The Golden Scarab [Import]

Ray Manzarek | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 24, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: LEMON RECORDS
• ASIN: B00020QWZU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #155,389 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. He Can't Come Today

2. Solar Boat

3. Downbound Train

4. The Golden Scarab

5. The Purpose of Existence Is?

6. The Moorish Idol

7. Choose Up and Choose Off

8. Oh Thou Precious Nectar Filled Form (A Little Fart)

Editorial Reviews

Repress of this 2004 release! The Golden Scarab is by far the best embodiment of the "Doors" by one of the three surviving members. Originally released in 1974,it features some incredible session players of the time including Larry Carlton on guitar and Tony Williams on Drums! Guests include amazingly Joe Walsh and Flo and Eddie!!! 8 classic tracks much sought after by Doors followers who are currently on a massive sellout worldwide tour at the moment [with the Cults Ian Astbury on Vocals] Critically acclaimed when first released in 1974, this reissue has been waited for long enough!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars well all reet, May 4, 2005

By 

AK (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Golden Scarab (Audio CD)

The Golden Scarab is Ray Manzarek's finest hour as a musician. Shamefully overlooked and vastly underappreciated (word is that it was just too deep for most music label execs)- this is a serious masterpiece that you need to hear.

Jazz fusion with the finest percussion you'll find this side of Sergio Mendes. What more can I say? Part Herbie Hancock Headhunters, part Santana Abraxas and 100% Ray Manzarek at the helm. You get total piano driven rockers like "Downbound Train" and incredible jazz numbers like "The Purpose of Existance Is" - a song that features Ray's finest solo, bar none.

Contrary to my thought going into this album- this is not an lp filled with 20 minute organ solos over a looped drum track. This is a brilliant concept album jam packed with the most creative music I've come across since discovering Frank Zappa's best work.

Ray's vocals are very well done- only stretching a little too far at a few points (never enough to ruin the music). I can only imagine the amount of fun Ray had constructing this album. It's 100% pure Ray as I like to say. It embodies all his beliefs as well as his favorite concepts in music. I loved his autobiography, but this 45 minute album reveals just as much about the legendary keyboard player of The Doors (as he will forever be known).

I've only scratched the surface of this miracle of an album. Buy it, but do track down the authentic, original cd release on Mercury Records. This "lemon records" print is nothing more than a bootleg. On the official Mercury release, you get three bonus tracks from Ray's second solo album (and trust me- they're song's you'll want to hear).

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars praise of la great work, April 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Golden Scarab (Audio CD)

I have owned this album for 25 years.I bought the cd acouple years ago.the tunes have been playing in my head ever since my first listen.the album is close to brilliance.the jazzrock sound of this album/cd will never be matched.the great Larry Carlton's guitar work/the wild uncontroled yet precise/fantastic drumming of jazz great Tony Williams/Jerry Scheff on bass is just terrific.Ray is in top form,he plays all keyboards and a host of other mystical and exotic African rythem instrumets with his zen masters touch.His voice has never been better,I suspect trainning and practice got him there.This cd may need a few listens for some before its brilliance and message sinks in,after the initial shock you wont be able to get through a day without humming or replaying 1 or many of the tunes over and over again in your head. An underrated work if ever there was one.The mother of all underrated works.Congrats Ray on a job well done!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Let's bring the average rating up a bit, shall we?, February 15, 2006

By 

Steven Plambeck (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Golden Scarab (Audio CD)

"The Golden Scarab" by Ray Manzarek was an artistic and musical triumph any way you care to measure it. As with his brilliant second album, "The Whole Thing Started With Rock'n'Roll..." we can only wish he'd done much more solo work. Perhaps after a stint with Riders? We can only hope!