Renaissance is a band with a rich history unique unto themselves as progressive rock pioneers who rose from the ashes of the seminal UK rock band, The Yardbirds. Acclaimed for their unique blending of progressive rock with classical and symphonic influences, the band’s career has now spanned fifty years spearheaded by the five-octave voice of Annie Haslam and the masterful songwriting skills of Michael Dunford. They are widely considered to be the band that most successfully and routinely utilized the sound of a full orchestra in their recordings.
The band has toured throughout the world and has performed at Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and additionally at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Chorale Society. Renaissance had a top ten hit in the UK with their song “Northern Lights” that still demands airplay to this day.
1995: Tales From Yesterday (Yes tribute Album) (guest
vocalist)
1998: Live Under Brazilian Skies 1999: The Dawn of Ananda
1999: Portraits of Bob Dylan by Steve Howe (album) (guest
vocalist)
2000: It Snows in Heaven Too 2002: One Enchanted Evening
2005: Icon by John Wetton & Geoff Downes (album) (guest
vocalist)
2006: Miles of Music by Bob Miles (guest vocalist)
2006: Live Studio Concert
2006: Night and Day EP with Magenta written for Haslam by Rob
Reed and Christina Booth
2007: Woman Transcending
2012: Songs of the Century: (Supertramp tribute Album) (guest
vocalist)
2014: 'Live' Studio Concert Philadelphia 1997 (Re-release)
2017: Don't Give Up Single, duet with Jann Klose
MY NEW BOOK
IS FINALLY OUT!
ENTITLED
THE ROCK STAR CHRONICLES
SERIES ONE
CHRONICLES, TRUTHS, CONFESSIONS AND WISDOM
FROM THE MUSIC LEGENDS
THAT SET US FREE!
…Order yours today on (Collector edition) Hardcover
or E-book
at bookbaby.com and amazon.com
Featuring over 45 intimate conversations with some of
the greatest rock legends the world will ever know.
CHRIS SQUIRE... DR. JOHN... GREG LAKE... HENRY MCCULLOUGH... JACK BRUCE … JOE LALA…JOHNNY WINTER... KEITH EMERSON... PAUL KANTNER...RAY THOMAS... RONNIE MONTROSE... TONY JOE WHITE... DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS… MIKE LOVE... TOMMY ROE... BARRY HAY... CHRIS THOMPSON... JESSE COLIN YOUNG... JOHN KAY... JULIAN LENNON... MARK LINDSAY... MICKY DOLENZ… PETER RIVERA ...TOMMY JAMES… TODD RUNDGREN... DAVE MASON... EDGAR WINTER... FRANK MARINO... GREGG ROLIE... IAN ANDERSON... JIM “DANDY” MANGRUM... JON ANDERSON... LOU GRAMM... MICK BOX... RANDY BACHMAN… ROBIN TROWER...ROGER FISHER... STEVE HACKETT... ANNIE HASLAM… ‘MELANIE’ SAFKA... PETULA CLARK... SUZI QUATRO... COLIN BLUNSTONE… DAVE DAVIES... JIM McCARTY... PETE BEST
THE ROCK STAR CHRONICLES
BOOK TRAILER
BOOK REVIEW
-By Literary Titan (5) STARS
The Rock Star Chronicles, by Ray Shasho, is a splendid book written by a music enthusiast who has poured their heart and soul into it. It’s a story of a boy who loved rock music, and his obsessive passion of it earned himself the name Rock Raymond. He went to school but instead was schooled in all matters of music while his peers were buried chin-deep in coursework. He then became a radio DJ and has now compiled a book on all interviews he held with Rock gods who raided the airwaves back in the 70s and 80s. It’s a compilation of interviews with outstanding vocalists, legendary guitarists and crazy drummers in the rock music scene. Each interview gives a reader an in-depth view into their personal lives and the philosophies that guide their lives which all serve to humanize these great icons. For readers who are old enough to call themselves baby boomers this book will bring old memories back to life. Millennials, on the other hand, may think of this book as a literal work of the Carpool Karaoke show.
The Rock Star Chronicles is a book I didn’t know I was waiting for. To come across a book that will talk me into trying something new. One brave enough to incite me to venture into new frontiers. This book made me a believer- I am now a bona fide Rock and Roll music fan.
