The Manzarek/McCartney connection?

[TheWallsScreamedPoetry]

I post this for amusement as it never happened as is either a joke or someone in need of psyciatric assistance.
McCartney had other pressing matters in March 1973 than wasting his time with a dick-head loser like Ray.

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2009
Other Voices

In March of 1973, I had the good fortune to interview Ray Manzarek, keyboardist and sometime bass player of The Doors. Having lost Jim Morrison on July 3, 1971, the remaining band members had persevered as a trio, releasing two LPs, “Other Voices” and “Full Circle.” When I sat down with Ray, he, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore were in London on a search for a new singer. Manzarek, who had just turned 34 in February, looked like a hipper John Denver, with shoulder length, reddish-brown hair and round glasses. Wearing dark purple slacks, a black button down shirt and a dapper white sport coat with robin’s egg blue stripes, Manzarek was quite relaxed as we began.


JK: Belated Happy Birthday. I noticed you share a birthday with Charles Darwin.

RM: True and I’m always trying to evolve.

JK: That’s a good segue, actually. Can you give some glimpse into what it has been like for the band since Jim’s death?

RM: I would prefer not to dwell on that. Jim had left for Paris in March of ’71, saying that he wouldn’t be back, that his rock star days were over. We didn’t necessarily believe that. A few weeks before he died, Jim rang John and asked how “L.A. Woman” was doing. His concern for album sales didn’t sound like the kind of question a retired rock singer would ask. (Laughs)

JK: So, you expected him to return to the States?

RM: After that conversation, yeah, we all did. It was a shock when we heard the news, but he’s not totally gone. Jim is always with us – in the air, in our music.

JK: But you didn’t break up.

RM: No, we didn’t. We had been working on songs that would be ready for Jim’s vocals when he came back, so we just moved forward. That became “Other Voices.” We had the good sense not to replace Jim at first. It was weird from our point of view, especially when Robby and I sang. We’d fight about whose voice was worse! Jim as a person was impossible to replace, but we thought, well, anyone can be a rock and roll singer. It turned out to be a little harder than that.

JK: How hard?

RM: As I said, you don’t replace all that Jim Morrison was. He was so much more than a singer. He really represented The Doors. You know, The Who could go on without Roger Daltrey, because Pete Townshend writes the tunes and is a great singer. Look at The Stones. They didn’t skip a beat when Brian Jones died. I think Led Zeppelin could exist without Robert Plant. To me, it’s their music that resonates, not the vocals. Not so with the Doors. The three of us are still producing Doors music, but, let’s be honest; it’s not a complete package without a vital singer. So, almost two years later, we are searching for identity.

JK: You guys sound great, both on the two records and live.

RM: I believe we are a much better band without Jim. That sounds terrible, but it’s true. Musically, we can stretch out. Inviting jazz musicians like Charles Lloyd to play with us is a good example. [Lloyd played flute and tenor saxophone on “Full Circle”.] We still need to find ourselves in that context. Clearly, singing is a weakness.

As if on cue, Paul McCartney walks in and pulls up a chair. His hair is identical in style to Manzarek’s, though darker. Still the same “Cute One” a decade after The Beatles exploded on the English scene, Paul wears a black button down shirt as well, collars flared over a red, white and black striped sweater and wide bell-bottom blue jean. He joins the interview.


JK: Right on time. Paul, Ray was just commenting on his weakness as a singer.

PM: Well, he’s alright, actually. Don’t be so humble.

JK: Can you talk about how you and Ray came to meet?

PM: I always liked the Doors and was sorry I missed them at Isle of Wight. It was a few months after the breakup and I wasn’t in a good place. But their music has always been cool. And how did the Doors feel about Paul McCartney, Ray?

RM: Paul and I have spoken about this. It’s funny, but while we thought the Beatles were incredible, it was the Stones that made me and Jim think we could play rock. Sorry, Paul. Actually, that may be a compliment. I will say this. We all knew that we came in at the tail end of the British Invasion, and that The Beatles had done it and made it easier for people like us.

JK: Which brings us nicely to the point. Ray, what brought the band to London?

RM: As I mentioned, it was clear we needed to find a new front man. We couldn’t go on with me and Robby. So we figured let’s go to London and find someone. We thought about Joe Cocker- he’s a great singer. Iggy Pop came up. Do you know him? From the Stooges? Really raw and onstage he’s kinda like Jim, way out there. We were talking about singers we liked and Robby loved Little Richard. He said “that’s rock power.” That’s when I thought, what about Paul McCartney? Besides singing better than all of us he is the best bass player around and I won’t have to play bass anymore. We’d be like Lennon, musically at least, and provide that darkness and edge. So I called Paul and I was happy he agreed to come by and talk.

JK: Paul, what did you think when Ray called?

PM: I had just left a band, hadn’t I? Wings was just taking off and sales were very good. The Wings tour went well, but, not to take the piss out of the band, I realized I needed a better sound. I love Linda, but she doesn’t really want to be in the band, onstage, and Ray is a much better player.

RM: I would have to agree with that.

PM: Still love you honey. Anyway, as I said, sales were great, “McCartney” was a number one, “Ram” a number two. “Uncle Albert” a number one as well, but something was missing.

JK: The rock press was pretty rough to you.

PM: Definitely, definitely, and while I could handle the bum notices, it certainly stings. You know, I’m not really rubbish, am I? After a while one does doubt one’s self. Even after “My Love” came out a week or so ago and started selling, the press was devastating. “Sappy” and “The worst qualities of McCartney” are two of the nicest things I’ve read. Though I have an album coming out next month, I thought it may be time for something different, and that’s when Ray called.

