Ray Manzarek, one of the founding members and keyboardists of the 1960s rock band The Doors, passed away at the age of 74 in a medical clinic located in Germany, after valiantly fighting cancer.
For the last decade, Manzarek resided in the Napa Valley wine region of Northern California. He was receiving treatment for bile duct cancer in Germany, where he died in Rosenheim, surrounded by his family, including his wife and brothers.
In 1965, after a fateful encounter at Venice Beach in Los Angeles, Manzarek and singer Jim Morrison launched The Doors. His remarkable keyboard performances became iconic, contributing to the band’s hits like “Break On Through to the Other Side” and “Light My Fire.”
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the band has sold 100 million records since their peak, with classic psychedelic hits such as the 1971 track “Riders on the Storm.”
Following Morrison’s death from heart failure in 1971, The Doors disbanded, yet their legend greatly expanded after the release of the biography “No One Here Gets Out Alive” in 1980 and Oliver Stone’s 1991 film, “The Doors.”
Between 1967 and 1972, the band produced a total of eight albums. After their separation, Manzarek embarked on a journey that included two albums with the rock group “Nite City” in the late 1970s, as well as six solo albums, the last being “Translucent Blues” released in 2011, which featured blues-rock guitarist Roy Rogers.
In 2003, Manzarek and Krieger became embroiled in a legal dispute with drummer John Densmore after the two reformed under The Doors name, which later transformed into “The Doors of the 21st Century.” Ultimately, they were compelled to tour as Manzarek-Krieger.
I had the opportunity to witness The Doors of the 21st Century, with Ian Astbury from The Cult on vocals. You might think attending without Jim Morrison is pointless, but you would be absolutely mistaken.
Alongside Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, Ian Astbury (vocals), and Stewart Copeland (formerly of The Police, on drums) delivered an incredible performance.
They kicked things off with Roadhouse Blues and continued to explore a vast array of their music. I could discuss each song individually in detail. It struck me how brilliant the songs are while highlighting the musicianship of Manzarek and Krieger. That night, there was a bass player, which occasionally left Manzarek’s left hand seemingly unsure. However, when both hands did unite, the experience was pure ecstasy for the eyes and ears.
An eccentric, bald Englishman beside me kept shouting, “Ray, Ray…get your cock out.” Manzarek glanced over and smiled…
It was an unforgettable night in numerous respects. While we won’t experience it again, the memories of what transpired will remain cherished.
Born in Chicago in 1939, Manzarek accepted the inevitability of aging in 2006.
“We only inhabit these bodies for 70, 80, 90 years, and it’s such a joy to be alive on this planet that you want to keep things as fresh as you can,” he remarked.
“The spirit, the mind, the soul—what lies within you becomes increasingly vibrant with age… You acquire a wider perspective as you grow older,” he added. “This evolution continues, but…the damn body slows down.”
Two novels and the 1998 memoir, “Light My Fire: My Life with The Doors,” are attributed to author Manzarek.
Surviving Ray Manzarek are his wife, Dorothy, along with two brothers, a son, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren.
A defining characteristic of Manzarek’s music was his electric organ, which stood alongside Morrison’s powerful voice in the band’s jazz and blues-inflected rock and roll.
However, Ray Manzarek contributed more than just the organ.
Initially, The Doors did not have a bass player, which led Mr. Manzarek to perform all bass lines with his left hand while playing marvelous keyboard riffs with his right. There were times when Jim Morrison, being somewhat ‘out-of-it’, would struggle to even make it to the performances.
Rather than cancel, The Doors pressed on. Ray Manzarek filled in by singing while managing the bass and keyboard. Truly, the man was a genius!
There hasn’t been anything that remotely compares to The Doors since they shared their musical vision with us. Each of the four members (Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Kreiger, and John Densmore) possesses a unique sound and performance style, and the songs themselves remain as relevant today as ever. It’s rare to find a band where every member leaves their mark of uniqueness and individuality within a song. Despite the potential for chaos from those differences, the result is anything but that.
If you haven’t yet experienced The Doors, it’s time to listen.
If you haven’t delved into their story, now is the time to read.
For heaven’s sake, just download their debut album followed by “LA Woman” (the first and last albums respectively). Begin with ‘Break On Through’, continue through ‘The End’, and keep moving on to ‘LA Woman’ before concluding with ‘Riders On The Storm’.
Once these songs and several others from those two albums are within your grasp, you can explore the narrative that unfolded in between. Following that…dive into reading…you won’t find it dull, I assure you.
Incredible songs…crafted by an incredible man, one we will never witness again.
R.I.P. – Ray Manzarek
by Wallace McTavish