Ray Shasho masterfully gets the interviewees talking. He smartly coaxes answers from them with crafty questions designed to get a story rolling out of them. The artists talk about diverse issues ranging from music, politics, and their social engagements. Having been on the music seen all his life, Ray Shasho knows the buttons to press, how to get them comfortable about talking about their lives.
The book’s cover is befitting of its subject matter with the leather look offering a royal background to the golden letter print. It speaks to how high a level rock music holds in the pecking order- arguably, modern music as we know it has originated from blues and rock music. The second noteworthy thing is the use of high-definition pictures to reference the musician being interviewed in every sub-chapter. This ensures that the book is for both original rock and roll lovers and aspiring new ones. Together is makes for a refreshing and consistently enjoyable read.
I recommend this book to rock music enthusiasts, aspiring musicians wondering what it takes and all readers curious to learn new things by going back in time.
Renaissance has had a long history spanning close
to 50 years since its formation in 1969. With several personnel changes in the
beginning years, the sound of the group eventually matured into a unique
blending of folk, rock, and classical music including the integration of a full
symphonic orchestra. Crowning all of this was the sound of the equally unique
five-octave voice of Annie Haslam. During their great success in the 70’s the
band toured extensively throughout the world in support of their numerous album
releases. Highlights of this era included three sold out concerts at Carnegie
Hall with The New York Philharmonic Orchestra and a sold-out concert at The
Royal Albert Hall with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Chorale
Society, all of which were recorded and released as ‘Live’ albums.
The woman whose crystal clear, high-flying soprano
vocals earned her worldwide attention as the lead singer of the English
classical rock band ‘Renaissance’ has recently achieved an entirely new
level of appreciation as an ‘Intuitive’ painter. Annie is able to ‘tune’ into
people, animals, situations, feelings and places, and portray them in her own
unique style.
On
canvas, Annie Haslam’s unmistakable world of sound is taken into unique vistas
of color and vibration, not unlike the flow of her five-octave voice.
Transporting the viewer to other worlds and through inner boundaries is her goal,
bringing healing, serenity and peace through her work.
With their musical virtuosity, five strong lead
voices, newest technological instrumentation and love for the music, they have
created a new sound taking them into a new age and performing the repertoire
with powerful precision across the world. This incarnation of Renaissance is
new and different and is nothing short of amazing!
Annie Haslam & Renaissance recently released
their new DVD entitled ‘A Symphonic Journey’ and are currently embarked on their
Day of the Dreamer Tour –in support of their new DVD/2CD set while performing selected
US dates this Fall.
Purchase the brand-new DVD/CD
set from Renaissance entitled ‘A Symphonic Journey’ at amazon.com
The DVD was filmed in
October of 2017 and included for the first time the addition of The Renaissance
Chamber Orchestra, a hand-picked group of 10 musicians, including strings,
woodwind, brass and percussion.
For this new DVD the band returned to the
Keswick Theatre, this time employing the use of track and boom mounted cameras to
create more up close and personal shots of the band and orchestra. The concert
also featured large screen projections of original paintings by Annie Haslam,
with corresponding titles to each song performed throughout the concert.
The DVD/2CD set will be
available from Amazon USA, Europe, and Japan.
Also don’t forget to
purchase a copy of my book entitled Check the Gs -the true story of an eclectic
American family and their Wacky family business ... available now at
amazon.com. You’ll live it!!!
Since the bands earliest incarnation, the progressive rock ingenuity of Renaissance
has been artistically mesmerizing audiences with experimental rock
infused by a classical motif. And since 1971, the haunting five-octave
range vocalizations for Renaissance have been alluringly characterized
by Bolton, Lancashire’s Annie Haslam.
Renaissance has performed on the most distinguished stages around the
world including Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra
and Royal Albert Hall in London with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
The group originated in 1969 with former Yardbirds bandmates Jim McCarty and Keith Relf. In an interview I did with McCarty last year, he talked about the evolution of the band. McCarty said,
“We started Renaissance and did a couple of albums with
Keith and his sister Jane, John Hawken, and Louis Cennamo. In
Renaissance, we sort of put in bits of Beethoven. We put an awful lot of
work into it and set it all up in my house when I lived in Surrey. We
rehearsed every day and just planned on getting this hour set together.
We’d go and play without stopping and finally had a whole set. Then we
played it around London and people just loved it. We were one of the
first prog-rock bands.”
