Andy Summers Exclusive: 'Police' Guitarist Unleashes Shrouded Mastery on ‘Circus Hero’

By Ray Shasho

Legendary ‘Police’ guitarist Andy Summers and Rob Giles of the Los Angeles based indie/pop/ rock outfit, ‘The Rescues’ have joined forces to form an incredible new rock group called ‘Circa Zero.’ With the new band comes a brilliant new CD entitled ‘Circus Hero.’ The new release is brimming with virtuosity and rock and roll tenacity! Circa Zero’s progressive/pop debut single is entitled “Levitation” and succeeded by a music video. The musical chemistry of Rob Giles superlative vocals and Andy Summers rock guitar artistry has inaugurated a crucial new rock syndicate.
Favorite tracks on ‘Circus Hero’ are … “Levitation” -A progressive/pop/rock intro at its finest … “Underground”- An awesome psychedelic/rock tune supported by incredible wah-wah effects ... “Say Goodnight” and “Night Time Travelers”- Excellent tracks led by Bono-like vocalizations … “Gamma Ray”- is extremely innovative! … “Underwater” –A monumental rocker! …“Light the Fuse & Run”-Great title/ intricate guitar riffs … “Hot Camel” -An extreme instrumental groove!
… I gave ‘Circus Hero’ by Circa Zero (5) Stars!

-You can purchase the brand new CD by ‘Circa Zero’ now at amazon.com.

ANDY SUMMERS: First entered the music scene in the mid to late 60’s. He was briefly a member of Eric Burdon & The Animals while recording one album with the band entitled Love Is (1968). The album spotlighted a 4 minute and 15 second solo by Summers on the Traffic cover track “Coloured Rain.” Side 4 of the album included a medley of songs by the Psychedelic rock group ‘Dantalian’s Chariot’ which included Andy Summers and Zoot Money. Summers also played with progressive rock pioneers Soft Machine for a short while. Andy also recorded and performed with acclaimed artists such as Kevin Ayers, Jon Lord, Kevin Coyne, and Michael Oldfield.
THE POLICE: formed in 1977 and were comprised of …Sting (lead vocals, bass), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums). The Police were highly regarded as one of the most important, successful, and eclectic bands throughout the late 70’s and 80’s, while helping to introduce a new musical genre called new wave. The Police achieved incredible worldwide mainstream success by integrating elements of reggae, punk, jazz, and rock into their music.
Some of their biggest hits included … “Roxanne,” “Can’t Stand Losing You,” “Message in a Bottle,” “Don’t Stand So Close To Me,” “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da,” “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” “Spirits In The Material World,” “Every Breath You Take,” (#1 Billboard Hot 100 Hit) “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” “Synchronicity II,” and “King of Pain.”
The Police have sold more than (75) million records worldwide, won (6) Grammy Awards, (2) Brit Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.
The Police broke-up in 1984 but reunited for a worldwide tour in 2007.

Since The Police disbanded, Andy Summers has released (12) solo albums. His solo projects gave Andy the fortuitousness to musically explore and create freely, including discovering an instinctive ability to compose. He’s written or collaborated on many film scores including …Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Weekend At Bernie’s, 2010, and Wild Life.

Summers has also become a critically-acclaimed photographer.
In 2006, Andy Summers released his autobiography entitled ‘One Train Later.”

I had the rare opportunity to chat with Andy Summers about his exciting new band with Rob Giles called ‘Circa Zero,’ and their brand new release entitled ‘Circus Hero.’

Here’s my recent interview with multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, photographer, and legendary guitarist with 'The Police' …ANDY SUMMERS.
Ray Shasho: Hey Andy!
Andy Summers: “Hey there Ray, how are you doing?”
Ray Shasho: ‘Circus Hero’ the new album … ‘Circa Zero’ the new band … a superb and brilliant new group loaded with rock and roll virtuosity & vigor! I think the band presents a genuine opportunity to grandstand your ingenuity as one of the finest guitar players in the world.
Andy Summers: “It was obviously great fun making this record, you can hear that in the tracks. Part of the fun for me was to be able to sort of build all of the guitar parts. I’ve got to say Rob was very cool about that because we would get a sort of basic track and try and get a decent enough drum part, you’d get a bass line, and as we’d sort of put the first thing down, I’d put down some sort of a guitar part and then Rob would leave. He’d say you know what to do … and leave me to it. So I would take the time to really get the sounds, the colors, and the guitar parts really right, including the solos. In other words, he didn’t hover over my back, so there’s nothing inhibiting me whatsoever and that’s the way I work best. I can take time and experiment until I feel the sounds are right. So that’s why I think the sound is so good on this record.”
Ray Shasho: Rob Giles has an incredible voice … I thought Rob’s vocals sounded a bit like Bono on several tracks of the new album.
Andy Summers: “I think he’s one of the best singers out there and one of the best voices I ever heard. I think there is a little bit of sound in the voice like Bono.”
Ray Shasho: Andy, I really liked The Police, but I’m so glad that this album doesn’t sound like The Police. You’ve demonstrated so many facets of guitar ingenuity on ‘Circus Hero’ that were never musically expressed while you were with The Police.
Andy Summers: “Yea, it’s more of a rock album with a different vocalist. A lot of people commented like that, saying it was really great that you cut out on this one. I’m pleased because I did. I thought I would play all the solos, go to all these textures and let it really come through …people really like it.”
Ray Shasho: I especially enjoyed the enhanced usage of the wah-wah.
Andy Summers: “It was right for the album, you get that rock and edgy tone to it with a wah-wah and it just seemed appropriate.”
Ray Shasho: My favorite track on the new album was “Underground,” kind of a psychedelic/rock tune but also very mainstream. Did you swap guitar licks somewhere on the album with Rob Giles?
Andy Summers: “No, all the guitar is me. Rob is the drummer on everything except three tracks, which we added after we finished the album. On those tracks we used Dan Epand who we thought was going to be in the band. But Rob plays bass, drums, and sings.”
Ray Shasho: Wasn’t there actually a lot of drummers considered for Circa Zero?
Andy Summers: “Oh my God, I think we’ve had nine drummers. It’s weird; I don’t know why we’ve had a hard time with drummers (All laughing). The truth is that the album is made by me and Rob and he plays drums very well, but I didn’t want him to be stuck behind a drum kit singing vocals in a rock band. At first I thought he’d play a little guitar and we’d get a bass player, but he also plays bass very well and he decided that he wanted to play bass. We had a girl from Canada for awhile and it was sort of a cool ideal to have a girl drummer, so we found her and she came to LA. Honestly, the trouble was she lived in Montreal and we could never get her to stay in LA. It just wasn’t working. Then we had this other guy that we thought was good but he was in another band. Finally we got this Danish drummer, Fredrik Bokkenheuser, who is a fantastic rock drummer and we’re going to play with him next week. He’s on the video that is on You Tube now, just a killer rock drummer!”
Ray Shasho: I also really enjoyed the track “Say Goodnight” on the new release.
Andy Summers: “That’s a very nice Pop Song. A lot of people just love that one; it will probably be our next single.”
Ray Shasho: “Light the Fuse & Run” … Wow, what a great title for a song!
Andy Summers: “Yea, that came later, as a track, it started out with that lick that I had and it kind of built up from there. So it was only lyrics and then Rob suddenly came in with this one … yea, “Light the Fuse & Run”… that’s kind of a rocker, so you find this, you find that, and you finally kind of agree on what’s really working … and we felt really good about that one.”
Ray Shasho: Andy, what is the lyrical meaning behind the song “Underwater?”
Andy Summers: “It’s all about what we’re looking at on the nightly news now …floods and fire in this country, denial of climate change and environmental related things because they want to make money, economic growth and all that, while ignoring the real problem. It’s a concerned song.”
Ray Shasho: “Hot Camel” is a really cool instrumental groove.
Andy Summers: “That was one of the last things we did. It was intended maybe for the next album and then the record company wanted more songs. So we said let’s make this an instrumental and stick this on. You can really hear the band playing and it just makes the album interesting. We felt, we’re coming out of the door with this one, so we should just make it great. Literally, value for money, there’s a lot of great music on this album. “
Ray Shasho: Will ‘Circa Zero’ be hitting the road soon to promote the new album?
Andy Summers: “Hopefully, we’re looking at some touring this summer, we’re just waiting for the phone to ring from our manager to tell us which one. We want to get out there and start playing it for real.”
Ray Shasho: Andy, here’s a question that I ask everyone that I interview. If you had a ‘Field of Dreams’ wish like the movie, to play, sing or collaborate with anyone from the past or present, who would that be?
Andy Summers: “Louis Armstrong. What a great singer, just fantastic! It all came from Louis Armstrong.”
Ray Shasho: Anything else you’d like to promote?
Andy Summers: “I think the new album is the main thrust of our lives at the moment. I’m doing a bunch of photography shows and going off to China in a couple of weeks. My movie entitled ‘Can’t Stand Losing You’ is coming out September 26th. It’s based on my autobiography called ‘One Train Later,’ and pretty much about my life as a musician, before The Police, and then throughout The Police. There’s some fantastic concert footage and a lot of my photography in it.”
Ray Shasho: Andy, do you think there will be another reunion with The Police?
Andy Summers: “It sort of seems impossible, I don’t think so, and I’m not hoping so. Sting calls me every day and I tell him not to call me again and leave me alone. But I don’t think so, unless it’s Vegas in like 2025 (All laughing). Time is changing, the world is changing, and you’ve got to cling on to whatever you’ve got. I’m hoping ‘Circus Hero’ goes through the roof.”
Ray Shasho: Andy, thank you for being on the call today, but more importantly for all the incredible music you’ve given us and continue to bring.
Andy Summers: “Thanks Ray, see you mate!”

