Light My Fire: My Life with The Doors

Ray delves into the subjective/noumenal/spiritual/ethereal side of The Doors more than Robbie and John did in their accounts. You either dig this aspect or you don't. Rays book resonates with me more because of this as he elucidates that hidden aspect of their music and the Transcendental gift it ceaselessly gives to all Beings in the measure of their receptivity.

Even if you are not one of those in the Manzarek camp in regards to the story of the history of the Doors this is still a really important read for any true Doors fan. As the guy who first introduced Jim to playing on a stage with a band and the person who formulated the concept of the Doors (With Morrison) that fateful day on Venice Beech, this book just has to be read. This book is a deeply intelligent and philosophical story about his time with Morrison and the band, as well an interesting look at his own personal background. Its greatest weakness is also its greatest strength, that being that its written by Ray Manzarek and thus can't be trully objective. However this is also its strength as a book, as it offers a deeply profound inside view of what life was like from inside the band. You can come away with your own take on things and how Manzarek see's certain things but you can't question how well it's written and just how powerfully it conveys the collective message of the Doors.

The Doors the best thing that happened in the sixties

I'm a huge Doors fan, so maybe this review is somewhat biased, however as written by the other founder of the Doors, it has a viability that some other authors on this subject may lack. The lowdown is unquestionable as is the authenticity, and to read about Ray's life in his own words, is refreshing, and fun! He also has his own slant on Jim Morrison, dispelling some of the myths, whilst keeping that iconic memory alive, the story of the band, their hassles with the record companies, and authorities, their private everyday lives, make absorbing reading. If you're a Doors fan, or just interested, BUY!

great book for fans of the doors and Jim Morrisons story

Ray is a gem of a human being and one can't help but to love this guy. Now that he's passed over to the other side my prayers are with him and his family. What fine music this man helped bring to the world, he's an inspiration and the book brings a smile to my face, a sigh now and again, and a big thank you Ray.

I loved the detail of how The Doors came together, and worked together to fashion some amazing songs. It certainly made me listen more intently to songs I'd listened to a thousand times before.

This book is amazing, highly recommend to any Doors fan/ Morrison fan. Ray writes very well, to anyone who's aware of writing style as they read - it's almost Beat. I've read this more than once.

Good read, Ray has a real passion for his story and his writing is like he is talking to you. Well done. Can't wait to finish it.

Los libros me llegaron bien, no estaban en mal estado, aunque hay que tener en cuenta que son de segunda mano, no de primera, pero los míos estan perfectos. Ningun problema, todo bien, muy contenta con mi compra. Y no encontrarás nada más barato. Superbien.

著者のレイ・マンザレクは、ザ・ドアズの音楽を決定的に特徴付けたキーボード・プレイヤー。また、ジム・モリスンの才能を見出した大功労者である。レイ無くしてザ・ドアズはありえなかった。私はレイの経歴が知りたくて本書を入手した。 レイは1939年にシカゴで生まれている。マンザレク家はポーランドからの移民で、レイは３代目。レイたち３兄弟は実直な父親と料理上手な母親の下で幸福に育っている。野球やバスケットボールなどのスポーツも楽しんでいる。 レイは７歳か８歳の頃からピアノを始めている。両親はかなりの音楽好きで、マックスウェル・ストリートで黒人のレコードを買ったり、通りで演奏されている音楽を聴いたりしていた。レイ自身も、ほぼ黒人だけのジューク・ジョイントでマディ・ウォーターズのライヴを観ている。 レイは、アルバート・アモンズやミード・ルクス・ルイスのブギウギ、マディ・ウォーターズ、ハウリン・ウルフ、ボ・ディドリー（“Who Do You Love”）、ジョン・リー・フッカー、エルヴィス・プレスリー、リトル・リチャード、チャック・ベリー(とジョニー・ジョンソン)、ドビュッシー、バッハ、ビル・エヴァンス、セロニアス・モンク（”Straight, No Chaser”）、ジョン・コルトレーン（"Ole"）、ハービー・ハンコック（”Watermelon Man”）などの音楽に親しんでいる。 レイはUCLAで映画を専攻しており、映画についての話もある。「ウエストサイド物語」、黒澤明の作品などを気に入っている。これらの体験から芸術面に進もうと決意し、それはジム・モリスンも同様だったと述べている。ジムは、テネシー・ウィリアムズ（「欲望という名の電車」で有名な劇作家）やイングマール・ベルイマン（「第七の封印」の監督）のファンで、「羅生門」（黒澤明監督）を観ていた。 ジムは文学青年で、例えば“End Of The Night”の一節はウィリアム・ブレイクの詩からの引用である。 レイが中心となっての、レコード会社への売り込みの苦労の描写がある。何度も落とされているが、挫けなかった。また、レイは従軍経験があり、沖縄に来たことがある。 残念な点は索引がないところだが、Kindle版は検索が容易なので、ある程度その欠点を補っている。ちなみにHowlin’ Wolfは10箇所、Chuck Berryは6箇所、Miles Davisは5箇所ある。 ザ・ドアズのファンのみならず、1940年代〜70年代の米国の生活に関心のある人には有益。

