

I'm not sure that Wonderland will ever become a movie.. and my personal opinion is that I hope it doesn't.

Wonderland Avenue was one of those books I couldn't put down. I remember how sobering it was to read the paragraph at the end where he goes into everyone who had passed away (well before their time). I had the same feeling for him as I do for everyone who doesn't get a good chronological year run at this life. I often hear people justify a short life by "packing life in a short time" but I call bullshit. Every year is precious and can contain gems - usually wisdom.

"The wild regrets
And bloody sweats
Noone knew as well as I
That he who lives
More lives than one
More deaths than one
Shall die"...

By Oscar Wilde, and one that Danny quoted to me more than once, since it was one he personally identified with. He never had any kind of conscious intention of "packing life all in" in a short time (even though that's how it looked at times), and with each phase of his life, he sure did learn a few things. Wisdom comes from experience, and with age comes the ability to use that wisdom. He was more or less at that point when the final death - the real one - took him away. He fought long and hard through every step of his illness and really believed he could beat it. For a very long time he'd say "I have cancer", and then one day, real tired, he said "cancer has me". That's when I think he knew....

Yes Jim, life is precious. I spent about 2 hours at Danny's grave last week while I was in LA, having a conversation with him (well ok.. I talked.. he mostly listened.. which was a real novel concept because it was usually pretty difficult to get a word in edgewise when talking with him :-) , and came away with the feeling that it _wasn't_ all for nothing, which is what I'd been really struggling with since his death. Sure his life was too damn short, and I'd probably give a limb to be able to see him again, or laugh with him again, or even laugh _at_ him again while he threw another Danny-tantrum or two :-). But I also know now that those he touched and whose lives he made better will always have that gift of love from him. Life just wouldn't have been the same without him in it, and for that - I thank him.

I hope it doesn't either,It would have been great to get one more book out of Danny,his writing was captivating as was his life. Contagious enthusiasm.

And Danny desperately wanted to give us one more book. He was writing one, but got too sick to continue it. It would've been a real gift from him had he been able to finish it.

It's a tough deal coming out of addiction and in to the arms of cancer,he did his best and that was excellent,some never make it out of the drug scene,let alone scribe a book like "Wonderland Avenue", maybe Morrison called him up to the heavens to congratulate him.

What happened to his transcript?

You're right. It is a tough deal. You pay your dues.. and then you find you have to pay some more.

I remember Danny writing in WA all those years ago about how maybe it wouldn't be good to live to an old age.. and getting some disease.. like cancer... a burden to family and friends.... (that's a paraphrase as I don't have the book in front of me). I've re-read the book maybe twice since his death, and it's still difficult to get past that part. At not even 50 years old, he battled cancer..not once.. but 5 times. And not once was he ever a burden.

He took some comfort in the thought of being with Jim again. I don't know how that all really works, but I hope somehow he is.

If half of us do as good as Danny did, the world will be a better place.

From our perspective, Danny and Jim should have stuck around to complete what we think was their mission, because we're conditioned to nice neat little bows around a diploma.

I think it's more about picking up the fallen torch from someone who ran a great race.

It meant a lot to me that Danny actually responded to an inquiry of mine many many years ago. It's pretty exciting shit when a band means a lot to you and a letter shows up w/ their letterhead no less. I haven't forgot that...and the fact he always maintained a commonality of "fan" basis w/ others was a positive thread that still rebounds. It's something worthy of emulating no matter where you stand in relation to this band or anything you have a passion for.

One of the most sincere and likable things about Danny was that he always considered himself a fan, first and foremost, and he genuinely loved interacting with other fans.

That's really great.. shame he's gone.

Yeah that's the person he was,he cared about people and related to them.
Back in 1980 I was waiting for my girlfriend as she shopped in Neiman Marcus in B.Hills,I was parked on Roxbury Drive listening to The End as loud as possible when a black car pulled up and the guy in the car yelled something to me,I turned the music down and he said "Are you waiting for me" and I said" no waiting for my girl" and he say's "Do you know who I am" and I said"Yeah your Danny Sugerman" and he smiled and told me his office was down the block and he thought I was the guy he was waiting for,he double parked and we talked until he really had to go,we talked about what the Doors were to us,I was in Doors heaven.The last thing I said to him was keep on writing and he said he would.We stayed in touch over the years catching up on occasion at the Formosa,and man all we did was talk,sparks of thoughts flew.Out of thin air Danny came and he went the same way,a brilliant guy.Thats my story and in many ways it changed my life as I've mentored a lot of young people in my field,I never count anyone out and if people want to learn I'm teaching,a lot of that came from Sugarman and the possibility of chance in life.

One time at a dark bar ,D.S. and I drank Gin Ramos's because Jim did,sick boys.

Nice story Tim. Thanks for sharing it.

Thanks go to Danny S, a magnet to all Doors fans and people of like mind,what Jim couldn't do Danny did.

Formosa Cafe, I'm sure.

Sport's until the s fell off Ports,had a couple in there,Formosa was John Waynes place.Marrion Morrison,John Wayne.

Best before 3.