Purchase the brilliant new CD by Circa Zero (featuring Andy Summers and Rob Giles) entitled ‘Circus Hero’ at amazon.com
Andy Summers/Circa Zero official website
The Police official website
Andy Summers/Circa Zero on Facebook
Andy Summers on Twitter
Andy Summers on Myspace
Purchase Andy Summers 'One Train Later: A Memoir' at amazon.com

Very special thanks to the amazing Kim Estlund

Coming up NEXT … My recent interview with the legendary Dan McCafferty -original lead singer for Nazareth
Coming SOON … The pioneer of ‘theatrical rock’ Arthur Brown of ‘The Crazy World of Arthur Brown’ (“I am the God of Hell Fire and I bring you …FIRE!”)
AND … Susanna Hoffs the remarkable and proficient lead singer of The Bangles

Contact classic rock music journalist Ray Shasho at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com
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 - Please support Ray by purchasing his book so he can continue to bring you quality classic rock music reporting.

“Check the Gs is just a really cool story ... and it’s real. I’d like to see the kid on the front cover telling his story in a motion picture, TV sitcom or animated series. The characters in the story definitely jump out of the book and come to life. Very funny and scary moments throughout the story and I just love the way Ray timeline’s historical events during his lifetime. Ray’s love of rock music was evident throughout the book and it generates extra enthusiasm when I read his on-line classic rock music column on examiner.com. It’s a wonderful read for everyone!” …stillerb47@gmail.com




© Copyright rayshasho.com. All Rights Reserved

Jann Klose Interview: The Next Generation of Essential Music and Artistry

By Ray Shasho

Pop/Rock singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jann Klose is not only the quintessence recording artist and live performer; he’s also a perfect paradigm for what the contemptible music mainstream ought to be promoting extensively over commercial radio airwaves worldwide.

JANN KLOSE has lived an intriguing life. Born in Germany, Jann was raised in Kenya, South Africa, and Hamburg. He came to the U.S. by way of Cleveland, Ohio as an exchange student and eventually began performing in touring productions of Jekyll & Hyde, Jesus Christ Superstar, and The Who’s Tommy.
Jann’s awe-inspiring songwriting, charismatic voice, and musical styles have been associated with such legendary artists as Paul McCartney, Julian Lennon, Sting, Paul Simon, Dan Fogelberg and many others. But Klose has undeniably conceived his own musical trademark and characteristics. Jann has shared the stage with such esteemed music artists as Hot Tuna, Rusted Root, Gary Lucas, Suzanne Vega, Annie Haslam and Renaissance, The Yardbirds, John Hawken (Spooky Tooth, Renaissance, and Strawbs), Roger McGuinn, Rosanne Cash, Pete Seeger and Les Paul.

Mosaic the latest album:

Most recently, Jann Klose released an incredible studio album entitled ‘Mosaic.’ ‘Mosaic’ is enticing, exceptional, and musically essential! Guest artists include guitarist Florian Opahle (Ian Anderson, Greg Lake), guitarist/record producer David Bendeth, flautist Tia Roper, and oboist Megan Marolf (Phillip Glass, Roger Waters). ‘Mosaic’ is also set to be released in vinyl very soon. Some of my favorite tracks are … “Make it Better” spotlighting crucial and relevant lyrical content. The song is also promoted in an avant-garde music video … The beautiful, graceful, and inviting acoustic serenade of “Still”… “Long Goodbye” features a superlative guitar performance by Florian Opahle. I also encountered hints of Julian Lennon idiosyncrasy on the track … The hip & bluesy, lyrical despairing “Falling Tears” was undeniably my favorite track … and next the breathtaking Tim Buckley cover entitled “Song to the Siren.” ‘MOSAIC’ is mesmerizing and magnificently all-embracing …I rated ‘Mosaic’ the latest CD by Jann Klose with (5) Stars.
Previous releases by Jann Klose include … (Sacrifice (EP), Reverie, Healthy Food for Thought, Black Box (EP), The Strangest Thing, and Enough Said).

Jann Klose tours extensively while performing 75-100 shows per year in the U.S., Europe and Asia. He currently has dates in the U.S. and Germany. Check out Jann’s touring schedule HERE.

Klose has (4) four nominations in the 13th Annual Independent Music Awards (IMA). You can vote for Jann Klose at www.independentmusicawards.com
Recently I had the wonderful privilege of chatting with Jann Klose about his latest music endeavor entitled ‘Mosaic,’ the current tour, music videos, collaborations, my infamous ‘Field of Dreams’ question and much-much more.

