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Film Explores L.A.‘s Love

Posted Apr 16, 2009 by Clarisa Gerlach

Updated Apr 20, 2009 at 01:52 PM

Love could count Jimi Hendrix among its fans, The Doors as its followers and its third album, “Forever Changes,” as one of the most critically-lauded rock albums ever.

Yet the band broke up after making that album amid an ugly cloud of hard drugs and acrimony. “Forever Changes” never reached an audience equal to its starus among criitics and the band remains a cult, ignored by classic rock radio and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The documentary “Love Story” tells the story through the words of the band members, fans and fellow musicians. It shows what could have been and why it wasn’t.

Love Story promo

“We wanted to be as big as Love,” says John Densmore of The Doors in the film. The Doors signed with Elektra Records because Love had, but went on to far greater popular acclaim. Love’s mercurial front man Arthur Lee was playing psychedelic rock while Hendirx was backing R&B acts. The band’s masterpiece, “Forever Changes,” was widely ignored in 1967, even though many fans rate it alongside - or ahead of -  The Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” or The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely hearts Club Band.”

“Forever Changes” is an exceptionally beautiful album, with rich melodies and orchestrations. But the bad vibes bubbling under the Summer of Love’s surface are far more discernible on this album than any more popular music made that year. Maybe that’s why “Forever Changes” doesn’t sound even slightly dated more than 40 years after its release.

“Love Story” will be screened at 7 p.m. Friday, April 17, 2009, at the Beach Theatre, 315 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach. It’s presented by listener-supported radio station WMNF, 88.5 FM. Admission is $8. Call the theater, (727) 360-6697, for more information.