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The Doors turn 40: Ray Manzarek talks L.A. Woman, Jim Morrison, new song “She Smells So Nice”
So the New Year is definitely off to a fantastic start! For the first time in forty years the iconic rock band The Doors will officially debut a never-before-heard, newly discovered song this coming Monday, January 9th at noon Eastern via the band’s Facebook page. The bluesy track, which will be serviced to radio the following day, is entitled She Smells So Nice. This piece of buried rock ‘n’ roll history treasure was as much a shock to the legendary rockers as to their fans. Lucky enough to be able to speak with Doors member Ray Manzarek about this, I asked him why the song –which brilliantly captures organist Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, drummer John Densmore, and the late legendary singer, Jim Morrison — is just coming out now after all of this time?
His reply was a simple, “Why not?” He was laughing as he went on to further tell me about the song. “You’ll love this,” he said, “the song was even unknown to us!” He explained that She Smells So Nice was ‘in the vault’ and was a brand new discovery to not only the fans, but to The Doors themselves. Adding, “It was a buried treasure.” Of the band’s reaction when they found out, “We said ‘Holy cow, a brand new song!’ We didn’t even remember recording it!” How this all came to be is a story in and of itself. The album’s co-producer, Bruce Botnick, recently discovered the lost track while reviewing the L.A. Woman session tapes. Needless to say, he was shocked when he found it.
One could call 2012 ‘The Year of The Doors’ with not only a new song after all of these years, but the band’s final 1971 iconic album L.A. Woman will be reissued in celebration of its 40th Anniversary. Manzarek’s reaction to it being forty years already, “I can’t believe it!” This unforgettable classic album includes all of the prodigious hits including the title track as well as the new tune She Smells So Nice. To celebrate this piece of musical history, a special 2-CD release from Rhino and a behind-the-scenes DVD/Blu-Ray from Eagle Rock Entertainment will be out on January 24th.
The second disc of the L.A. Woman reissue includes eight versions of songs from the album which have never been heard before. Alternate renditions of L.A. Woman, Love Her Madly and Riders On The Storm offer a unique new view on this legendary album which served as the band’s sixth straight Top 10. With the original studio chatter left in between the songs, as a listener you are literally transported back in time to The Doors Workshop in the West Hollywood rehearsal space where they recorded the album with Botnick. One particular segment captures a wonderful moment when Morrison suggests to his band mates that they add the now iconic thunderstorm sound effects to the beginning of Riders On The Storm.
In addition, there is a new DVD/Blu-Ray “Mr. Mojo Risin’: The Story of L.A. Woman” which will be available January 24th via Rhino and Eagle Rock Entertainment. For diehard fans out there, there will be a one-time special screening of the DVD at The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, CA, on Friday, January 20th at 7:30PM with Elektra Records’ Founder Jac Holzman, who signed the band to the label, and LA Rock Radio veteran DJ Jim Ladd, who will present the film and take questions about the group’s final album and legacy at a public Q&A session. A few very special surprise guests will also be on hand for the evening.
This high-definition video not only features rare footage of live on-stage performances as well as in-studio performances of the band and rare archival photos, but it also includes new interviews with Manzarek, Krieger and Densmore. Interviews with Holzman, original manager, Bill Siddons, and engineer/co-producer, Botnick, among others are also included. This fascinating documentary was made with the full involvement, approval and cooperation of The Doors.
Manzarek’s thoughts on the 1991 film The Doors, he says of Val Kilmer’s portrayal of Morrison that, “Val was great as Jim.” Of Kyle MacLachlan’s portrayal of him in the film, Manzarek was slightly less enthusiastic. “Seeing someone portray you on screen is decidedly odd, a very strange experience.” He says that if you truly want to get a spot-on inside view of The Doors, that the 2010 documentary “When You’re Strange,” narrated by Johnny Depp, is a must-see.