Here’s my interview with singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and next generation of musical proficiency artists …JANN KLOSE.
Ray Shasho: Hello Jann from beautiful sunny Florida.
Jann Klose: “Hello Ray from rainy New York.”
Ray Shasho: You’ve got kind of a mini tour going on and performed most recently in Ridgefield, Connecticut with Bret Michaels?
Jann Klose: “Yes, it was great. He had a pretty full house and rocked it! Bret thanked me and the crowd was really nice. It was at the Ridgefield Playhouse; I played there a couple of times and opened for Ben Taylor, James Taylor’s kid about a year and a half ago. It’s a really great room; the sound is great and the people that works there are great. So it’s one of those places that you want to keep coming back to, it’s just a comfortable place to play and a beautiful theater.”
Ray Shasho: You also performed ‘The Last Waltz Live’ at The Highline Ballroom in NYC … an All-Star re-creation of The Band’s classic concert film. You sang Van Morrison’s “Caravan” and there was also quite a lineup at that show?
Jann Klose: “Yes, I did Van Morrison’s “Caravan.” I told Michael Falzarano of Hot Tuna/ New Riders of the Purple Sage a story about one of my first gigs in college back in 1998-99. I opened for Jorma Kaukonen and Hot Tuna which is how they were billed at the time. I was so green and didn’t know what I was doing. But I asked Michael …do you remember when I opened for you guy’s at Peabody’s Downunder? He said, “No I don’t remember, but I remember the gig and I remember that I was there.” I said, that was probably a good thing because I walked up to Jorma and said … Hey, you guys want to do something together? I’m sure he doesn’t remember, but it’s one of those things that I wouldn’t do now. I wouldn’t walk up to the headliner and say, Hey man what’s up; do you want to do a song together? (All laughing)”
Ray Shasho: Nowadays you are collaborating with many of those legendary artists … Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds, and Annie Haslam of Renaissance. Does the list also include Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull?
Jann Klose: “I actually did play with Ian’s son James who has a band, and we’ve done stuff together in England. Annie and I have been writing together. I opened for Renaissance for their fortieth anniversary tour. But yes, these days are much different.”
Ray Shasho: One of the many interesting places you lived while growing up was in Nairobi, Kenya. Any amusing childhood memories?
Jann Klose: “My dad retired a few years ago and still goes to Mombasa twice a year and stays there months on end. He relaxes, enjoys the weather, and the Indian Ocean.”
“But I have a lot of memories about living in Kenya when I very young. We had a creek behind our house and it was fenced off and we were not supposed to be in there. Somehow my brother and I got out of my parents eyesight and walked into the creek. The creek wasn’t clean and they were concerned about infections, viruses, and what not. I just remember my dad seeing us playing in that little creek and freaking out. He ran up and grabbed us while screaming, “Oh my God, my children, you’re going to die!” So he was really freaked out, I remember that very vividly.”
Ray Shasho: Who were some of the artists that got you interested in becoming a professional musician?
Jann Klose: “It’s very across the board; I listened to a lot of classic rock growing up, but the person that really made me want to be a musician was actually Prince, believe it or not. When I first saw Prince and discovered him everything changed. I knew I wanted to be like that, although I’m totally different. He wanted me to be a performer.”
Ray Shasho: I thought ‘Mosaic’ your latest release… was enticing, exceptional, and musically essential. Would you say it’s your best album to date?
Jann Klose: “I’m proud enough to press a vinyl of it. We’ll have the vinyl release in a couple of months. I’m really happy with it and love the record.”
Ray Shasho: The first glimpse I had of Jann Klose was on the “Doing Time” video in 2010. I knew immediately that you were destined to become a very important artist. Critics are notorious for comparing great new artists to legendary performers, and your style has been correlated with the likes of Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, and Sting to name a few. But I hear Julian Lennon traits on many of your tracks.
Jann Klose: “Of course, I grew up listening to Julian Lennon a little bit. He’s a lovely guy. I was in a compilation with him in 2011 called ‘Healthy Food for Thought,’ and we got a Grammy nomination from it. From what I can tell, Julian is centered and very much himself, like Sean his kid brother, who is pretty together these days, and does his own thing.”
Ray Shasho: Both “Doing Time” and “Make It Better” are phenomenal music videos. They would have been played relentlessly during the heyday of MTV.
Jann Klose: “We did get a considerable amount of airplay with it. We charted with ‘Mosaic’ and made the first round for the Grammy’s. I got four nominations for The Independent Music Awards. So we got a really good reaction for it being an Independent release. As you know, the industry is not what it was, but we’re happy with the results.”
Ray Shasho: Another incredible track on ‘Mosaic’ is “Long Goodbye.” You’ve got Ian Anderson’s proficient guitarist playing awesome electric on several tracks on the new album?
Jann Klose: “Yes, Florian Opahle from Ian’s band played on “Make It Better” and “Long Goodbye.”
Ray Shasho: My very favorite track is “Falling Tears”… just a really cool tune. And of course “Song to the Siren” your Tim Buckley cover. You’ve developed a unique bond with the Buckley family?
Jann Klose: “It started when I discovered Jeff Buckley’s “Grace” in college, which became my favorite record. I started doing tributes in Chicago every year and that’s where I met Jeff’s mom Mary. Later I did a tribute in New York and that’s how I met Gary Lucas. And since then I’ve been working with Gary. That’s how I got the gig in the movie because he recommended me to the director. So it was just one of those things that happened and I didn’t expect. Artistically it was very-very satisfying, a career boost, and one of those lucky moments.”
Ray Shasho: Jann, your music ingenuity allows you to perform any given genre. I do worry about certain genres disappearing. Many of the musicians I interview say those genres hopefully will circle back again soon someday.
Jann Klose: “The one thing that I do hope is that people continue to support the arts as much as they can. I think that’s something we always have to remind people to do. It’s one of those things where people assume that all of that stuff is paid for. Even that Bret Michaels show the other night … that was an expensive tour. It costs a lot to go on the road and bring all those people with you. A lot of what you make goes right back into it. The one thing that you can’t download for free is a live show. It’s very much a reflection of society at large. We have a big gap between rich and poor and also a big gap between the few major label artists that are still left and this huge pool of Indie musicians.”
Ray Shasho: You have four nominations for the upcoming Independent Music Awards (IMA)?
Jann Klose: “Yes, there’s a panel of judges including …Raul Midon, Heart's Ann & Nancy Wilson, Suzanne Vega, Sharon Jones, G. Love, and the Smithereens' Dennis Diken. So they’ll vote and the results come out in May. Then there’s an audience vote that will be publicized in July. It’s significant and great to be honored in that way. We submitted to them for years and never got anything, and then all of a sudden this year I got four nominations.”
Ray Shasho: Jann, what do you hope to accomplish with your music over the next five years?
Jann Klose: “We’re doing the vinyl release of ‘Mosaic’ and I’m hoping to release a live album later this year. I’m also working on a record with Gary Lucas and I’m touring more in Europe. I’m doing all the things that I want to do, so just keep growing, writing, and changing.”
Ray Shasho: It has to be remarkable about all the support you’ve received from so many classic rock legends.
Jann Klose: “Yea totally … Jim McCarty, Annie, Ian, Gary, and just lots of folks. I have a great agent in Germany that I work with that is wonderful. It’s tough out there so you need that kind of support. It’s great to see some of the classic rock legends helping out the young up and coming artists. Hopefully I can do that in twenty or thirty years from now.”
Ray Shasho: Jann, here’s a question that I ask everyone that I interview. If you had a ‘Field of Dreams’ wish like the movie, to play, sing or collaborate with anyone from the past or present, who would that be?
Jann Klose: “In modern times … I would say Joni Mitchell or Led Zeppelin. Someone from the past … it would be somebody that’s old school from the 1920’s-30’s in the Berlin Theater world. I would transport myself back to those early times because I have a feeling it would be a blast!”
Ray Shasho: Jann, thank you for being on the call today but more importantly for all the incredible music you’ve given us and continue to bring.
Jann Klose: “Thank you buddy… you take care in Florida.”

