21 replies to this topic

[darkstar]

San Francisco Gate
Q & A With Ray Manzarek
July 19, 1998
By Aidin Vaziri


Ray Manzarek had just arrived in San Francisco, but the former keyboard player for the Doors did not need to unwind before getting to work. He was in town for three days earlier this month to promote his memoir, "Light My Fire," with a series of book signings and a few interviews. So after rifling through his hotel room's mini bar for some designer water, Manzarek, 63, kicked his feet up on the desk and talked candidly about his latest project and the legacy of Jim Morrison and the Doors.


Q: Why did you wait so long to tell your version of the Doors story?

A: I was actually going to wait for the 21st century. I thought we'd be in a much more receptive state. But there have been so many god-awful books by people who weren't there and that Oliver Stone movie, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to clear the air and tell the story of the Doors and Jim Morrison -- psychedelic, spiritual-seeking young mystics in an unknown psychic realm.

Q: Is this the definitive account of what happened?

A: To be absolutely definitive I would have to write another book or two. I've got a thousand stories I can tell. This is a definitive overview up to this point. I'll tell you what actually happened in Miami (in 1969 when Morrison was charged with lewd and lascivious behavior), how the Doors got together, what happened on "The Ed Sullivan Show" (in 1967 when the group was asked to censor lyrics of "Light My Fire"). I tell how psychedelic substances entered into the Doors' music. I tell what I know of Paris (where Morrison moved four months before he died in 1971) and the mysterious circumstances surrounding Jim's death.

Q: You mean Jim Morrison is actually dead?

A: When people ask me that, I tell them, "Even if he's not, do you think I'm going to tell you?" If he's been gone for 27 years now, I would think he wants to keep it private.

Q: But there is talk of exhuming his remains.

A: That's right, on July 6, 2001. The day he went into the ground, or rather the day a sealed coffin went into the ground supposedly containing the remains of James Douglas Morrison, was July 6, 1971.

Pam (Courson), his common-law wife (who died in 1974), got only a 30-year lease (at Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris). I don't know exactly how it works there, but I don't think you're buried forever in that graveyard. You have to keep renewing your lease. They're not going to renew Jim Morrison's lease because of all the trouble and excitement and laughing and dancing and singing. People are not conducting themselves as old fogies think they should be conducting themselves at a cemetery.

Q: So Morrison is still causing controversy from beyond the grave?

A: Jim's got the power to inspire Dionysian revelry and excitement. (At his grave), there's not a lot of quiet weeping going on. Kids are singing Doors songs, writing poems (on headstones), drinking. I mean, if they could, they would be having sex on the grave. (The cemetery management) wants to throw Jim out of the cemetery because (fans) are not behaving themselves, and thank God they're not. I love it that kids are having a good time around Jim's grave.

Q: What's going to happen to the remains once they're unearthed?

A: It's utterly beyond me that they're going to actually dig him up and take the casket out of the ground. They'll have to do it at night. If they do it in the daytime, there will be thousands of people there. I would want to be there. People will be demanding, "Open the coffin! Open the coffin!" It's just going to be insane.

Q: Do you want the coffin opened?

A: It doesn't matter what I want. Can you imagine the fans? Let's see if Jim's in there, and if he is in there, how about an autopsy or DNA or something? Let's find out how he died. Was it a drug overdose? Did his heart stop? Let's find out once and for all -- did his heart stop or not? God, it could be like "The Omen," when they get the tomb of the little boy open and there's a skeleton of a baby horse in there. Maybe it's not Jim. Maybe there's nothing in there. Maybe it is 150 pounds of sand. Maybe they'll turn the coffin over and all this sand will come out. It's spooky.

Q: Do you have any doubts that he's in there?

A: I think he's in there. I haven't heard from him in 27 years. If he has escaped his fame and notoriety, he hasn't called me. But I sure encourage the fans to be there and raise a little ruckus.

Q: Assuming those are his remains, do you know where they will bury him next?

A: Interestingly, the president of the Czech Republic has offered Jim a spot in the Czech National Cemetery in Prague next to Franz Kafka, who is one of Jim's favorite authors. It's really up to Jim's parents where he goes. But, I'll tell you this: Jim doesn't care. The last thing in the world he cares about is where the powder goes.

Q: Does it surprise you that people are still interested in the Doors?

A: I love how the young people of today can understand and get excited by the Doors' music. I love that. I think it's a tribute to their intellect that they're not intimidated by our jazz and poetry stance.

Q: What was the last obvious Doors knockoff you heard?

