Thanks to fan Justina for translating to English
PREVIEW INTERVIEW before THE DOORS of the 21ST CENTURY concert in
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA October 27, 2004
who read on Pagina12/WEB
“We wanted to bring the Doors’ music into the new millennium”
Ray Manzarek defends the new version of the band Jim Morrison led:
“We keep on moving forward”, he affirms.
Jim Morrison lived up to the out-of-control rocker motto:
“Live fast, die young and leave a nice corpse”.
Since his remains rest in a French cemetery, the singer’s legend as well as his band’s,
has not ceased to grow.
In Buenos Aires it’s not strange to see t-shirts with Morrison’s face and the band’s logo
over teenagers’ chests whose grandparents are as old as the dead poet and singer
should be now. That explains the high expectations raised around the coming to Buenos
Aires of the new version of the quartet, with founders Ray Manzarek (keyboards) and
Robbie Krieger (guitar) plus the ex-The Cult Ian Astbury in charge of the vocals.
The band which will be performing tonight in Vélez is called The Doors of the 21st Century
since drummer John Densmore sued his former bandmates, although the part which
follows “The Doors” is always pronounced in a lower voice and printed in smaller letters.
The expectation is there, and so are the doubts: will this be a real reincarnation of the
’60s band (without Morrison, of course) or a rip off to the pockets (and hearts) of the
nostalgic? In a telephone conversation with Página/12 (Page 12), Manzarek does not
allow anybody to doubt his intentions: “We put the band together again because we
wanted to bring our music into the new millennium. It seems the ’60s are back: there’s a
war, fascists are trying to take over the US again… therefore, The Doors are back to fight
for love, passion and the power of individual human beings to be free on the planet”.
Does it hurt when someone refers to the Doors of the 21st Century
as a nostalgia band?
They can say what they want. Do I care about what the people have to say?
No. If someone thinks that, he should not come see us perform. Would you
like to go see Ray Manzarek play Light My Fire? Would you like to see Robbie
Krieger play Spanish Caravan? Then come to The Doors show. Ian Astbury is
a splendid singer. If you think we are a nostalgia group, then don’t come and go
see Britney Spears (laughs).
Why do you think people born after the ’70s are so interested in The Doors?
Because music is universal. We created music which had to do with being alive
on planet Earth, with what it meant to be a man or a woman, a boy or a girl. Now,
in the XXI century, we keep on moving forward, and young intelligent people are
still drawn to the Doors. It’s a matter of intelligence: you need a brain to understand
the lyrics and the complexity of the music. You have to be a reader and read books.
Do you think there are other bands for intelligent young people?
Of course, of course. U2, for instance, or lots of electronic music. Electronic music
is for intelligent people and besides you can dance to it, so you are using your brain
and your sexual organs, which is what rock and roll is all about.
Not long ago, Ian Astbury said he was surprised at the things he saw on
The Doors of the 21st Century backstages. Are they still that wild?
Oh, yeah, absolutely. You know, naked girls … we invite girls to the backstage
and ask them: “Would you mind taking off your clothes?” If it’s OK with them,
we tell them to do it. Yes, we are wild backstage. You should be there.
Are you mocking me?
Yes (laughs). I’m interested in music, I’m not a sex addict. Do you know what the
craziness of the backstage actually is? After the show, I drink a glass of wine. What’s
important is to reach a state of ecstasy on stage, so that you can then transmit that
feeling to the people. It has to do with playing music, the rest is meaningless.
But Jim Morrison did not understand it that way
Yes, but you know what? He’s dead. That life killed him.
When you play with Ian, do you ever feel the way you did when with Jim?
Absolutely. I sometimes feel Jim Morrison’s spirit joins us on stage and takes over
Ian for a while. It’s called soul migration.
After so many years, which is your most vivid memory of Morrison?
Oh, I met Jim Morrison as a friend, I don’t know Jim Morrison the rock star. I made
music with a friend from UCLA, he was a poet: his name was Jim Morrison. Together,
we formed a band after graduating and he said: “Let’s name it The Doors”. I asked
him: “Like Aldous Huxley’s book, The doors of perception?”. Jim answered: “Yes,
exactly”. And I thought: “This is great, it’s psychedelic”. Jim was my friend, not the
one in Oliver Stone’s film. My memories of Jim have to do with walking through Venice
Beach, California, and talking about philosophy, about being alive on the planet, about
the outer space.
You wrote an autobiography, Light My Fire –My Life with The Doors- to
contradict Oliver Stone’s vision in his film.
If you call yourself a Doors fan, you should read my book. Oliver Stone made Jim
look like a crazy drunk man (in spanish). And that’s wrong, because Jim was much
more poetic, much more of an artist, much more sensitive. Besides, he was a funny
guy, he made you laugh all the time. And in the movie nobody ever laughs. Also, it
does not show you how the songs were created. The film has nothing to do with The
Doors’ music, it’s all about Jim getting drunk.
Do you think John Densmore will ever set the differences he has with you
aside and join the band?
You know what? It’s John Densmore’s decision. We asked him to play. I don’t know.
Maybe he cannot play anymore. I’m not sure he can play rock’n’roll with his drums for
two hours: it’s a tough job. I’m a keyboardist, I will be able to play until my nineties.
It would be great for fans if Densmore joined you.
Maybe, but it may not be so good for the band itself. Fans could say: “There they are,
look, it’s The Doors”. But can he still play? Try to imagine what would happen if you
came to see us and the music was not that good. We now sound great, we have a
terrific band and I would not jeopardize that just to have John aboard.
(thanks for the translation, Justina)
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