Purchase ‘Mosaic’ the latest CD from Jann Klose at amazon.com
Vote for Jann Klose for the 13th Annual Independent Music Awards (IMA) at www.independentmusicawards.com
Jann Klose official website
Jann Klose on Facebook
Jann Klose Twitter
Jann Klose on Myspace

Very special thanks to the incredible Anne Leighton of Leighton Media: * Music Services*Motivation

Coming up NEXT … My recent interview with Andy Summers (The Police, Circa Zero)
And coming SOON …Original lead singer of Nazareth Dan McCafferty

Contact classic rock music journalist Ray Shasho at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com
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 - Please support Ray by purchasing his book so he can continue to bring you quality classic rock music reporting.

“Check the Gs is just a really cool story ... and it’s real. I’d like to see the kid on the front cover telling his story in a motion picture, TV sitcom or animated series. The characters in the story definitely jump out of the book and come to life. Very funny and scary moments throughout the story and I just love the way Ray timeline’s historical events during his lifetime. Ray’s love of rock music was evident throughout the book and it generates extra enthusiasm when I read his on-line classic rock music column on examiner.com. It’s a wonderful read for everyone!” …stillerb47@gmail.com


© Copyright rayshasho.com. All Rights Reserved

Chris Thompson Interview: Ex- Frontman for Manfred Mann’s Earth Band Releases New CD

Chris Thompson releases 'Toys & Dishes'

By Ray Shasho

Chris Thompson legendary Manfred Mann’s Earth Band lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter, most recognized for singing the #1 hit/ classic rock radio anchor “Blinded by the Light” has released an extraordinary new CD entitled ‘Toys & Dishes.’ It’s Thompson’s first studio release in over ten years. Released by Esoteric Antenna/ Cherry Red Records …the album consists of pure driven rock & roll tempos while enchanted by powerful lyrical content. …I gave ‘Toys & Dishes’ by Chris Thompson (4) Stars.

MANFRED MANN and drummer Mike Hugg founded the British Beat /R&B/ Psychedelic/ Pop/ Rock/ band Manfred Mann in 1962. Manfred Mann scored a huge hit with their cover “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” (#1 Billboard Hot 100 hit in 1964) and played an important role with the British Invasion. The first incarnation of Manfred Mann also spawned the hits “Sha- La- La” (#12 U.S. 1964), and “Pretty Flamingo” (#29 U.S. 1965) with Paul Jones as lead singer.
Manfred Mann’s second incarnation began with singer Mike d’Abo. In 1968, the band generated a hit with the Bob Dylan penned “Mighty Quinn” (#10 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 hit).Over the years Manfred Mann featured such bandmates as Jack Bruce and Klaus Voormann.

MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND was formed in 1971. The third incarnation began while lead singer and guitarist Chris Thompson took over the frontman duties in 1974. Thompson was born in Ashford, Kent, England but raised in New Zealand. After joining the band as their new lead singer, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band scored huge with their #1 hit song penned by Bruce Springsteen “Blinded by the Light” (1976). The tune remains a mainstay on commercial radio stations. The Manfred Mann’s Earth Band track also became the only #1 hit written by Bruce Springsteen. The Earth Band toured excessively and released many other popular recordings including another Springsteen composition entitled “Spirits in the Night,” “Davy’s on the Road Again,” “You Angel You,” and the Top 40 hit “Runner.”

In 1979, Chris Thompson left Manfred Mann’s Earth Band but returned periodically through 1999. Thompson recorded seven solo albums including two albums with his band Night. Chris also scored Top 40 hits with “If You Remember Me,” “Hot Summer Night, ” and perhaps his biggest hit co-penned with Andy Qunta (Icehouse), Keth Reid (Procol Harum), and Maggie Ryder entitled “You’re the Voice” performed by John Farnham.

Chris Thompson has collaborated with The Doobie Brothers, Roger Daltry, Alan Parsons, Ray Charles, Rita Coolidge, Michael McDonald, Bonnie Tyler, Isaac Hayes, Jan Hammer, Jennifer Rush, Heart, Mike Oldfield, Brian May, Bob Geldof, Mavis Staples, Paul Rodgers, Joe Walsh, Steve Lukather, Ian Gillan, and Starship to name just a few.

In 2004, Chris toured with Jeff Wayne’s musical version of ‘The War of the Worlds’ while finishing in 2010 with 21 sold-out shows in England.
In 2005, Thompson rejoined Manfred Mann for 22 sold-out shows in Germany with “Night of the Proms.”

Chris Thompson also released an album featuring Big Band and Orchestra music entitled ‘Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me’ in 2012.

I had the great pleasure of chatting with Chris Thompson about his incredible new album ‘Toys & Dishes’… the inception of “Blinded by the Light”… Manfred Mann’s Earth Band … touring… and much-much more.

Here’s my recent interview with singer, songwriter, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and legendary frontman for Manfred Mann’s Earth Band … CHRIS THOMPSON.
Ray Shasho: Hi Chris, you’re in Belgium?
Chris Thompson: “I am.”
Ray Shasho: You’ve begun a tour that kicks off soon in Norway?
Chris Thompson: “We’ve actually already done ten gigs in Germany at the end of last month. We’ve had a little bit of time off so I can do a radio promotions tour in Germany. I wouldn’t say we’re touring but we are doing four or five gigs in Norway beginning next weekend, then we go into festivals in the summertime. We’ll be touring properly in October-November. But these days, at least for me anyway, touring is not what is used to be. Thank goodness in a lot of ways. We used to tour America and never knew where we were going.”
Ray Shasho: I’ve always admired the way musicians traveled and performed on lengthy worldwide tours.
Chris Thompson: “Touring has never really been ridiculously hard. I never did up and down the motorway in a transit van, like most people, which is the hardest kind of touring. I think probably what we do now, the travelling is fairly difficult in Norway… it’s always been difficult in Norway. But I think in Germany we have it easy, our journeys aren’t too far. I would think the worst time was in America when we were taking a scheduled flight, which was the worst because you’d have to be up at ridiculous times to catch the scheduled flight to wherever you were going. You’d be in New York one day and then Atlanta the next day… then Los Angeles and Chicago … I think that was very-very difficult. But that was early before we were successful enough to organize our own tours.”
Ray Shasho: Chris you grew up in New Zealand, what was the music scene like there?
Chris Thompson: “The music scene was very isolated. There was a New Zealand Rolling Stones, the equivalent of, and a New Zealand Beatles as it were. The New Zealand well-known bands were Ray Columbus & the Invaders, Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, and then there was a bunch of bands doing cover music which was what I did. I played in one band that did just Blood Sweat & Tears and Chicago music. Now the New Zealand scene is quite active, there are a lot of bands doing their own material and has been for the last 10-15 years. But when I was growing up in New Zealand there was mostly cover bands unless you were lucky enough to be one of those successful bands. On the other hand, it was fantastic because I got to sing all sorts of different styles, songs, and paid my dues doing that, which was great really.”
Ray Shasho: Who were some of the American music artists you grew up listening to… and was American music easily obtainable in New Zealand?
Chris Thompson: “Your records were easily available. English musicians listened to The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Kinks, Manfred Mann, and all the pop kind of stuff. I listened to an awful lot of jazz. The American bands that influenced me were Blood Sweat & Tears, Chicago, and I listened to a lot of Edgar Winter, they were kind of jazz/rock/pop. I listened to a lot of blues obviously. I grew up doing a lot of Sam & Dave covers, James Brown, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, and all of that. Then into the pop music genre and by the 70’s we were listening to the Eagles and The Doobie Brothers.”

