Ask Ray Manzarek transcript
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| This event took place Tuesday 10th April 2002 |
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Ray Manzarek
Keyboard player in one of the all-time great American bands, The Doors, Ray answered your questions about the band and his long musical career since.
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Host: Welcome to the chat tonight with Ray Manzarek.
Question from Janine: How do you remember the 60's? When you reflect, what feelings do you get?
Ray Manzarek: Janine, I remember the 60’s with great love and affection. It was a magical time
that I hope can come again sometime in the 21st century.
Question from Dave Thompson: What was it like working with Jim in the Doors?
Ray Manzarek: It was profound. Incredible. Thrilling. Dionysian, and quite psychedelic.
Question from Egdif: If you could do the whole thing again (The Doors) would you do it
differently?
Ray Manzarek: Egdif, I would keep Jim Morrison alive. Other than that, I would do everything
exactly the same.
Question from Brian: Ray, how close was the film in terms of truth (the movie about the
Doors)?
Ray Manzarek: Not very - Jim Morrison was not a jerk. He was not a drunken druggie, as the film
portrayed him. He was an intellectual, an artist, a poet, and very spiritual. However, Brian, the
movie was very exciting. The music was terrific. The rock and roll scenes were terrific. Val Kilmer
did a very good job as Jim - it's just that Oliver Stone didn't really understand Jim. It's a white
powder movie about a psychedelic band, and the two have no relationship to each other - if you get
what I mean.
Question from Micksten: Do you believe that there is any bands out there at the moment that can
be compared to The Doors?
Ray Manzarek: Well, many bands are influenced by the doors, and I think that U2 has a Doors
influence, but I wouldn't compare them to the Doors. I really haven't heard any bands that I would
compare to the Doors, Micksten. After all, the Doors combined blues, classical, jug band, jazz and
good old rock & roll, along with a beatnik French symbolist poet, into their own music.
Question from Billy: Ray... what direction do you think the Doors' music would have went had the
Doors been still performing into the 70s?
Ray Manzarek: I think our music would have taken the direction of the Doors album, An American
Prayer, Billy. That's the album with Jim's poetry on it, but by now we would be doing electronica,
trip-hop, acid jazz, with lyrics.
Question from Paul: What is/was your favourite track?
Ray Manzarek: Paul, 'Light My Fire'. It was the most fun to play live, because we had long,
improvisational sections, and we could really stretch out. 'Light my Fire' is also the name of my
autobiography, my book about the Doors. I think you might enjoy it.
Question from Jim: What artists and bands where the Doors influenced by... if any?
Ray Manzarek: Jim, the Doors were influenced by Muddy Waters, Jon Lee Hooker, and other Chicago
blues cats, along with John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Bill Evans as a jazz influence. Eygore
Stravinsky and Claude Debussy were classical influences, Jim, and then the Beatles and the Rolling
Stones as English rock influences, and of course, Elvis Presley, Little Richard and Chuck Berry.
Question from Alex: What was recording LA Woman with Jerry Scheff and Marc Benno like, I heard
you guys recorded live?
Ray Manzarek: Yes, Alex, LA Woman is virtually a live recording, with everyone playing at the
same time, and Jim in the bathroom as his isolation/singing booth. We recorded the album at our
rehearsal place on the corner of La Cienga and Santa Monica. It was an incredible experience. The
energy in our small rehearsal room was overflowing and manic. What a great two weeks we had. As you
know, Jerry Scheff went on to play with Elvis Presley. All the footage you can see of Elvis Presley in
Las Vegas has Jerry Scheff on bass.
Question from Glen: Do you think the Doors would have been such a cult group if Jim had lived?
Has his death at such a young age and under tragic circumstances immortalised the group?
Ray Manzarek: Yes, Glen. However, I would much rather have Jim alive than be an immortal group.
Life is always better than death - or so we think, until, perhaps, we find out just the opposite when
we are in fact dead!
Question from Peter: Ray, what do you think about tribute bands such as The LA Doors and have
you every seen them live?
Ray Manzarek: Peter, I like tribute bands. I don't see any thing wrong with them at all. God
bless them - one and all.
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