Intoxicated musings, ethereal sounds, and visceral performances made the Doors famous. The band helped drive and inspire much of music's spiritualism in the 1960s and beyond. Even today, nearly 50 years after the band formed, guitarist Robby Krieger maintains this sentiment.
Krieger, touring behind his recent solo album, Singularity, began his unconventional musical career by teaching himself flamenco on a detuned ukulele. Singularity displays the now-established guitarist at his best, his most musically complex, but also his most basic.
"I hadn't really played flamenco on any records since 'Spanish Caravan,'?" he says, in reference to a track on the Doors' 1968 album, Waiting for the Sun. "So it was kind of a return to the beginning."
Origin is important to Krieger. His concerts emphasize the Doors' songs and fidelity to the originals.
"We try to keep songs close to the record versions," he says. "At least take the best parts of the records and throw a few more things in too. My son (Waylon) is singing and doesn’t have the Morrison voice exactly. On some of the stuff he does. But he gets the crowd going. He channels Jim in his own way, without sounding too much like him."
Krieger's current crew might be true to sound, but it can't re-create the prototype. During their eight active years, the Doors dynamic led to a wholly unique presence that transcended pastiche.
"Of course, I miss playing with the original Doors — we had a unit that was pretty hard to beat, even though we didn't realize it at the time," he says. "Ever since, I've been playing Doors music with different people, and it's never really been the same. Not to say it's not as good. It's just different."
As for other projects in the works, Krieger says he's staying busy recording bands in his analog recording studio.
"A lot of bands want to record on analog gear nowadays, trying to get back to the cool sounds we had back in the day, rather than the digital stuff that all kind of sounds the same," he says. "So that’s what our studio is all about."
Bobby Krieger, with Blue Oyster Cult. 7 p.m. Saturday, August 15 at Pompano Beach Amphitheater, 1801 NE Sixth St., Pompano Beach. 954-519-5500. pompanobeacharts.org. Tickets starts at $20 via Ticketmaster.com.
Editor's Note: This story has been augmented to include notes about Krieger's son and recording studio.