‘TOYS & DISHES’ the new album

Ray Shasho: Speaking of the blues … “Woe Is Me” was my favorite track on ‘Toys & Dishes’ the new album … I absolutely love that tune! Have you ever recorded an album devoted solely to the blues?
Chris Thompson: “Thank you so much, no I have not. Whatever albums I have done, I’ve always done some kind of blues song. It was actually a couple of blues songs that we were going to do for this album and they just ended up not fitting in with everything else. “Woe Is Me” came from the very first song I wrote for the record and it got changed at the very-very last moment. On the album I made it a very big point to try to make a booklet that would be worth people reading and looking at. I took a page for each lyric and then wrote some comments about what was meaningful to me about the lyric, or I’d put some photographs related to the song in some way or another.”

““Woe Is Me” has got a little tag on the bottom which says, “If it wasn’t for Johnny Cash this song would be in D major (All laughing).” It was in D major all of the time until the very end and it didn’t sit correctly for me. I was listening to the radio and heard a Johnny Cash song and I went s**t, what would happen if I played it in a minor key. So I just started playing it and came right at the last moment. I’m glad you like it because it’s really kind of a sarcastic funny song. But a lot of people like it. I got a letter from a friend of mine who’s worked with Randy Newman, I sent him a copy of it and he said that was his favorite song.”
Ray Shasho: The album is a monumental mix of music. Most of the tracks are upbeat but you’ve also recorded a beautiful acoustic composition entitled … “Dream Away Little Girl.”
Chris Thompson: “When we were trying to put the album together, I was struggling where to put that ‘Dream Away’ song, so I just imagined that I was making an album that had two sides. So that’s why at the end of “Hey You” the track before ‘Dream Away’ has got a little record clink, just to kind of give people a hint that we were going to change over and listen to the other side, which is styled totally differently from the first side.”
Ray Shasho: ‘Toys & Dishes’ spotlights intriguing lyrics as in “Million Dollar Wonder Hit” and “Millie Christine.”
Chris Thompson: “We try to tell some stories and inject a little bit of humor into what we are doing, and “Million Dollar Wonder Hit” is definitely tongue-in-cheek, it’s for my life and a million other people’s lives. I sang a number one hit that I didn’t write and wrote a number one hit that I didn’t sing. So I’m hoping that I can write one and sing one but it’s difficult, it’s always been difficult, but nowadays it’s more difficult than anything, I’m glad that I’m not a young musician starting off anyway.”
Ray Shasho: There are a lot of great musicians out there that will never have a legitimate opportunity to be showcased on mainstream radio. Radio station owners are more interested in playing an outrageous amount of commercials rather than providing the public with admirable entertainment.
Chris Thompson: “Everybody plays the same thing! I just can’t believe it! If you go back to the 70’s when you used to open a Billboard magazine and see what somebody in New York was playing or in Chicago was playing … it would be nothing like what was being played in LA or in New York. I had a song called “If You Remember Me,” it was released and nobody really played it at all. Then one station in New York started playing it and became a top request. And because it was a top request and remained a top request on that station, in the end other stations thought … well gee, I guess we’ll play it. Everywhere they played it people began asking for it more. Eventually it got up to number four or something like that on the charts. I think it was six or seven months from the first entry until it got to the top and that just doesn’t happen anymore. A radio station won’t play a song and believe in it anymore… it’s very sad.”
Ray Shasho: Chris, talk about the players in your touring band?
Chris Thompson: “It’s the same band that I’ve had for thirteen years and they come from Norway. The guitarist is Mads Eriksen, bass player is Frank Hovland, the keyboard player is Gunnar Bjelland and he was the only one that played on the record. It’s so difficult to fly people in and out to do a record because you just have to get things done; otherwise it’s a waste of money. So I decided that I would take my time and do stuff at home. In the end I brought Gunnar over for a couple of days on several occasions. But it’s the same touring band I’ve had for thirteen years and they’re a fantastic band. We do a very good show and I’m very lucky. We’ve been having some fun playing the new songs; in fact just before you called I was sitting down listening to the recording and always thinking of ways to improve things and ways to make the music a little bit more alive instead of just playing the music from the record.”
(Other band members include Szolt Meszaros and Steinar Krokstad on drums).
Ray Shasho: Any chance of touring in the U.S. again soon?
Chris Thompson: “I’d be there in a shot if somebody would ask us. I still have a couple of friends who deejays in Los Angeles …Joe Benson and Cynthia Fox and they always play Manfred Mann and talk about me which is very nice. I sent them the new record, so I’m hoping they will start the American Revolution by playing something new. But we’re going to try everything possible to get this record played in America. All the ABC radio news stations picked up the fact that I made a record and it was amazing. So it was very nice that people are still interested that I’m making new records. I think for America, “Dark Side” is the song for me, the one with the piano intro … for me that’s the song for America. But I’m really happy with this record and I’m going to really concentrate on it until the end of the year. We’ve got a lot of exciting things coming up, we’re playing in Kiel in the north of Germany at a great festival called Kieler Woche and we’re playing an hour of our music with an orchestra. So I’m really-really happy about that. So we’re going to keep plugging away and look for that breakthrough.”
Ray Shasho: Manfred Mann continues to tour with Mick Rogers?
Chris Thompson: “He’s always on the road …him and Mick… they’re the two originals of the Earth Band.”
Ray Shasho: The band Manfred Mann has evolved into many diverse and commercially successful facets during their career. An early #1 hit with “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” (1964) and probably their most successful #1 hit single “Blinded by the Light” by a revitalized Manfred Mann’s Earth Band in which you were the lead singer and guitarist. How did the band select that Bruce Springsteen tune?
Chris Thompson: “Manfred was given the album by a deejay in Philadelphia called Ed Sharkey, a fantastic man, he’s dead unfortunately, he knew Manfred and loved Manfred’s Earth Band and he just brought the record and gave it to him and said listen to this, I think you could do something with a couple of these tracks. When I joined the band, Manfred was fiddling around with “Blinded by the Light” and I never had heard Springsteen’s version until I went and saw him live in 1977 in Montreal. So Manfred just sang me the song and said this is how it goes. I didn’t want to listen to the original and be swayed by it in any way. So I never heard it at all, we just sat around a piano and Manfred said this is the way it goes. Then we worked it out with the band and the rest is history.”
Ray Shasho: Did the band actually change some of the original lyrics to the song?
Chris Thompson: Originally it was … ‘Cut loose like a deuce, another runner in the night’… and we replaced it with … ‘Wrapped up like a deuce, another runner in the night.’ (Note: the song lyric around the web states … ‘Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night’) I think one of the major reasons it was a hit as well is because nobody could understand the lyrics (All laughing). But when a record gets played and played and played it becomes a hit.”
Ray Shasho: Of course Manfred Mann’s Earth Band had other hits as well like … “Davey’s On The Road Again,”“Runner,” and several other Springsteen penned tracks … “Spirit in The Night” and “For You.”
Chris Thompson: ““For You”…with me singing it was on the German dance charts for about 132 weeks. A band called The Disco Boys did a dance version of it and is very-very good actually. I’ve been playing piano and voice version of that song for fifteen years. We mix it up and kind of do a disco version of it now and a lot of people love it.”
Ray Shasho: Your biggest hit was co-penned with Andy Qunta (Icehouse), Keth Reid (Procol Harum), and Maggie Ryder called “You’re the Voice” and performed by John Farnham.
Chris Thompson: “It continues to be a very good track for us. It’s found its way into all sorts of things like movies … and funny enough; the Australians use it almost like their national anthem. I remember I was in Australia when it was a hit. I was driving with John I think and I had the radio on and drove into a gas station to get some gas. “You’re the Voice” was being played and I could tell where it was being played on the song that it wasn’t what I was listening to on the radio. Then I went to the next gas station and it was also being played there, but at a different place as well. So it was being played on three different radio stations at the same time. It was insane. On You Tube there’s a great version of Coldplay doing “You’re the Voice” when they were in Australia … it’s really great.”
Ray Shasho: A YouTube video that gets millions of hits is “Blinded by the Light” on The Midnight Special … the band performed flawlessly on the show.
Chris Thompson: “The funny thing about The Midnight Special was the Eagles were on that night as well. It was at a time when the band was falling to pieces and they didn’t want to play with each other anymore. They kept stopping every thirty seconds and theirs was a prerecorded thing. Ours was done in one take but the Eagles kept doing it again. It became too embarrassing so they asked everybody to leave.”
Ray Shasho: Chris, here’s a question that I ask everyone that I interview. If you had a ‘Field of Dreams’ wish like the movie, to play or collaborate with anyone from the past or present, who would that be?
Chris Thompson: “If I go back to when I was in Manfred Mann’s Earth Band …one of the greatest live bands in my opinion was Edgar Winter and Rick Derringer. At the time I would give my eye teeth to play with them. I was lucky enough to be on stage with The Doobie Brothers every night for nine months. That was pretty fantastic. I think as far as writing is concerned …if I could sit in a room with Elton John, Bernie Taupin and myself and written a couple of songs, I think that would have made me pretty happy.”

