The Doors Ray Manzarek Talks Jim Morrison In Rare Interview With Barry Roskin Blake 1991 

Ray Manzarek was Jim Morrison's first fan.

RIP Ray, sticking up for Jim like a true friend. That is very rare, Ray, you were a true friend to him.

“He’s alive in the way he would want to be alive: in his creation, his art, his music.” -Ray Manzarek

This guy has one of the coolest rock star speaking voices of all time.

Rip Ray, he was the "glue" to the Doors .

I feel I've heard more wisdom from Ray in this short interview than I've heard from many "experts" throughout my life. I could listen to this man talk for hours.

I might be crazy but I can literally watch this interview and other Manzarek interviews multiple times a day. He was one of the wisest and most down to earth guys ever. R.I.P ray

Ray helped Jim gain the confidence to sing his poems, to be a front man and then get on stage

numbers are meaningless,what a wise and wonderful man Ray was,bless him.

He brought my dreams true by doing this interview with me. I can only agree with you and hope he is exactly where he wants to be on that island. Thanks for your comments and watching this interview.

It’s no wonder they had good music, this man is beyond brilliant.

In regards to Ray saying that if there was one thing he could have said to Jim Morrison the last time he saw him that he didn't say that he would have told him that he loved him. I can only say WOW!! That really brought a big lump to my throat. What a truly loyal friend he really was. How many of us in our lives yearn for a friend or friends with that much heartfelt loyalty!!

Ray was very bright and terrific keyboard players--he is honest and has quite a story to tell

When Ray said he wished he would've said "I love you" to Jim before he went to Paris, that broke my heart, man. I wish I could've said to Ray, "I understand the sentiment, but you didn't know he wasn't coming back."

Ray looks so handsome and healthy in this interview...he was very wise, incredibly talented.....a protector of Morrison in spite of all the challenges he put the band thru and Ray specifically.....I hope he's on that desert island relaxing peacefully, reunited with Jim, writing and creating again!

We all need a friend like Ray, someone who will strive to see his friends succeed and give positive reinforcement for their talents.

I lost my older brother on January 15th, 2021 just two days after his birthday. Last thing I said was love you brother. I think the world could use some Jim and Ray right about now. Both of you, rest in peace.

The world will miss Ray Manzarek. He was Jim Morrison's best friend & that comes thru in this interview !

When he played the bass, and organ at the same time was truly amazing

This is my favorite interview of Ray manzarek, these kids of today do not understand the hippie ideal, money is all everyone is concerned about today, if you put these kids in a time capsule today and sent them back to 1970, they wouldn't last two days without their cell phone, and their Xbox, today's society is truly lost!!!

Ray was the heart of The Doors...he was The Doors. I mean, I love Jim and the other guys too, but Manzarek was the only one who kept going with his music an legacy until the very late months of his life. And I think if it wasn't for Morrison's death, The Doors would have been played in the 70's, 80's, 90's and 00', like the Stones. Ray deeply wished that.

He and Dorothy lived here in Napa until he passed. He was loved by the locals, did a lot for local struggling musicians. He and Robbie played here several times. He also spoke for free at Napa library about the Doors etc.It was a treat for me that I"ll never forget.! I really miss their being here. RIP Ray.

Ray Manzarek,, a very smart Man....

What an awesome guy.

Ray is such a nice guy. And a great keyboardist. Sad He passed away

Lovely man you can see how much he loved Jim. Very loyal friend.

R.I.P. Ray. One of the most distinctive sounds in rock music.

The Doors, an intelligent band making intelligent music, and they had the "vibration". Thank you Ray for being part of the great music that is the The Doors. Rest in peace, Ray, just like Jim, you are truly missed.

Ray was just the best. He spoke with so much sincerity and he could respectfully disagree with people without condescending. I wish I knew more people like him.

Ray was the best rock raconteur ever, in addition to being a genius keyboard player. Like the loss of Jim, Ray's passing is a HUGE, HUGE loss for all of us. RIP Ray, you and your wonderful storytelling, perception and musicianship are sorely missed!!!

wow Ray is so damn awesome, smart, compassionate and clearly still a large advocate of the psychedelic movement. R.I.P Ray, though your energy is still alive :p

Proud to say that I once shook Ray's hand when I met and talked with him at a Boston trade show.

I've always like the doors, I recently took a trip to california, and went to hollywood blvd, and went to see the whisky a go go, and i felt Jim's spirit while I was there, and he has been on my mind ever sence.

