Organist 
Ray Manzarek has died at the age of 74 following a years-long battle with cancer.
Best known for his work with The Doors, Manzarek was a key component in shaping that group’s sound. The Doors are equally embraced and reviled. While certainly overrated in the grand scheme of pop music, they managed to produce a unique aesthetic in their four-year run, which yielded six studio LPs and one live album (supplemented by numerous studio and stage releases following Jim Morrison’s death in 1971).
I’ve always felt that The Doors were greater than the sum of their respective parts. Rather than any single member (certainly including Morrison), it was the blending of Morrison’s sex-laced crooning, Krieger’s flamenco-style guitar, Densmore’s jazz-tinged rhythms and perhaps most prominently, Manzarek’s haunting organ melodies that made the group’s sound so unique. Perhaps more than any other element, it was Manzarek’s bass and melody lines that crafted the ominous atmosphere within which to showcase Morrison’s esoteric lyrics.
Following Morrison’s death, Manzarek became the de facto spokesperson for The Doors, often overstating Morrison’s talent and the band’s impact. And yet, they do remain among the most popular bands of that era (spending any amount of time on a college campus will confirm this). There are many great examples of Manzarek’s playing across The Doors’ catalog, but this one seems the most apropos.
6 comments
HeavySoulBrutha says:
May 20, 2013
“While certainly overrated in the grand scheme of pop music…”
That’s about the most ridiculous statement I’ve ever read about The Doors. They shook up the music world in that four year run. The evidence is indisputable and so very clear!
Gonzo says:
May 20, 2013
To each their own. I say that as a fan of The Doors, and they’re also one of the first bands that I really fell in love with. I guess it’s mostly Morrison’s lyrics that fueled that statement. But I stand by my opinion regardless. It’s ultimately about their overall sound for me.
Big Money says:
May 20, 2013
I actually agree. I find The Doors ridiculously overrated. I guess I understand why some people like them, but…actually, maybe I don’t. Even though I’m not crazy about Pink Floyd or The Grateful Dead, I understand why people like them. I’m not quite sure why people like The Doors. And I tried to get into them.
HeavySoulBrutha says:
May 21, 2013
As part of that psychedelic Blues/Rock & Roll movement coming out of California in the late 60’s, their music was fresh and groovy. Morrison, of course, was a mysterious front man, with the requisite good looks to match. And yeah, his trippy unconventional lyrics/poetry turned a lot of folks on. That’s clear!
No doubt, music is subjective and debates among music nerds could go on forever, but whether you dig their music or not, there’s no overrating the cultural impact they had in those brief years of existence, and continues some 40 years later. It’s hard to overrate a band that has sold over 100 million albums. At least I can’t.
Gonzo says:
May 21, 2013
Oh, it’s absolutely subjective, which is why on either side of the equation, you can’t make definitive connections between sales figures/commercial success and quality. Sales are measurable, quality isn’t – but I think we often conflate the two.
Big Money says:
May 21, 2013
Right. Britney Spears has also sold 100 million records.