"In 1967, Robby Krieger, the guitarist for L.A. band the Doors, wrote the hit single “Light My Fire” in the living room of his parents’ Pacific Palisades home. This week, nearly six decades later, the lyrics took on a disturbing resonance as the structure where the music originated burned to the ground." 

(Amy Kaufman, LA Times, 1/11/2025)

Recent LA Times headlines:

"The Doors’ hit ‘Light My Fire’ was written in Pacific Palisades home that burned" 1/11/2025

"Former Morrison Hotel, made famous by a Doors album, destroyed by fire in downtown L.A." 12/27/2024

Devastating fires have destroyed lives, communities, and historical sites of memory in Los Angeles. I decided to hold off on posting the first release of the year to share this episode of my conversation with Robby Krieger and Tequila Mockingbird, given two fires - the massive Palisades fire and one that began in downtown LA a couple of weeks prior -greatly impacted two of these sites of memory of one of LA's most influential rock bands, the Doors, now considered a proto-punk band to many. I repost this episode from a few years back as an homage to these places, now destroyed, and the memories--and many others--that will carry on with the people, the music, and the communities that hold them dear and will help them persevere. 

With love (to/from) LA - the Punkast Team.

--

Original description: Increasingly, people recognize the LA band, the Doors, for their wide-ranging influence on punk, notably inspiring Iggy Pop, Patty Smith, X, Joy Division, Siouxsie, and the Banshees. In this episode, we speak with the Doors’ venerable guitarist and song-writer, Robby Krieger, to learn about his musical journey, contemplate how the Doors shaped punk, and share some of his more recent work, including collaborations with the seminal LA punk bands X and the Mau Mau’s. Inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame and named one of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone, Krieger wrote or co-wrote some of the Doors’ most famous songs, including “Light My Fire” and “Love Me Two Times.”  

Guest commentator David Schwartz offers personal reflections and political context to situate the intergenerational impact of the band.  

Songs Excerpted:

(0:51-1:16) The Doors. “The End.” The Doors, Elektra Records, 1967.

(0:04-0:26) Chuck Berry. “Johnny B. Goode.” Johnny B. Goode, Chess, 1958.

(0:26-0:58) The Doors. “Break On Through (To the Other Side).” The Doors, Elektra Records, 1967.

(0:02-0:35) The Doors. “Seminary School.” The Soft Parade, Elektra Records, 1969.

(0:24-0:43) The Doors. “Light My Fire.” The Doors, Elektra Records, 1967.

(0:00-0:18) The Doors. “People Are Strange.” Strange Days, Elektra Records, 1967.

(0:19-1:23) The Doors. “Horse Latitudes.” Strange Days, Elektra Records, 1967.

This episode was co-produced and co-hosted by Jessica Schwartz and Tequila Mockingbird, with audio editing and cover art by Cheska Zaide. 

Bella Gerard edited the audio-synced transcript.

AUDIO REPOSTED from OCT. 2021.

AND CHECK OUT the new series ... the PUNK SCHOLARS PODCAST with co-hosts Jessica Schwartz and Paul Hollins