GUITAR PLAYER    September 2003

http://guitarplayer.com/archive/0903/0903_IO6.htm

 HELLO AGAIN

an interview with Robby Krieger

Re-launching a band as cloaked in legend, mystery and outright buffoonery as The Doors seems like it would be a paralyzing proposition.  Especially when the group's main ticket to rock mythology — singer Jim Morrison — is, well, dead.

But there's not a hint of anxiety in Robby Krieger's voice as the laid-back guitarist discusses the joys of bringing The Doors music to modem audiences with original member Ray Manzarek (organ) and ex-Cult vocalist Ian Astbury filling in for Morrison.

Of course, nothing about The Doors is ever easy, and the band has already weathered two lawsuits:  one from original drummer John Densmore about using the "Doors" name without him in the group (severe tinnitus kept him off the drum throne), and one from replacement drummer Stewart Copeland after he was fired earlier this year. (Both suits were settled—the new act is called "Doors 21st Century," and Ty Dennis is the current drummer.)

Now, however, all seems well. The band is touring through October (see robbykrieger.com for dates), and is even recording a new "Doors" album.

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It's rather brave to revive a beloved '60s act without its legendary singer.

Well, our performance with lan at the Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary "On the Road Tour" [Oct .'01] (note:  it was actually September 6, 2002) went down so well that we got a million offers, and we just kept going. The time seems right.
 

How difficult is it to evoke the mystery of The Doors without John Densmore on drums?

The drummer always affects how you play. The reason we had to let Stewart go was because his style changed how we were playing the stuff so much that it just wasn't working.  Doors songs need to hit certain moods, and Stewart doesn't lay back—he plays on top of the beat.  In a way that was cool, because people would say, "Hey, we like the new direction.  You guys are almost punk now."  But as fun as it was to play "Light My Fire" at 90 miles an hour, overall, it didn't feel right doing Doors material with that style of drumming. Ty isn't John, either, but he did his homework, and he sounds pretty close.
 

How has your performance of Doors music changed from the early years to the present?

I'm a more reliable, more accomplished, and more serious guitar player now.  I've listened to tons of Doors bootlegs, and I was very uneven back then.  And I never bothered to repeat what was on the record. These days, I care a little more about playing the parts the same way I originally recorded them.  Of course, with The Doors music, there's always room to go off.
 

Back then, it was kind of a big deal that you played with your fingers and brought flamenco and classical influences into rock guitar playing.  Were you aware of how unique you were?

I never thought about it.  I had only played guitar for six months before joining The Doors, and the way I played was very much shaped by that band.  There wasn't a bass player onstage, so I'd fill the holes by hitting bass notes with my thumb.  Also, I started out learning flamenco, and that was just how I played.
 

Do you perform Doors music with a pick now?

Yes.  I play with a pick for almost half the set.  I don't use one when I'm playing slide, and some licks — like "Love Me Two Times" — are made for finger picking.  I also do some tapping stuff during the improvisation sections of "When the Music's Over" and "Light My Fire."  Other than that, I'll use the pick for more speed and a sharper attack.
 

What do you feel is the main difference between The Doors going onstage with Jim Morrison, and The Doors performing with Ian Astbury?

Well, we don't have to worry about Ian showing up (laughs).  But, in a way, that was what The Doors was all about, and being on the edge of disaster shaped the way we played.  Still, I wish Jim had been more reliable because a lot of our shows were just terrible — he'd be drunk or simply not in the mood — and that wasn't fair to the audience.  On a musical level, we'd supply the foundation for Jim, and then we'd have to be ready to follow him wherever he felt like going.  We know what Ian is going to do, however, so the new band is actually more about him following us.    

 —MICHAEL MOLENDA

 

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