Man you can see ray’s eyes almost tear up when he said that he wished he could’ve said I love you too Jim before he left ugh so sad r.i.p ray & r.i.p Jim & happy early birthday Jim. wish you both where still here

I could listen to him talk all day

The Doors are something special. I love Ray, such a remarkably brilliant yet groovy brain behind those glasses. He did a rare thing by embracing his humanity rather than his mythology, in his potential fame. Hit hard when he said, "I'd say I love you," to Jim. I'm glad that Ray is with him again.

Jim Morrison was amazing. His poetry is challenging and emotional. His art lives on. My son is named after him. Wild Child

"Jim is alive." Great answer from Ray.

What a classy guy and not afraid to be in touch with his sensitive side when he spoke about his friend Jim. RIP Ray.

I love the Doors. I listened to their first album 22 years after it came out - for the whole summer of 1989. I was 16. Whenever I hear it, it takes me back. Now I'm just another 47 year old guy with a mortgage. Rest in peace Ray. Thanks for the music.

Best band ever. Most imagination, unpredictable music, soulful with great lurics, great rythm and of course the best vocals.

Don’t you just want to hug him? What a legend- what a great man & an amazing musician. RIP Ray 🙏

Ray Mansarek is so cool. I wish I had known him.

Ray has aged well given what he has lived through. A keyboardist extraordinaire. I loved his work from the moment I heard his crescendo in "Light My Fire".

Wow , what a great quote, "if you're in harmony with the planet"! Beautiful ♥️

I never knew he was the oldest of them all born in 1939. watching all these great interviews with them through the years he just seems like the kind of guy you'd want to hang out with for a few hours have a beer and just listen to him tell stories

I got to see the doors live, both before and after they were famous. The Doors were a fantastic band, one of the best rock bands of all time.

Jim was lucky to meet Ray . What can I say. I could listen to him speak for a very long long time. RIP Ray

Ray like wine - the older he is the more handsome and more interesting. Thanks a lot for your intelligence, music and emotions.

Classiest interview ever. Truthful, thoughtful. Other than with huge Doors fans, Ray is under appreciated. No bass player, because he could carry the bottom end with his left hand. Off to watch Soft Parade now...

Miss Ray and Jim! May the beauty of The Doors never stop Lighting our Fire!

What a beautiful interview. Shout out to the caller for all the great questions. And Ray doing the rest as always.

You can hear how heartbroken he is when he says he wishes his last words to Jim were "I love you" Love as greatly as you can today, because tomorrow is never guaranteed.

Jim Morrison a freaking legend!

Ray was a great keyboard player. What a great friend to Jim and I get that he rally misses him and is protecting him still.

Well said Ray. R.I.P. with Jim my friend. Good times.

He's got it bang on in this interview. It was never about the money with the best bands. The money and fame come anyway if you make something great, usually. RIP Ray.

Ray, was just as an important component of The Doors, as Jim Morrison, so was Densmore, and Krieger! They were the four sticks, no one was greater than the other, that was the essential engine of The Doors, everyone was special! Long live The Doors!

Ray was the man he seems like a really cool guy. Very outgoing

SO nice to hear somebody acknowledge the fact that people are more than thier addiction;every alcoholic is a person first.Jim had so much wisdom,sweetness and wit and was a good giuy;we are all different when under the influence and that should not be considerd the measure of an entire person or their entire life.I agree with Ray about Oliver Stone,shame on him,It was nothing but sensationalistic,vengeful tabloid fluff.

What are the odds. Im watching this and Light My Fire comes on the radio.

Ray's feeling of friendship towards Jim comes across so vividly after so many years from Jim's passing, that's just moving.

This man was and is a great entertainer, musician and human being. R.I.P. Ray, say hello to Jim!

This is like the best interview ever? I watch this frequently to refresh my perspective on life. I love ray manzerak. He has inspired the way i live so much. I wish i could have sat down and had a conversation with him like this. Yknow?

Ray was the kind of guy who would never let a friend down. A considerate and considered man.

Ah Ray, a good man, a truly nice man and the best keyboard player that I've ever heard. I was a bit too young to see the Doors, Jim passed away a few months before my 15th birthday. But, I did get to see Ray perform many times in LA over many years. The last time that I saw him was in 2010 in Sacramento, and I was lucky enough to be able to talk to him for a few minutes. We compared "home town" stories, meaning LA stories. Ray was always very nice and a gentleman, even when pestered by all these kids about Morrison. "What was he really like and ad nauseum." But they were just kids and were hungry for knowledge. When I had a short conversation with Ray, I didn't talk about the Doors, he'd been asked far too much already. I asked him about his future plans, and that really warmed Ray up.

Ray was such a lovely down to earth intelligent guy, THIS was truly an inspiring artist..Ray and Jim will be missed forever but their music still lives on.

I met Manzarek and McClure when they performed in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Great show, and great guys.