A: "Walking on the Sun" by Smash Mouth. I had to stop to think whether that was me playing on it or somebody else playing me. What I like now is a lot of electronica. That whole school is the wave of the future -- Tricky, Future Sound of London, the Orb, Talvin Singh, all that stuff. I'm really intrigued by that stuff. It's like the new improvisation.

http://articles.sfgate.com/1998-07-19/ente...son-doors-music

[mutenostrilagony]

What an idiot!

you did say you liked rays book even better than john's

[300]

What an idiot!

" What an idiot " . Wow , hold your horses ,who are you ?, who gives you  the right to call an artist ,idiot ? Just because you are in Densmore’s site and Densmore has some open ,unsolved ,personal problems with Manzarek ,that  gives you the right to call Manzarek "an idiot" ? Manzarek is 1/4 of The Doors .What have you done in your life better than Manzarek ,to have the right to call Manzarek " idiot "?. If you have said that in ancient Greece for an artist ,you will be expelled from the city by Ostracism . And if you are looking for " fan" at reading ,go read Harry Potter  ,books are for knowledge not for fan . You liked Manzarek’s book because Densmore’s writing was a bit difficult for you, right ?  . Get a grip ,and at least say "I’m sorry" .

[mewsical]

" What an idiot " . Wow , hold your horses ,who are you ?, who gives you  the right to call an artist ,idiot ? Just because you are in Densmore’s site and Densmore has some open ,unsolved ,personal problems with Manzarek ,that  gives you the right to call Manzarek "an idiot" ? Manzarek is 1/4 of The Doors .What have you done in your life better than Manzarek ,to have the right to call Manzarek " idiot "?. If you have said that in ancient Greece for an artist ,you will be expelled from the city by Ostracism . And if you are looking for " fan" at reading ,go read Harry Potter  ,books are for knowledge not for fan . You liked Manzarek’s book because Densmore’s writing was a bit difficult for you, right ?  . Get a grip ,and at least say "I’m sorry" .

Ray runs around telling kids to take acid, and you think that isn't the conduct of an idiot?  I'm an artist, so I say, Ray's an idiot.  His music is not idiotic.  He is.

[knowidea]

To me, idiot is just generalized name calling regardless.  We really need to discourage it on here concerning anybody.  I'm not trying to be politically correct about this whole thing...let's just be accurate as possible on this stuff.  It's the difference between discussion and mud slinging.  Discussion=good, mud slinging=not good.  Personally I don't think Ray is an idiot...far from it.  However words such as irresponsible, self promoting, sensationalist, embellisher, justifier, and opportunist have often come to my mind...and on a positive not...one hell of a keyboard player.

[mewsical]

To me, idiot is just generalized name calling regardless.  We really need to discourage it on here concerning anybody.  I'm not trying to be politically correct about this whole thing...let's just be accurate as possible on this stuff.  It's the difference between discussion and mud slinging.  Discussion=good, mud slinging=not good.  Personally I don't think Ray is an idiot...far from it.  However words such as irresponsible, self promoting, sensationalist, embellisher, justifier, and opportunist have often come to my mind...and on a positive not...one hell of a keyboard player.

http://podictionary.com/?p=119 - meaning of idiot.  It's not all that terrible an insult, you know. Judge Sheindlin calls many of her litigants idiots, and it's as a result of their behavior, not a comment on their mental state - she's doing it on national television as well, and I have yet to see any lawsuits for defamation headed her way.  Ray's behavior is indeed irresponsible, self-promoting, and opportunistic, and it's also idiotic.  We don't know him personally, we can only go on his public persona.  I started to think Ray was seriously out to lunch when that plaque went up in Barney's, or at least was proposed to be put up in Barney's.  It's been a Nantuck sleighride of odd behavior since then.

As you said, great keyboard player.  More music, less blather, please.

In the meantime, Alex's position is getting traction with others, so obviously people agree with him.  

Is it okay to call me arrogant, hypocritical, ludicrous, and to tear everything I say to pieces, as Mr. Edge does, wallowing in some delusion that I'm Salli Stevenson, while knowing absolutely nothing about who I am?  Apparently.  Therefore, I reserve the right to call Ray's behavior idiotic if that's my perception of him.  Doesn't mean it's right or wrong, it's my perception.  What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, I guess.

[300]

Ray runs around telling kids to take acid, and you think that isn't the conduct of an idiot?  I'm an artist, so I say, Ray's an idiot.  His music is not idiotic.  He is.