The first incarnation released the self-titled debut album Renaissance (1969) and Illusion (1971). Renaissance became colonists for the genre and catalyst for subsequent progressive rock music artists.
By 1971, Jim McCarty and Keith Relf had left the band to begin other
projects. McCarty formed a classically provoked progressive rock band
called ‘Illusion’ with former Renaissance-mates, Jane Relf, John Hawken, and Louis Cennamo. Keith Relf formed ‘Armageddon’
in 1974 with Renaissance bassist Cennamo, Bobby Caldwell (Captain
Beyond, Johnny Winter) and Martin Pugh (Steamhammer). Keith Relf died in
1976 at his home by electrocution, he was 33 years old.
Also in ’71, Jane Relf was replaced with folk singer Anne-Marie “Binky” Cullum. John Tout replaced Hawken on keyboards; Michael Dunford became their guitarist, Jon Camp the bassist, and Terence Sullivan the drummer. Cullum’s vocals would prove to be short-lived; she left the band and was replaced with the awe-inspiring voice of Annie Haslam.
In 1972, the debut album for the new Renaissance lineup entitled, Prologue was released. The album’s lyrics were written by Jim McCarty, Michael Dunford, and lyricists Betty Thatcher
during a transitional period for the band. Mick Parsons was to be their
guitarist but sadly died in a car accident. Rob Hendry replaced him on
the album. Hendry was replaced for the Prologue tour by Peter Finberg. After Finberg left, Dunford returned and became their guitarist permanently.
The classic line-up of Haslam, Dunford, Tout, Camp, and Sullivan would prove to be the quintessence of Renaissance.
In 1973, Renaissance released, Ashes are Burning. Andy Powell of
Wishbone Ash played electric guitar on the title cut. The album
featured musical collaborations with an orchestra, which the band
embraced on many of their future classics. The album featured several
celebrated compositions, “Carpet of the Sun,” the intricate but surreal, “Ashes are Burning,” and the profound, “Can You Understand?”
In 1976, Renaissance followed Scheherazade and Other Stories with a double live album, Live at Carnegie Hall. The live album was succeeded by their next release, Novella (1977).
The band changed their musical direction while transformations occurred within the music industry. Subsequent releases, Azure d’Or, Camera Camera, and their final album Time-Line, diverted
the band from their progressive rock roots towards a pop music motif,
in search of commercial success. The group disbanded in 1987.
Annie Haslam released her self-titled album in 1989 and began touring as The Annie Haslam Band. She also moved to North America that year.
In 1993, Annie Haslam was diagnosed with breast cancer, and music
played a huge factor in the recovery process. Haslam says, "Surviving
breast cancer became another milestone in my life, awakening my senses
to my reality and showing me the true meaning of what I am here to
do".....sing, paint and make people laugh!"
In 1995, Haslam recorded the album, Blessing in Disguise which grasped her emotions while being treated during a time of uncertainty and anguish.
With her health under control, Haslam collaborated with guitarist Steve Howe of YES on the song, “Turn of the Century.”
In 2009, Renaissance triumphantly returned to celebrate their 40th
anniversary. Successful tours of North America and Japan featuring Annie
Haslam, Michael Dunford, and musicians from the 2001 incarnation would
follow including a release of a three-track EP of new songs called, The Mystic and The Muse.
In 2012-2013, Renaissance is touring and performing their two-part concert featuring their masterpiece albums, Turn of the CardsandScheherazade and Other Stories in their entirety.
Renaissance features the incredible duo of Annie Haslam –vocals and Michael Dunford –guitars, with Rave Tesar –keyboards and David J. Keyes –bass (Both former members of Renaissance and the Annie Haslam Band), also spotlighting Frank Pagano –drums and Jason Hart -keyboards.
Renaissance will be performing at the Capitol Theatre in Clearwater, Fl on Saturday, October 6th. To purchase tickets visit www.rutheckerdhall.com or call 727-791-7400.
NOTE: This show has been rescheduled for April 25th 2013.
A limited edition live in concert DVD and (2) CD set of their 2011 tour was released on August 14th and available to purchase on amazon.com.
Today, Annie Haslam is not only an accomplished
singer and songwriter, but also an artist and fashion designer. She
hopes to introduce a line of clothing that illustrates her art. Many of
her art works are for sale on her website at www.anniehaslam.com
Renaissance is currently working on a brand new studio album entitled, Grandine II Vento.
