Morrison, Jim, 1943-1971

The mythology surrounding The Doors generally centers on its lead singer, Jim Morrison. Morrison is still considered one of rock's tortured poets, but The Doors' sound was based largely on Ray Manzarek's keyboard playing. His are the riffs immortalized in songs like "Riders on the Storm."

This interview was originally broadcast in 1998.

Manzarek talks how he came up with the famous piano riff from "Light My Fire."

Holzman founded the record label in 1950, initially focusing on recording folk and ethnic music. In the 1960s he signed on some of the big pop and rock voices of the era like Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Carly Simon, Jackson Browne, and the Doors. He talks with Terry Gross about working with the Doors. Holman headed Elektra Records for 23 years. He has a new book, "Follow the Music: The Life and High Times of Elektra Records in the Great Years of American Pop Culture" (FirstMedia Books)

Manzarek has written the new autobiography called "Light My Fire: My Life with The Doors."He talks about his experience playing in one of the 1960's most influential bands. The Doors disbanded after its lead singer Jim Morrison died in 1971. Since The Doors, Manazarek has produced four albums for the punk rock band X and recorded several solo albums. He also performs with Beat poet Michael McClure at nightclubs and on college campuses.

Film critic Stephen Schiff calls the new biopic wrongheaded; Stone's version of the sixties, Schiff says, is both trite and incoherent.

Magnuson starred in the movies, "Making Mister Right," and "A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon," and on the TV series, "Anything But Love." She's had numerous one woman monologue shows in Manhattan. She joins Fresh Air for an interview, and shares an excerpt of one of her life performances, about groupies following Doors' frontman Jim Morrison.

Jim Morrison's out-of-control, self-destructive behavior nearly drove Densmore out of the band. Morrison died at 27; it took Densmore ten years to come to terms with his death. His new memoir is called Riders on the Storm.