Of all the rock groups of the 1960s, The Doors perhaps had one of the most unique sounds, aided by the choice of instrumentation on their records and the dark, brooding atmospheres they managed to craft with this ensemble.
It wasn’t just one or two individuals who were responsible for elevating the group’s sound and ambition to the next level either; every member was bringing their own vital ingredient that helped to distinguish them from many of their peers, and there were many moments at which the quality of their releases felt untouchable to others.
While frontman Jim Morrison’s ominous baritone and beat poetry-inspired lyricism were often placed front and centre, the inventive keyboard and bass hybrid that Ray Manzarek provided was also crucial to their sound, as was the loose and hypnotic drumming style of John Densmore.
However, perhaps the most understated member of the group was guitarist Robby Krieger, who, while a competent lead player, was often relegated to the background with Manzarek operating as more of a lead instrument on keys.
This shouldn’t be a sign that the rest of the band were dismissive of his talents, however, and nor did they fail to utilise him where he was at his strongest. Instead, the band opted to take the brave decision to have him act as a more textural element in places, allowing them to stand apart from other bands who would naturally think that the guitar ought to be considered the primary focus of a rock ensemble.
The rest of the band looked up to Krieger, although according to Densmore, he wasn’t necessarily everybody’s first choice when it came to recruiting a guitarist for the band. In a 2025 interview with Classic Rock, he explained that one member was uncertain about bringing someone whose style was so understated into the fold.
“Ray was kind of insecure about Robby, because he wasn’t the flamboyant lead guitarist, all flash, milking every note,” Densmore recalled of Krieger’s audition with the band. However, he later went on to explain that it was because of a suggestion that he made that Krieger got the part, and it ended up being so impressive that the band instantly knew that they wanted him to include this.
“I asked Robby to play bottleneck, because it’d been played primarily by old blues guys and not in an electric context much,” Densmore continued. “So that’s what he did when he first played with us. Ray and Jim kind of went: “Oh my god! Put that bottleneck on every song,” which was ridiculous. But he was in.”
While the bottleneck guitar technique isn’t something that appears in every recording by The Doors, it plays a significant role in making Krieger’s parts stand out, even if the entire point of his playing style was not to be full of flashy moves and showboating. It may be an unorthodox inclusion, and Krieger may only have been a novice player at the time of joining the band, but it’s a crucial part of what made them such a beloved act.