Annie Haslam charmingly performed a live excerpt from the album over
the phone for me. She performed a piece from a track they wrote in
tribute to Leonardo Da Vinci.
The piece was powerful, poetic, beautiful, inspiring, and almost
reduced me to tears (good thing Annie stopped singing when she did). The
early preview convinced me that the new album will be awe-inspiring. Watch for a release date sometime in January.
I had a wonderful opportunity to chat with Annie Haslam from her home
in Pennsylvania last week. I found Annie to be extremely charming,
profound, metaphysical … and hilarious!
Here’s my interview with legendary Renaissance songstress, songwriter, artist, fashion designer, and cancer survivor … ANNIE HASLAM. Ray Shasho: Hello Annie! It’s been a very strange week for interviews … none of them have started as scheduled. (Laughing) Annie Haslam: “Mercury is in Retrograde.” Ray Shasho: I knew there had to be a
logical explanation for all the befuddlement. You’re still living in
Bucks County Pennsylvania, what persuaded you on settling down there? Annie Haslam: “Bucks County is lovely … I
love it here. I married a man from North Wales, Pennsylvania in 1991,
and when we split up I really didn’t want to go back to England. I was
the only member of Renaissance that said they didn’t want to live in
America and I was the only one that ended up here. I just decided that
there was nothing for me and I had my own band here at the time and so I
stayed. It’s the best decision that I ever made. I believe my
ex-husband came into my life to save it because I had breast cancer
after we were married and was immediately taken care of so well. I don’t
know whether I would have had such speedy medical attention in England
to be quite honest.” Ray Shasho: I’ve heard that
healthcare is basically free in England but people may have to wait in
line for lengthy periods at a time for surgery or any other kind of
procedure. Is that true? Annie Haslam: “Exactly. The dental
situation over there is pretty horrific. I think the majority of
dentists are private now and not as many take on national health
patients, which is free or very-very cheap, and that’s difficult over
there.”
“One day we’re not going to need these bodies anyway; we’re all going to be little light beings floating around.” Ray Shasho: (Laughing) Very true. Renaissance will be performing in Clearwater, Fl at the
Capitol Theatre on October 6th and we’re all looking forward to a great
show. Annie Haslam: “I can’t wait to get to
Florida. I really wish we’d have some time to stay there but we’re going
to be traveling and playing and no time to look around or even see
Disney World. But we’re looking forward to it very much.” Ray Shasho: You’re an animal lover and an advocate for animal rights … as I am. What kind of furry friends share your household? Annie Haslam: “All my pets are adopted,
I’ve got three inside cats, a Himalayan (Joey) he’s seventeen, a
short-haired black domestic that’s twenty, then I’ve got Lilly, she’s a
gorgeous Siamese and about seventeen, I got her from Alison Steele the
deejay. Outside, I’ve got seven feral cats; they’re all fixed, they’ve
all got houses outside, and all have got names. Then I’ve got a couple
of foxes and they leave the cats alone because they’re just interested
in the food. I know I probably shouldn’t be feeding the foxes … but so, I
don’t know.”
“It’s a very difficult situation with animals because we’ve taken
away their homes with all these developments and people just can’t stand
them and tell them to get off their property. And it’s really not their
fault, especially with the Canadian Geese, its awful what they did to
the Geese.” Ray Shasho: The show that we are
going to see on this tour is basically from your latest live 2-set CD
and DVD. Renaissance will be performing Turn of the Cards and Scheherazade and Other Stories in their entirety. Annie Haslam: “For all the places that we
haven’t played we’ll be doing that show. The selections are just
fantastic and we have a new band, Michael Dunford and two of the players
that use to be in my band …and their just phenomenal. I think the sound
and the mix on the new CD/DVD set is also really great.” Ray Shasho: Annie, besides being an incredible vocalist and a gifted artist, you’re also a fashion designer? Annie Haslam: “My dream is to wear my art. A
local lady Pamela Ptak is a dress designer and is just fantastic, she’s
local but was down in Virginia and saw us performing. We were
performing the “Mystic and The Muse.” You know that was the first time
ever in the history of Renaissance that we got a standing ovation for a
new song, and we had it every night we played it. Anyway, after watching
that song Pamela approached me and said I’d like to do a dress for you
and then you can have it for the show. So I took it a step further and
told her that what I’ve always wanted to do was to print one of my
paintings on some silk and make it into a dress. She knew a lady in
Philadelphia who is also a designer and she’s done that with her
paintings and so that’s what we’ve organized. She got the woman to print
out the Muse … a painting of the Muse, and she’s made a top for it. We
have to remake the dress for the tour but it came out just brilliant.
