Although the majority of people on here may have never heard of him, Ray Manzarek was the keyboard player with the Doors in the '60s. Unfortunately, Jim Morrison, the lead singer, died in about 1971 of the usual (for the time) rock and roll death. Morrison did a great job out front and it was him people really wanted to see at a Doors concert.

But, arguably, it was Ray Manzarek's keyboard playing that really shaped their sound.

Ray Manzarek died today of cancer at the age of 74. His wife of over 45 years survives him. It makes me wonder what they did to make the marriage last that long when most of the other big names of the music industry were lucky to make their marriages last 7 years, let along 7 decades.

There was something about Manzarek's keyboard playing that made the band unique. Can anyone spot what it was from this video?



Thanks for the music Ray, shut the Doors on your way out will you?

Did he have 12 fingers?

I heard him and Jim have been arguing constantly since they met back up.

I like the way all the band look like they are going to cocktain evening at the golf club and Morrison looks like he's arrived from another planet!

AFAIK Manzarek played the "older, responsible brother" within the band. TBH, I suspect Morrison had all the attributes of "attention w**re" and it was the introvert and more or less invisible Manzarek who kept The Doors running.
RIP, Ray.

A real God of music, best sound iv heard in my lifetime.

my brothers gonna be pissed if he don't already know.


(was gonna post joolshollands fingers up (they are short n stubby) but don't want to distract the thread)

pooroldcodger said:

Did he have 12 fingers?

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Good try, but er, no.

Venters said:

I heard him and Jim have been arguing constantly since they met back up.

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I think Jim's still too stoned to argue about anything.

pooroldcodger said:

I like the way all the band look like they are going to cocktain evening at the golf club and Morrison looks like he's arrived from another planet!

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Quite a lot of US groups used to dress as if they were going to a wine bar, especially on TV, but Jim Morrison was a real legend in his own (short) lifetime and could virtually get away with anything. As soon as he came on stage women all round the theatre suddenly, and totally inexplicably, found their underwear around their ankles.

(CZ)enda said:

AFAIK Manzarek played the "older, responsible brother" within the band. TBH, I suspect Morrison had all the attributes of "attention w**re" and it was the introvert and more or less invisible Manzarek who kept The Doors running.
RIP, Ray.

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Manzarek was a classically trained pianist so probably had the discipline to keep things going. Drugs, especially halucogenics, are also often credited with providing the inspiration for songs, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds being probably the best known, they've also had a terribly detrimental effect on a lot of bands. Peter Green's use of drugs was often claimed to be the reason behind his leaving Fleetwood Mac and Syd Barrett's unreliability because of drug use was the reason Pink Floyd binned him. Morrison's weight ballooned and his drinking, poor diet and drug use resulted in his death in 1971. It's perhaps to Ray's credit that the Doors kept going as long as they did and have left us with a musical legacy as important as any other artistes of the era.

Unknown Being said:

A real God of music, best sound iv heard in my lifetime.

my brothers gonna be pissed if he don't already know.


(was gonna post joolshollands fingers up (they are short n stubby) but don't want to distract the thread)

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I've noticed that, they do look short for a pianist, but then so are Elton John's.

Nobody (apart from pooroldcodger) has had a go at answering what was unique about the Doors sound.

They didn't use a bass guitar. Ray Manzarek provided the bass track through one of his keyboards, possibly a British made Vox and sometimes through a foot pedal. Even during the '80s and '90s when guitars and even drums sometimes are replaced by synthesisers and other keyboards the bass was always there.

Except for the Doors

He also played the bass upside down. Or so I recall hearing.

The Beard said:

Good try, but er, no.








I've noticed that, they do look short for a pianist, but then so are Elton John's.

Nobody (apart from pooroldcodger) has had a go at answering what was unique about the Doors sound.

They didn't use a bass guitar. Ray Manzarek provided the bass track through one of his keyboards, possibly a British made Vox and sometimes through a foot pedal. Even during the '80s and '90s when guitars and even drums sometimes are replaced by synthesisers and other keyboards the bass was always there.

Except for the Doors

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A'h yes of course. Don't look for what is there - look for what is not there.
I suppose it was also quite unusual (bot not unique) back then to be playing two different types of keyboard (i.e electric piano and organ) at the same time, as oppposed to 2 manuals of an organ for example. Of course this became huge just a while afterwards with the likes of Wakeman, and Emerson.
When I was a lad, any "rock" musician that had the words "classically trained" after their name was immediately elevated to super-cool status. Then punk came along and hardly knowing which way up to hold the guitar (or pretending not to know) became the new "cool", and anybody who could really play was looked on as a dinosaur for a while. But then trhere were some punk-type musicians who were also very good, but played it down.

Empire Pool Wembley - 1974 - Emerson Lake and Palmer World Tour. I never forgave my Mum for shrinking my ELP T-shirt. By the time she'd finished with it only a 9 year old could wear it.

Ha ha! I went to see Yes at the same venue at around that time, and Rick Wakeman's "Arthur" tour (no not the Dudley Moore version!) at Sheffield City Hall. I couldn't afford a programme, but then I saw a guy selling a cheaper version which i could afford. When I opened it up it was just a cover and 4 pages of photocopied stuff from Melody Maker .
Those were the days.

Pretty good obituary in yesterday's Guardian. (Worth having a look at the "More in this section" articles, too....) What a talented hero....