Heroes

As usual, I start off each mental fart with a song title. This one I absconded from David Bowie, nee Jones. I'm a fan of Bowie but not a fanatic, the only albums that I own, I got when I worked at WLIR, a Long Island radio station. Also as usual, I'm not putting my opinion of Bowie into words, I'm touting a Rock & Roll Hero that generally goes unmentioned. So let's get on with it...


Last night, November 4th, 2011, I went to a venue that what was once called Westbury Music Fair and saw Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors perform. The Theater is now the NYCB at Westbury, some corporate take-over that seems to have invaded every music and sports arena in the world. We all know what happened to lead-man/singer Jim Morrison, but the crux of the band still are alive and working. I'm not sure why drummer John Densmore wasn't with them but in any case, the show was outstanding, and they looked like they were having fun to boot. They opned the show with "Roadhouse Blues" and announced that they recall the venue from the last time they played there, April 18th 1968. Ray then announced that they'd play the same set as they did the last time, flashback!

When I worked at WLIR I produced the morning show and did lots of other production jobs along with the gig. On one event I had to edit an interview with Ray Manzarek for air on a Sunday morning, when all other stations were playing religious broadcasts. At the time Oliver Stone was getting a ton of press for his movie "Platoon", and the word was out that he was directing a Doors movie, that had yet to be released. Some of the parts of the interview I removed, since that movie was not in the theaters and I had time limitations, but it was apparent that Ray was not pleased with what Mr. Stone had done with his interpretation of The Doors. What I determined was that Ray was a vital part of The Doors and he was instrumental in the instrumentation of the bulk of The Doors songs. He was viviacious, intelligent and articulate. The movie portrayed the members as a bunch of knuckleheads who blindly followed Jim Morrison around, doing whatever he said. It was clear that was not the case.

Getting back to the Heroes theme, when people talk about guitar legends, certain names always come up. Jimi, Eric, Keith John, Paul & George. I seldom hear Robby Krieger mentioned, but after seeing him, it is clear what a brilliant guitarist he is. He squeezed sounds out of his guitar that most would sttribute to effects pedals, but he was doing it with fingers and strings. I realized how much he influenced the music of that era and it wasn't Mr. Manzarek alone who was responsible for The Doors' sound. His style is unique and so appropriate for the time, the Psychedellic Sixities. So he is now on my list of Rock And Roll Heroes, I will do my best not to overlook legendary Robby Krieger in the future.