Forgotten Fretmasters #7 - Robby Krieger

SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS TO PLAYING VIDEOS:
When I mention the band The Doors, who is the first member to pop into your head? Of course, every one of you probably said Jim Morrison, and for good reason. Morrison’s stage persona and dark lyrical themes made him one of the most interesting frontmen of the late 1960s. But, when I ask you what their most famous song is, most of you would probably say “Light My Fire,” right? It was their first #1 single, after all. Well, would it surprise you to know that Morrison didn’t write it? Hidden behind Morrison’s oversexualized and controversial persona was a guitarist who had barely even picked up an electric guitar before joining the band. Robby Krieger, The Doors’ mysterious guitarist, is our subject, next on Forgotten Fretmasters!
Robby teaches you "People Are Strange"
• "People Are Strange" G...
The Doors Ed Sullivan Appearance w/ "Light My Fire"
• The Doors - Light My F...
The Doors live in 1968 ‪@HollywoodBowlOfficial‬ "When the Music's Over"
• The Doors - When The M...
Robby Krieger's Jam Kitchen Live in 2019
• Video

[@williamjackson6705]

Anyone who can do a blusey solo on Road House Blues , a jazzy solo on Riders , then play flamenco on Spanish Caravan is an automatic legend .

[@camronbay1]

And when he plays the guitar live so amazing.

[@jlbaker2000]

Very true. He's way up there as one of the best.

[@michaelolz]

This man is one of the all-time greats. Is there a guitarist hall of fame?

[@kimschubert61]

Robby is an incredible guitarist. He is never showy and just lets the music and his amazing talent speak for itself. Such a humble classy man!

[@jedward5155]

The single most underrated guitarist in the history of rock music.

[@alandalaku719]

"An American Prayer" is an AWESOME record.

[@trentc7329]

After years of listening to the Doors, then going back to them after years of not, I think American Prayer is the best thing they ever did in spite of the scrapbook collage creation of it.

[@peonerovv1770]

I think so as well. I remember the first time I listened to it. As soon as "Awake" started, it had a very unusual feeling to it. I was just sitting there, staring at the wall with my mouth open, not even listening to the words. Further down in album I was just stunned with all the atmosphere, creativity and the spirit. The idea of poems getting crossed with music still bogles my mind and I haven't seen any other album made in this style that was made that great. Later, I wrote a 14 page long essay regarding it, which discussed and told the biography of Jim. After that, I started to appreciate it even more, due to the fact that all of the poems were rewritten manually, keeping the same placement as in the vinyl copy (it contains all of the poems found in the album). For anybody interested in The Doors and unique music in general this album is a must.

[@DQ-su6qf]

I still have an unopened LP I bought when first released..Long ago..

[@cosmictywlite]

You got that right ,the entire Album is a Classic!

[@eagleclaw2525]

I saw The Doors in Covina, CA in 1967. Krieger's guitar playing was SCARY good!

[@AngelA-xc7ne]

i wish technology was advanced enough to share memories. i'd give a lot to see the doors live

[@wrenchhead4378]

Im jealous

[@georgebethos7890]

I envy you

[@lgp4960]

Mark Landstrom…do you remember where in Covina, CA you saw the Doors? I live in Covina now, June 2021, I’d be interested to see if the venue is still around. Thanks for your comment.

[@eagleclaw2525]

@@lgp4960 It was the Carousel Theater - a 360 degree "in the round" arrangement. It was right off the freeway near the old May Co. Shopping Center. As I remember, Jim climbed on stage and threw a bottle of Jack Daniel's to the side. He was ready to rock! (and so was Robby of course)

[@Deadheadgypsy]

You should do a forgotten keymasters about Ray Manzarek like you did about Ian Stewart! Playing keys plus bass keys and sometimes flat-out singing the whole show because Jim was too inebriated. Epic musician!

[@clancykobane9102]

that only happened once- where ray sang the whole show.

[@pigeonman1134]

@@clancykobane9102 he did it after he pissed his life too...

[@sacrimonius]

@@pigeonman1134 .g"

[@GeoffNSmith-bs8rg]

I saw Ray Manzerak around '77 with a Jim Morisson look a-like.He was awful!

[@RajivChopra]

How can anyone forget Ray Manzarek?

[@gfx2943]

If Jim was the Lizard king - Robby was the Chameleon King, he could adapt to anything and bring style to it.

