The Black Doors

The Black Doors live in Kliennaker Stadium, June 1972.From left to right: Jack Guy, Lloyd Garmadon, Cole Watanabe, Arthur, and Kenneth Colen (not visible from this angle)

### Genres

RockProgressive Rock

Hard Rock

Heavy Metal

### Members

Jack Guy, Lloyd Garmadon, Arthur, Cole Watanabe, Kenneth ColenElizabeth Guy (occasionally)

Evelyn Wesson (occasionally)

Madison Guy (occasionally)

### Former Members

BatmanJohnson Colt

The Black Doors are a rock band formed in 1967 by Jack Guy and Lloyd Garmadon.Current members are Jack Guy (lead guitar), Lloyd Garmadon (vocals, rhythm guitar), Arthur (Bass), Cole Watanabe (Drums) and Kenneth Colen (Keyboard).The lineup has remained unchanged since 1967, except for former guitar player Batman, who joined briefly from 1972-1974, and Johnson Colt, who also played guitar, joined from 1978-1994.Jack's daughter Elizabeth Guy sometimes tours with them as a guest musician and has recorded 4 albums with them.His wife has went on some tours with them and has recorded 3 studio albums with them.Jack's granddaughter Madison also sometimes joins them on stage.They have recorded 25 studio albums, and toured the omniverse over 17,000 times.Their most succesful album is Atmos (1972).They also play for the soldiers in Comod during breaks.

## Formation

Jack Guy and Lloyd Garmadon were already good friends before forming the band.They decided to form the band after going to a Pink Floyd concert, and deciding they wanted to create a unique sound, much like Floyd.They then met bass player Arthur 2 months later at a bar in southern England, and recruited him.They also met Kenneth Colen at the same bar and also recruited him.They met Cole Watanabe at a movie theatre in Japan, and after Arthur asked him what his favorite band was and he replied with The Doors, they recruited him.Guy and Garmadon decided to take over songwriting, and the other members would occasionally contribute songs and different melodies.

## Early Years: 1967-1969

After the band was formed, they decided to record their first album.They signed with EMI records in March 1967, and started recording the first album in April.Their first album, titled *The Ocean Of Despair*,was released in June 1967.While it wasn't a very big hit, it gained a cult following and earned critics' praise for its sonic experimentation and innovative use of new technologies like synthesizers and electronic drum kits.The band promoted it with a tour in England, which lasted until October 1967.After a few months, they recorded their second album, *Memories of a Young America,* which was released in May 1968.While not as greatly praised as their previous release, its final track, *Riders Of The ,*would land them their first Billboard #200 hit.It landed at spot #45,and would define their trademark spacey, distortion heavy sound.Then in mid 1968 they would embark on their first international tour, with shows in the U.S, Canada, and Northern Europe.The tour would last until mid 1969.They would also perform at Woodstock 1969.The album that was released in 1969, called *The Last Laugh,* was just a compilation of some of their performances in Oslo,Norway, and a concert at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Alberta, Canada.The band would spend the rest of the year brainstorming ideas and tinkering around with different effects and sounds for a new album.

## 1970-1976:Classic Era and mainstream success

Following many months of brainstorming and experimenting , in February 1970 the band would head to the U.S and record their first album there with Columbia Records.They would spend 5 months recording material.Then in July 1970, their 4th album, titled *Beautiful Beasts and Other Kinds of Curiosities,* was released.This is the album that would finally launch them into the mainstream and made them inter-omniversallly famous.It would reach No.1 on the Billboard 200 and would stay there for 870 weeks.It would sell 1 million copies in the first 4 weeks.They would tour extensively to promote the album, and held the biggest concert at the time on the 18th of August, 1970, at Comod Amphitheater in Kashmir.More than 500,000 people would attend and it was broadcast all across the omniverse.Following the successful tour, they would record and release their 5th album, *X Marks The Spot,* in November 1970.This album would see them merging the progressive rock and some blues elements to create a unique sound.This album was also greatly received but did not sell as much as its predecessor, only selling about 650,000 copies in the first 4 weeks.They would then go on tour across the omniverse and the world for the rest of the year and most of 1971.In mid 1971 they would record their 6th album, *Final Stage,* in June 1971.They would then tour extensively for the rest of the year and also for the first 2 months of 1972.Then in late February they would once again go back to the recording studio.They would spend 4 months in the studio recording.Then in June of 1972 they released the insanely popular and successful *Atmos.*This album would break records in sales and numbers, and also climbed to spot No.1 on the Billboard 200 and would stay there for over 3 years.The album sold 10 million copies in the first week, and also garnered a lot of radio play.The band would tour the omniverse promoting the album, and would also play their biggest concert yet on the 6th of September in Kliennaker Stadium, Kliennaker Society.This would be the first time concerts from outside would be allowed in KS.The concert attendance was an astounding 1 million people.After the tour they were hanging out backstage when Batman approached Lloyd and asked if he could join.He initially declined Batman's request saying that there were already 5 members.Batman then said he could serve as a third guitarist, and Lloyd asked Jack if it was alright.Jack said it was alright and so Batman became a member of The Black Doors in September of 1972.After Batman joined, the band started going back to their hard rock sound, as evidenced on their 8th album, *Through The Ice,* which was released on March 15th, 1973.The album was met with very good reception, and some songs on there became live staples at their shows.The next year the band toured in support of the album.At the end of the tour in August 7th,the band headed back to the studio to record another album. In the studio howver,the relationship between Batman and Garmadon started to become rocky, due to them disagreeing on certain songs and also how the next album was gonna sound.The end product was one of their most divisive albums, titled *Imprint*.It was released in December 1973, and met with good reception.The fans however, where divided due to some of the songs being written by Batman only.Those were fast and hard sounding, and in contrast the songs by the other members where more complex and melodic.Batman decided he wanted to go on his own, so he formally left the band in early 1974.The rest of the members considered going on a tour to promote the album, but instead decided to take a break and to record a very experimental, complex album.They spent nearly a year writing and composing, and in November 1974 they released their most experimental album to date: *(Re)Evolution.*The album featured several songs that were over 8 minutes long, and complex rhythm guitar and bass parts.The album was met with critical acclaim, and people praised the solos on the album, which were described as some of Jack Guy's best ever.The other band members garnered praise as well, particularly Kenneth Colen, due to his melodic and almost alien like keyboard sounds.The band went on tour in early 1975 to promote it, and this is when their live performances started changing.Colen only had 1 keyboard before, but now due to the complexity of the songs he surrounded himself with multiple stacks, and would often play two at a time.Cole also modified his drum kit in order to accomodate the variety of percussion instruments on the album, including a gong.Lloyd Garmadon started using a variety of new guitar pedals, including phasers and chorus pedals,and also started using a Gibson EDS-1275 double neck guitar.Jack Guy also added several pedals to his board, and famously started using Gibson Flying Vs and Explorers on tour.Arthur's bass tone was noticeably sharper and more crunchier, whereas previously it was flat and very deep.He started using Rickenbacker basses,whereas before he only used Fender models.These techniques would stay with the band many years, and they still use them to this day.