Year in Review: Ray Shasho reflects on a busy 2011 for Classic Rock Music

By Ray Shasho


Classic Rock Music Reporter Ray Shasho never imagined that one day he’d be interviewing all of his favorite rock & roll heroes, and especially at the frequency and magnitude that 2011 exhibited.
In 2011, Ray conducted 23 in-depth interviews with legendary artists from the world of music and television. Shasho also reviewed 14 live events during the year.
Here are the Top 10 rankings for the most popular interviews of the year based on readership page views. (Note: Facebook likes/shares have been reset several times on many articles due to Examiner restructuring their look).

1-  JON ANDERSON: “I’ll return to YES when they wake up” -Interview with Ray Shasho http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/jon-anderson-i-ll-return-to-yes-when-they-wake-up-interview-with-ray-shasho
2-  PAT SIMMONS of The Doobie Brothers: Interview with Ray Shasho http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/orlando-calling-festival-review-interview-with-doobie-brothers-pat-simmons-review
3-  ERIC BURDON -Animals immortal songster speaks with Examiner Ray Shasho http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/eric-burdon-animals-immortal-songster-speaks-with-examiner-com
4- TONY LEVIN Interview with Ray Shasho: Levin Torn White new release and review http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/tony-levin-interview-levin-torn-white-new-release-and-review
5- MARK FARNER Grand Funk Railroad’s Captain Raps with Examiner Ray Shasho http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/grand-funk-railroad-s-captain-mark-farner-raps-with-examiner-ray-shasho
6- TOMMY JAMES (Shondells) Interview with Ray Shasho: 'Me, the Mob, and the Music' http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/interview-if-it-hadn-t-been-for-mobster-morris-levy-there-d-be-no-tommy-james
7- MARK LINDSAY: Paul Revere & the Raiders Charismatic Superstar Speaks With Ray Shasho http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/paul-revere-the-raiders-charismatic-superstar-speaks-with-ray-shasho
8- TODD RUNDGREN: Exclusive Interview with Ray Shasho  http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/exclusive-interview-todd-rundgren-talks-utopia-reunion-with-examiner-ray-shasho
9- GREGG ROLIE: Santana and Journey original lead singer speaks with Ray Shasho http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/santana-and-journey-original-lead-singer-gregg-rolie-speaks-with-ray-shasho
10- KIM WILSON Interview: Blues Frontman of The Fabulous Thunderbirds http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/kim-wilson-interview-we-played-straight-blues-and-we-were-militant-about-it


Honorable Mentions…

BILLY SHERWOOD Interview: discusses the Progressive Rock of CIRCA… ‘And So On’ http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/interview-billy-sherwood-discusses-the-progressive-rock-of-circa-and-so-on-review
RONNIE MONTROSE Interview: "We're Going Out and Tearing It Up!" http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/ronnie-montrose-interview-we-re-going-out-and-tearing-it-up
DAVE MASON: Feelin'Alright in an Interview with Examiner Ray Shasho http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/dave-mason-is-feelin-alright-an-interview-with-examiner-ray-shasho
JOE LYNN TURNER: Rainbow/Deep Purple vocalist chats with Examiner Ray Shasho http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/rainbow-deep-purple-vocalist-joe-lynn-turner-chats-with-examiner-ray-shasho
JIM McCARTY: Yardbirds Exalted Drummer & Songwriter Speaks with Ray Shasho http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/yardbirds-exalted-drummer-songwriter-speaks-with-examiner-ray-shasho

Here are the Top 10 rankings for the most popular concert reviews for the year based on readership page views. (Note: Facebook likes/shares have been reset several times on many articles due to Examiner restructuring their look).

1- ORLANDO CALLING FESTIVAL: Review http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/orlando-calling-festival-review-interview-with-doobie-brothers-pat-simmons-review
2- FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE! Incredible performance for sold out Ruth Eckerd http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/review-frampton-comes-alive-incredible-performance-for-sold-out-ruth-eckerd-review
3- DANGEROUS DAN' TOLER: Benefit headlines Dickey Betts-Bonnie Bramlett-Blackhawk http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/dangerous-dan-toler-benefit-headlines-dickey-betts-bonnie-bramlett-blackhawk
4- THE HAPPY TOGETHER TOUR at Ruth Eckerd Hall was Far Out, Man! http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/the-happy-together-tour-at-ruth-eckerd-hall-was-far-out-man-review
5- JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS rock huge crowd in Tampa http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/joan-jett-and-the-blackhearts-rock-huge-crowd-tampa-review
6- DICKEY BETTS: Allman Brothers Band guitar legend plays benefit in Sarasota http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/allman-brothers-band-guitar-legend-dickey-betts-plays-benefit-sarasota
7- HIPPIEFEST : A resurgence of the flower children and the music that mattered http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/hippiefest-a-resurgence-of-the-flower-children-and-the-music-that-mattered-review
8- KANSAS and THE LITTLE RIVER BAND rock out at Fun N' Sun Fest http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/kansas-and-the-little-river-band-rock-out-at-fun-n-sun-fest-review
9- MONTROSE Review: Masterful and Powerful at Largo Cultural Center http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/review-montrose-masterful-and-powerful-at-largo-cultural-center-review
10- "GIVING HUNGER THE BLUES" Block Party Rocks Sarasota http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/giving-hunger-the-blues-block-party-rocks-sarasota-review


