The band Ray Manzarek was almost thrown off the stage with: “He’s about to attack”
You would think there were enough stage boots and gig cancellations for Ray Manzarek and the rest of The Doors, considering their frontman’s eager chase for controversy.
Whether Lizard King genius or inebriated berk, Jim Morrison certainly translated the violent lysergia in their heavy psychedelic sound, often getting a little too carried away.
Drunken altercations and on-stage tirades resulted in his arrest in front of the New Haven Arena crowd and triggered a near riot, indecent exposure charges in Miami would instigate a semi-ban of the tour’s following dates in 1969, and Morrison even received a black mark when Ed Sullivan vowed to never feature the Los Angeles rockers on his show ever again after failing to alter ‘Light My Fire’s suggestive lyrics.
Yet, Manzarek’s near-venue chuck-out was in fact for another decade’s premier countercultural stars, 30-odd years later at least. According to the keyboardist himself, his and guitarist Robby Krieger’s The Doors of the 21st Century project found themselves in Toronto booked at the same venue as famed, trippy shredder Carlos Santana, prompting an invite on stage when catching his set, as well as a run-in with his hefty security men.
“Hey, The Doors are in the audience!” Santana allegedly yelped to the crowd. “Ray Manzarek, come on up and play with us!” It’s an offer few could turn down.
It’s difficult to pin down exact dates and location, as Manzarek’s stating a show in Toronto doesn’t align exactly with a Santana set the following night, nor the same venue, but The Doors of the 21st Century did play The Docks’ lakeside stage on August 1st 2005, while Santana had played a week earlier at the Molson Amphitheatre. Foggy memory notwithstanding, Manzarek indeed responded to the call and made his way to the stage of the “big outdoor venue”.
Security had other ideas. Once the famous rock keyboardist was about to oblige his glittering cameo, one of the front-line guards took a firm grab of Manzarek, “Where the hell are you going?” Before he can realise it, Manzarek’s nearly being escorted out of the venue and his on-stage jam invite almost scuppered for good.
Thankfully, his mountain of a sibling was on hand to offer a little persuading muscle. “My brother’s like Hulk Hogan,” Manzarek laughed when regaling the tale to Hawaii radio presenter Dave Lawrence not long after. “He’s like 6’ 3” and 210 pounds, he looks like Hulk Hogan, he’s about to attack this guy. Carlos comes running over, going, ‘No, no, no, it’s OK, it’s OK, that’s Ray Manzarek!”
No Atomic Leg Drop necessary. A thoroughly red-faced and profusely apologetic security cleared the way for the old Doors keyboardist to work his magic on stage with the one and only Santana. All looked back on with a laugh. Five years later, Manzarek would lend his keys to Santana’s cover of ‘Riders on the Storm’ for the Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time covers effort, featuring Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington behind the mic.