“I went back to New Zealand one time and they asked me who I would really like to work with and I chose Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, The Doobie Brothers and the Eagles. Those were the four people that I wanted to work with. I’ve worked with Ray Charles and the Doobies; I sat in the studio with Aretha while she was working, and never worked with the Eagles. But to have written with Elton John and Bernie Taupin or be in a band with Edgar Winter and Rick Derringer would be unbelievable, listening to that ‘Roadworks’ album… it’s just phenomenal.”
Ray Shasho: Rick Derringer lives very close to where I live here in Bradenton.
Chris Thompson: “You tell him hello from me, I did a lot of gigs with him. He was fantastic; he’s the only person I knew that used to dress down for a gig in the 70’s. He was such a dapper dresser, always perfectly dressed. When he came in he’d put on an old pair of jeans with a ripped knee, sneakers, and a T- shirt and go on and do the gig (All laughing).”
Ray Shasho: Chris, thank you for being on the call today but more importantly for all the incredible music you’ve given us and continue to bring.
Chris Thompson: “My pleasure Ray, thank you!”

Purchase Chris Thompson’s incredible new release ‘Toys & Dishes’ [Here] or amazon.com
Chris Thompson official site:
Chris Thompson on Facebook:

Very special thanks to the great Billy James of Glass Onyon PR
Coming up NEXT … My recent interview with Jann Klose

Contact classic rock music journalist Ray Shasho at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com

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“Check the Gs is just a really cool story ... and it’s real. I’d like to see the kid on the front cover telling his story in a motion picture, TV sitcom or animated series. The characters in the story definitely jump out of the book and come to life. Very funny and scary moments throughout the story and I just love the way Ray timeline’s historical events during his lifetime. Ray’s love of rock music was evident throughout the book and it generates extra enthusiasm when I read his on-line classic rock music column on examiner.com. It’s a wonderful read for everyone!” …stillerb47@gmail.com


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Jack Bruce Interview: ‘Rock’ Icon Releases Brilliant New Album Entitled ‘Silver Rails’

By Ray Shasho                                  Jack Bruce 1943-2014  RIP

Jack Bruce is the esteemed bassist, lead vocalist, and songwriter for an array of legendary bands and distinguished musicians. Most notably, Bruce was a key member with the British rock power trio Cream which featured Eric Clapton (guitars, vocals), Ginger Baker (drums, vocals) and Jack Bruce (bass guitar, lead vocals). Bruce handled most of the lead vocalist and songwriting duties for Cream, recognized as one of the most revered groups in rock history.

Bruce wrote or co-wrote such Cream classics as… “I Feel Free” (1966), “We’re Going Wrong” (1967), “Sunshine of Your Love” (#5 Hit in1968), “White Room” (#6 Hit in 1968), “Politician” (1968), and “Doing That Scrapyard Thing”(1969). Bruce co-penned many of those classic tracks with poet & lyricists Pete Brown. Cream remained a group for less than three short years. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. The original lineup reunited briefly in 2005.

When you think of well-respected quintessential musicians, Jack Bruce immediately comes to mind. Bruce has performed in such bands as … Alex Korner’s Blues Band Inc., the Graham Bond Organisation, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Manfred Mann, Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse, Cream, Lifetime, West, Bruce & Laing, Jack Bruce & Friends, Robin Trower, Ringo’s All-Star Band, and The Big Blues Band.

Jack Bruce almost joined Marvin Gaye’s band when he was in his early 20’s.


Bruce fronted many other bands that included artists …Carla Bley, Mick Taylor, Billy Cobham, Simon Phillips, Tony Hymas, David Sancious, and Gary Moore .

Jack Bruce is a multi-instrumentalist and has collaborated on albums with Frank Zappa, Lou Reed, and Kip Hanrahan to name just a few. Bruce also wrote “Theme for an Imaginary Western” which was performed by classic rock legends Mountain.

The critically-acclaimed ‘Seven Moons’ (2008) was Jack Bruce’s most recent album with longtime friend and collaborator Robin Trower.