Now enjoying what he calls a tranquil life with his wife of over forty years, Dorothy, and their eighteen year-old cat, Pumpkin, he says jokingly, “I am on my way out now, but I lived a very creative life and experienced a lot of exciting things. Now I am living a peaceful life.” He tells of how he first spotted his wife while in an art class at UCLA, all of this during his pre-Doors days. “We were boyfriend and girlfriend before any of this and have been together ever since.” Living an admittedly blessed life, his advice is to live your public life, but make sure to have a private one, as well. “Hopefully, you find your significant other and have someone to share your life with.” On this particular day he and Dorothy were on their way out the door to take a drive to Berkeley for the day to get cuttlefish. They have one son, Pablo Apollo Manzarek, who is a musician in his own right, and they have three grandchildren. “They are eight, four and two. It’s a whirlwind when they come over!” He laughs a lot when he talks and admits that his old friend Jim did fall prey to many of the entrapments that come along with the fame of being a rock star. “When you’re that famous you are exposed to all of the forbidden things. Those temptations did Jim in, not just the sexual ones, all of it.” He admits that he experimented with LSD back in the day and says of the experience, “I was like now I see, I get it. We are all one energy.” He was able to move forward from that and sadly not everyone does.
With 1971’s L.A. Woman serving as The Doors’ final album – Morrison would pass away just a few months after its release – the album has become a classic and an album that many consider to be their best. They were the first band to release eight consecutive platinum albums. The Doors were rightfully inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and they received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007.
When asked what it was like to be a member of a band which was such an integral part of the history of music, Manzarek simply states the obvious, “It’s fabulous! It’s exactly what you’d think!” Admitting that the experience was a fascinating one to be a part of, he also acknowledges that it was also quite humbling. “It’s great for your ego,” he jokes but, goes on further in a more serious tone to explain, “On the other hand, it is really quite humbling to know that people appreciate what you’ve created. That’s the best feeling.” It is more fact than opinion that music lovers worldwide appreciate The Doors.
Beatweek Magazine
January 8th 2012
by Dana Feldman
So the New Year is definitely off to a fantastic start! For the first time in forty years the iconic rock band The Doors will officially debut a never-before-heard, newly discovered song this coming Monday, January 9th at noon Eastern via the band’s Facebook page. The bluesy track, which will be serviced to radio the following day, is entitled She Smells So Nice. This piece of buried rock ‘n’ roll history treasure was as much a shock to the legendary rockers as to their fans. Lucky enough to be able to speak with Doors member Ray Manzarek about this, I asked him why the song –which brilliantly captures organist Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, drummer John Densmore, and the late legendary singer, Jim Morrison — is just coming out now after all of this time?
His reply was a simple, “Why not?” He was laughing as he went on to further tell me about the song. “You’ll love this,” he said, “the song was even unknown to us!” He explained that She Smells So Nice was ‘in the vault’ and was a brand new discovery to not only the fans, but to The Doors themselves. Adding, “It was a buried treasure.” Of the band’s reaction when they found out, “We said ‘Holy cow, a brand new song!’ We didn’t even remember recording it!” How this all came to be is a story in and of itself. The album’s co-producer, Bruce Botnick, recently discovered the lost track while reviewing the L.A. Woman session tapes. Needless to say, he was shocked when he found it.
One could call 2012 ‘The Year of The Doors’ with not only a new song after all of these years, but the band’s final 1971 iconic album L.A. Woman will be reissued in celebration of its 40th Anniversary. Manzarek’s reaction to it being forty years already, “I can’t believe it!” This unforgettable classic album includes all of the prodigious hits including the title track as well as the new tune She Smells So Nice. To celebrate this piece of musical history, a special 2-CD release from Rhino and a behind-the-scenes DVD/Blu-Ray from Eagle Rock Entertainment will be out on January 24th.
