Raymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as
Ray Manzarek (born February 12, 1939), is an American
musicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, singer,
producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
,
film directorA film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, writer, co-founder and
keyboardistA keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
of
The DoorsThe Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
from 1965 to 1973,
Nite CityNite City were a rock group from Los Angeles, USA. Nite City was The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek’s super-group featuring vocalist Noah James and former Blondie bassist Nigel Harrison...
from 1977–1978 and
Manzarek-KriegerManzarek–Krieger is an American rock band formed by Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors in 2002. They have also been known as The Doors of the 21st Century, D21C, and Riders on the Storm, but have recently been using the moniker Manzarek–Krieger or Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The...
since 2001.
Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100 Greatest Rock Keyboardists of All Time".
Early life and career
Manzarek is of
Polishthumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
descent, born and raised on the
South Side ofThe South Side is a major part of the City of Chicago, which is located in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Much of it has evolved from the city's incorporation of independent townships, such as Hyde Park Township which voted along with several other townships to be annexed in the June 29,...
Chicago,
IllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, as were his parents. Growing up, he took private
pianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
lessons from Bruno Michelotti and others. He originally wanted to play basketball, but he only wanted to play power forward or center. When he was sixteen his coach insisted either he play guard, or not at all, and he quit the team. Manzarek said later if it was not for that ultimatum, he might never have been in The Doors. He went to Everett Elementary School on S. Bell St. and attended
St. Rita High SchoolSt. Rita of Cascia High School is an all-male Roman Catholic high school located on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and is operated by the Order of Saint Augustine...
in Chicago.
In 1962–1965, he studied in the Department of Cinematography at
UCLAThe University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, where he met film student
Jim MorrisonJames Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
. Forty days after finishing
film schoolThe term film school is used to describe any educational institution dedicated to teaching aspects of filmmaking, including such subjects as film production, film theory, digital media production, and screenwriting. Film history courses and hands-on technical training are usually incorporated into...
, thinking they had gone their separate ways, they met by chance on Venice Beach in California. Morrison said he had written some songs, and Manzarek expressed an interest in hearing them, whereupon Morrison sang a rough version of "
Moonlight Drive"Moonlight Drive" was one of the seminal tracks on The Doors' second album, Strange Days. Although it was only a B-side , it is a favorite in The Doors canon...
." Manzarek liked the songs and co-founded the Doors with Morrison at that moment.
Manzarek met drummer
John DensmoreJohn Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
and guitarist
Robby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
at a
Transcendental MeditationTranscendental Meditation refers to the Transcendental Meditation technique, a specific form of mantra meditation, and to the Transcendental Meditation movement, a spiritual movement...
lecture. Densmore says, "There wouldn't be any Doors without
MaharishiMaharishi Mahesh Yogi , born Mahesh Prasad Varma , developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of the TM movement, characterised as a new religious movement and also as non-religious...
."
In January 1966, The Doors became the house band at
The London FogThe London Fog was a 1960s nightclub located on the Sunset Strip in what was then unincorporated Los Angeles County, California...
on the
Sunset StripThe Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with Hollywood at Harper Avenue, to its western border with Beverly Hills at Sierra Drive...
. According to Manzarek, "Nobody ever came in the place...an occasional sailor or two on leave, a few drunks. All in all it was a very depressing experience, but it gave us time to really get the music together." The same day The Doors were fired from The London Fog, they were hired to be the house band of the
Whisky a Go GoThe Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip.-History:...
. Their first performance at the Whisky was with the group
ThemThem were a Northern Irish band formed in Belfast in April 1964, most prominently known for the garage rock standard "Gloria" and launching singer Van Morrison's musical career...
.
The Doors' first recording contract was with
Columbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. After a few months of inactivity, they learned they were on Columbia's drop list. At that point, they asked to be released from their contract. After a few months of live gigs,
Jac HolzmanJac Holzman was the founder, chief executive officer and head of both Elektra Records and Nonesuch Records.-Biography:He founded Elektra Records in his St. John's College dorm room in 1950 and Nonesuch Records in 1964...
"rediscovered" the Doors and signed them to
Elektra RecordsElektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
.
The Doors lacked a
bassistA bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
, so Manzarek usually played the bass parts on a Fender
Rhodes pianoThe Rhodes piano is an electro-mechanical piano, invented by Harold Rhodes during the fifties and later manufactured in a number of models, first in collaboration with Fender and after 1965 by CBS....
Bass. His signature sound is that of the
Vox ContinentalThe Vox Continental is a transistor-based combo organ that was introduced in 1962. Known for its thin, bright, breathy sound, the "Connie," as it was affectionately known, was designed to be used by touring musicians...
combo organA combo organ is an electronic organ of the frequency divider type, generally produced between the early 1960s and the late 1970s. The combo organ concept, at least in the context of mass-production, is thought to have been born from the accordion, probably in Italy, as the brainchild of necessity...
