Ray Manzarek keyboardist for The Doors passed away yesterday at the age of 74.
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Ray Manzarek keyboardist for The Doors passed away yesterday at the age of 74.
Somehow appropriate:
The Doors - The End (original) - YouTube
I remember sitting around with friends at school listening to Ray go off on the keyboards. We all thought he was some freak of nature, in a good way. I think he used to play the bass line at the same time, but may be wrong on that one.
Rest in peace.
James.
Man, I love Ray and the Doors. Manzarek was a deep and interesting guy in his own right, and his keys really were part of "the key" to The Doors' sound, along with Robby Krieger's twangy, blues-influenced guitar stylings, and of course Morrison's vocals. "The End" indeed-a very fitting tribute, Bruno. I can't help but think of Apocalypse Now.
Yeah, he did the 'bass' line on the keys. I think they never recorded with an actual bass player until LA Woman. Ray Manzarek was a great part of the Doors sound. Of course, he was just a part of it but it would never have been the Doors. Break on through to the other side.
Ray was the one who really kept the legend of the Doors and what they did alive so the younger ones could enjoy!!
He hated the movie about Morrison and the Doors!! He said it made it sound like Jim was always stoned or drunk and that this wasn't the fact!
If you go to purchase a CD of the Doors Absolutely Live, you will find that some 'sound engineer' decided to destroy the original copy that had I believe 9 tracks. The CD's have something like 20+. They took the beautiful melodies and made individual tracks! I still have the record so I bought the CD and then re-recorded it and put it back together the way it should be heard!!
If there is a Rock and Roll Heaven it must have one Hell of a Band!
Rest in Peace Ray
I was never much of a Doors fan and Light My Fire is about the only song of theirs I can tolerate. ;)
Not much I can add, guys, you've said it all. Ray was definitely a significant part of a greater whole.
The Doors were one of those bands that defined the counterculture music of the late 60s. I think it was Manzarek who said that they forfeited numerous appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show for reneging on an agreement to change a drug reference lyric on Light My Fire.
Every time I hear that song it reminds me of Apocalypse Now...Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno