Robby Krieger, guitarist for The Doors, talked to PBS at this year’s SXSW festival about AMERICAN MASTERS When You’re Strange, the first feature film about The Doors, premiering Wednesday, May 12, at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings).
Krieger talks about the use of previously unseen archival footage in the film, Doors fan Johnny Depp as the narrator, and his own inspiration for creating music. As the key songwriter for The Doors, Krieger penned some of their biggest hits – notably their mesmerizing #1 hit, “Light My Fire.” Krieger is listed among Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”
Note: This video clip includes a reference to illegal drug use.
35 Responses to “Interview with Robby Krieger”
Leave a Reply
Please note that the THIRTEEN editorial staff reserves the right to not post comments it deems to be inappropriate and/or malicious in nature, as well as edit comments for length, clarity and fairness. No solicitations or advertisements will be allowed. Users may link to other Web sites relevant to discussion, but most often links to commercial Web sites will not be permitted.
AWESOME!!! I can’t wait to watch!
AWESOME! ROCK ON!
This looks interesting. I just hope we’re “allowed” to watch it here in Utah . . .
It’s playing here in WV
robby’s so cool.. i got to see the doors with ian astbury at the old chicago theater and it was so amazing to see him with his sg and that slide on his finger playing hiss ass off. cant wait to see the film it’s gonna be great thanks pbs
Is this documentary available on PBS.org?? I don’t have cable or satellite; I have a crappy converter and a crappy antenna and the signal sucks!!
I really pray….that this is going to be available on PBS, by this weekend if not tonight! It really doesn’t help that the comments never load properly on my computer. I NEVER see my own comments come up, so I don’t even know if they are being posted or if I am experiencing some error that I isn’t even being explained or not.
When will this air again?
I missed it, will it play again?
Thank you PBS for showing this wonderful film about the Doors! It was such an amazing glimpse into their lives and the mood of America.
Great documentary!! I think The Doors were one of the greatest bands ever.
Robby, should you ever see this…
Thank you for your music… it has given me 40 years worth of incredible joy. Always will.
Just thank you, man.
<3
I have been a Doors fan since the beginning. Being one of my favorite bands, I have pretty much all of their works and even have a black and white 5″ x 7″ signed by not only John, Robbie and Ray but Jim himself.
My friend’s cousin was their sound man and I was told many “Doors tales”
I was at the Boston concert when they were recording Absolutely Live and when I watched the show last night it brought back great memories. It was great to see some footage that has not been seen before.
The one thing that bothered me about this show was they dwelled too much on Jim’s demise rather than elaborating on his great poetry and other parts of his life that not many people know about. Like when he was a young boy and saw the Indian incident and what it did to him.
Not that it would ever happen but, with all of the talk about celebrities faking their death, it would be great to one day read the news that Jim was found dead of old age and a room filled to the ceiling with his great writings.
A lot more could have been said about the good recording sessions and the tours of the good shows, but I guess people nowadays want rage. Everyone is a Rider on the storm….
Johnny Depp’s narration (5 stars) video footage of rare films (5 stars) production of show (2 stars)
Oliver Stone already did the same thing in 1991 and as Ray said “That Oliver Stone thing did real damage to the guy I knew: Jim Morrison, the poet.”
Watched it and LOVED IT!!!!! Going to boston to see Robbie and Ray – can’t wait!.
I missed it ! Is this going to replay ? My bf loves the doors and is so upset we missed it !
looks like May 16th 2:30 am
I believe the schedule shows it will air again Sunday May 16 at 2:30 AM….I missed the first one too…I’ll be up to watch it.
If anybody remembers the movie Eddie and the Cruisers,there is a part in that movie where people are chanting “Eddie” and you see Eddie going back in time from adult until he is a kid and the music they are playing sounds like music in this film. I always thought Eddie and The Cruisers was based on the idea of The Doors with Jim faking his death. This was a great film on The Doors and there’s some great footage of jim.
For those who missed the doc (I accidentally found it and only saw a bit) go to tvguide.com. Search “American Experience” and you’ll see several re-run dates and times. I’ll be taping it this weekend. I’m going to the Boston show.
I agree with Roger G. in that Jim’s poetry was not taking seriously …..Oliver Stone did do damage to Jim’s poetic side and made out to be a drunk out of control fool…. Morrison was well….different than you and I
What was the part about the dog or coyote lying on the road in the desert?? It looked like he was going to run over it w/ his car & kill it … I found this so disturbing that I had to change the chanel, & hoped I could forget it but it’s still bothering me. What’s the story? I don’t know whether to hate the guy, or was he being compassionate w/ no other options but to run over & crush/kill the poor animal? alana111@mailaka.net
PBS is finally getting hip! This will be the most successful doc they ever have aired! Here’s hoping they will remain intelligent but start taking some more good risks like this.
Great Thank you PBS, Johnny Depp and the Doors…LOVED the last line!
Thanks Robbie and John. What an awesome documentary! You guys were cool and composed through pandemonium of the ’60’s. You all rock so does Jim!!!!!
This documentary is too cool; almost as cool as Jim Morrison. Now we need a documentary on Mojos’ alleged death. I’m one of the millions who think he’s still with us and just waiting for the right time to let us know he’s still here. Just like forty-three years ago; I still get weak in the knees when I hear him sing “Light My Fire” (even if I am a guy). I know you’re out there Mojo. This film would have been a perfect point of re-entry for you. Oh well; I’ve been patient for thirty-nine years now; guess I’ll need to be patient still. I still love you James Douglas Morrison.
This is the best documentary I’ve seen yet about Jim Morrison and the Doors. Johnny Depp did an excellent job narrating with a perfect cadence throughout the film. There was plenty of footage I’d never before seen including concert scenes and back stage clips of Jim chatting with fans. I didn’t realize the Who opened for the Doors in 1968. Jim is seen flipping through the playbill with some fans. At this same concert, after the Doors take the stage, it’s hinted that perhaps Jim incited an incident that caused the show to be stopped. He pissed off a girl’s boyfriend in the front rows leading to him throwing a chair that hit another girl. Jim plays down the whole thing backstage and tries to charm the injured girl. We see where he could be guilty of instigating a lot of the trouble he later got into on stage.
As for the footage at the beginning where Jim is driving around the desert in his Ford Cobra (he only bought American cars), I believe this is from an amateur movie he did called HWY or Highway. I’m guessing, but I’ve read that he filmed this about a killer who hitchikes in the desert after killing someone. Probably, taken from the song “Riders on the Storm”. Remember, the Doors and their music could be very dark and macabre. They were more like the Velvet Underground in that respect. Jim never bought into the whole peace, love, hippie trip that was happening in San Francisco. The Manson murders changed America’s perception of the hippie movement long after the Doors music warned about the darker side of human nature.
Long live The Doors! Long live PBS!
i missed it . when is it playing again. i love the doors. !!! please someone email me and tell me when it will play again
When will it be rebroadcast again. ?
Fantastic show! I had never seen this footage before and neither did my husband. This show was so well done, you really got a feel for who Jim was outside of the books that were written about him, and the short clips that are shown. I will be taping this show if I can find it being rerun this weekend. Just great stuff about one of the most creative and best bands of all time.
Ditto on the rebroadcasting and also when will the series be for sale on DVD ?
; )