The Ray Manzarek Appreciation Thread

[AuntieBeeb]

Originally Posted by LiquidMidnight

My two favorite Doors albums will always be their self-titled debut and LA Woman.

I think I've got to agree with you there - the first one and LA Woman are both absolutely sublime, with an honorable mention to Strange Days. That second album comes in a very close second to those two.

The only one I've had trouble getting into (at least, from the Morrison era) is The Soft Parade - it seems quite at odds with the sound of their other albums. Maybe I just need to listen to it a few more times...

[JimK]

They talk about The Soft Parade in the book I just read by Fong-Torres.
No doubt, there is a "softening" with the added strings & such.

Waiting For The Sun got high marks by the band, the producer, & manager.

[zon6c-f]

Always loved DOORS..Still do.

Initally I was dumfounded to learn Manzerek played bass [ on keys] with "ocassional electric bass added" by session players. [ I was also ignorant and 14 years old in 1967 ].

Manzerek's bass patterns still amaze me. The intro to "You're Lost.." is as amazing as JPJ's Dazed and confused, as well as bass intro to the song "Waiting for the Sun" from Morrison Hotel.

My 2 fave "bass" players are J S Bach and Manzerek.

[KJung]

All I can say is that if I hear ONE more interview with Ray talking about 'Man, Jim was a geeenius... the liiizard king maaaan, Jim is still ooouuut there maaaan', I'm going to throw up.

Don't mean to be so nasty, but he seems to be a total drag.

I did kind of like his left hand... but the tracks with real bass were so much more grooving and punchy.

Sorry, couldn't help myself. Nothing more pathetic to me than an old hippie still trying to hold on to the late 60's

[dalkowski]

Originally Posted by KJung

All I can say is that if I hear ONE more interview with Ray talking about 'Man, Jim was a geeenius... the liiizard king maaaan, Jim is still ooouuut there maaaan', I'm going to throw up.

Don't mean to be so nasty, but he seems to be a total drag.

Sorry, couldn't help myself. Nothing more pathetic to me than an old hippie still trying to hold on to the late 60's

The "psychedelic sixties golden age" stuff can cause chafing, admittedly. The whole "Lizard King" shtick rubs me the wrong way, too. But we're all products of our times, and the sixties were when RM was doing some heavy creating with a unique and highly influential group (influenced by who-knows-what).

And while some, but not all, sixties holdovers can be a drag, I'll respectfully disagree with your last sentence as it relates to RM. In January 1980, the band X recorded their debut LP, Los Angeles, with RM producing. Apart from its cover of "Soul Kitchen," that record resoundingly rejects everything about the hippy/flower child/electric kool-aid era.

[MarkMgibson]

Yep, they were one of those 60's bands that just so different. I've still never heard anything like them. I agree - "L.A Women" and their first album are my favourites as well. Top band, and even if Morrison was a pain in the ass, he had one hell of good voice. A much under-rated singer, as were the other members of the band.

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

Originally Posted by dalkowski

And this is a radio interview he did for NPR's "Fresh Air" with the great Terri Gross in '06.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=6353302

I remember that Fresh Air interview. I was listening in my car and had to stop and fill up the tank. But I was so enthralled by the interview that I rolled down the windows and turned up the radio so I could listen while I was at the pump. I really liked his detailed description of the structure of "Light My Fire."

[bassgod0dmw]

I'll never forget my 10th grade Pop Music class...

My teacher was telling us about The Doors. He described them as: A poet, with a mediocre drummer and guitarist, but they had an exceptional organ/keys player to hold it all together.

He was an amazing musician and will be missed very much!

[grenadilla]

I played with a great keyboard player [for high school] who did the long version of Light My Fire with a Farfisa and a Showman 15 amp. It felt great ! When I saw the pictures of the Doors with wall-to-wall Acoustic amps I was very impressed. Does anyone know how they came by those Acoustics? Before that they were given some Vox gear.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by grenadilla

I played with a great keyboard player [for high school] who did the long version of Light My Fire with a Farfisa and a Showman 15 amp.