[@emiliohernandez7224]

One of the best and most underrated guitarist of all time

[@K12beano]

Four guys - and just putting all the hype to one side - musically worth more than the sum of their parts and creating fantastic sounds from such diverse influences. Still unique.

[@francescabento1705]

I saw the Doors Isle of Wight. How I miss those times. Jim a genius but Robby was unbelievable!! Without Robby the Doors would never had made it.

[@jackpashmat2690]

thanks . RK is magic .. the slide guitar on "moonlight drive " , riif of "roadhouse blues , love me two times..." , etc etc etc etc solo , jazzy , spanish , bluesy , rock ... Brilliant Guitarist

[@ericcampbell6370]

Robby brought something unique to the table. He was like no other Rock guitarist at the time, what with his cool mixture of Jazz and Flamenco influences. Listen to Carlos Santana's leads on "Black Magic Woman". I definitely hear a strong Krieger influence. Robby's 1982 album Versions is one of my all-time favorites.

[@georgebethos7890]

Qqqqqqqqqqqq were

[@michaelc7110]

Anyone see Robbies lessons during lockdowns? They were great.

[@daniellarson3068]

Yes - It wasn't just the Lizard King.

[@jppagetoo]

Got to see Robbie and Ray play together about a year before Ray passed away. Robbie is the real deal.

[@2isceez]

easily in my top 3 favorite guitarists. Robby is a genius

[@StonedMasonband]

Robby Krieger is my first Guitar hero. Hearing the Doors for the first time and hearing How Robby could transform a simple blues, Jazz, or Flamenco styled song into a Moody Masterpiece is what inspired me to go down the path I'm on.

[@actuallukecolombero]

Krieger is the reason I picked up the guitar in the first place (coincidentally around 16-17 like him). Easily my biggest inspiration on the guitar and a true songwriting genius. This video did him justice. Thank you for sharing my love of Krieger with other guitar lovers!

[@TheGuitarHistorian]

I was a late starter as well and I remember one of my first riffs I learned was “Roadhouse Blues.” Memories.

[@billobrien1498]

@@TheGuitarHistorian pplp

[@ac9110]

That was excellent. Many thanks for taking the time to make this one about Robbie Krieger.

[@clintonjosephcAMIELj]

Now, here's someone who got the balls to dive deep into the genius of the criminally underrated musicians like Robby Krieger. Awesome! Krieger's experimental proto/quasi prog style definitely paved the way for many.

[@AngelA-xc7ne]

ahhhhhh he is my favourite guitarist, thank you SO MUCH for doing this!

[@stephenconnors7380]

Truly a great guitarist.

[@googoogjoobgoogoogjoob]

Great band - great guitarist

[@skinnykarlos710]

Great video, bloke. Such a natural and great guitarist; one of the real gems of the late sixties early seventies. The Doors are one of my real all time favourite bands and Robbie's guitar work is a big factor in that. He really knew/knows how to play such a plethora of styles really well. He's a really humble and downplayed type of guy from the interviews that I've seen. You're really onto a winner with this formula. Thanks for the upload.

[@mikefetterman6782]

When I first started playing, I wasn't satisfied with my playing until I could start to mimic the Spanish Caravan opening. The flamenco influence was inspirational to me.

[@billw8648]

I'm happy to see Ray and Robbie getting the recognition they deserve!

[@arlobrubaker]

When someone asks me "who is the most underrated guitar player?" I answer with my favorite guitar player and then they ask me "who is Robby Krieger?"

[@TheGuitarHistorian]

.... and that, my friend, is why I do this.

[@jasonzoellner7547]

Soft spoken Robbie ❤ original style without a doubt You know your great Robbie!!

[@Scott-hq3jq]

I love Robbie's sound. I'm no musician so I don't quite know how to say it... he just has a touch, and timing, and just floats it up there for you to ride. He was on fire on LA Woman album - he was really on his game!

[@jonncockrell3606]

Not forgotten.

[@rickkloek2411]

Light my fire

[@tommyhoffman4587]

Very cool,Allways love Robbie's playing

[@theWARMJET]

One of my faves

[@iannicholls796]

Robby is one of the GOAT guitarists

[@mohammedcohen]

Moonlight Drive is an excellent song...whenever I see the moon rising on the horizon over the ocean here in So Florida - this song comes to mind immediately..it looks so damn easy to swim to the moon - especially if you're high...