‘SILVER RAILS’ NEW RELEASE:

JACK BRUCE has recorded 14 solo albums, but his highly anticipated new release ‘Silver Rails’ may be his very best yet. It’s his first studio release in more than ten years. The album was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. I gave ‘Silver Rails’ (5) STARS.

‘Silver Rails’ is an all-embracing blend of pure innovative musical genius, while complemented by brilliant lyrical content. The album features legendary guest artists … Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music), Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions), Robin Trower, Bernie Marsden (White Snake), and others. Many of the lyrics were co-penned with Cream lyricist Pete Brown, long-term collaborator Kip Hanrahan, and Jack’s wife Margrit.
‘Silver Rails’ is available NOW on CD, Vinyl or as Digital Download. The limited edition deluxe version of the album comes with a behind the scenes documentary DVD filmed on location at Abbey Road Studios. -Released on Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Red Records.
You can purchase ‘Silver Rails’ [HERE] or at Amazon.com.

I had the rare pleasure recently of chatting with legendary bassist, singer, and songwriter Jack Bruce to talk about his highly anticipated new release ‘Silver Rails.’

Here’s my interview with Cream legend, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Lifetime Grammy Achiever, and just an incredibly nice man … JACK BRUCE.
Ray Shasho: Hello Jack!
Jack Bruce: “How are you doing Ray?”
Ray Shasho: Did you have a rough winter in the UK?
Jack Bruce: “It was very wet and there was so much rain here that you wouldn’t believe it. It rained for like six months. It was very bad, a lot of flooding.”
Ray Shasho: I’d like to dive in and talk about your new album ‘Silver Rails.’ “Reach for the Night” was definitely one of my favorite tracks.
Jack Bruce: “I think that’s also one of my favorites because it’s kind of biographical isn’t it. To me it’s like a film noir version of me. I can see myself in the Philip Marlowe look, wearing the fedora and smoking camels.”
Ray Shasho: The first track of Silver Rails is entitled “Candlelight” which has a Calypso flavor to it.
Jack Bruce: “You being from Florida and not far from Cuba … I was over there a couple of years ago with Phil Manzanera who plays guitar on “Candlelight.” We went over there to play with some Cuban musicians and we became good friends. He’s a great guy and guitar player. So when I wrote that I thought I needed to get him on there.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, I’ve always admired the collaboration between you and Robin Trower. Robin and you perform together on the song “Rusty Lady” which is about the death of Margaret Thatcher? Talk about the track.
Jack Bruce: “Yea, I thought it was a lot like “Politician.” So I said to Pete Brown, let’s write a more modern version of “Politician.” So while trying to write something more up to date he came up with the death of Thatcher. So I thought, okay then, that’s cool. But the song is about … a lot of changes came out of that period in the 80’s in this country, and we’re still feeling the effects of it, like economically. I’m no politician but I do feel that a lot of damage was done because of misguided principals and the country is still suffering from it. You’ve got to write some stuff that has something to say.”
Ray Shasho: I really enjoyed all your work over the years with Robin Trower. I was saddened to hear of the loss of Robin’s wife recently.
Jack Bruce: “Yes, it was just terrible. He really had a bad time for years. I’m feeling for him right now, he’s a beautiful guy.”
Ray Shasho: One of my favorite albums with you and Robin was B.L.T. (1981).
Jack Bruce: I liked ‘Seven Moons.’ Robin is much underrated but I think he gets more recognition in the states and I’m glad to see that. I’m sure he’ll be touring again soon because he loves to tour. He toured nonstop. With his wife going like that it was very hard for him and he had to cancel a lot of tours. He’ll be back, I know him, and he’s a wonderful guy. He’s one of those hard workers who gets out there and plays.”
Ray Shasho: Were you trying to model ‘Silver Rails’ after your first solo album … ‘Songs for a Tailor’?
Jack Bruce: “Yes, it was sort of like a template, because when I did my first album, I didn’t just want to do a blues rock thing like Cream, great as it was, I wanted to do something different. I wanted horns … wanted to play piano, cello, and just wanted to do different things. This is my fourteenth album and I think that’s what I was trying to do, just continue that diverse thing. I listen to a lot of different kinds of music and rather than just doing one thing when I make an album, the challenge to myself is to write all these diverse tracks, but to make them work. It’s like a jigsaw because if you’ve got a lyrical track going into a hard rock track …it’s got to work. You’ve got to write things that will work together.”
Ray Shasho: Pete Brown and Kip Hanrahan collaborated with you on various tracks on the new album. We all know about your relationship with Pete Brown that began back in your Cream days, but you’ve also established a bond with Kip Hanrahan over the years.
Jack Bruce: “Kip Hanrahan wrote “Hidden Cities.” It was through Kip I got to know about Cuban and Afro-Cuban music. He had those great bands and we used to go to New York a lot. We made some really cool records. I learned a lot from Kip, he’s one of my closest friends. So he just came over to my house and wrote that lyric, but that was just an excuse to get him to come and hang out. Although he hates trees, he gets kind of fidgety when there are trees around (All laughing).”
Ray Shasho: You played a beautiful piano on “Industrial Child.”
Jack Bruce: “I played piano on the entire album. Because we recorded at Abbey Road, they had a bunch of wonderful pianos there among other things, so I was able to choose each piano for each track, which is a great thing. Working at Abbey Road was such a joy.”
Ray Shasho:”Hidden Cities” is another great track, the song could easily be a soundtrack to a movie.
Jack Bruce: “Love that track … that’s my version of Metal (Laughing). That’s why I’ve got Uli Jon Roth on guitar because he’s been with the Scorpions and all that. He understood that track immediately and got it.”
Ray Shasho: When was the last time you worked at Abbey Road?
Jack Bruce: “Over the years I’ve been in and out of there on sessions, but the last album I made was actually in 1965, so that’s going back a bit. It’s just fantastic that place, the music just oozes off the walls.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, how did you decide on ‘Silver Rails’ as a title for the new album?
Jack Bruce: “I know this wonderful artist called Sacha Jafri who painted the cover and some other pictures on there. I’m very fortunate to know him; he’s a friend of mine and probably one of the most well known artists in Britain. I asked him if he would improvise. I gave him a bunch of titles that I might call the album, and so he listened to the album and painted the cover. He did that and said “You’ve got to call it ‘Silver Rails’ because that’s what I was thinking.” I always create a bunch of funny titles and then end up with one.”
Ray Shasho: You have a wonderful sense of humor. In an interview you did, you said that many of the personal issues between you and Ginger Baker occurred because Ginger didn’t have a sense of humor …is that true?
Jack Bruce: “Well he’s got his own sense of humor, I don’t understand. He doesn’t get my humor that’s for sure. I think I’m a pretty funny guy but then I guess a lot of idiots do (Laughing). If you haven’t got a sense of humor you’re making your life a hundred times harder. It doesn’t matter what happens to you, if you can have a laugh about it, and don’t take yourself so serious, you have the battles halfway won.”
Ray Shasho: Who were some of the artists that got you interested in becoming a musician?
Jack Bruce: “As far as the big name influences I would say Charlie Mingus, a great bass player and American composer. I played upright bass. I wanted to write great tunes, play the bass, be a band leader, and smoke a big funny pipe like Charlie Mingus. So I went out and bought the pipe when I was around 18 or 19 years old. You know even women smoke a pipe in Glasgow. I worked with Carla Bley and she smoked a pipe, which I find fascinating. She worked in a band of mine with Mick Taylor.”
Ray Shasho: They used to say that James Brown was the hardest working man in show-biz … I think it’s Jack Bruce!
