Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Apr 1, 2011 10:37:33 GMT
Florida Evening Independent
Monday February 10th 1975.
Ex Doors Manzarek Well Crafted
It must be terribly hard to be an ex member of The Doors.
Working under the imposing presence of the groups controversial lead vocalist Jim Morrison (who incidentally attended St Petersburg Junior College when he was about 19) proved to be consistently frustrating and difficult for guitarist Robbie Krieger, drummer John Densmore and especially for talented keyboard player Ray Manzarek.
After Morrison’s death the group valiantly attempted to carry on the tradition of The Doors by issuing two ambitious but musically unfocused LPs, Other Voices and Full Circle.
The albums met with little commercial success and eventually signalled the end of a defiant era that produced such modern classic as The End and Light My Fire.
Krieger and Densmore subsequently flirted with the ill-fated Butts Band which recently dissolved following vocalist Jess Roden’s decision to pursue a solo career) and Ray Manzarek released Golden Scarab.
The obscure and occasionally preachy tone of Scarabs lyrics coupled with the indulgent jazz-tinged moodlings of Manzarek’s back up band disappointed long-time Doors fans.
Ray himself was said to be dismayed by the albums lack of critical acceptance.
His obvious concern with producing a disc that boasted commercial potential while still remaining representative of his own ideals and talents is reflected in his second solo effort ‘The Whole Thing Started With Rock & Roll Now It’s Out Of Control.’
The whole thing may well have started with rock and roll but Manzarek’s follow up to Scarab is anything but out of control.
Taken collectively the LPs eight well crafted tracks constitute a kind of historical hiccup of the artists colourful achievements of the past.
‘The Gambler’ for instance is a very self conscious reworking of his last chart hit with The Doors ‘Riders On The Storm’.
Side twos ‘Bicentennial Blues’ blatantly showcases his familiar introductory organ lick from Light My Fire inserted at the height of it’s long winded instrumental section.
The omnipresent Phlo & Eddie (In real life Howard Volman and Mark Kaylan ex Turtles) lend Manzarek their considerable falsetto expertise.
They supply solid background vocals for the rocking title cut and for the sets capper ‘Perfumed Garden’ a track that’s just a locomotive breath away from Serge Gainsboro and Jane Birkin’s infamous comedy click Je T’aime Moi Non Plus.
Two instrumentals ‘Art Deco Fandango’ and ‘Whirling Dervish’ help immeasurably to pace the set ….the latter being an effective vehicle for the multi tracked saxes of reedman John Klemer.
Nowhere is the shadowy spectre of Jim Morrison felt more closely than in ‘I Wake Up Screaming’ side twos opener featuring Manzarek’s energetic adaptation of a Morrison poem from the authors privately released collection ‘The New Creatures.’
Musically derivative of ‘Strange Day’ era Doors Screaming is highlighted by a terse recitation at the numbers highpoint by New York street priestess and TV addict Patti Smith who captures perfectly the mood of Morrison’s oblique imagery.
Definitely more accessible than The Golden Scarab, ‘The Whole Thing’ already has been receiving heavy airplay from the country’s major FM stations and a single aimed primarily at the AM radio market is soon to be released by Mercury as well.
It may be difficult to be an ex Door but Manzarek with this new set seems to be slowly getting over the musical identity crisis that he suffered as a result of the past few years.
Anyway any artist who’d give thanks on the sleeve credits to madman Iggy Pop rocks only platinum veg-a-matic can’t be all bad.
Music Notes by Ralph Smith
Monday February 10th 1975.
Ex Doors Manzarek Well Crafted
It must be terribly hard to be an ex member of The Doors.
Working under the imposing presence of the groups controversial lead vocalist Jim Morrison (who incidentally attended St Petersburg Junior College when he was about 19) proved to be consistently frustrating and difficult for guitarist Robbie Krieger, drummer John Densmore and especially for talented keyboard player Ray Manzarek.
After Morrison’s death the group valiantly attempted to carry on the tradition of The Doors by issuing two ambitious but musically unfocused LPs, Other Voices and Full Circle.
The albums met with little commercial success and eventually signalled the end of a defiant era that produced such modern classic as The End and Light My Fire.
Krieger and Densmore subsequently flirted with the ill-fated Butts Band which recently dissolved following vocalist Jess Roden’s decision to pursue a solo career) and Ray Manzarek released Golden Scarab.
The obscure and occasionally preachy tone of Scarabs lyrics coupled with the indulgent jazz-tinged moodlings of Manzarek’s back up band disappointed long-time Doors fans.
Ray himself was said to be dismayed by the albums lack of critical acceptance.
His obvious concern with producing a disc that boasted commercial potential while still remaining representative of his own ideals and talents is reflected in his second solo effort ‘The Whole Thing Started With Rock & Roll Now It’s Out Of Control.’
The whole thing may well have started with rock and roll but Manzarek’s follow up to Scarab is anything but out of control.
Taken collectively the LPs eight well crafted tracks constitute a kind of historical hiccup of the artists colourful achievements of the past.
‘The Gambler’ for instance is a very self conscious reworking of his last chart hit with The Doors ‘Riders On The Storm’.
Side twos ‘Bicentennial Blues’ blatantly showcases his familiar introductory organ lick from Light My Fire inserted at the height of it’s long winded instrumental section.
The omnipresent Phlo & Eddie (In real life Howard Volman and Mark Kaylan ex Turtles) lend Manzarek their considerable falsetto expertise.
They supply solid background vocals for the rocking title cut and for the sets capper ‘Perfumed Garden’ a track that’s just a locomotive breath away from Serge Gainsboro and Jane Birkin’s infamous comedy click Je T’aime Moi Non Plus.
Two instrumentals ‘Art Deco Fandango’ and ‘Whirling Dervish’ help immeasurably to pace the set ….the latter being an effective vehicle for the multi tracked saxes of reedman John Klemer.
Nowhere is the shadowy spectre of Jim Morrison felt more closely than in ‘I Wake Up Screaming’ side twos opener featuring Manzarek’s energetic adaptation of a Morrison poem from the authors privately released collection ‘The New Creatures.’
Musically derivative of ‘Strange Day’ era Doors Screaming is highlighted by a terse recitation at the numbers highpoint by New York street priestess and TV addict Patti Smith who captures perfectly the mood of Morrison’s oblique imagery.
Definitely more accessible than The Golden Scarab, ‘The Whole Thing’ already has been receiving heavy airplay from the country’s major FM stations and a single aimed primarily at the AM radio market is soon to be released by Mercury as well.
It may be difficult to be an ex Door but Manzarek with this new set seems to be slowly getting over the musical identity crisis that he suffered as a result of the past few years.
Anyway any artist who’d give thanks on the sleeve credits to madman Iggy Pop rocks only platinum veg-a-matic can’t be all bad.
Music Notes by Ralph Smith