Strange Souls: The Doors Reimagined at the Tally Ho Theater in Leesburg, Virginia
Strange Souls: The Doors Reimagined is
Strange Souls: The Doors Reimagined breathes new life into the catalog of one of rock’s most influential bands. The tribute act captures the essence of The Doors groundbreaking blend of rock, blues, jazz, and experimental sounds that defined the psychedelic rock genre.
Since their debut in 2021, Strange Souls has quickly gained a strong following, particularly in the DMV area (District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia). Their performances are characterized by their blend of faithful homage and creative flair, capturing the unpredictable, chaotic energy The Doors were known for.
The band brings a fresh take to timeless classics while maintaining the raw spirit of the original songs. From gigs at venues like the Whisky a Go Go to upcoming national and international tours, Strange Souls: The Doors Reimagined consistently delivers dynamic live performances that resonate deeply with fans of classic rock.
Strange Souls: The Doors Reimagined delivers a comprehensive journey through The Doors discography. Fans can expect to hear radio favorites like “Light My Fire,” “Break on Through,” and “L.A. Woman.” The band also delves into deeper cuts, breathing new life into tracks such as “Shaman’s Blues,” “Peace Frog,” and the epic “Celebration of the Lizard King/Not To Touch The Earth.”
A talented group of musicians bring their own passion to the project:
Jerad Szadkowski – Vocalist
Strange Souls’s lead singer Jerad Szadkowski offers an uncanny resemblance to Jim Morrison that extends beyond physical appearance. A former model, competitive weight lifter and trainer, Jerad embodies Morrison’s dark, brooding sexuality and commanding stage presence. His journey to fronting Strange Souls began during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he honed his craft by singing along to Doors tracks while in isolation.
Don Naideck – Keyboards
Don has been playing keyboards almost all his life. He studied piano and saxophone early on, playing his first paying gig at age 14. In several high school bands, he played local venues throughout North Jersey, where setlists ran the gamut from prog rock to Led Zeppelin to the Grateful Dead.
While in college in Boston, Don studied music theory and composition while he played in a band that toured the New England club and military base circuit. Upon moving to Washington, DC, Don joined the Blueprints, a well-regarded local blues outfit. After the Blueprints, Don took on lead vocal as well as keyboard duties for Rebels in Rehab, a blues-rock/Southern rock band.
More recently, Don played keys for Apryl Raye and the Bootleggers, a Janis Joplin / psychedelic rock unit. After “Janis” was transferred (military) out of the area, Don joined Dance Little Sister, a Rolling Stones tribute act.
Growing up with and loving the Doors’ music, Don was excited when he heard that the keyboard seat in Strange Souls was open. After a quick audition, the deal was sealed. Who knew then that the Souls would wind up at the Whisky-a-Go-Go and the Troubadour?
From Boston to Hollywood, a long, strange trip with no end in sight!
David Korteling – Guitar
David “DPK” grew up in Atlanta, switching from piano to guitar when he was 14. Influenced by legends like Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and bands like The Doors, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Deep Purple, and The Beatles, he spent his high school and college years playing in various bands before stepping away to deal with adult responsibilities for a while. He started gigging again about 10 years ago, playing in several popular bands on the local DMV circuit.
For David, Souls is more than a cover band or tribute act. “There are plenty of tribute acts covering all kinds of bands. Some are really good, and I get why people enjoy that, but I’ve never been interested in that. Souls is less about imitation and more about transformation.” David and the band take The Doors’ iconic catalog as a starting point, honoring the spirit of the original songs while reimagining them with their own styles and ideas. “We explore sounds and ideas that The Doors might have embraced if Jim had made it past 27—or maybe not, but we still like it anyway.” The result is music that Doors fans recognize and love, but with new energy and spirit that’s entirely their own.
It’s all about creating music that resonates, connects, and evolves—one performance at a time.
Joe Zad – Drums
Attempting to conquer drums for nearly four decades, Joe Zad has proven that musicians looking for fame and fortune by playing original music never make any money.
Committing full time to recording and live performances of such fabled groups as The End, The Crimples, Rhythm Circus, The Coyote Tripsters and The Treading Lemmings, Zad over the years has amassed plenty of band merch and unsold CDs with only a wife and son to show for it.
With a style forged from the appreciation of Kieth Moon, Martin Chambers, Clem Burke and Alan Gratzer, he has no business playing the jazzy rock stylings of percussionist John Densmore of The Doors. Yet, much to the chagrin of his band mates, he soldiers on, unable to be removed since he owns the sound system and admin privileges to the Facebook page.
David Bach – Bass
Dave Bach (Electric Bass) has over 40 years of experience playing bass in bands with a wide range of styles (e.g., hard rock, punk, psychedelic, rockabilly, country, and progressive) in Colorado and the Washington Metropolitan area. Dave played with The Semantics, The Droogies, the John Longo Band, Mid-Life Crisis, Get Off My Lawn, Attractive Nuisance, a host of side projects, and most recently with Strange Souls. Dave is a solid player who provides a consistent groove and foundation for the band. Dave appeared at the Whisky-A-Go-Go and The Troubadour in Hollywood with Strange Souls. He has also been known to wear women’s clothing.