But I would like to have a clothing line with all my artwork.” Ray Shasho: Being artistic opens the doors for so many possibilities. Annie Haslam: “I find it difficult to paint
at the same time when I’m singing … and not literally. (All laughing)
Can you imagine me being on stage painting and singing?”
“But it would be very difficult for me to start painting tomorrow
because I’ve got all these other things to do concerning finishing up
the recording, so it’s very difficult to shift gears because they’re
both so intense. But I’ll never say never again. I’ve said that I never
wanted to be in the band again, but I think I’m doing it for more
reasons now … I’m doing it because I think people need it, and need to
hear this new music … the new album is phenomenal.” Ray Shasho: How is the new album coming along by the way? Annie Haslam: “It’s coming great, next
Sunday I go back in; we have a few keyboard overdubs and then I’ve got
three lead vocals to finish off next week, and on the 22nd we’re
starting to mix. But we probably won’t be releasing it until January;
the election is going to take up a lot of space on this planet and most
people are going to be dealing with that and I think we’ll get lost in
it. We need our own space.” Ray Shasho: Progressive rock is intelligent music; I’ve always compared it to a religious experience. Annie Haslam: “Although a lot of it I don’t
understand. I loved Yes and the early Genesis, some of the newer bands I
find difficult to grasp. Too many changes and not enough melody …I’m
into strong melody. I like Magenta; they’re a Welsh progressive rock
band and are just wonderful.” Ray Shasho: So many British musicians have become famous after going to Art School. You also attended Art School? Annie Haslam: “I went to Art School in the
late 60s at Redruth in Cornwall to be a fashion designer. That was the
first thing that I really wanted to do. I studied photography,
typography, fabric design, fabric printing. I enrolled for a class on
watercolors …I went to one class and tried one painting and thought …I
don’t like this … because it dried before I’d done it (Laughing).”
“During my solo career … I traveled to Japan and Brazil with my own
band but was getting to the point when it was too much without proper
management. I couldn’t do it anymore, so I felt it was time to move on
to something else. I was very scared and didn’t know what was going to
happen, and then a voice in my head said its time to start oil painting
now. So I went out and bought everything that I needed. I bought a book
on oil painting and don’t know why because I don’t read. I read one page
and thought … I can’t be bothered with this (Laughing).”
“So, I didn’t do anything for about three months and just kept
looking at the easel. I had converted my sunroom into a studio. Then all
of a sudden … I woke up! That was the day I picked a Tiger Lily and
painted it. I didn’t read the book so I just made up my own style of
painting. It felt like someone was holding my hand. After that, I
started painting planets … not intentionally … and I painted five or six
a day … it was like I left the floodgates open.” Ray Shasho: Annie, your voice continues to amaze me, you sound remarkable. How do you keep your voice finely tuned the way you do? Annie Haslam: “I don’t practice … don’t smoke … I do
like wine and French Champagne. When I’m touring I try not to drink
because it can affect your voice. My attitude is my state of mind. I’m a
big believer in asking for help from your angels, and I’ve got no doubt
about that whatsoever. I usually do a ritual before going on stage to
give us all strength … and we just do it.”
“There are a few really big names out there whose voices are shot
because they carried on working nonstop, and most of them sing from
their throat and they don’t sing from their diaphragm. If you sing from
your throat, your voice is going to go eventually … there’s no doubt. I
sing from my diaphragm. I haven’t been singing constantly for the past
few years, other people have carried on constantly … so their voices are
shot.” Ray Shasho: Renaissance has always
projected somewhat of a mystical presence in the music and on stage. Are
you much like your music, metaphysically speaking? Annie Haslam: “I have a friend that worked
at Windsor Castle, and I ended up having lunch at Windsor Castle with
the Admiral, Sir Patrick Palmer and his wife, who was the Governor at
the castle at that time, I was asked to put together a concert to raise
money for St. George’s Chapel. It never happened but everything that
was going on around it was quite amazing, particularly lunch at the
Norman Tower which is haunted. I’ve always been drawn to Medieval
England since I was a kid in school growing up; I just absolutely loved
the middle ages. I always felt like I was at home when I was in the
castle, and I got to go in areas around the castle where the public
couldn’t go because my friend worked there … it was amazing. I had a
past life analysis done on me and was told that in a previous lifetime, I
was … Mary Queen of Scots, and in another lifetime … Anna of Bohemia,
Richard II’s wife.” Ray Shasho: The music scene can certainly use more of Renaissance these days. Annie Haslam: “I think
it’s a good time for us. The new album is really quite remarkable.
