Ray Manzarek: Favorite The Doors keyboard moment
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Topic: Ray Manzarek: Favorite The Doors keyboard moment
Posted By: ProgressiveAttic
Subject: Ray Manzarek: Favorite The Doors keyboard moment
Date Posted: June 10 2010 at 17:54
Ray Manzarek is, in my opinion, one of the best keyboardists in rock's history and the mastermind behind The Doors' fabulous music... but I perceive that he is often overlooked...
So, lets talk about our favorite Ray Manzarek moments on The Doors' music 
Mine is the organ work in "Light my Fire"  ------------- Michael's Sonic Kaleidoscope Mondays 5:00pm EST(re-runs Thursdays 3:00pm) @ Delicious Agony Progressive Rock Radio(http://www.deliciousagony.com) 
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Replies:
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: June 10 2010 at 18:14
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My favorite Manzarek moments is his gentle playing on Riders on the Storm and his fabulous organ work on When The Music's Over. Though got to admit I'm neither a fan of The Doors nor of Ray.
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Posted By: clarke2001
Date Posted: June 10 2010 at 18:51
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Albinoni's Adaggio, When The Music's Over, L'America, The Wasp. ------------- |
Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: June 10 2010 at 19:27
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In a decade full of memorable organ riffs (Green Onions, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, 96 Tears, She's About A Mover), it's too bad that the most iconic -- Light My Fire -- and it's creator are largely forgotten, swept aside by the Emerson's and Wakeman's and Lord's that ensued. Not surprising however. ------------- Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon. |
Posted By: Tarquin Underspoon
Date Posted: June 10 2010 at 21:27
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I'll be the third to mention When The Music's Over ------------- "WAAAAAAOOOOOUGH! WAAAAAAAUUUUGGHHHH!! WAAAAAOOOO!!!" -The Great Gig in the Sky |
Posted By: The Wrinkler
Date Posted: June 10 2010 at 23:32
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Riders of the Storm is smooth. Soft Parade has it's progressive moments. Light my Fire is classic. Everything on The Doors album has great keyboard work really |
Posted By: Cactus Choir
Date Posted: June 11 2010 at 02:30
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The great piano on The Crystal Ship and the organ runs on Spanish Caravan. Loads of other good stuff too.
------------- "And now...on the drums...Mick Underwooooooooood!!!" "He's up the pub" |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: June 11 2010 at 03:51
That would be also my top three ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
The Wrinkler wrote:Posted By: AbrahamSapien
Date Posted: June 15 2010 at 03:57
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Well, all of his work sounds pretty basic, but with my band we covered first Riders on the Storm and then Light My Fire. I can say that they're both more than just classics. Light My Fire has lots of progressivness and I love to improvise the solo in a little funky way, so LMF for me. Allthough
Albinoni's Adaggio and Spanish Caravan are brilliant tunes. Anyone noticed that he always uses the same tricks in almost all of their blues-oriented songs. |
Posted By: himtroy
Date Posted: June 15 2010 at 12:02
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The organ on Hyacinth House has such a beautiful tone. The awesome intro to Changeling. The piano in The Spy. The creepy organ in Not to Touch the Earth. Theres many more, but I must go now. ------------- Which of you to gain me, tell, will risk uncertain pains of hell? I will not forgive you if you will not take the chance. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: June 15 2010 at 13:42
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The Light My Fire opening. Really makes the song. What's really cool about Ray's work is that you don't miss the band not having a bass player.
------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: June 17 2010 at 07:28
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I thought Manzarek was the most important member of the Doors, in terms of the sound and atmosphere the band produced. Jon Densmore and the guitarist (name escapes me) could have been replaced by virtually anyone at the time. Morrison had a unique voice and approach to writing lyrics, I guess.
Fave Ray moments 'The End' and 'Riders on the storm' ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: rod65
Date Posted: July 04 2010 at 22:18
| Gotta go with Riders on the Storm. |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: July 04 2010 at 23:00
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Posted By: Ronnie Pilgrim
Date Posted: July 05 2010 at 11:35
The man whose name escapes you is Robby Krieger and he wrote their biggest hits, such as "Light My Fire" and "Love Her Madly." I think he was the best member of the band, a textbook case of an overnight sensation. And it was "Light My Fire" that made them one. Personally, I think Manzarek is overrated and don't care for his keyboard work.
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Posted By: rod65
Date Posted: July 05 2010 at 11:51
I don't think Manzarek is as skilled a musician as some other keyboardists whose names frequent this site, but he did excel at setting an atmosphere and mood in which boththe lyrics and guitar seemed at times to float. Regarding Robbie Krieger, I agee that he is a gifted musician. He was quite young when they made their first record, and I think his playing really matured as they progressed. I've heard some of his post-Doors work and found it quite good as well.
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Posted By: Ronnie Pilgrim
Date Posted: July 05 2010 at 11:58
Manzarek's style did define The Doors, once they were established. And I didn't jump on this thread to bash him, either. But if "Light My Fire" didn't open the door for The Doors  that might have become a moot point. Therefore saying Krieger could have easily been replaced is rather questionable.
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Posted By: rod65
Date Posted: July 05 2010 at 12:11
I agree: Krieger could not have been replaced. He was not a generic guitarist by any means, and his creative contributions were, as you point out, important both for their musical content and for their impact on the band's career.
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Posted By: halabalushindigus
Date Posted: July 05 2010 at 14:53
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r u kidding me???
solo/lightmyballs ------------- assume the power 1586/14.3 |
Posted By: God Was A Mellotron
Date Posted: July 31 2010 at 07:57
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Imho, the two fast organ solos in Take It As It Comes are pretty hard to beat Manzarek may not be on a par with Minnear, Emerson and Wakey technically speaking, but he's got the psych groove and unique sound!
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Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: July 31 2010 at 09:06
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THIS!
and THIS!
------------- 
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Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: August 31 2010 at 21:13
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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! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Gooner
Date Posted: September 10 2010 at 21:47
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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".
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Posted By: Fox On The Rocks
Date Posted: October 14 2011 at 15:55
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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.... ------------- 
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Posted By: halabalushindigus
Date Posted: October 14 2011 at 17:47
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for me it has to be Light My Fire ------------- assume the power 1586/14.3 |
Posted By: ExittheLemming
Date Posted: October 14 2011 at 19:53
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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. ------------- 
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Posted By: dreadpirateroberts
Date Posted: October 14 2011 at 21:53
Ditto (all of it, but especially the bold) ------------- We are men of action. Lies do not become us. http://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/" rel="nofollow - JazzMusicArchives. |
Posted By: jean-marie
Date Posted: October 15 2011 at 10:33
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It might be Rider on the storm....but not that sure
------------- FAIS QUE TON REVE SOIT PLUS LONG QUE LA NUIT HAVE YOUR DREAM LASTING LONGER THAN THE NIGHT |
Posted By: Horizons
Date Posted: October 15 2011 at 17:13
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The overlooked "Yes, The River Knows" Great subtle playing by all members, but the jazzy keys really just sweep me off my feet. ------------- Crushed like a rose in the riverflow. |
Posted By: NickHall
Date Posted: October 29 2011 at 04:26
| yeah, Light my Fire solo work and loads of great stuff |
Posted By: giselle
Date 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. |
Posted By: Trotsky
Date Posted: November 02 2011 at 12:19
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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. ------------- "Death to Utopia! Death to faith! Death to love! Death to hope?" thunders the 20th century. "Surrender, you pathetic dreamer.” "No" replies the unhumbled optimist "You are only the present." |
Posted By: Svetonio
Date Posted: November 02 2011 at 23:23
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