[@baronoflivonia.3512]

I will never forget blaring out Peace Frog in on a Sunday morning in 73-74 and hearing My Dad react. A dude of the 50.s, hearing that was too much. Yes, I got major static from that. But I can recall my Dad saying Rah Rah Rah, sis boom bah in the mid 60's, recalling his high school days, and MC5 sang that on High School. Being in/from Detroit it felt like symmetry, with MC5 and Stooges both being signed by same label. I wish it was 1970 again. I remember where I was and what I was doing when Detroit radio announced Morrison's death.

[@ernestintownandjackintheco1024]

Oh, I haven't forgotten Robbie!

[@robjones2408]

Robbie was/is a magnificent musician. He has never got the acclaim that he truly deserved. Check out his explosive riffs on "When The Music's Over." It is a classic, one of the best songs the Doors made. As for "Waiting For The Sun", an overlooked gem. Many guitarists would give their eye-teeth to play like that.

[@corilia9529]

Waiting for the sun is fantastic!

[@rrrayrrray]

RK’s favorite solos were both in When the Music’s Over, at the same time!

[@jamesewanchook2276]

for my money Robbie is one of the top two or three rock band guitarists of the best five years in rock!

[@miketracy6024]

I remember reading that Krieger and Densmore were in a band called the Psychedelic Rangers. I'm surprised you didn't mention that.

[@EVEROSFP1]

I Think guitar work on the Doors albums was stellar.

[@BobIrving2]

So great to see someone feature Robby's guitar playing. As you said, he didn't play like anybody else at that time. The same could also be said of Manzarek and Densmore. While Morrison provided the poetic mystique, the Doors wouldn't have been half as amazing without the three musicians. A truly unique sound! I saw them live in 68 in Philly (supported by my then favorite Philly band, the Mandrake Memorial), and that performance still stands at the top of great live shows I've seen. Thanks for the great video!

[@TheGuitarHistorian]

What venue did you see them in, Bob?

[@BobIrving2]

@@TheGuitarHistorian The Philadelphia Arena, now long gone. Kind of a barn, as I recall.

[@jhors7777]

Well researched and presented, and interesting, thank you for posting this!

[@frederickjames5851]

Thanks, wonderful, long time overdue, 🎸👍✌️

[@lancerx1759]

Robby Krieger is without a doubt the Main Legend amongst 3 Legends and an Icon behind the Doors IMO

[@rrrayrrray]

Great video! Thanks for posting it!

[@ronaldriis1023]

That was amazing! Thank you for remembering how incredible Robbie was.

[@davidmccaffery7977]

Legend!! ..love it

[@rundoetx]

thank you so much for this video. Robbie was always a favorite guitarist og mine and seldom mentioned.

[@stevehanson5556]

Another great production, I went to the memorial auditorium in Sacramento to see the doors in the '60s Jim Morrison never showed up, I was waiting outside when his band walked out disgusted.

[@karengayle9331]

Glad to see your growth!

[@StevieSmith77]

Love this series so much. A really good education for guitar lovers

[@calsurflance5598]

Awsome history lesson! I hadn’t listened to them in a while. I’ll have to give them some more ear time!👍 Thanks for the video!

[@foxtoneofficial6454]

Awesome vid , really enjoyed !!👍

[@GrahamMylett]

Really enjoying this series. Particularly the Peter Green, Paul Kossoff, and this one. Thanks for making such great videos.

[@Scott-hq3jq]

4:29 sign - 'Blues - Rock - Soul' and to that you can add psychedelic. They were all that, which is why, they are one of the greatest bands of all time. Hopefully, they are not forgotten - their music is too good to be forgotten!

[@schesser]

Great episode. Many thanks for the info you provided here!

[@sattwa2]

Excellent!

[@earlthornton5689]

Thank you once again. Splendid presentations and very interesting/informative content. Be well, stay bold sir.

[@snowfiresunwind]

Interesting and well researched video.

[@pm3024]

Awesome info. Interesting watch.

[@Jake-wl7mh]

Robbie is not forgotten..

[@CharlesAustin]

Thanks for this reveal .. I wasn’t aware of the extent of RK’s compositional contribution to the Door’s material. He should be proud and happy about that as these songs are quite immortal .. ‘love these videos, that give us a long time perspective to all these brave guitarists all of whom, had heart !!

[@hiitsstillme]

We liked your closing remarks... thank you for this my friend.