Jack Bruce: “That’s nice of you to say so but I have to take my hat off to James Brown. He was amazing. Another one of my influences over the years who is also a hard worker is Albert Collins. ‘The Ice Man’ they called him. He was a fantastic guitar player. I like the people who work hard in their career and on stage. He was one of those guys who had the big long guitar cable and would go in the audience. He said to me, “Jack, don’t forget you’re just an entertainer when it comes down to it.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, you’ve played with so many legendary artists … and you were actually asked to play in Marvin Gaye’s Band?
Jack Bruce: “I was man, when I was around 21 or something like that. We did this TV show and we just got to talking and he said let’s go to your place. We sat up all night talking about music. Then he asked me to join his band. Of course I was thrilled to be asked but at the time I couldn’t do it. I was going to get married a couple days after he asked me, I couldn’t not show up at the wedding. I don’t know the way things have panned out; maybe I should have gone to Detroit.”
Ray Shasho: You’ve been extremely successful crossing into various genres, not only on the new album but throughout your music career.
Jack Bruce: “Yea, that’s what I do. But I think people who basically do one thing like Eric Clapton is great, although he has crossed over more in recent years, doing a bit of jazz here and there. But I’ve always enjoyed playing different kinds of music and playing with different kinds of musicians because I find that really interesting, like learning and working with Kip Hanrahan. There’s a great conga player called Milton Cardona and he taught me a lot of the nuances, he’s a Santeria Priest and so he knows his onions as it were.”
Ray Shasho: You wrote lyrics on Frank Zappa’s ‘Apostrophe’ album?
Jack Bruce: “I wrote “Apostrophe,” just the one track. That was simply Frank Zappa who I got to know when Cream first went to New York. Eric and I used to go to this little theater in the Village and Frank used to do these mad things in the afternoon. At these gigs he would gather hobos off the street and give them a ukulele or something, I thought this guy’s outrageous; and then of course I had the first Mothers of Invention album and fell in love with him. Frank was very kind and helpful to me. He liked my singing. He called me up when I was in New York and asked me to come down to the studio and play some cello. I told him that I didn’t have my cello with me; it’s not something I carry around that much. He said we can rent one. I told him that you can’t really rent a cello, it’s very personal. So I went down to the studio and there was this really terrible cello and I tried to play it but it sounded awful. Frank said, “Oh well, why don’t you just play bass guitar.” So I played on “Apostrophe” with Jim Gordon on the drums and Frank. Then when he mixed it, it had that sort of distorted sound I used in Cream.”
Ray Shasho: You also worked with Lou Reed on the ‘Berlin’ album?
Jack Bruce: “That was fun because the drummer was Aynsley Dunbar who also worked with Frank. It was kind of funny to me because Lou Reed was pretty out of it actually. There was Bob Ezrin who was producing it. When I finally heard the finished product, I thought wow, this Bob Ezrin is good, and he’s really taken it somewhere else.”
Ray Shasho: I was a huge Rory Gallagher fan …one of the most energizing performances I’ve seen you do was a You Tube video with Rory doing “Politician” on the German music television show Rockpalast … what a jam!
Jack Bruce: “Rory and I should have done more together.”
“I was a big fan of Gary Moore, he was my buddy and I miss him a lot. I loved his playing because you’ve got that passion; it was sort of a Celtic thing. The Irish and Scots they just go for it and not too worried about looking good. When I was in the states touring, I landed in Seattle to do a gig and one of the fans came to me and told me about Gary’s death. It was very hard for me to carry on, it was awful.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, you’ve worked in numerous band configurations prior to the inception of Cream … Blues Incorporated, the Graham Bond Organisation, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Manfred Mann, Eric Clapton with Powerhouse. And although Cream was only together for about three years, it appeared that you finally found the musical chemistry you may have been searching for.
Jack Bruce: “I definitely was. I had worked with Eric a little bit with John Mayall, but he left the band quite soon after I joined. But it wasn’t because of me (All laughing). He left the band because he wanted to do this world tour, but he got as far as Greece. Then he saw this butcher shop with this lamb hanging up and all the flies crawling all over it and he said I’m going home. That’s the story anyway. I didn’t play with him much with Mayall. The Powerhouse thing was purely a get together thing that Joe Boyd did …the great record producer. So we did that and it was great fun. As soon as Cream got together for the first time, we all knew that there was magic there.”
Ray Shasho: You wrote or co-wrote many of the classic tracks for Cream.
Jack Bruce: “Well somebody had to do it (All laughing).”
Ray Shasho: I would have thought there’d be a little more songwriting collaboration at that time.
Jack Bruce: “That was really done because of the management. They just worked us so hard. When we were off the road, which was briefly, we just didn’t have time. Later on in the 70’s people always said we were going to go and get it together in the country… that was the phrase. But we never had that. We were making so much money you can’t fret about it. They didn’t want us to stop, because every time we had a day off they were losing money. They just kept us going because I think they thought it wasn’t going to last, and it didn’t last as long as it might have because of that. We had a shortsighted and really terrible manager. He just kind of worked the band to death. The one thing that would have kept the band alive would have been if we all got together and co-written the songs, but we never had the chance to do that.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, I’m really going to put you on the spot now …Do you think Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton was the better blues guitarist?
Jack Bruce: “That’s a hard one, but I would say Eric. Simply because Jimi was this force of nature, and I don’t even think of him as a great blues guitarist, he was something else, like from another planet. Just this amazing force and he was a friend of mine. But it’s very difficult to say whose better. Eric had such a great knowledge of the blues; he knows the blues inside out, like a musicologist. So I would have to say Eric, but that’s probably out of loyalties love.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, here’s a question that I ask everyone that I interview. If you had a ‘Field of Dreams’ wish like the movie, to play, sing or collaborate with anyone from the past or present, who would that be?
Jack Bruce: “It’s a tricky one for me. We nearly had a band with Jimi Hendrix and Tony Williams. We were talking to each other about forming a band with those guys and I would have loved to see what would have happened if the three of us had got together. So I would say Jimi and Tony Williams.”
Ray Shasho: Final thoughts Jack?
Jack Bruce: “I’ll probably be doing some gigs in the UK later on in the year and hopefully get to the states, do the odd festival here and there. But I’m going to be taking it nice and easy. I just really like what I’m doing …enjoying life. I bought a wonderful new house in New York. I just want to go hang there and write some more songs and then get back into Abbey Road … I’ve got the recording bug back. It’s not a bad life.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, thank you for being on the call today but more importantly for all the incredible music you’ve given us and continue to bring.
Jack Bruce: “Ray, I really appreciate speaking to you and it’s been very interesting.”

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Very special thanks to Chip Ruggieri of Chipster PR

Coming up NEXT … My recent interview with Chris Thompson former lead singer and guitarist of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (“Blinded by the Light”)

Contact classic rock music journalist Ray Shasho at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com

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