Who's Behind The Door (’83 Rare Studio)

The Zoo Crew is spinning the trippy vibes of Who's Behind The Door ('83 Rare Studio) by Zebra, a track from their 83 Rare Studio album, and the Zoo Freaks are totally tuned in. This song, a standout from Zebra’s 1983 debut, has some wild trivia behind it. In an interview with lead vocalist and guitarist Randy Jackson, he shared a far-out story about the song’s eerie outro. While recording at the Record Plant, the band was digging through stacks of sound effect records—actual vinyl albums—to find something innocent, like animal or children’s sounds, to layer into the track. They stumbled upon a peculiar recording that became the haunting voice at the song’s end. Jackson described it as a serendipitous find, perfectly matching the song’s mystical vibe, which builds to an explosive climax. Fans on Reddit have geeked out over this, with some mishearing the outro as “thousands of vanished voices,” a poetic fit for the song’s cosmic theme, though Jackson clarified it’s more about the sound of nature’s chaos, like snapping shrimp. This tidbit blew minds, with one fan calling it “weird trivia” that makes the song even cooler.

Another groovy detail about Who’s Behind The Door is its chart action and cultural splash. The song climbed to #61 on the US Hot 100 and hit #10 on the US Mainstream Rock chart, getting heavy rotation on MTV back in the day. Music fan Jennifer H., quoted on Norselands Rock, recalled it as the Zebra tune that hooked her, sticking in her memory from early ‘80s MTV. The track’s blend of melodic prog rock and hard-hitting riffs made it a fave for road trips, with New York fan John Wilbur dubbing the debut album “the premier driving album of its day.” The Zoo Freaks probably vibe with this, as the song’s soaring guitars and philosophical lyrics about life’s mysteries are perfect for late-night radio spins. Its enduring appeal is evident in fan discussions on Facebook groups like Zebra Fan Club, where devotees swap stories about catching the song live or hunting down rare vinyl pressings.

Zebra’s origin story is as grassroots as it gets, born in the sweaty, smoky bars of New Orleans in 1975. Randy Jackson (vocals, guitar), Felix Hanemann (bass, keyboards, vocals), and Guy Gelso (drums, vocals) came together after years of jamming in local acts. In the early ‘70s, Jackson and Hanemann rocked a bar band called Shepherd’s Bush, covering heavyweights like Led Zeppelin, Yes, and Pink Floyd. By late 1974, they formed Maelstrom with Gelso and keyboardist Tim Thorson, but when Thorson split, the trio decided to keep it tight, renaming themselves Zebra after spotting a Vogue magazine cover with a woman riding a zebra. They honed their chops as a cover band, nailing technically complex tunes while weaving in their own melodic, Beatles-inspired harmonies. Their big break came after moving to Long Island, where they built a cult following with electrifying live shows. By 1983, they inked a deal with Atlantic Records, and their self-titled debut, produced by Jack Douglas, dropped the bomb that was Who’s Behind The Door. The album went gold, cementing Zebra’s place in hard rock history.

Zebra’s still kicking, with the original trio—Jackson, Hanemann, and Gelso—keeping the flame alive through live gigs and occasional new projects. Their official website, zebraband.com, is the go-to for tour dates, merch, and news, including hype about a forthcoming album and a documentary, Tell Me What You Want: 50 Years of Zebra, to mark their 50th anniversary. You can catch their latest updates on Facebook, where they post about shows and interact with fans, or on Instagram for behind-the-scenes shots. Their X account keeps the Zoo Freaks in the loop with quick hits about gigs and throwback pics. For deeper fan vibes, check out the Zebra Fan Club on Facebook, where diehards share bootlegs, rare photos, and memories of epic concerts. There’s also thedoor.com, a fan site with mailing list sign-ups and merch links, perfect for Zoo Freaks wanting to rep Zebra’s legacy.