JK: And you joined, just like that?

RM: He did.

PM: I did. I do have the freedom to do what I want. Someone’s knocking on your door, you let them in, right. (Laughs)

RM: It’s nice for us as a group. Playing with Jim had its joy and its sorrow. There’s was a show at the Concertgebouw in ’68 when Jim was so drunk he passed out and the paramedics took him away. At least with Paul, we have a pro who makes performing less stressful. Plus, he’ll keep his pants on.

PM: Now, Ray, you don’t know that for sure.

JK: The Doors sound and the Paul McCartney sound don’t necessarily mesh. How will that work?

PM: Look, it’ll be fine. Don’t forget I wrote songs like “Helter Skelter.” I have my dark side.

RM: And The Doors had a variety of sounds. Paul showed us a new song about a band running from the law that’s musically adventurous and lyrically interesting. It will be easy to create a group sound.

JK: I have one last question - the name.

RM: We haven’t gotten to that yet.

PM: That’s not a question!


In March of 1973, the three remaining Doors arrived in London to search for a new singer. Thoughts turned to Joe Cocker, Iggy Pop, and Howard Werth (of Audience). Then, Ray Manzarek suggested Paul McCartney. None of these suggestions bore fruit. London that month was frigid, and blackouts were commonplace. The end of winter brought constant cold and rain and it didn’t help the mood of the band when their hotel shut off the heat at night. After an argument about the group’s musical direction, Ray took his pregnant wife Dorothy back to the States. It was then that The Doors broke up for good.

http://maybebabyoryouknowthatitwouldbeun....01_archive.html

[TheWallsScreamedPoetry]

if none of these suggestions bore fruit why did The Doors spend two weeks rehearsing Doors material with Howard Werth and the 4 main rock mags NME, Melody Maker, Sounds and Disc all report that he had joined The Doors as singer guitarist?

"the remaining three members arrived in town and rehearsals were arranged, in an old summerhouse in Barnes by the river Thames.
I must add that the whole situation with the Doors was probably initiated by Jac Holzman 'Mr.Elektra' who was a big Audience fan and whose plan to replace the now Morrison-less Doors with Audience as the Elektra main focus was scuppered by the fact that we had disbanded, this led to the initiation of the idea of a merger between the remaining Doors and myself.
The rehearsals went well and we went through a lot of their early material and some stuff from their post Morrison album."
Howard Werth in an email to me in September 2002


Melody Maker February 1973

"Howard Werth former singer with Audience is virtually certain to become the successor to Jim Morrison as lead singer with The Doors.Audience broke up last September and the job with The Doors has come about due to the friendship between Werths label boss Tony stratton-Smith and Jac Holzman head of Elektra in America, The Doors label.
'Jac gave the early Audience albums to the Doors and they really liked Howards singing and writing'...Stratton-Smith told MM this week. 'Then he called me from The States and asked how Howard would feel about working with The Doors. And he is very excited about it.'
The Doors are coming over to England next month to rehearse with Werth and tie up a deal which will put Howard into Jim Morrisons shoes."
Melody Maker 3rd February 1973

[casandra]

RM: I believe we are a much better band without Jim. That sounds terrible, but it’s true. Musically, we can stretch out. Inviting jazz musicians like Charles Lloyd to play with us is a good example. [Lloyd played flute and tenor saxophone on “Full Circle”.] We still need to find ourselves in that context. Clearly, singing is a weakness.

What disloyalty to the dead friend…

[TheWallsScreamedPoetry]

I have no idea where this came from other than the web site link.
This would have been huge news in 1973 as Wings were a pretty big name here.
The Doors were no big deal here but add a Beatle to that and it would have made headlines.
I read every word printed about The Doors in 1973 in all 4 music papers and music mags like Creem and ZigZag as well as Rolling Stone.
There was never a mention of this as far as I recollect neither was Joe Cocker ever mentioned.

There is no reason to believe the Ray responses are true either.
I detest the man it's true, but this looks like someone has taken the reponses from the media at the time, as there were a lot of interviews with The Doors around at this time even if interest was not high here, and woven in Paul McCartney.

Macca had just expanded Wings at that time and released the My Love single which was a hit and he was recording Red Rose Speedway at the time and rehearsing for a tour that began in May that year.
So why would he be telling people he had joined up with Ray when the band he was with were well known worldwide.
The Doors at that time were not even big news in the US never mind Europe.

[adam]

that was a funny read... until i saw the link i actually thought that you'd made it up !!!!!!

[TheWallsScreamedPoetry]

Adam!!!!
Would I do something like that?


On a serious note I do think Ray has bigged up the 1973 search for a new singer in the last decade or so.
I think I have seen Joe Cocker mentioned by Ray in an interview and there is no way Joe Cocker would have linked up with those three.
Also Paul Rodgers has been linked with them as well and as Paul had just about disbanded Free but would go on to form Bad Company that same year.
Now I love The Doors as anyone who knows me knows but bad Company were light years ahead of them in terms of worldwide popularity and record sales and although Rodgers could not have known that at the time he had a better chance with his Free mate Kirke than three guys who were on the slide musically and in terms of popularity.
So I cannot believe he was a ) asked or b )even considered it as a serious proposition if he was asked.

Ray just plucks names out of his ass to sound good to interviewers. He does this with the mystical crap he tries to impress them with.
I looked up one of the Sanskrit stories he was telling an interviewer on several Sanskrit websites and found that the terms he was throwing around were all jumbled up and made no sense at all in Ray's speil he was trying to impress with to show how erudite he was. The man is a liar and a fool.