, an instrument used by many other psychedelic rock bands of the era. He later used a
Gibson G-101The Gibson G-101 is a model of combo organ, one of many makes and models of transistorized portable organs, most popularly used in rock & roll bands of the mid- and late 1960s, designed for use on stage or in the studio, for players that transported them frequently between performances.The...
Kalamazoo
combo organA combo organ is an electronic organ of the frequency divider type, generally produced between the early 1960s and the late 1970s. The combo organ concept, at least in the context of mass-production, is thought to have been born from the accordion, probably in Italy, as the brainchild of necessity...
(which looks like a
FarfisaFarfisa is a manufacturer of electronics based in Osimo, Italy.The Farfisa brand name is commonly associated with a series of compact electronic organs, and later, a series of multi-timbral synthesizers. At the height of its production, Farfisa operated three factories to produce instruments, in...
) because the Continental's plastic keys frequently broke according to Manzarek.
Manzarek occasionally sang for The Doors, including the live recordings of "Close To You." He also sang on the last two Doors albums, recorded after Morrison's death,
Other VoicesOther Voices is the seventh studio album by The Doors released in 1971. It was the first album released by the band following the death of lead singer Jim Morrison.-Recording:...
and
Full CircleFull Circle is the eighth studio album by The Doors released in 1972. It is the second album after Jim Morrison's death, and also their last album together before they broke up. The album includes "The Mosquito", the last hit single by the band. Keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger...
.
Later career and influence
Manzarek has been in several groups since the Doors, including
Nite CityNite City were a rock group from Los Angeles, USA. Nite City was The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek’s super-group featuring vocalist Noah James and former Blondie bassist Nigel Harrison...
. He recorded a rock adaptation of
Carl OrffCarl Orff was a 20th-century German composer, best known for his cantata Carmina Burana . In addition to his career as a composer, Orff developed an influential method of music education for children.-Early life:...
's
Carmina BuranaCarmina Burana is a scenic cantata composed by Carl Orff in 1935 and 1936. It is based on 24 of the poems found in the medieval collection Carmina Burana...
with
Philip GlassPhilip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
, produced and backed
Echo & the BunnymenEcho & the Bunnymen are an English post-punk band, formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bass player Les Pattinson, supplemented by a drum machine. By 1980, Pete de Freitas had joined as the band's drummer, and their debut...
and Los Angeles band X, played with
Iggy PopIggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
, backed San Francisco poet
Michael McClureMichael McClure is an American poet, playwright, songwriter, and novelist. After moving to San Francisco as a young man, he found fame as one of the five poets who read at the famous San Francisco Six Gallery reading in 1955 rendered in barely fictionalized terms in Jack Kerouac's Dharma Bums...
's poetry readings and he has done improvisational composition with poet
Michael C. FordMichael C. Ford is a poet, playwright, editor and recording artist.-Bio:Ford in Chicago, Illinois and moved with his parents to Pasadena, California toward the end of World War II. Between 1974 and 1977 he co-edited a prose/poetry journal called The Sunset Palms Hotel...
. Ray also worked extensively with "
Hearts of FireHearts of Fire is a 1987 American musical drama film starring Bob Dylan, Fiona Flanagan and Rupert Everett. The film was essentially a vehicle for Dylan based on his success as a rock musician...
" screenwriter and former
SRCThe SRC was a Detroit-based rock band from the late 1960s. From 1966 to 1972, they were a staple at many Detroit rock venues, such as the Grande Ballroom.-The early years:...
front man Scott Richardson on a series of spoken word and blues recordings entitled "Tornado Souvenirs".
His memoir,
Light My Fire: My Life with The Doors, was published in 1998.
The Poet in Exile (2001) is a novel exploring the
urban legendAn urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
that Jim Morrison may have faked his death. Manzarek's second novel,
Snake Moon, released in April 2006, is a
Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
ghost story.
In 2000, a collaboration poetry album titled: Freshly Dug was released with British singer, poet/actor and pioneer Punk rocker
Darryl ReadDarryl Read is a British poet, singer, guitarist, drummer, actor, and writer. Read is among the forerunners of punk rock...
. Read had previously worked with Ray on the Beat Existentialist album in 1994, and their latest poetical/musical collaboration was in 2007 with the album "Bleeding Paradise."
On August 4, 2007, Manzarek hosted a program on
BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
about the 40th anniversary of the recording of "
Light My Fire"Light My Fire" is a song by The Doors which was recorded in August 1966 and released the first week of January 1967 on the Doors' debut album. Released as a single in April, it spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and one week on the Cash Box Top 100, nearly a year after...
" and the group's musical and spiritual influences.
