also see related story about Need For Speed video game

http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=3767

Snoop Teams With The Doors For Exclusive Remake
By Clover Hope
Date: 11/19/2004 12:15 pm

Snoop Dogg’s remake of The Doors’ 1971 rock classic "Riders on the Storm" debuted on Tuesday (Nov. 16) as the theme for the Electronic Arts video game, Need For Speed: Underground 2.

The collaboration was completed at the personal request of Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music for Electronic Arts, and it unites Snoop with existing members of The Doors with additional lyrics by Jim Morrison, who died in 1971.

"Bringing together the haunting vocals of Jim Morrison and the timeless music of The Doors with the cool energy of Snoop Dogg is revolutionary,” Schnur said.

The alliance was further advanced by Snoop’s own desire to redo "Riders" and The Doors, who sought to formulate the record for a new generation.

Though labels have been reluctant to license songs to video game executives in the past, Schnur said that this year record labels have been more eager to promote their artists.

And they should be. Video game sales hit $10 billion dollars last year, eclipsing the motion picture industry's box office draw by over a billion dollars.

"The way that music is integrated into games, when it is done well, it does help build awareness for artists," Courtney Holt, head of new media and strategic marketing at Interscope Geffen A&M, told the New York Times.

Video game play is up 26 percent annually in the last five years among men between ages 18 and 34, according to Nielsen Interactive Entertainment, which could explain why record companies are more willing.

In addition to Snoop’s remix, Need for Speed: Underground 2 also features exclusive tracks from rap artists Capone, Chingy, Terror Squad and Xzibit.

 

http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2004/oct/29dogg.htm

A Dogg without a tune rediff Entertainment Bureau | October 29, 2004 15:03 IST In what has to be the most startling musical remake of the year, rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg has announced he has remixed the mythical Riders on the storm by The Doors. The remix version can be heard exclusively on Electronic Arts' upcoming game, Need For Speed Underground 2, scheduled to hit store shelves on November 15. The original Riders on the storm, written by Jim Morrison, autobiographically explored his journey into manhood and outlined, in and outside metaphor, several mature themes representing his life and where he stood idealistically at the time. The last song on The Doors' last official album, LA Woman, the 1971 classic track is the final remaining studio recording graced by Morrison's vocals. The remaining Doors have recently gone on to establish a moderately successful comeback, with a band called The 21st Century Doors, with The Cult's Ian Astbury taking over the lead singer's position. Fans are rallying against this possible sacrilege of what they worshipfully refer to as 'one of the greatest songs ever made', and it is hard to anticipate what Snoop -- the man once called himself Doggfather -- will do with his version. The line from the song, 'A dog without a bone' is likely to be maimed by the pun loving rapper. While the fact that Fatboy Slim recently covered a relatively rare Jim Morrison verse, Bird of prey, to some critical acclaim might bring some hope to disillusioned fans, the remaking this great cult track will probably find many brickbats.