Ray Manzarek: Favorite The Doors keyboard moment - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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AtomicCrimsonRush View Drop Down

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Posted: July 31 2010 at 09:06

THIS!

and THIS!

moshkito

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Posted: August 31 2010 at 21:13

Hi,

I think Ray had a hard time coming up with the music that Jim wanted to back his words, but to his credit he did it and came up with a fabulous body of work, very little of which is conventional in any sense of the word, and the use of the instrumentation was always tasteful and very careful to ensure that Jim got his words in and out and it did not deter from the words themselves. And that is the mark of a very intelligent musician that can appreciate wordery that is way more than just a song and a clever line about sweet little sixteen that most rock bands were so eager to write about ... and still are, except it's done in rap with different words!

It's a shame that a Wakeman would be considered "progressive" because of his synthesizers, and a Manzarek would not ... specially when it comes down to it, Manzarek's body of work vastly out numbers the work Wakeman did with his band, before he decided he was a star ... at least the Doors knew the difference between a star and an idiot and preferred to honor Jim and the music with the respect, dedication and inteligence that most of it was all about.

Sadly, most audiences only remember the hits! Not the music!

When the music is over, turn out the lights ... and nothing in this world will ever say more about "music" ... and what it means to you and I.

Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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Gooner

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Posted: September 10 2010 at 21:47

I prefer Ray's solo work to The Doors. I met him briefly this past Summer. Very nice man.

"Solar Boat" from The Golden Scarab.

...but if I had to take a Doors track where Ray shines, I'd have to say "Not To Touch The Earth".

Fox On The Rocks View Drop Down

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Posted: October 14 2011 at 15:55

Ray is definetly in my top 5! Light My Fire, The End, The Crystal Ship, The Soft Parade, L.A Woman, Tell All The People, When The Music's Over, Riders On The Storm, The W.A.S.P (Texas Radio and The Big Beat), Roadhouse Blues, Spanish Caravan, the list goes on....

Edited by Fox On The Rocks - October 14 2011 at 15:58

halabalushindigus View Drop Down

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Posted: October 14 2011 at 17:47

for me it has to be Light My Fire

assume the power 1586/14.3

ExittheLemming View Drop Down

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Posted: October 14 2011 at 19:53

With a group like the Doors, who exemplified the phenomenon of 'the whole being greater than the sum of its parts' there's a danger in drawing spurious conclusions about the constituent elements maybe not standing up to closer scrutiny.
Manzarek was clearly no technical virtuoso (interestingly, Krieger was on classical guitar) but such would have been inappropriate for the band's music. So for me Ray was a brilliant 'feel' player who unerringly conjured up the appropriate mood and textures to best display Morrison's vocals. He was also clearly an accomplished blues, boogie and stride player as evidenced by his piano on People Are Strange, Roadhouse Blues and Alabama Song (the list goes on)

Take Densmore, Kreiger, Morrison or Manzarek out of the volatile equation and the Doors would just sound like a thousand other mediocre Acid Rock bands from the west coast.

dreadpirateroberts View Drop Down

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Posted: October 14 2011 at 21:53

ExittheLemming wrote:

With a group like the Doors, who exemplified the phenomenon of 'the whole being greater than the sum of its parts' there's a danger in drawing spurious conclusions about the constituent elements maybe not standing up to closer scrutiny.
Manzarek was clearly no technical virtuoso (interestingly, Krieger was on classical guitar) but such would have been inappropriate for the band's music. So for me Ray was a brilliant 'feel' player who unerringly conjured up the appropriate mood and textures to best display Morrison's vocals. He was also clearly an accomplished blues, boogie and stride player as evidenced by his piano on People Are Strange, Roadhouse Blues and Alabama Song (the list goes on)

Take Densmore, Kreiger, Morrison or Manzarek out of the volatile equation and the Doors would just sound like a thousand other mediocre Acid Rock bands from the west coast.

Ditto (all of it, but especially the bold)

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jean-marie View Drop Down

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Posted: October 15 2011 at 10:33

It might be Rider on the storm....but not that sure

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Horizons

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Posted: October 15 2011 at 17:13

The overlooked "Yes, The River Knows"

Great subtle playing by all members, but the jazzy keys really just sweep me off my feet.

Edited by Horizons - October 15 2011 at 17:13

Crushed like a rose in the riverflow.

NickHall

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Posted: October 29 2011 at 04:26

yeah, Light my Fire solo work and loads of great stuff

giselle

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Posted: October 31 2011 at 09:40

Its wrong to suggest that Manzarek was less of a keyboard player than the more obviously virtuoso players like Emerson, Ritchie, Wakeman etc; people seem to forget that Manzarek also played the bass with his left hand. He did a fantastic job of both music parts at once.

Trotsky

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Posted: November 02 2011 at 12:19

Have always rated Ray Manzarek as among the alltime great rock keyboardists. The organ work in When the Music's Over, electric piano of Riders of the Storm, even the boogie-woogie piano of Roadhouse Blues and the harpsichord-sounding work in Love Her Madly come to mind. Much more versatile than he's given credit for, IMO.

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Svetonio

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Posted: November 02 2011 at 23:23

The Quiet One wrote:

My favorite Manzarek moments is his gentle playing on Riders on the Storm and his fabulous organ work on When The Music's Over.

Same here