An enthusiastic music of our heartfelt thanks to Jac Holzman, Robin Hurely, Brandwidth U.K., and Warner Music Group for delivering to us music technology fans an intelligently designed, highly accessible multimedia app, The Doors Official App for the Apple iPad.Smartly priced at $4.99 it is half the price of a vinyl EP ($10) but a tremendous value as a content reservoir to immerse ourselves inside.
The Doors – The Doors App (Official Trailer)
Jac Holzman is the consummate music visionary who continues to shape our entertainment taste by effectively wielding technology for highest interpretation value. I love that he is excited about the fiber optic connection he has to Warner Music Group and the InterWeb. I continue to be influenced by Jac Holzman as he asserts himself as subject matter authority in digital music content usability.
It stands to reason that the first person to review the app on iTunes would be Bruce Botnick, The Doors audio engineer and record producer. He is the definitive source along with Jac Holzman to the band’s creative historic output. What better seal of approval existent (next to Ray, Robbie and John) is there to confirm the digital archive than Bruce’s role and responsibilities with The Doors.
The Definitive Doors – Five Stars
Beautifully laid out with great depth and sensitivity to the true history, the band and their music. It works extremely well on my iPad 1 with no crashes or gotcha’s. I highly recommend it to all present and future Doors fans.
I was looking on The Record Store Day Website for The List 2013 when I found something much more valuable. John Densmore, drummer for The Doors has written and self-published a new book, The Doors: Unhinged, available on April 17, 2013(CreateSpace and Kindle Direct). There will be a special hardcover edition available exclusively for sale at independent Record Store Day retailers, April 20, 2013. John Densmore is conducting a book tour to be held at various record stores across the United States.
The book was self-published with Amazon’s CreateSpace an on-demand publishing platform. I am vehement about this distribution method of distribution. My plan is to self-publish a book this way in the future.
The premise of John Densmore’s book is the “greed gene”, and how that part of the human psyche propels us toward the accumulation of more and more wealth, even at the expense of our principles and friendships and the well-being of society. In effect no amount of money seems to be enough for even the wealthiest people.
This is an important societal characteristic to check. It’s at the heart of the Occupy movement which denotes the classic struggle between the haves and have-nots.
I recall when John Densmore sued The Doors of the 21st Century. I was upset for the rift amongst The Doors. I had seen Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger twice live as that namesake band. I liked the moniker and how it felt to see them perform with Ian Astbury on vocals and Ty Dennis on drums. I originally sided with Ray and Robbie in the matter. But after closer examination of the issue and the understanding of honoring Jim Morrison’s wishes, I realized friendship and integrity trump greed.
I’ll am eager to read John Densmore’s interpretation of the lawsuit to get a better understanding about his sentiments and belief. The music press served as a “filter” for what transpired and I feel its best to read this from John’s point of view. I am hoping I can meet John Densmore at one of the record store tour events and get a signed copy of the hardcover edition.
The Record Store Day Official List was published on Wednesday March 20. You can find it here.
The Doors will once again have a Record Store Day Release Exclusive. A special 7″ release in the Warner “Side By Side” series. Side A is The Doors’ “Soul Kitchen” and Side B includes X’s cover of the song, produced by Ray Manzarek. This one is on milky clear colored vinyl and limited to 3000 copies,
2102, The Year of The Doors is upon us. The 40th Anniversary of L.A. Woman is being celebrated in high fashion today, January 9th. The World Premiere of the first completely new and unreleased track by The Doors in 40 years, “She Smells So Nice” can be heard on Sound Cloud here.
This unique gem was found by co-producer Bruce Botnick when he was reviewing the L.A. Woman session tapes for the upcoming reissue.
The Doors L.A. Woman 40th Anniversary merchandise will start shipping on or about January 20th, 2012.
There will be a two CD re-issue of the original album, remastered, with an extra disc of bonus material. Disc two has previously unreleased alternate versions of songs featured on the original album along with studio chatter by the band from the recording sessions. Liner notes written by David Fricke, Sr. Editor of Rolling Stone magazine, and original album producer Bruce Botnick.