In April 2009, Manzarek and Robby Krieger appeared as special guests for
Daryl HallDaryl Hall is an American rock, R&B and soul singer, keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter and producer, best known as the co-founder and lead vocalist of Hall & Oates . Hall scored several Billboard chart hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, and is regarded as one of the best blue eyed soul singers...
's monthly concert webcast
Live From Daryl's House. They performed several Doors tunes ("
People Are Strange"People Are Strange" is a single released by The Doors in September 1967 from their second album Strange Days which was also released in September 1967. The single peaked at the #12 position of the U.S. Hot 100 chart and made it to the top ten in the Cash Box charts...
", "The Crystal Ship", "
Roadhouse Blues"Roadhouse Blues" is a blues-rock song written and recorded by the American rock band The Doors. The song, which appeared on the B-side of "You Make Me Real", was first released as a single from the album Morrison Hotel in March 1970 and peaked at #50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100...
" and "
Break on Through (To the Other Side)"Break on Through " is a song by The Doors from their debut album, The Doors. It was the first single released by the band and was unsuccessful compared to later hits, reaching only #126 in the United States...
") with Hall providing lead vocals.
After living many years in Hollywood, Manzarek now resides in
Napa County, CaliforniaNapa County is a county located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is coterminous with the Napa, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population is 136,484. The county seat is Napa....
in a house he remodeled extensively. He also plays with local bands in the Napa area.
In 2009, Manzarek collaborated with
"Weird Al" YankovicAlfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
, playing keyboards on the single "
Craigslist"Craigslist" is the name of a song and single by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a style parody of The Doors, and contains lyrics inspired by postings at the online classified advertising service, Craigslist. Yankovic described the idea of the song coming about thinking how it would be...
" which is a style parody of the Doors.
Manzarek was a co-producer on a few tracks for Universal Recording artist Michael Barber. A track recently appeared on the Intenet titled "Be Ok," on Michael's Universal Records Debut.
In May 2010, Manzarek was recording with slide guitarist
Roy RogersRoy Rogers is an American blues rock slide guitarist and record producer. He was named after the singing cowboy, Roy Rogers...
in Studio D in Sausalito. The release was scheduled for the fall.
Solo
- The Golden Scarab
-Side 1:# "He Can't Come Today" - 4:40# "Solar Boat" - 5:58# "Downbound Train" - 5:31# "The Golden Scarab" - 6:42-Side 2:# "The Purpose Of Existence Is?" - 6:38# "The Moorish Idol" - 5:38# "Choose Up And Choose Off" - 4:43...
(1973)
- The Whole Thing Started With Rock & Roll Now It's Out of Control
The Whole Thing Started with Rock and Roll Now It's Out of Control is a 1975 album by ex-Doors member Ray Manzarek.- Track listing :All tracks composed by Ray Manzarek; except where indicated...
(1974)
- Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana is the third solo album by Ray Manzarek released in 1983. It is a recording of Carmina Burana by Carl Orff.-Track listing:#Destiny: Ruler of the World. The Wheel of Fortune...
(1983)
- Love Her Madly (2006)
- Ballads Before The Rain (With Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers is an American blues rock slide guitarist and record producer. He was named after the singing cowboy, Roy Rogers...
) (2008)
- Translucent Blues (With Roy Rogers) (2011)
Nite City
- Nite City
Nite City is the first album by Nite City, a band that included former Doors' member Ray Manzarek.-Track listing:# Summer Eyes# Nite City# Love Will Make You Mellow# Angle Without No Freedom# Midnight Queen# Bitter Blue Sky# Caught in a Panic...
(1977)
- Golden Days Diamond Night
Golden Days Diamond Nights was the final album by Nite City, a band that included former Doors' member Ray Manzarek.-Track listing:# "Riding on The Wings of Love" # "The Dreamer"...
(1978)
Books
- Light My Fire: My Life with The Doors
Light My Fire is a memoir published in 1998 by The Doors keyboard player Ray Manzarek. It contains valuable information about Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors. In the book Ray talks about his early life, UCLA, The Doors, and what happened to everyone after The Doors broke up.-Publication...
(1998) ISBN 0-425-17045-4
- The Poet in Exile (2001) Thunder's Mouth Press, 2002 paperback: ISBN 1-56025-447-5
- Snake Moon (2006) ISBN 1-59780-041-4
External links
- Official website
- The Doors official website
- Michael McClure & Ray Manzarek
- 1998 Fresh Air with Terry Gross interview
- Manzarek Interview from St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
(June 2005) about the legal battle with Densmore over the use of the Doors name
- Article about Ray Manzarek's recent work, March 1, 2006
- Article from the Napa Register (October 9, 2006) about Ray Manzarek
- Ben Fong-Torres speaks to Ray Manzarek about the book The Doors (video)
- December 2006 interview in Horror Garage magazine
- Undercover video interview, April 2007
- Video interview with Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger, May 2007
- Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger on "Live From Daryl's House"
- Ray Manzarek PR in Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...