John Paul Densmore, born December 1, 1944 in Santa Monica, California, is a drummer and writer. He attended Santa Monica City College and Cal State Northridge.

"I've been playing for six years. I took piano lessons when I was ten. They tried to get me to play Bach. They tried for two years. When I was in junior high I got my first set of drums. I played symphonic music in high school (tympani, snare drum), then I played jazz for three years. I used to play sessions in Compton and Topanga Canyon. Since last year it's been rock'n'roll and these creeps."

John Densmore made his departure from the world of rock and roll in the eighties, to the world of dance as he performed with Bess Snyder and Co., touring the United States for two years. In 1984, at La Mama Theatre in New York, he had his stage acting debut in Skins a one act play he wrote. In 1985, he went on to win the LA Weekly Theatre Award for music with Methusalem, directed by Tim Robbins. The play, Rounds, which he co-produced, won the NAACP award for theatre in 1987. In 1988, he played a feature role in Band Dreams and Bebop at the Gene Dynarski Theatre. He developed and performed a one man piece from the short story, The King of Jazz, at the Wallenboyd Theatre in 1989. With Adam Ant, he co-produced Be BOP A Lula at Theatre Theatre in 1992.He has acted in numerous TV shows and his film credits include: Get Crazy with Malcolm McDowell, Dudes directed by Penelope Spheres, and most recently The Doors directed by Oliver Stone. John wrote his best selling autobiography, Riders On The Storm; and as drummer and founding member of The Doors, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in January of last year.

He is presently working on his first novel, producing a documentary film, an after care program for ex-criminal offenders titled "Project Return" directed by Leslie Neil. When time permits he lectures in colleges all over the states, most recently in Boston and New Hampshire. "If you want to see a great film, check out Passion Fish, Tender Mercies, or Roan Inis. I loved them all, you won't be disappointed," John.

Original Elektra Records biography, 1967