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Remembering Ray Manzarek: 1939 - 2013

Posted by Billyjam, May 21, 2013 09:18pm | Post a Comment
      

Since news first broke yesterday of the passing of legendary rock keyboardist Ray Manzarek, who co-founded The Doors in 1965 with Jim Morrison, people have been playing Doors music and sending out tributes. I never realized just how many people loved the Doors so much but such is the sign of a truly great band. Some people, upon hearing the news at first, didn't believe it and questioned if it was a hoax. Such is the ere we live in. But soon everyone found out that sadly the news was no hoax and that the greatly admired musician/author/film director, who maintained a consistent passion for his art throughout his life, had left this earth. Yesterday, Monday May 20th, the South Chicago born Manzarek died at the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany following a battle with bile-duct cancer. Manzarek was 74.

While Jim Morrison - the late great vocalist and front man of The Doors - might be the first one to come to mind when the average person thinks of the Doors it was the blues rooted keyboard playing of Manzarek and his signature hooks, that also doubled as the bass backbone of the group's sound, that helped distinguish the Doors' warm sound. And the fact that the Doors even came about in the first place is thanks to Manzarek's intuition and foresight. As the story goes; following a chance encounter on Venice Beach with Morrison, who he first met at UCLA before the two film students had graduated, Manzarek convinced the future Doors front man, who considered himself a poet and not a musician, that his poems/songs would be best presented with the backing of a blues-based rock band. And the rest as they say is rock n roll history. Manzarek's soulful musicianship was instrumental in defining such Doors classics as “Light My Fire,” “Riders on the Storm,” “Love Her Madly,” and (my personal favorite) “Roadhouse Blues.”

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Music History Monday: April 29

Posted by Jeff Harris, April 29, 2013 10:55am | Post a Comment

To read more Behind The Grooves, go to http://behindthegrooves.tumblr.com.

Born on this day: April 29, 1899 - Composer, bandleader and pianist Duke Ellington (born Edward Kennedy Ellington in Washington DC). Happy Birthday to this jazz giant, born 114 years ago today. We ♥ you madly, Duke!!


Born on this day: April 29, 1922 - Jazz guitarist/harmonica virtuoso and whistler extraordinaire Toots Thielemans (born Jean-Baptiste Frederic Isidor, Baron Thielemans in Brussels, Belgium). Happy 91st Birthday, Toots!!
 


Born on this day: April 29, 1945 - Motown vocal legend Tammi Terrell (born Thomasina Winifred Montgomery in Philadelphia, PA). Happy Birthday to this "Sweetheart of Motown" on what would have been her 68th Birthday.
 


On this day in music history: April 29, 1968Ridin' High, the fifth studio album by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas is released. Produced by Richard Morris, it is recorded at Motown Studio A in Detroit from mid-1967 to early 1968. The album will be the group's first since the departure of producers William "Mickey" Stevenson and Holland-Dozier-Holland from Motown. Staff producer Richard Morris will fill the void, collaborating with songwriter/producer Sylvia Moy (Stevie Wonder). The pair will write the groups' last two top 40 pop hits "Honey Chile" (#5 R&B, #11 Pop) and "Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone" (#14 R&B, #25 Pop), with the album spinning off a third single "(We've Got) Honey Love" (#27 R&B, #57 Pop). The album will also mark the debut of Lois Reeves (Martha's younger sister), replacing longtime member Betty Kelly (1963-1968) from the group.  Ridin' High will peak at #167 on the Billboard Top 200.
 

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Record Store Day Countdown: Rhino 45 Series

Posted by Amoebite, April 14, 2013 04:00pm | Post a Comment

Rhino is putting out tons of amazing stuff for Record Store Day including three new installments of their "Side By Side" 45 series, featuring two different versions of the same song by different bands! This one has The Doors' "Soul Kitchen" on the A-side, and X's equally epic cover on the flip. Also available will by "Skulls" featuring the Misfits AND the Lemonheads' version, and a mystery 45 with a surprise pairing inside! Arrive early at your local independent record store on April 20!

Download our menu (.pdf) of exclusive Record Store Day titles available on April 20, 2013.

See our list of events and happenings at all three stores on RSD.

rhino RSD

 

 

Music History Monday: September 17

Posted by Jeff Harris, September 17, 2012 02:15pm | Post a Comment
To read more Behind The Grooves, go to http://behindthegrooves.tumblr.com.

On this day in music history: September 17, 1967 - The Who appear on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour on the CBS television network, performing "I Can See For Miles" and "My Generation" (taped on September 15th). It is the band's first US television appearance following their star-making performance at the Monterey International Pop Festival in June. Prior to the taping, drummer Keith Moon will pack one of his bass drums with an explosive charge to set off at the end of "My Generation." He fails to tell anyone that he has used several times the normal amount of explosives. When Moon detonates the charge, there will be a massive explosion that engulfs the stage in smoke, causing one of his drum cymbals to shatter, cutting him on his arm and leg when he is hit by the flying shrapnel. Guitarist Pete Townshend is closest to the blast when it goes off, singeing his hair and causing him significant hearing loss. Actress Bette Davis, one of the other guests on the show that night will pass out from shock backstage into actor Mickey Rooney's arms (also appearing on the show), after seeing how Keith Moon is injured in the blast.


On this day in music history: September 17, 1967 - The Doors make their first and only on The Ed Sullivan Show performing their recent #1 hit "Light My Fire." Executives from CBS' Standards & Practices (i.e. network censors) will ask the band to change the line "girl we couldn't get much higher" to "girl we couldn't get much better," feeling the original line might be offense to some parts of the viewing audience. Lead singer Jim Morrison will agree to sing the altered line but when the band performs the song on the live broadcast, Morrison will sing the line as it was originally written, even emphasising it the second time he sings it. This will infuriate Sullivan and the network who had planned to have The Doors make another six appearances on the show, are immediately cancelled. When a show producer tells them they'll never appear on the show again, Morrison reportedly tells him, "Hey man. We just did the Sullivan Show.

2012 Sunset Strip Music Festival Lineup Announced

Posted by Rachael McGovern, June 14, 2012 12:28pm | Post a Comment
Sunset Strip Music FestivalThe lineup for the next Sunset Strip Music Festival in Hollywood was announced this week. Marilyn Manson headlines with The Offspring, Bad Religion, Steve Aoki, De La Soul, Far East Movement, Black Label Society, Dead Sara, Das Racist, and The Mowgli's also performing.

Taking place August 16-18, the festival begins with a VIP event honoring The Doors. Details TBA but they're saying an-all star band will pay tribute to The Doors, and other bands playing the festival will cover Doors songs as well.

Saturday, August 18 is the main day for the festival, with Sunset Blvd closing down between Doheny and San Vicente. There will be two outdoor stages, beer gardens, autograph tent, VIP lounge, food trucks, and more music at participating iconic Sunset Strip venues - The Roxy, Whisky A Go Go, and Key Club. Those three venues, plus House of Blues and The Viper Room will have various shows on Thursday and Friday as well.The Doors SSMF

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