There will also be a DVD, Mr. Mojo Risin’: The Story of L.A. Woman. Eagle Rock Entertainment has created this documentary detailing how The Doors created their last studio album. Mr Mojo Risin’ goes into detail of how the album came about, its recording and what was happening to the band at the time. The story is told through new interviews with the three surviving Doors: Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger and John Densmore plus contributions from Jac Holzman, founder of their label, Elektra Records, Bill Siddons, their manager, Bruce Botnick, engineer and co-producer of the album and others associated with the Doors at this time. The show includes archive footage of the Doors performing both live and in the studio, classic photographs and new musical demonstrations from the Doors.
I love to haunt the stacks in a book store that feature books about music. Whenever I enter a new book store I make a beeline for the Music and Arts section of the store. I will find at least two-three new titles or thumb through old favorite books I don’t own yet.
My two favorite music book authors are Greil Marcus and Peter Guralnick. They are each articulate writers who write authoritative, well researched works. My admiration for their writing stems from their superior command of the music subjects they cover. They each paint a poetic landscape that is captured in stunning prose and incredible descriptive depth. Their passion for music, its artistry and the artists who create the sounds reaches way inside of me.
Greil Marcus has released a new book, The Doors, A Lifetime of Listening to Five Mean Years, published by PublicAffairs books. The book is receiving solid press and there are two Web articles in particular about the book, the author and The Doors I want to bring to your attention. One was written two weeks back for the New York Times by Dwight Garner, “Listening Again to Rock’s Wild Child and Finding Grandeur and Dread”. That article stimulated my interest and I thumbed through a copy at Yale Bookstore on Black Friday.
I didn’t buy it that day but I placed it back in the stack with gingerly care as if to say, “I’ll be back for you someday soon…”
Then today I saw a Facebook share post about The Doors on NPR. “The Doors Prove Strange Days Are Still With Us.” It was a continuation of Greil Marcus and his subject The Doors. So I got to read a chapter excerpt and to hear Greil Marcus’s thoughts about this eternal band I love so much.
So Santa Claus I am adding this book to my Christmas list
I chose the title for this concert reviewbecause Ray Manzarek was having fun telling us that the night before in Massachusetts a young female fan yelled to him, “Are you gonna throw down some Lizard King?” Ray was tickled by the vernacular and interpreted this to mean is the Manzarek-Rogers Band going to play some Doors songs? Trust me the Manzarek-Rogers band did throw down with blues lizard king gusto!
The main purpose of the evening was to introduce the audience to the just released recording, Translucent Blues. 10 of the 13 songs played were from the new album*. I love the feel of this literature music that I call “Poetic Blues”.
Hearing the songs played live by the four person band opened up new interpretations of the poetic lyrics juxtaposed against the blues backdrop. The poetry came across with eloquence, it never sounded forced. Ray Manzarek’s narrative voice is pure beat poetry phrasing. Ray Manzarek’s longtime friendship and collaborations with Micheal McClure provides an additional rounding of the experience. The song “Kick” (Lyrics by Michael McClure) articulates the demon hell of kicking cocaine addiction
“Without McClure’s roar there would have been no Sixties.” — Dennis Hopper
The Manzarek-Rogers band did strong justice to two poems by Jim Carroll (the Basketball Diaries), “Tension” about living in an insane asylum and “Hurricane” which is a rocking blues number with a memorable chorus.
East Coast, got a hurricane
West Coast, got the same
High, high wind and the heavy rain…
(Jim Carroll Music – ASCAP)
Roy Rogers is an interesting, versatile guitarist to witness and study. He plays a double-neck guitar with ease, using a pick on his right hand and a glass slide on his left pinky. His command of the guitar is stellar. I loved his slide guitar playing, it was very rhythmic. His dexterity is second to none.
