Watch Robby Krieger and John Densmore Duet “Riders on the Storm”

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This haunting number was the final track on the Doors’ classic album ‘L.A. Woman’.

John Densmore (L) and Robby Krieger attend the Film Independent at LACMA Presents An Evening With The Doors event at Bing Theatre At LACMA on December 5, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.
John Densmore (left) and Robby Krieger attend the Film Independent at LACMA Presents An Evening With The Doors event at the Bing Theatre LACMA on December 5, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Image credit: Amanda Edwards/WireImage)

Released in April 1971, the Doors’ sixth studio album L.A. Woman is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Roughly three months after its release, Jim Morrison sadly passed away in Paris aged 27, making it the last Doors long-player unveiled during his lifetime.

The album’s closer, Riders on the Storm, was released as a single in June 1971 after being edited down from over seven to around four-and-a-half minutes. Along with Ray Manzarek's cascading Fender Rhodes, Robbie Krieger’s guitar tone is unforgettable – a wash of tremolo and splash of spring reverb adding to the song’s dark atmosphere.

The Doors (l-r): Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Jim Morrison

The Doors (l-r): Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Jim Morrison (Image credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

In this rare clip filmed in 2013 during a screening event of the 2012 documentary Mr. Mojo Risin’: The Story of L.A. Woman, Robby Krieger and John Densmore perform a stripped-back version of the album’s haunting end track.

Here, Krieger can be seen playing his 1967 Gibson SG Standard plugged into a small silverface Fender combo, although his electric guitar parts on the album were tracked using a Fender Twin Reverb while making exemplary use of the amp’s onboard effects.

The Doors 'L.A. Woman' album cover artwork

(Image credit: Elektra)

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of L.A. Woman, Rhino are releasing the L.A. Woman: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition on December 3. This 3CD/1-LP set includes Bruce Botnick’s newly remastered version of the original album, two bonus discs of unreleased studio outtakes, and the stereo mix of the original album on 180-gram vinyl.

Additionally, the music will be available from digital and streaming services, with Botnick’s Dolby Atmos mix providing an ultra-immersive listening experience.

The Doors 'L.A. Woman: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition'

The Doors 'L.A. Woman: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition' (Image credit: Rhino)

Fans will be excited to know an unmarked reel was recently unearthed from the Doors’ vault containing the original demo of “Riders on the Storm.”

Rod Brakes
Rod Brakes

Rod Brakes is a music journalist with an expertise in guitars. Having spent many years at the coalface as a guitar dealer and tech, Rod's more recent work as a writer covering artists, industry pros and gear includes contributions for leading publications and websites such as Guitarist, Total Guitar, Guitar World, Guitar Player and MusicRadar in addition to specialist music books, blogs and social media. He is also a lifelong musician.