There’s a piece that’s twelve minutes long about Leonardo Da Vinci.
Michael Dunford and myself wrote it and it’s called,
“Symphony of Life”
and just gorgeous. I’m so thrilled; I can’t wait for people to hear it.
It starts off with Leonardo getting up in the morning and he’s an old
man, he goes to the window and pulls back the velvet curtains and the
light comes in. It’s all about the light coming and he connected with
the light.” During this time … Annie searched diligently for a recorded
excerpt of the new song, “Symphony of Life” to give me a sneak preview.
She found the music but without her vocals. So she decided to sing me an
excerpt from the track live. It was a rare and heartwarming treat
nevertheless. Annie Haslam singing, “Symphony of Life” over the phone to me from the new album Grandine II Vento. Annie Haslam: “When I was in the studio the
other day listening to this, I got all choked up. Leonardo came to me
and said, thank you Annie. I just knew it was him …and I cried my eyes
out.” Ray Shasho: Annie, the song is magnificent! Annie Haslam: “I’ve always loved Leonardo’s
work … we have so many things in common, he was a vegetarian, he was a
singer, a musician, an inventor, he bought caged animals and set them
free and he was called the Renaissance man. And so they call me the
Renaissance woman. It’s so obvious that we should have done this before
but it wasn’t the right time.”
“When I went to see the movie The Da Vinci Code, the guy who
did the music for the trailer … who also wrote it in Latin, contacted
me and wanted to do an album with me and another singer. I did the demo
but my voice was overpowering hers. He got back to me and said, “I’m
sorry, but your voice is too strong for the other singer.” I was so
devastated because it seemed like something was going to happen that was
connected to Leonardo Da Vinci. I was very upset … but I had to let it
go.”
“When I got home two days later, I was so inspired that I did a
painting called Leonardo Da Vinci. After I painted it, I noticed this
blob of white that turned into a dragonfly, and I didn’t do it on
purpose. Apparently, Leonardo Da Vinci painted 65 different kinds of
dragonflies … so I know that he’s with me.” Ray Shasho: Annie, there’s no doubt
that the new Renaissance album will be sensational, especially after
receiving a very special sneak preview today. I can’t wait for the
release sometime in January. Thank you so very much for spending time
with me today, and especially for the awe-inspiring music that
Renaissance has given to all of us over the years … and into the future. Annie Haslam: “Thank you Ray, I’m sure we’ll be talking again soon. Bye-bye!”
Renaissance will be performing at the Capitol Theatre in Clearwater, Fl on Saturday, October 6th. To purchase tickets visit www.rutheckerdhall.com or call 727-791-7400.
NOTE: This show has been rescheduled for April 25th 2013.
Renaissance official website www.nlightsweb.com (Concert tour schedule, music, and latest news) Annie Haslam official website www.anniehaslam.com (New paintings by Annie and her animal rescue site) Very special thanks to Howard Wuelfing of Howlin Wuelf Media.
Purchase Ray’s very special memoir called ‘Check the Gs’ -The True Story of an Eclectic American Family and Their Wacky Family Business … You’ll LIVE IT! Also available for download on NOOK or KINDLE edition for JUST .99 CENTS at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com-Support Ray so he can continue to bring you quality classic rock music reporting.
~~Pacific Book Review says Ray Shasho is a product
of the second half of the 20th century, made in the USA from parts
around the world, and within him is every trend in music, television,
politics and culture contributing to his philosophical and comically
analytical reflections collected in his fine book of memories. I found Check the Gs to
be pure entertainment, fantastic fun and a catalyst to igniting so many
memories of my own life, as I too am within a few years of Ray. So to
all, I say if you have a bit of grey hair (or no hair), buy this book!
It’s a great gift for your “over-the-hill” friends, or for their kids,
if they are the history buffs of younger generations trying to figure
out why we are the way we are.
