Guitarist & Manager Of THE DOORS Talk About Ray Manzarek!

As reported earlier this week, Ray Manzarek, founding member and keyboardist of THE DOORS, passed away at the age of 74 in Rosenheim, Germany from bile duct cancer. Here is the bands official statement.

His band-mate and guitarist Robby Krieger, reflected on how Manzarek took the chance of meeting with Jim Morrison at Venice Beach in 1965 and how this lead to the formation of the band.
Manzarek, who was born in Chicago, moved to Los Angeles to study film at UCLA. While at UCLA, he met Morrison on the Westwood campus during the singers short stint at college.

“[Manzarek] was the only one at UCLA who was smart enough to know that Jim Morrison wasn’t just a jerk, like a lot of people thought. To me, that make him a genius.” – Doors guitarist Robby Krieger

After Manzarek graduated in 1965, him and Morrison met again at Venice Beach and decided to start THE DOORS. This is when they added guitar player Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. Since the band lacked a bass player, Manzarek usually played the bass lines on his Fender Rhodes piano. Manzarek was the oldest in the band and occasionally sang as well.

“[Manzarek] was relentless in his pursuit of the vision. And you have to give Ray a lot of credit because he understood what Jim [Morrison] was and what was magic about Jim, and he just never backed down from that.” – Bill Siddons, former manager for The Doors

In lieu of flowers, please make a memoriam donation in Ray Manzarek's name at www.standup2cancer.org

Rock In Peace Mr. Manzarek, your music will surely live forever!





Related links:
The Doors' official site

Ray Manzarek, Founding Member Of THE DOORS, Passes Away At The Age Of 74 - Statement Available!

We have some very sad news. Ray Manzarek, founding member and keyboardist of THE DOORS, has passed away at the age of 74 from bile duct cancer. Here is the bands official statement:
 
"Ray Manzarek, keyboardist and founding member of The Doors, passed away today at 12:31PM PT at the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany after a lengthy battle with bile duct cancer. He was 74. At the time of his passing, he was surrounded by his wife Dorothy Manzarek, and his brothers Rick and James Manczarek.

Manzarek is best known for his work with The Doors who formed in 1965 when Manzarek had a chance encounter on Venice Beach with poet Jim Morrison. The Doors went on to become one of the most controversial rock acts of the 1960s, selling more than 100-million albums worldwide, and receiving 19 Gold, 14 Platinum and five multi-Platinum albums in the U.S. alone. "L.A.Woman," "Break On Through to the Other Side," "The End," "Hello, I Love You," and "Light My Fire" were just some of the band's iconic and ground-breaking songs. After Morrison's death in 1971, Manzarek went on to become a best-selling author, and a Grammy-nominated recording artist in his own right. In 2002, he revitalized his touring career with Doors' guitarist and long-time collaborator, Robby Krieger.

"I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today," said Krieger. "I'm just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him."

Manzarek is survived by his wife Dorothy, brothers Rick and James Manzarek, son Pablo Manzarek, Pablo's wife Sharmin and their three children Noah, Apollo and Camille. Funeral arrangements are pending. The family asks that their privacy be respected at this difficult time."

In lieu of flowers, please make a memoriam donation in Ray Manzarek's name at www.standup2cancer.org

Rock In Peace Mr. Manzarek, your music will surely live forever!





Related links:
The Doors' official site