100.7 WZLX

From The Doors To X, Ray Manzarek’s Legacy – In His Own Words

mreal197 — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:08:22 +0000

Yesterday, The Doors’ Ray Manzarek, who provided the classic keyboard riffs that became synonymous with the band’s most iconic songs, lost his battle to cancer at the age of 74. Musicians ranging from Slash to American Idol judge Randy Jackson to his own bandmates paid their (digital) respects to the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. And last night, clubs like the Whiskey A Go-Go and the Roxy on Los Angeles’ famed Sunset Strip, where the Doors first made their name, paid tribute by dimming their lights for a minute at 9:31 p.m. (Manzarek passed away in Germany at 9:31 p.m. local time).

Although the Doors effectively ended in 1971 after the death of Jim Morrison, Manzarek spent a good amount of his life maintaining the band’s legacy. Other than his tours with Doors guitarist Robby Krieger, he also worked on keeping the band’s recorded work in the marketplace through a series of reissues, best-ofs and box sets. The most recent release was the live concert film, Live At The Bowl ’68, which shows the band at the peak of their powers.

Manzarek was beaming through the phone as he told Radio.com about the show in a late 2012 interview. He said that some of his, and the band’s, favorite artists had played that stage, so it meant a lot for to be booked at the Hollywood Bowl. “It was momentous. That was the granddaddy of all venues in Southern California. Igor Stravinsky conducted there! The Beatles played there! And we were playing at the same place. But up to that point, very few rock bands played there. We were very honored.”

With their second No. 1 single under their belt (“Hello, I Love You”; the first was “Light My Fire”) the band was on top of the world, having realized all their dreams of becoming rock stars in just a few short years.

“The best laid plans of mice and men had not gone astray yet,” Manzarek mused. “We dreamed of putting a rock and roll band together on Venice Beach in the summer of 1965. This is now the summer of 1968 and we had attained the goal. We wanted to be as big as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and we had arrived at that place.”

Indeed, at that time, The Doors — Manzarek, Krieger, drummer John Densmore and Jim Morrison — had a powerful grip on their audience; Manzarek himself exclaimed that, in that moment in 1968, “Those four guys were the four horsemen of the apocalypse!” After the Hollywood Bowl gig, the Doors became even more popular and eventually headlined Madison Square Garden. Had Morrison lived a longer life, would they, like the Stones and Paul McCartney, have upgraded to football stadiums? “I’m not sure if you are still a rock and roll band or if you turn into a circus at that point,” Manzarek said.

However, Manzarek noted that if the Doors had been popular enough, they most likely would have tried to play the largest venues possible: “It would have been a theatrical challenge to do something like that. The Rolling Stones do it on a grand scale. So what would The Doors have done on a grand scale? All things would have been possible, unfortunately Jim didn’t make it.”

Referencing the massive popularity the band still enjoys decades after Morrison’s passing, he said, “The Doors were an underground band, out of the mainstream. That’s where Jim and I always wanted to be.”

Senseless Survey: Sunglasses, Going Out On a Limb and Bathroom Apologies

wzlxintern — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:31:29 +0000

Kevin Karlson has questions and he needs answers pronto. What questions get asked? Find out by listening to today’s Senseless Survey!

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Senseless Survey 05.21.13
Karlson & McKenzie

Does That Make Me a Bad Person?

wzlxintern — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:30:14 +0000

Listeners call in with scenarios in which they may or may not have been bad people. The gang weighs in and figures out if they were justified in their actions or not.

cbs-audio url=”http://cbswzlx2.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/does-that-make-me-05-21-13.mp3″ size=”small” download=”false” name=”Does That Make Me a Bad Person 05.21.13″ artist=”Karlson & McKenzie”]

Pete McKenzie Has Poison Ivy

wzlxintern — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:28:04 +0000

Pete McKenzie has a bad rash on his arm from poison ivy. Do any of our listeners have a quick cure for this?

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Pete's Poison Ivy 05.21.13
Karlson & McKenzie

Watch Elton John Perform in the Soviet Union in 1979

Matt Dolloff — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:48:11 +0000

This week in 1979 marked the first time a Western-based artist toured the Soviet Union, when Elton John performed along with Ray Cooper. He followed up his performances in Russia with a comeback tour of the United States.

This was no ordinary visit. The U.S. and Soviets were still embroiled in the Cold War, at the time months away from signing the “SALT II” agreement to curtail the building of rampant nuclear weapons. It was certainly a ballsy time for any Western artist to choose the U.S.S.R. as a tour destination, but Sir Elton pulled it off.

Check out some classic video clips of his live performances in Russia below, including a cover of The Who’s “Pinball Wizard” that he provided for the film version of Tommy.

“Better Off Dead”

“Rocket Man”

“Your Song”

“Daniel”

“Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” / “Pinball Wizard”

Ray Manzarek Remembered

wzlxintern — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:45:48 +0000

The gang remembers Ray Manzarek through a series of old interviews with the man himself. Manzarek discusses his feelings for music and how he feels when he hears his own material played on the radio.

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Ray Manzarek Remembered 05.21.13
Karlson & McKenzie

Bruins-Rangers Rivalry Revisited

wzlxintern — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:39:11 +0000

The Bruins take on the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The gang recaps Game 2 and also revisits a past Bruins-Rangers game, when a historic confrontation occurred between players and fans.

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Bruins-Rangers Rivalry Revisited 05.21.13
Karlson & McKenzie

Pete’s Dog & The Cone of Shame

wzlxintern — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:34:37 +0000

As dog owners, the gang examine advances in the field of dog-cones. Pete discusses his dog, her cyst operation, and how comfortable dog-cones have become.

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Pete's Dog & the Cone of Shame 05.21.13
Karlson & McKenzie

How to Help Those Hit by Oklahoma Tornado

Tim Staskiewicz — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:10:52 +0000

As the death toll rises for the massive tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma Monday afternoon, some well-known relief agencies are jumping into action. Here is a quick list of some of the agencies that are providing aid, and how you can help.

Photo Flashback: Elton John Performs in Russia in 1979

Matt Dolloff — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:50:18 +0000

Photo Flashback: Elton John Performs in Russia in 1979view gallery

In May of 1979, just two years after announcing he would retire from touring, Elton John became the first Western-based artist to perform live in the Soviet Union as he toured with Ray Cooper.

This was still in the middle of the Cold War, with the U.S. and Soviets working on signing the SALT II treaty, so he certainly performed there with tension still present between the two nations. Check out a series of photos of John’s performances and meetings with fans.