Love you Ray. I can’t tell you how many times I heard my dad play Light my Fire on piano. Me him and my uncle would jam on it I would play guitar and my uncle would play rhythm and sing. RIP Ray if it weren’t for you there wouldn’t be the Doors

Ray was quick and really smart wow I'm impressed he could insult the media without one shred of vulgarity and still make complete sense truly a genius.

As a fellow Southsider and Doors fan, Ray Manzarek is a hometown hero… great musician, beautiful mind, solid dude. RIP Ray.

Ray is honestly my hero what a awesome and smart dude!

I just cried for him he is so amazing

I like Ray as much as I do Morrison....had the pleasure of seeing Ray play in London back in the Doors 2000....

Ray, A true Aquarian, 10 year's ahead of his time always...

THIS IS SUCH AN AMAZING INTERVIEW! YES!!!!! IN HARMONY WITH THE PLANET

I NEED to open up the doors of perception and get in touch with Earth!! LUV IT

I just love Ray's take on drugs-consciousness expansion-i love his perspective-harmony with mother nature-vibration-we need to take up Ray's vision-channel the transformative spiritual energy of the cosmos

It’s so good to hear ray say that Jim was a nice guy. It’s too bad that the movie gave the wrong impression of him. He was magic eternal angelic sorely missed.

Ray was an amazing speaker

This guy was a legend straight shooter and a tripper. R.I.P

He wished he would've told his best friend , he loved him... really sad

Got to see Ray and Robbie perform in Ray's home town of Chicago in 2011. Ray was a brilliant keyboardist and I'm very glad I was able to see my favorite band perform live.

I was and still am a big fan of The Doors.

The Music keeps all members of the band alive.... Greatness never dies.

RAY is very great Man💕The first to give chance at JIM with him poets... and singing 🎶💥it’s Alright RAY , I love you🤘🤷‍♀️

Cool dude............The most amazing music that ive ever heared .. I,m from UK ..They will last for eternity ..Just like a great painting .

So much respect to Ray. His answers are always well spoken and calculated. Wish I could’ve met him before his passing. RIP to Ray and Jim.

I always enjoyed listeing to Ray. Whether it was on a song, or his words about Jim, and his knowledge. The world will always appreciate Ray for what he did. I'm exceptionally proud of Ray for all he did to preserve the truth about it all. Thanks Ray.

As a Christian I have to say that his talk about vibrations and how Jesus talked about vibrations was fascinating. Ray Manzarek always had a way with words.

RIP Ray =,) You Mystic Wizard Shaman

What a man... Such an inspiration...

This was a great interview that I wish I had viewed long ago. Of all the Doors, I loved Ray. I still think Jim was over-rated as a poet but was "movie-star" handsome, had a fabulous voice, and a 3 octave range. It was none-the-less the brilliance of Ray, Robbie, & John as gifted, and formally trained musicians that illuminated what Jim had to say. Who can forget that it was Robbie that was the author of most of the lyrics of "Light My Fire" & it was the iconic entrance crafted by Ray that heralded the song and is still the feature that everyone remembers. Ray was clear in this interview that he is a true & devoted friend and was irate at Jim's character assassination by Oliver Stone. I was driving when I heard on the radio that Ray had died and I burst into tears at what the music world had lost. RIP Ray, you still have a devoted fan in me and many others. I think of you most when I listen to your Keyboard Brilliance crafting "Riders-on-the Storm.!

This has to be the most informative interview that I've heard from any musician. I'm gonna take some of what Ray said along with me and incorporate it to boost what I already have going on.

“I love you” haha. I love Ray Manzarek. If it wasnt for him, the doors wouldnt be alive. He gave jim a chance, believed in him and his writing so much and knew it would work somehow that he didnt care what others thought about them and their weird music, only for it to become the best rock group the universe could ever germinate. Without ray, the doors wouldnt be the doors in all honesty. I always say without any of the doors the doors wouldnt be the doors but man ray and his hands, and his brain, they brought so much beauty into this realm its impossible to recreate. Love you Ray, im so damn sorry i never got to meet you. I wish i can give you a strong hug and thank you for everything. You will live on for eternity. You are the best a human being can get. Long live The Doors 👍🏻

People like Ray are what the 60s were about. There is something really special about that area and how people saw the world. We have lost a lot of that with technology.

Love to Ray, Jim and all of the Doors the greatest ever Rock and roll band. Bought my 1st album in the late 70's when I was 16.

he was always Jims biggest fan, Ray founded the band, thankfully for us.

Ray Manzarek an intelligent man a great keyboard player, such a important part of what made the Doors one of the greatest bands in the history of rock pop music.

What a beautiful human being. The true heartbeat of the Doors