The second disc of the L.A. Woman reissue includes eight versions of songs from the album which have never been heard before. Alternate renditions of L.A. Woman, Love Her Madly and Riders On The Storm offer a unique new view on this legendary album which served as the band’s sixth straight Top 10. With the original studio chatter left in between the songs, as a listener you are literally transported back in time to The Doors Workshop in the West Hollywood rehearsal space where they recorded the album with Botnick. One particular segment captures a wonderful moment when Morrison suggests to his band mates that they add the now iconic thunderstorm sound effects to the beginning of Riders On The Storm.
In addition, there is a new DVD/Blu-Ray “Mr. Mojo Risin’: The Story of L.A. Woman” which will be available January 24th via Rhino and Eagle Rock Entertainment. For diehard fans out there, there will be a one-time special screening of the DVD at The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, CA, on Friday, January 20th at 7:30PM with Elektra Records’ Founder Jac Holzman, who signed the band to the label, and LA Rock Radio veteran DJ Jim Ladd, who will present the film and take questions about the group’s final album and legacy at a public Q&A session. A few very special surprise guests will also be on hand for the evening.
This high-definition video not only features rare footage of live on-stage performances as well as in-studio performances of the band and rare archival photos, but it also includes new interviews with Manzarek, Krieger and Densmore. Interviews with Holzman, original manager, Bill Siddons, and engineer/co-producer, Botnick, among others are also included. This fascinating documentary was made with the full involvement, approval and cooperation of The Doors.
Manzarek’s thoughts on the 1991 film The Doors, he says of Val Kilmer’s portrayal of Morrison that, “Val was great as Jim.” Of Kyle MacLachlan’s portrayal of him in the film, Manzarek was slightly less enthusiastic. “Seeing someone portray you on screen is decidedly odd, a very strange experience.” He says that if you truly want to get a spot-on inside view of The Doors, that the 2010 documentary “When You’re Strange,” narrated by Johnny Depp, is a must-see.
Now enjoying what he calls a tranquil life with his wife of over forty years, Dorothy, and their eighteen year-old cat, Pumpkin, he says jokingly, “I am on my way out now, but I lived a very creative life and experienced a lot of exciting things. Now I am living a peaceful life.” He tells of how he first spotted his wife while in an art class at UCLA, all of this during his pre-Doors days. “We were boyfriend and girlfriend before any of this and have been together ever since.” Living an admittedly blessed life, his advice is to live your public life, but make sure to have a private one, as well. “Hopefully, you find your significant other and have someone to share your life with.” On this particular day he and Dorothy were on their way out the door to take a drive to Berkeley for the day to get cuttlefish. They have one son, Pablo Apollo Manzarek, who is a musician in his own right, and they have three grandchildren. “They are eight, four and two. It’s a whirlwind when they come over!” He laughs a lot when he talks and admits that his old friend Jim did fall prey to many of the entrapments that come along with the fame of being a rock star. “When you’re that famous you are exposed to all of the forbidden things. Those temptations did Jim in, not just the sexual ones, all of it.” He admits that he experimented with LSD back in the day and says of the experience, “I was like now I see, I get it. We are all one energy.” He was able to move forward from that and sadly not everyone does.
With 1971’s L.A. Woman serving as The Doors’ final album – Morrison would pass away just a few months after its release – the album has become a classic and an album that many consider to be their best. They were the first band to release eight consecutive platinum albums. The Doors were rightfully inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and they received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007.
When asked what it was like to be a member of a band which was such an integral part of the history of music, Manzarek simply states the obvious, “It’s fabulous! It’s exactly what you’d think!” Admitting that the experience was a fascinating one to be a part of, he also acknowledges that it was also quite humbling. “It’s great for your ego,” he jokes but, goes on further in a more serious tone to explain, “On the other hand, it is really quite humbling to know that people appreciate what you’ve created. That’s the best feeling.” It is more fact than opinion that music lovers worldwide appreciate The Doors.
Beatweek Magazine
January 8th 2012
by Dana Feldman