Raymond Daniel Manzarek (born February 12, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American musician, producer, movie director, writer, and a co-founder and the keyboardist of The Doors, from 1965 to 1973, and in the Doors of the 21st Century (The Doors of The 21st Century now go by the name of Riders On The Storm) since 2001.

Manzarek also recorded a rock adaptation of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana with Philip Glass, produced Echo and the Bunnymen and Los Angeles band X, and played with Iggy Pop and backed San Francisco poet Michael McClure's poetry readings.

During his time with the Doors he is widely regarded as being one of the most influential keyboardists in rock and roll history by changing the spectrum of ability a keyboardist has. This is largely due to the fact that since the Doors lacked a bassist Manzarek would often play those parts with his Fender Rhodes Piano Bass.

He is famous for playing the keyboard by not looking at the keys and shaking his head throughout songs.

His memoirs, Light My Fire: My Life with The Doors, was published in 1998. The Poet in Exile (2001) was followed by his second novel, Snake Moon, which was released by Nightshade Press in April 2006.

In Oliver Stone's biopic "The Doors", Manzarek was played by Kyle MacLachlan.

Trivia

• He attended St. Rita High School in Chicago.

• Ray attended DePaul University for four years as an economics major before moving out West and into the Department of Cinematography at UCLA.

• The Doors' first contract was with Columbia Records. After a few months of inactivity, they found out they were on Columbia's drop list. At that point they asked to be released from their contract. After performing live gigs for a few months, they were 're-discovered' by Jac Holzman and signed to Elektra records.

• In January 1966, The Doors were the house band at a club called The London Fog. 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 Go.

• The Doors song "Alabama Song" was actually taken from a 1930s German opera called The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahoganny written by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. In 1966, Manzarek's wife Dorothy had a record of that opera, sung by Lotte Lenya. She played the record for Ray and Jim Morrison, and at one point suggested they do a rock version of the song.

• Ray's real name is Raymond Daniel Manczarek. The c was dropped in 1966 when he, Jim Morrison, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore signed with Elektra as The Doors.

• The solos in "Light My Fire" are based on John Coltrane's "Ole" from the album Ole Coltrane. Other examples: a Thelonious Monk line from "Straight, No Chaser" in "We Could Be So Good Together", the opening organ passage of "When The Music's Over" inspired by Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man", and finally the organ solo in "Take It As It Comes" inspired by J.S. Bach. In May of 2006, at a public performance, Manzarek listed Erik Satie as an influence.

External links

• Ray Manzarek's website
• Michael McClure and Ray Manzarek website
• 1998 Fresh Air with Terry Gross interview of Ray Manzarek
• Light my Fire, the book by Ray Manzarek, Amazon entry

1939 births | Living people | American keyboardists | Chicagoans | Polish-Americans | American rock musicians | The Doors | Illinois musicians | American record producers | American film directors | English-language film directors

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