First of all ,I’m not trying to start any “word war” here about Manzarek’s ethos , I didn’t knew that about the drugs ,("Ray runs around telling kids to take acid" can you be more specific αbout this one ?" ) if it is so ,its very sad because I believe he is father already. Second ,and most important (to me at least) ,here in my home country in Greece we have great respect for any person who is involved in any kind of Art ,I respect Manzarek as an artist very deeply. As a person (I don’t know him ,so I can judge what I can see ,and what I can see "beyond the lines" ) I agree 100% with "Knowidea" about " irresponsible, self promoting ( this one for sure) sensationalist, embellisher, justifier, and opportunist ",yes. Now maybe you will come with"You will be judged by your actions" ,if I’m putting it right,yes ,I’ll go with you 100%.
But this doesn’t means he is not a great artist .He is in for the money ?yes he is ,there is no doubt about it .He is keeps selling Jim’s image ( I saw them in 2004 when they played in Greece ,he and specially Krieger where mind blowers ,but what a pathetic act to see Astbury all "dressed up" Morrison ) and maybe there is a bit logic in his act because The Doors is his "investment" and you don’t give up the golden egg goose even when its too old, in addition he is still a musician he doesn’t knows any thing else to do for living . He tried writing and I think his memoirs where like "easy listening music",on the other hand Densmore's book was a big surprise for me specially the inline sections when he is speaking to Jim ,gave me the feeling of a younger brother visiting his older brothers grave after many years looking for his catharsis .

[gotothelight]

Judge Sheindlin calls many of her litigants idiots, and it's as a result of their behavior, not a comment on their mental state - she's doing it on national television as well, and I have yet to see any lawsuits for defamation headed her way.

Aah.. well maybe Ray should go in front of Judge Judy...lol. She'd straighten him right out!

[Sacha]

Well the 30 years is most definitely expired now, I guess his parents renewed the plot lease before they died. I wonder for how longs its renewed.

[300]

Well the 30 years is most definitely expired now, I guess his parents renewed the plot lease before they died. I wonder for how longs its renewed.

Unfortunately grave is a tourist attraction for Paris and therefore stays , besides that I don’t think there is any reason to be moved .

[Sacha]

Right. But I'm sure they had to pay a renewal fee to keep in there, I don’t think French people care much about it being a tourist attraction, its not Disney Land, it’s a cemetery. The Frenchs are far more conservative when it comes to stuff like that.

[300]

Right. But I'm sure they had to pay a renewal fee to keep in there, I don’t think French people care much about it being a tourist attraction, its not Disney Land, it’s a cemetery. The Frenchs are far more conservative when it comes to stuff like that.

I haven’t been there to see what is happening and Iam sure its not necessary to be in Disneyland to act like Goofy does ,but I think there is no any reason to move Jim’s body from there. I’m sure he likes it there ,so let him be .

[mewsical]

The 30 year lease is a myth.  All that happened was the Morrisons started paying for the security detail and the fence went up.  You can't 'lease' a grave site.  You buy it for perpetuity. I've often wondered who came up with the money to get him buried there in first place, but Alain Ronay has remained very secretive about the details on that.

[mewsical]

First of all ,I’m not trying to start any “word war” here about Manzarek’s ethos , I didn’t knew that about the drugs ,("Ray runs around telling kids to take acid" can you be more specific αbout this one ?" ) if it is so ,its very sad because I believe he is father already. Second ,and most important (to me at least) ,here in my home country in Greece we have great respect for any person who is involved in any kind of Art ,I respect Manzarek as an artist very deeply. As a person (I don’t know him ,so I can judge what I can see ,and what I can see "beyond the lines" ) I agree 100% with "Knowidea" about " irresponsible, self promoting ( this one for sure) sensationalist, embellisher, justifier, and opportunist ",yes. Now maybe you will come with"You will be judged by your actions" ,if I’m putting it right,yes ,I’ll go with you 100%.
But this doesn’t means he is not a great artist .He is in for the money ?yes he is ,there is no doubt about it .He is keeps selling Jim’s image ( I saw them in 2004 when they played in Greece ,he and specially Krieger where mind blowers ,but what a pathetic act to see Astbury all "dressed up" Morrison ) and maybe there is a bit logic in his act because The Doors is his "investment" and you don’t give up the golden egg goose even when its too old, in addition he is still a musician he doesn’t knows any thing else to do for living . He tried writing and I think his memoirs where like "easy listening music",on the other hand Densmore's book was a big surprise for me specially the inline sections when he is speaking to Jim ,gave me the feeling of a younger brother visiting his older brothers grave after many years looking for his catharsis .

Let alone when the goose has been dead for 40 years.  

[mewsical]

Aah.. well maybe Ray should go in front of Judge Judy...lol. She'd straighten him right out!

Now, that I'd pay good money to see!

[300]

Let alone when the goose has been dead for 40 years.

Nah ,I don’t think so ,then why Astbury was all dressed up like him ? .One of the basic principles of propaganda is called «glittering generalities».

[mewsical]

Nah ,I don’t think so ,then why Astbury was all dressed up like him ? .

What are 'glittering generalities"?

[300]

What are 'glittering generalities"?

http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-propaganda.html

http://www.writerspulse.org/2008/05/write-...-of-ernest.html