Robert Alan "Robby" Krieger (born January 8, 1946) is an American rock
guitaristA guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and
songwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. He was the guitarist in
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...
, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "
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...
," "
Love Me Two Times"Love Me Two Times" is a song by The Doors. It was written by the band and first appeared on the 1967 album Strange Days. It was released as the second single from that album, and reached #25 on the charts in the US....
," "
Touch Me"Touch Me" is a song by The Doors from their album The Soft Parade. Written by Robby Krieger, its riff was influenced by The Four Seasons' "C'mon Marianne." It is notable for its extensive usage of brass and string instruments to accent Jim Morrison's vocals...
," and "
Love Her Madly"Love Her Madly" is a song by The Doors, which was released in March 1971. Composed by guitarist Robby Krieger, it served as the lead single from L.A. Woman, their final album with frontman Jim Morrison. Session musician and Elvis Presly TCB Band touring member Jerry Scheff, played bass guitar on...
."
He is listed as number 91 on
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
s list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
Early life
Robby Krieger was born in
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California to a Jewish family. His first exposure to music was mostly classical, as his father was a big fan of marching music, until he heard
Peter and the WolfPeter and the Wolf , Op. 67, is a composition written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936 in the USSR. It is a children's story , spoken by a narrator accompanied by the orchestra....
, which was the first music that really caught him. When he was seven, Krieger accidentally broke his record player, but the radio began to reach his ears playing the likes of
Fats DominoAntoine Dominique "Fats" Domino, Jr. is an American R&B and rock and roll pianist and singer-songwriter. He was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Creole was his first language....
,
Elvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, and
the PlattersThe Platters were a vocal group of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre...
. At 10, he tried the trumpet, but found it was not for him. He began playing the blues on his parents' piano with much more success than the trumpet. At 14, he began to surf and it became an integral part of his life. Krieger's parents began to worry that his surfing was distracting him from school and they enrolled him in a private school.
While Krieger was attending a private school, there was study time at night that allowed him to teach himself to play the guitar. He began by learning
flamencoFlamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
, borrowing a friend's guitar. When Krieger was 18, he got his own flamenco guitar and took lessons for a few months. He bounced around genres, including flamenco,
folkFolk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
,
bluesBlues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, and jazz. After high school, Krieger attended the
University of California, Santa BarbaraThe University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
.
The Doors
Krieger was in The Doors with
keyboardA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
player
Ray ManzarekRaymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
, 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 vocalist
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...
. At an early Doors rehearsal Morrison heard Krieger playing bottleneck guitar and initially wanted the technique featured on every song on the first album. Krieger's
fingerstyleFingerstyle guitar is the technique of playing the guitar by plucking the strings directly with the fingertips, fingernails, or picks attached to fingers, as opposed to flatpicking ....
approach to the
electric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, eclectic musical tastes, and songwriting helped establish The Doors as a successful
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
bandA musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
in the 1960s. His only singing with the early Doors can be heard on the album
The Soft ParadeThe Soft Parade is the fourth studio album by The Doors, released in 1969.The album met with some controversy among fans and critics due to its inclusion of brass and string instrument arrangements, as opposed to the more stripped-down sound of their earlier recordings...
, on the song "
Runnin' BlueRunnin' Blue is a song by the American rock band The Doors, the seventh track on their album The Soft Parade. In 1969 it peaked at #64 on Billboard magazine's Pop Singles chart....
".
Later career
After Morrison's death in 1971, The Doors continued as a trio and released two albums,
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...
. Krieger shared lead vocal duties with Manzarek. After The Doors disbanded in 1973, Krieger formed
The Butts BandThe Butts Band was a British and American group formed by ex-Doors members John Densmore and Robby Krieger that was active from 1973-1975.-History:The Butts Band came about as a consequence of The Doors trying to find a replacement for Jim Morrison...
with Densmore. He enjoyed some success as a jazz guitarist, recording a handful of albums as The Robby Krieger Band in the 1970s and 1980s, including Versions (1983) and No Habla (1986). For his 1977 solo release Robby Krieger & Friends, Krieger worked with rock artist
Jim EvansJim Evans born sometime in the 1950s, sometimes known as T.A.Z., is an American painter, printmaker, and Creative Director who was a contributing figure in the visual art movement known as underground comics...
to create a painting that became the album package.
In 1982, Krieger made an album with the Los Angeles group Acid Casualties. Their album, Panic Station, was released by Rhino Records and included a new version of the rare 1968
Pink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
single "
Point Me at the Sky"Point Me at the Sky" is the fifth United Kingdom single by the British band Pink Floyd, released on 17 December 1968. The song was an early collaboration by bassist Roger Waters and guitarist David Gilmour. The single was not released in the United States However, it was released by Capitol...
." In the early 90s, Krieger formed a trio called the 'Robby Krieger Organization' featuring Skip Van Winkle (electric organ,organ pedal bass) and Dale Alexander (drums, backing vocals). In 1996, Krieger formed a new band simply known as the 'Robby Krieger Band' which featured his son Waylon Krieger (guitar), Barry Oakley Jr. (bass, backing vocals), Dale Alexander (keyboards) and
Ray MehlbaumRay Mehlbaum is an American rock drummer and currently the drummer for Killing Bees.-Early life:Born in Los Angeles California, Mehlbaum was given his first drum set at age 9 as a gift from his uncle.He studied with Carmine Appice, Ed Shaughnessy, and Carl Tassi-Career:Mehlbaum has recorded and or...
(drums). The band performed shows in North America and Europe between 1996-1998. In 2000, Krieger released
CinematixCinematix is the fifth solo album by fusion guitarist Robby Krieger, released in 2000.-Track listing:#"Snake Oil" - 4:41#"Idolatry" - 4:52#"Skip" - 4:12#"Missionary Jam" - 10:23#"Psychadelicate" - 7:56#"Haunted Spouse" - 3:42#"Red Alert" - 6:42...