I hadda read this twice!
Me, too (in 1974)! Except my guy had a blonde Fender Bassman amp (no knobs) & a blonde Bassman cabinet with the Farfisa & a blonde Wurlitzer electric piano. Nice fact that his older brother was already a gigging musician in the best band in-town at the time; my friend would gladly accept any hand-me-downs from his older brother.
My guy also played guitar-drums-bass...he taught me a helluva lot about R&B bass when I went into that route in the late '70s.
IIRC, he finally found some authentic '60s Fender Bassman knobs sometime in the late '80s...

[JimK]

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

I'll never forget my 10th grade Pop Music class...

My teacher was telling us about The Doors. He described them as: A poet, with a mediocre drummer and guitarist, but they had an exceptional organ/keys player to hold it all together.

I have been a Doors' fan since hearing "Light My Fire"...that's a long time ago.
Anyway, I always go back & re-visit The Doors (earlier in this thread, I mentioned reading Fong-Torres' Doors book...that was in Jan. 2013, so their music was being played a lot in my house during that time).
Anyway...no way are Densmore & Krieger "mediocre" players.

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by JimK

Anyway...no way are Densmore & Krieger "mediocre" players.

Keep in mind, those weren't my words. But Krieger, no, not at all.

[JimK]

Gotcha. Too bad your music appreciation teacher thought otherwise.


Densmore, believe it or not, is a huge Elvin Jones fan. Reading Densmore's book, he said he would often channel EJ. He's no Elvin, to-be-sure...but at least that's where he was comin; from.
Densmore would also try Latin-esque/Bossa rhythms within The Doors brand of music (e.g. "Light My Fire").
I recently picked up a Robbie Krieger solo album...on Blue Note! Had no idea that he once had such an album out there on that Jazz label. Anyway, it's not Jazz...more like R&B/quasi-Funk.
FWIW, I liked Krieger/Densmore in The Butts Band...one of their post-Doors endeavors.

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by JimK

Gotcha. Too bad your music appreciation teacher thought otherwise.

Well, I do agree with him about Densmore

He did what was needed for the songs, but it was nothing technically complicated or amazing.

/derail

[PDGood]

Originally Posted by JimK

The Doors did continue without Morrison...2 albums: Other Voices & Full Circle. Worth having if you're a fan, IMO.
http://www.amazon.com/Other-Voices-C...es+full+circle
...I think I have seen it cheaper, too.

The debut + LA Woman are probaby my favourites, too.
Over the holidaze, I bought/read The Doors by Ben Fong-Torres.
http://www.amazon.com/Doors/dp/14013...rres+the+doors

After Morrison died, the 3 remaining Doors were offered a FIVE-album extension to their contract. After the aformentioned 2 albums, they quit. I did not know that McCartney was thought about as a possible replacement...and Iggy Pop.
Anyway, I agree with you about Manzarek...he has some nice solo albums out there (The Golden Scarab).
I'm still a believer that the 4 made it happen-
Manzarek...total musician into many things (including Classical).
Densmore...a "Rock" drummer interested in Elvin Jones.
Krieger...a guy into what is now called World Music (Flamenco, Middle Eastern, India, etc).
Morrison...a non-musician/poet.

In short, all 4 were eclectic & diverse in their tastes.
They were not 'kids'...& they had paid some dues prior to making it.
They were the avant-garde for awhile.


It's a Fender Piano Bass (same range as the Fender Bass). A Rhodes is a fullblown electric piano with its own sound.

Good info. Thanks.
Regarding the keyboard bass, I used to own one of those - it had a very narrow range - not nearly what a bass guitar or Rhodes has. In fact it wasn't much different than the bottom part of a Rhodes - it just allowed you the option of running through its own amp which could then be eq'd deeper than the rest of the keys.