Sleep has come.good night.
TS

That's so beautiful.
I became active on Doors forums after Danny's death though I've been a Doors fan for years. So I love hearing these stories about Danny.
A Doors fan from the heart and he sounds like he was such a great man.
I know from one other Doors fan too who corresponded with Danny and told me he was really a great guy. Kind.
You know who you are.

In 2001, I talked to Danny via AIM (aol instant messenger) and he went by DSugerman. I sent him a black and white pic of Morrison at the Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Festival and I remember him saying to me, what ever pics you offer up we will credit you. That was cool. He was open to fan contributions it seemed to me. Basically, Danny came across to me as being an honest, nice guy. I regret not talking to him more.

He really sounds like such a great guy. And a Doors fan from the heart before a band manager. So happy you got the chance to talk with him.

Alan Emig? Nitey-nite.

Wish I could have had breakfast or lunch with Danny at Dukes. Regrets, regrets.

thats a really nice story, thanks for sharing it tim

Indeed.

My pleasure to share,you know in life there are synchronized events that occur and I think we all have them,you project something out and the circumstance is created for our own construction to follow through with. I always know I'm in a good groove when people start appearing and jobs hook up at some park playing with my kids, it's like life surfing, these moments are worth keeping track of,in the world I live in it's "Luck,timing, and then talent". TS

That photo of me and Frank Mazzola that you saw is taken outside Port's. I practically lived in there for about a year, while Frank, Michael Barry and David McGiffert were cutting that Suzanne movie over at Goldwyn.

Frank is an artist wild man and he told me the stories of tripping on acid and roaming the lot and ending up in Sam Goldwyn's office,he saw god in the portrait of Goldwyn, thats all gone now,but I did see your picture outside ports,it's 60's fantastic. Frank was married to a Lo'reall model 40 years younger than him last we hooked up,I got him in to the Santa Barbera film festival at the last moment for a James Dean retrospective. Dean and Mazzola used to tool around hollywood in that prototype porche that Dean drove.Wild times,great people. I gotta find Frank.

Manipulated post?

I think that photo was taken in 1973-1974. The dreadful movie came out then - if you Google Second Coming of Suzanne you'll learn more than you ever wanted to. I believe Sam Goldwyn was still coming to the studio at night, and you could see the lights in his office when he was there. He died in January 1974. Frank would work at night, and it was sort of spooky rattling around in the almost empty studios, which were very 1930ish. Lots of atmosphere! I don't think Frank was really enjoying the film - it was more than silly.

Sondra Locke was the 'star' of the movie, before she married Clint Eastwood. What he saw in such a spacey little white rabbit I have no idea.

Frank seems to have become inactive after 1995. He has a whole load of brothers though, right? Let me know if you find him.

Lest we stray too far off topic, I wanted to add that an always pleasant part of my working day at Elektra was visiting with Danny, when he came across the street from the Doors' office. He'd come on down to the promotion department and we'd kibitz at my desk. I never met anyone more enthusiastic about his occupation and thrilled to be working with his absolutely favorite band, and with Jim, who he obviously loved like a big brother.

(removing off-topic post)

I placed this in talk to John not here,I stick to the categories.

(removing off-topic post)

More interesting and insightful info. Thanks, Sally.

They were a good pair those two. Very alike in many ways.

I'm sure they were. Danny said many times that it was Jim who influenced him most in becoming the man he was... and I think that's a real nice compliment to Morrison.. since Danny turned out pretty damn good.

That's beautiful.
Thank you all for your input. I really like to hear these stories about Danny.
I just can imagine him walking around with a sparkle in his eyes working with and for the Doors.
Not just a job. But passion. I admire that. Again, thanks all.

MistyJim ,Have you read Wonderland Avenue?

No sadly not. Most of my books about the Doors or related too, are translated in Dutch but I can't find Wonderland Avenue in Dutch. Might have to go by English anyway and then ask questions about what I might not really understand.

Read it any way you can because it's the purest depiction of Jim Morrison you'll ever get,I saw Sugarman in 2002 and I never knew he was sick with cancer,he was a good dude and his book puts JDM in a different light than what we're used to.I'd also like to know why it's not translated to Dutch? Doors fans exist all over the world,that pisses me off.

You're right. You are Tim. Cause I really wanna read it. And yes it's to bad it isn't translated in Dutch or also in other languages besides English.
Most reading doesn't give trouble cause my English is pretty good. But I don't know, books like this I would like to be able to read in my native language.
But I can't find it in Dutch. arrggh
You are a lucky man Tim to have seen Danny in real. I don't know, his passion and love for the Doors warms my heart.
Good man indeed.

Keep the memories coming all. I think this thread is beautiful.

Wow, Danny died, that is horrible he was so young.

But that is okay... I am sure he will come back again.


Living is love and love hurts. We never get back how we love -- not yet.

Soon.

Most have no love at all. They have no heart.


It is sad.

No. It's not okay.. and No.. he won't be 'back again'.

Ouch! Sorry.

I just believe in reincarnation.

Didn't mean to offend you.

Edit:

I think life is poetry, and 'it ticks off options' (JDM). I am more like spongebob and tend to pick the ones I like.

I don't mind when people pick different ones: life would be very boring if everyone was the same.

But, I don't think theirs are less true then mine.

Obviously, look at the world, after all. Full of misery.