, an entirely instrumental fusion album, with guest appearances from
Billy CobhamWilliam C. Cobham is a Panamanian American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader, who has called Switzerland home since the late 1970s....
and
Edgar WinterEdgar Holland Winter is an American musician. He is famous for being a multi-instrumentalist. He is a highly skilled keyboardist, saxophonist and percussionist. He often plays an instrument while singing. He was most successful in the 1970s with his band, The Edgar Winter Group, notably with their...
.
Krieger and Manzarek reformed as the Doors of the 21st Century in 2002 with vocalist
Ian AstburyIan Astbury is an English rock musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist for the rock band, The Cult.-Pre-Cult:...
of
The CultThe Cult are a British rock band that was formed in 1983. They gained a dedicated following in Britain in the mid 1980s as a post-punk band with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love...
. Following a dispute with Densmore over The Doors name, the band is now known as "Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors". For a brief period, the reformed band also included
PoliceThe Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
drummer
Stewart CopelandStewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...
.
Krieger played guitar on a few tracks by
Blue Öyster CultBlue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
and has worked on a number of tribute projects organized by
Billy SherwoodWilliam "Billy" Wyman Sherwood is a musician, record producer, and engineer.-Family:Sherwood comes from a musical family which includes his father Bobby Sherwood, who was an actor, musician, and big band leader, his mother Phyllis, a singer and drummer, and brother Michael, a keyboardist and...
. Krieger has made some guest appearances with the band
ParticleParticle is an American jam band formed in Los Angeles in 2000. The original members were Dave Simmons , Steve Molitz , Eric Gould , and Darren Pujalet . Simmons died shortly after the formation of the band due to a sudden illness. Guitarist Charlie Hitchcock joined shortly thereafter...
and appears on the album Transformations Live.
In June 2008, ZYX Studio released his concert with
Eric BurdonEric Victor Burdon is an English singer-songwriter best known as a founding member and vocalist of rock band The Animals, and the funk rock band War and for his aggressive stage performance...
, called
Live at the Ventura Beach CaliforniaLive at the Ventura Beach California is a concert of Eric Burdon with Robby Krieger and several other musicians.In 1989, The Animals singer and The Doors guitarist had a conference together, called "The Rock 'n' Rolls Main Event". They started a tour...
. They also played "
Back Door Man"Back Door Man" is a blues song written by Willie Dixon and recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1961. It was released by Chess Records as the B-side to Wolf's "Wang Dang Doodle"...
" and "
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...
".
In April 2009, Krieger and Ray Manzarek 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""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. Krieger also played lead guitar on the Hall & Oates track "
Kiss On My List"Kiss on My List" is a 1981 song recorded by Daryl Hall and John Oates. It was the third single from their album Voices, and became their second Billboard Hot 100 number-one single in 1981 ....
".
Krieger has participated in the "Experience Hendrix" series of concerts over the last two years (2008–09), joining a number of high profile guitar players paying tribute to the musicianship and songwriting of
Jimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
.
Solo
- Robby Krieger & Friends
Robbie Krieger & Friends is the first solo album by former The Doors member Robby Krieger, released in 1977. For some reason Robby opted to name the album and band "Robbie Krieger And Friends", even going as far as helping to design the album cover and sign it that way.- Background :After The...
(1977)
- Versions
Versions is the second solo album by the former member of The Doors, Robby Krieger, released in 1983.- Track listing :#"Tattooed Love Boys" #"Her Majesty" #"East End, West End"...
(1983)
- Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger is the third album by Robby Krieger, released in 1985.- Track list :# Bag Lady - 9:00# Reggae Funk - 4:19# Bass Line Street - 3:51# Costa Brava - 3:24...
(1985)
- No Habla
No Habla is the fourth solo album by The Doors member Robby Krieger, released in 1989.- Track listing :#"Wild Child" 4:43#"Eagles Song" 2:33#"It's Gonna Work Out Fine" 4:01...
(1989)
- Door Jams
-Track listing:# "Gavin Leggit"# "East End, West End"# "Her Majesty"# "Reach Out, I'll Be There"# "I'm Gonna Tell On You"# "Spare Change"# "Big Oak Basin"# "Reggae Funk"# "Crystal Ship"# "Underwater Fall"# "Bass Line Street"# "Bag Lady"# "Low Bottomy"...
(1989)
- Cinematix
Cinematix is the fifth solo album by fusion guitarist Robby Krieger, released in 2000.-Track listing:#"Snake Oil" - 4:41#"Idolatry" - 4:52#"Skip" - 4:12#"Missionary Jam" - 10:23#"Psychadelicate" - 7:56#"Haunted Spouse" - 3:42#"Red Alert" - 6:42...
(2000)
- Singularity
Singularity is the sixth solo album by Robby Krieger, released in 2010.- Track listing :#"Russian Caravan "#"Russian Caravan"#"Southern Cross"#"Event Horizon "# "Event Horizon"#"Coffin Dodger"#"Runaway Trane"#"Let It Slide"...
(2010)
The Butts Band
- The Butts Band
- Track listing :#"I Won't Be Alone Anymore" #"Baja Bus" #"Sweet Danger" #"Pop-A-Top" #"Be With Me" #"New Ways" #"Love Your Brother"...
(1974)
- Hear and Now
- Track listing :#"Get Up, Stand Up" #"Corner of My Mind" #"Caught in the Middle" #"Everybody's Fool" #"Livin' and Dyin'" #"Don't Wake Up"...
(1975)
External links