Ray Manzarek published Light My Fire - My Life With The Doors in 1999. Manzarek tells you of the immense luck he had as child of not only having access to music lessons but also of growing up in 1950s Chicago when all the blues greats were releasing singles upon singles while also visible in local markets and venues. In the early 1960s, Ray then went to Film School in Los Angeles, where he met fellow student and poet Jim Morrison. In the early chapters, Manzarek maintains a style of short clipped sentences that are not without artistic touches. Later, during the more involved part of the Doors story, he delivers much more dialogue in order to give you more insight into the characters. His friend, Jim, is of course the most developed, while John Densmore and Robby Krieger as well as assorted music industry persona are more in the background. Ray and Jim had worked out a kind of business plan that mixed the best of film school and eastern as well as Native American mysticism with a poetry driven blues, jazz, rock and psychedelic soundtrack as a shamanistic experience. While most of today’s bands try to relive the Rock N’ Roll myth, The Doors give you a credible claim how they patented the original hedonistic concept, at least from an American point of view. Manzarek also tells you of Jim’s confrontational redneck alcoholic alter personality, Jimbo, emerging more and more in order to destroy the Dionysian darling. Ray does admit dropping the odd tab of acid and smoking pot, but also was well grounded thanks to eastern style meditation and an extremely stable long term relationship/marriage in order to come out of the 19760s and 70s completely unscathed. Manzarek, of course, retells most of the famous Doors incidents with his mystical spin, but ends the narrative with Jim’s fateful departure to Paris. We unfortunately learn nothing of Ray’s life post 1971 where he, for instance produced the band X and played in numerous post Doors bands. He does however most emphatically dismiss the Oliver Stone The Doors movie. Manzarek unfortunately broke on through to the other side (of cancer) in 2013.

Ray Manzarek is the piano/organ/keyboard wizard behind the Doors' acid rock genius sound. An amazing story written by an extremely educated and well read artist. Ray is an amazing writer and I truly enjoyed reading this book. So much so, I was sad when I finished it and actually teared a little when he talks about the end of Jim's days at the end of the book. It is evident how much Ray truly loved Jim Morrison and the time they spent together. Ray holds back nothing in this book and really lets the reader into his life with Jim, John, Robby, Dorothy, and what he really thinks about Oliver Stone, who butchered the Doors story to a bloody pulp. Jim was not just a drunken jerk, that was Jimbo, a different person all together. Instead, he was an incredibly talented poet, singer, and artist who was ahead of his time and also extremely educated and border line brilliant in his thought processes and ability to put words together. After reading "Light My Fire" I feel as if I know Ray and Dorothy and Jim. However, I realize I don't but, that's how well he informs the reader of his thoughts and feeling towards everyone, including his true love for Dorothy. Ray also lets the reader know how he feels about John Densmore and the how Jim felt about him also. On the flip side, Ray saw the talent in Densmore and I believe, grew to love him also, despite their differences. I used to think I related to Jim but, after reading "Light My Fire", I feel as if I relate to Ray more. I just saw him and Robby in concert a couple weeks ago and it was AMAZING! Those old guys can still rock out like you wouldn't believe. It was truly special to me and I'm glad I can cross that off my bucket list. Dave Brock sang vocals and his voice is almost uncanny to Jim's. If you're a Doors fan in the slightest, READ THIS BOOK. Realize though, this is not a biography on Jim. This is Ray's autobiography. For a great read on Jim Morrison, read Danny Sugarman's (Doors former fan mail responder and manager) book, "No One Here Gets Out Alive".