[@michaelmendillo7513]

TY Brother! Very cool video,,, 😁✌🎸🎶🎶🎶🎶

[@highwayscribery]

Enjoyed. Never thought of them as a guitar band and never internalized that they had not bass player. That's hard.

[@baritony8763]

"Krieger lit the fire". Good writing. Can't pick fav album. Some songs are good through whole span. First questioned music. Then read about Morrison. Fascination ensued. Then "heard" the music. Krieger wrote best stuff. When The Music's Over.Touch Me. Light Fire.Strange Days,Soft Parade,etc.Can see Morrison's intelligence in lyrics."Successful hills" are a biological state. "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection." Religious denial. Another great video.

[@pleidiolwyfimwlad2104]

An American prayer is a gem..long live the doors

[@djquinn11]

Love the Doors, great improvisational band.

[@msenecal]

I have been playing guitar for over 50 years. I started learning after seeing Robbie Krieger with The Doors in 1967 and again in 1968. His autobiography was great.

[@paulmclaughlin4092]

this was an excellent appraisal of Robbie's work, nice one! I'd love to see your review of Tony Hicks from The Hollies.

[@mikephalen3162]

The Doors are included in the short list of American bands that represented a time and place. CCR and the Allman Brothers Band are a couple more.

[@Guitarplayer724]

Along with Grand Funk RR

[@georgebethos7890]

The Dead 💀 Airplane ✈️ Quicksilver

[@jonathandantonio649]

Peace Frog 😎

[@NorbertVarga]

Thank you for your insightful videos! Keep up the good work! Robby said he probably wouldn't have gone into rock and roll if it hadn't been for Paul Butterfield going electric. The harmonica riff in The Paul Butterfield Blues Band's "Mellow Down Easy" inspired Robby's legendary guitar riff for "Break on Through".

[@jakeskager9442]

Great vid

[@scottjackson163]

I listened to that same Peter & the Wolf album when I was a kid.

[@zroy9263]

One of the baddest guitar players in music history period! This cat has an authentic and unique sound. He's also quite versatile. Blues, psychedelia, rock n roll, jazz, flamenco, funk, r&b, Indian, you name it! Robby Krieger can do it all! Oh yeah, he's also a songwriting genius as well. Unfortunately, he's also extremely underrated. I highly recommend his last album The RITUAL BEGINS AT SUNDOWN. It's a jazz-rock masterpiece. Also, check him out live if you can. He's a living icon, and he fuckin' jams!

[@Iconoplastt]

The Doors really were 4 powerhouses including Morrison, they all filled out the band in such a unique and inspired way. Much like Zeppelin and the Beatles, the whole is greater than the sum of their parts.

[@ryanhinze180]

Robby Krieger just seems like a really cool dude aside from the music, truly inspiring to see his influence on the band, I will be listening to his riffs till the day I die

[@chrisdrake447]

This is an excellent summary of Robbie’s work and contributions to music. Robbie K is an immense influence - I can see clear parallels with Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music (another possibility for a future episode of course) and people in the following generation of polymath guitar heroes like Andy Summers. What a talent. (PS: Sincerely hope that the album cover visible over your left shoulder is a clue to the next or imminent subject. Bill’s first album Northern Dream is still regularly on my turntable ...)

[@zerep11]

Robby Krieger's guitar tone on "Break On Through" is one the finest I have ever heard. What a wall of sound.

[@mindriot69]

Great video… I saw The Doors at the L.A. Forum in Dec 1968 when I was 5. The person on stage I remember most wasn’t Jim Morrison… It was Robby Krieger. His playing still mesmerizes me to this day. And on another note… Jac Holzman & Paul Rothchild were tipped off to The Doors by (the greatest L.A. band in my opinion), Love who were already signed to Electra. Thanks again for such entertaining videos. ✌🏽

[@secularZoo]

Another great vid! You're at only 20K subscribers now, but I'll bet you'll have 100K+ by this time next year!!!

[@brettneuberger6466]

He’s actually 75. Really enjoyed this. Thanks.

[@HawklordLI]

I love Robby's maniacal playing on 'Been Down So Long'....it's amazing...

[@Bobbypinker]

This is the first of your Forgotten Fretmasters that I'd heard of before watching the video.

[@Bobbypinker]

Great final line about breaking on through/lit the fire.

[@mfbinc]

Who could ever forget any of The Doors!?!?!