He guides the band in interesting directions. Roy played a guitar that Ray Manzarek nicknamed a “Derringer” on one of the three songs Roy Rogers wrote for Translucent Blues entitled “Blues in My Shoes”. Roy Rogers also wrote “Those Hits Just Keep On Comin’” and “As You Leave”. Roy Rogers collaborated on several of the other tracks and his production sense is strongly felt throughout the CD.
The Manzarek-Rogers band was tight. I loved how they pushed the beat with dedicated commitment of purpose.
Ray Manzarek took time during the evening to hold an open Q&A. My favorite question was about the infamous Doors concert in New Haven, which took place at the New Haven Arena on December 9, 1967 (The Doors song “Peace Frog” with the famous lyric, “Blood in the streets in the town of New Haven”). Ray shared his recollections about that evening. He explained how Jim Morrison was maced in the face in a dressing room shower by a New Haven cop. How wrong that was and how mistaken the New Haven cop was to do that. It was instrumental to hear Ray’s first hand account of that historic evening and how unjust the New Haven Police were that night.
Ray Manzarek then played “The Crystal Ship” solo for us on his Kurzweil PC 88 keyboard. The song as an instrumental is commanding in its breadth and scope. A beautiful, haunting rendition that really stays with you.
My favorite song of the night was River of Madness, a song based on lyrics that Warren Zevon had entrusted to Ray Manzarek six months before he died. The collaboration team of Stephen Gordon, David Gionfriddo, and Roy Rogers takes Zevon’s River of Madness to a passionate crescendo. Then you are swept away by the flood in LA.
There was a CD signing after the show. This turned out perfect as I collect signed CD covers. It was genuine to meet Ray Manzarek and Roy Rogers in person. Here is how they signed my copy of Translucent Blues.
Set List
1. Hurricane*
2. Fives & Ones*
3. Game of Skill*
4. Patron Saint of Pain (Written by Donna Johnston)
5. Kick*
6. Those Hits Just Keep On Comin’*
7. The Crystal Ship
8. Tension*
9. Greenhouse Blues*
10. Blues in My Shoes*
11. New Dodge City Blues*
12. River of Madness*
I’m elated to see the prolific Ray Manzarek creating and releasing new music and poetry in the form of some exciting grooves for us to enjoy.
Two new works of Ray’s are coming sharply into focus. The first recording is Translucent Blues a collaboration between Ray Manzarek and Roy Rogers. Translucent Blues is due to be released next week on Tuesday, May 24th on Blind Pig Records.
I’ve only been able to sample Translucent Blues as I haven’t found a full listening edition available anywhere on the Web yet. Based on the sample tracks and mp3 download I’ve heard the music takes on a solid groove with a gritty texture.
As a blues fan, I love the feel of this recording as it builds on the foundation of the blues and then takes us on some interesting journeys of sound, mind and dimension. I especially like the use of poetry not just from a lyrics basis but more from the standpoint of how the poetry is intertwined with the music. I love the woven artistic tapestries, which are very evident and striking throughout.
The Manzarek-Rogers band is touring in support of their new recording and we plan to see them next week at The Ridgefield Playhouse on May 25th. (See related article below)
The other work that I am eager to hear and learn more about is the next phase in the collaboration between Ray Manzarek and Michael McClure, Live in San Francisco. It was recorded live at an old wooden church which I bet had a great ambiance for their synergy. Ray Manzarek plays a Steinway piano, by far my favorite sounding piano. We own a Baldwin piano but a Steinway sounds so grandiose. The CD is due out later this year, fall 2011 would be my guess. I love Michael McClure’s poetry offset by Ray’s musicianship.
I am content that we have more to digest and discern from Ray Manzarek and friends going forward in 2011
Henry Diltz’s photographic images convey the essentials of our admiration of famous musicians. This is due to the fact that Henry is a folk musician himself, a long-standing member of the Modern Folk Quartet. He’s a resident of the magical, creative community known as Laurel Canyon in California. His photography career began with a snapshot […]
2102, The Year of 
I’m elated to see the prolific 
