Doors co-founder and keyboardist Ray Manzarek died today in Rosenheim, Germany after a long battle with bile duct cancer. He was 74.
“I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today,” Doors guitarist Robby Krieger said in a statement. “I’m just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him.”
I saw The Doors only once, in Los Angeles, the Aquarius Theatre in 1969. I had yet to realize their amazing significance and the importance of their music.
Ray Manzarek was responsible for a massive portion of “the sound” of The Doors, ala the perfect keys of 1971’s “Riders on the Storm.” Few realize he was also responsible for the bass sound whilst playing live. From Wikipedia:
The Doors lacked a bassist, so Manzarek usually played the bass parts on a FenderRhodes piano. His signature sound is that of the Vox Continentalcombo organ, an instrument used by many other psychedelic rock bands of the era. He later used a Gibson G-101 Kalamazoo combo organ (which looks like a Farfisa) because the Continental’s plastic keys frequently broke, according to Manzarek.
“Ships With Sails,” from the 1971 album Other Voices, the first after the death of vocalist Jim Morrison (recorded three months after). The song features Ray Manzarek on vocals, keyboards and keyboard bass, Robby Krieger on guitar and John Densmore on drums. Other players included Jerry Scheff on bass guitar (studio bass player on LA Woman, my favorite The Doors album).
6 thoughts on “Ray Manzarek, keyboardist for The Doors, passes at age 74”
Yep, another legend bites the dust… And that song DOES bring back some memories…
They were crazy, they were drugged, but they were mine. And that Manzarek lived to 74 is an amazing testimony.
BZ
I always like The Doors.. Rest in Peace man…
Thanks Fred. They represented an era — that came around.
There wasn’t, I submit, an evil bone in any of the bodies of The Doors.
BZ
Back in the day, I loved the Doors’ music. What so attracted me to their music was the keyboard virtuosity because I am a pianist.
The golden days of music have disappeared — mostly, anyway. And now the artists from those golden days are dying.
Damn, it’s a bitch growing old and watching all this.
Back in Dec 1964, just returned from my 2nd tour,, I was in Santa Monica, CA and listened to the DOOR’S at a club/dance hall on the beach.
Their sound was hypnotic. I walked around amazed at their impelling music.
Seemed like almost all others were sitting at tables, stoned out, swaying their heads or asleep, head on table.
Drugs.
They all should of been awake, listening,,,wonderful music.
Yep, another legend bites the dust… And that song DOES bring back some memories…
They were crazy, they were drugged, but they were mine. And that Manzarek lived to 74 is an amazing testimony.
BZ
I always like The Doors.. Rest in Peace man…
Thanks Fred. They represented an era — that came around.
There wasn’t, I submit, an evil bone in any of the bodies of The Doors.
BZ
Back in the day, I loved the Doors’ music. What so attracted me to their music was the keyboard virtuosity because I am a pianist.
The golden days of music have disappeared — mostly, anyway. And now the artists from those golden days are dying.
Damn, it’s a bitch growing old and watching all this.
Back in Dec 1964, just returned from my 2nd tour,, I was in Santa Monica, CA and listened to the DOOR’S at a club/dance hall on the beach.
Their sound was hypnotic. I walked around amazed at their impelling music.
Seemed like almost all others were sitting at tables, stoned out, swaying their heads or asleep, head on table.
Drugs.
They all should of been awake, listening,,,wonderful music.