[@glenkepic3208]

Here before but as a kid of 10 in '67, loved The Doors. Been thinking of "Light My Fire" Robbie's solo 'nary a bend' until the end. Line copped from a break down of Denny Dias' electric sitar solo for Steely Dan's "Do It Again". India's suffering now but modal playing was inspiring then. Just a scale. Lydian ? what ever it was worked.

[@liamsorrell]

I would love to see an episode on country / rockabilly session guitarist Grady Martin. He played on hundreds of hit records, and worked with A-Listers including Patsy Cline, Elvis, Marty Robbins and others. He had a great knowledge of the fretboard and was super versatile but unfortunately being a session guitarist his name isn't mentioned as much. My favorite work of his is the records he cut with Johnny Burnette and his Trio in the mid 50's.

[@thomasarmbruster1743]

Manzarek used a Rhodes KeyBass, a regular Fender Rhodes type bass instrument. His feet had nothing to do with it.

[@mugiwaraMorrison]

Long live The Doors.. Long live Robby

[@stepitup5409]

This is a great channel

[@Otis-uz1tf]

Just read the book "Set The Night On Fire " by Robbie Kreiger and after reading just about every book on the doors it's one of the best and gave me a great inside look from Robbies perspective just when I thought I couldn't learn anymore on the doors ....man....The Doors.....won't ever be another band like em and the music these days seem commercialized, scared, controlled and plastic compared to that era.

[@jamespell8091]

So many Doors records to observe Robbies prowess. Quite good. After the doors in LA i had moved. This was just outside the 70's. The DJ's on the radio were cut loose. There was new technology on the horison. New music on the horison and the old music was killer enough. Timeless and a lot of it (music that is) the Doors being essentially a local band and had produced a lot of records I have a big Doors vocabulary. Krieger has quite the command of the guitar and there are a lot of tunes that exemplify his capability. Fingerpicking. Any note anywhere anytime,... Something else. The SG. It needs to be played a certain way kind of and his fingerpickng affords him a delicate touch. Otherwise the SG kind of breaks up. His touch complements that guitar he plays. Im sure he realizes this. Very Good

[@corilia9529]

Love me some Doors. Just watched the movie with Val Kilmer again a few days ago

[@thomasarmbruster1743]

Had that Peter and the Wolf record too. Played the treads off of it.

[@jkmorrison1013]

Very nice presentation, especially because Krieger often doesn't get his due. May I nitpick? I think you should have mentioned his unique fingernail/flamenco style which no one else in rock or blues ever did. Plus I think you kind of skipped over his flamenco influences. Also, Robby didn't buy his flamenco guitar in Mexico, his father bought it for him in Spain. One more, Jim didn't "overhear" Robby playing slide, it was Robby's first session with the Doors. But, great presentation and thanks for showcasing Robby Krieger.

[@chrismartin1956]

Right. And it still seems to me in this clip that Robby is again forgotten as a sideman to Jim and others.

[@gmc1284]

Lindsay Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac played the same way.

[@jkmorrison1013]

@@gmc1284 Oh, I never heard that, but would still prefer Krieger!

[@gmc1284]

@@jkmorrison1013 me too Robbies the man but watch Buckingham play he has a similar style both are very talented.

[@jkmorrison1013]

@@gmc1284 I was not really a big fan of Fleetwood Mac or Buckingham although I recognize his many talents and impressive achievements. Was not familiar with his right hand style but have since looked into it. He said it was basically a "Travis" picking style that he probably jazzed up somewhat. Great style. But not really anything like Krieger, which was all fingernails and flamenco based, look at pictures of his fingers and LB's, totally different. Like Mark Knopfler, also plays with his fingers, but all his own style. Jeff Beck also does but they are mostly not the same. That being said, I wish I had a little of LB's estimated $100 million fortune.

[@destroso]

My favorite guitarist my a mile

[@halbertking2683]

My friend Glen used to work for Gibson. a few years ago he gave me a catalog. It had a picture of Robbie Krieger playing his S.G. through a wall of Acoustic speaker cabs with 2 -15s and a high frequency horn in each . I can't imagine Robbie having any hearing left . I saw Albert King in the 80s at Nitestage in Cambridge, Mass. Albert had the Flying V guitar case in front of the cab. He was using it as a tone control. Kickin it old school . That horn was like a lazar beam. Those were the days .

[@JimMorrisonLoL]

Robby, always humble