Honorable Mention’s …

ACE FREHLEY: KISS Guitarist Rocks the Forum in Tampa http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/kiss-guitarist-ace-frehley-rocks-the-forum-tampa-review
JEFF BECK: shares a day in the life at Ruth Eckerd Hall  http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/jeff-beck-shares-a-day-the-life-at-ruth-eckerd-hall-review
KISS ARMY: largest social network on the planet http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/kiss-army-largest-social-network-on-the-planet
JOHNNY WINTER: Live at the Capitol Theatre http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/johnny-winter-live-at-the-capitol-theatre-review
FOGHAT Review: Quick boogie at Jannus Live Rocks the House http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/review-foghat-quick-boogie-at-jannus-live-rocks-the-house-review
Ray also added a new segment to his column in 2011 called ‘Classic Rock meets Classic TV’

And the winners are…

1- STANLEY LIVINGSTON Interview: A Chat with Chip from 'My Three Sons' http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/classic-tv-a-chat-with-chip-stanley-livingston-of-my-three-sons
2- BARRY LIVINGSTON Interview: 'The Importance of Being Ernie' http://www.examiner.com/classic-rock-music-in-st-petersburg/barry-livingston-chats-with-ray-shasho-about-the-importance-of-being-ernie-review


I want to thank all the public relation firms, artist management, concert promoters and venue staff that I’ve worked with throughout the year, but especially to the Examiner readers who have graciously surfed their way to my column.
Also special thanks to photographer Mark Weaver for some remarkable shots in 2011.
2012 should be an even bigger year. Watch for more in-depth interviews and concert reviews.


Order author/columnist Ray Shasho’s great new memoir Check the Gs –The True Story of an Eclectic American Family and Their Wacky Family Business. Get your copy today at amazon.com, iuniverse.com, barnesandnoble.com or borders.com.

Pacific Book Review says …Ray Shasho has quite a memory, especially when it comes to what songs played on the radio during important times throughout his youth.  Combining his nostalgic recant of  Billboard’s Top 100, like some infomercial for a Time-Life Oldies CD collector’s set, along with his detailed whimsical recollections while growing up, and you have the “soundtrack ” for a truly enjoyable story called Check the Gs: The True Story of an Eclectic American Family and Their Wacky Family Business. 

Contact Ray Shasho at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com

© Copyright rayshasho.com. All Rights Reserved

Exclusive Interview: Norman Greenbaum reveals the true origin of “Spirit In The Sky”

 By Ray Shasho


When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that’s the best
When I lay me down to die
Goin’up to the spirit in the sky

Norman Greenbaum is considered by many music experts to be a one-hit wonder.  But when the lyrics to that particular hit meant so much to so many and with eternal impact… then who cares?
Greenbaum’s “Spirit In The Sky” echoed an inspirational message of optimism for hope of an afterlife. The song reached #3 on the Billboard charts and sold two million singles by 1970, and during an important transitional period in music that witnessed Album-Oriented Rock formats overshadowing Top 40 singles on the airwaves.
Greenbaum created one of the most recognizable guitar riffs in rock and roll history using an industrial fuzz tone. Released in 1969, “Sprit In The Sky” has stood the test of time. Greenbaum states, “Motorists actually still pull over to the side of the road when they hear the song being played on the radio.” And the song continues to be a heavily requested tune at funerals.
 Rolling Stone magazine ranked “Spirit In The Sky,” #341 on the list of top ‘500 Greatest Songs of All Time.’ Countless musicians have mimicked their version of the celestial composition including Elton John, DC Talk, Darrel Mansfield, The Stovall Sisters (The back-up singers on the original recording), Doctor and the Medics, Nina Hagen, and Norman’s favorite cover version, The Kentucky Headhunters. 

“Spirit In The Sky” has been featured in countless movies, TV series and commercials. The song has also been spotlighted on the 2008 music video game- Rock Band 2, enlightening a whole new generation of “Spirit” advocates.

Norman Greenbaum began a music career as a member of Dr. West’s Medicine Show and Junk Band. Their sole hit was, “The Eggplant that Ate Chicago” (#52 on Billboard’s top 100) in 1966. Greenbaum departed the band and began a solo career under the direction of producer Erik Jacobsen (Lovin’ Spoonful, Sopwith Camel, Chris Issak).
Raised of the Jewish faith, Greenbaum states that there wasn’t much resentment from the Jewish Community over his Christian-like lyrics, especially his reference to Jesus. The only true criticism came from the Christian side who were not very pleased with his lyric… “Never been a sinner I never sinned.” Greenbaum says, “I just didn’t know better at the time.”

Today Norman Greenbaum is 69 years old and lives in Northern California. His 1969 metaphysical one- hit wonder continues to be adored and emulated by countless fans. Most recently Peter Frampton covered, “Spirit In The Sky” on William Shatner’s latest album, Seeking Major Tom.
Norman enjoys sponsoring races at the local fair. He says, “All it consists of is getting around thirty friends together, having a party, and getting your picture taken with the winning racehorse.” He’s also won a bunch of blue ribbons entering various works.

Here’s my interview with Songwriter/Vocalist/Guitarist/Rock and Roll Icon/ and a very amusing and hip guy… Norman Greenbaum. (We had to reschedule the original interview date because Mr. Greenbaum was feeling a bit under the weather).
Ray: Hello Norman, are you feeling better?
Norman: “I’m feeling better; I had some kind of an on and off flu. When you get older you don’t shake it so quick.  I got a flu shot and the thing hurt like hell. I mean, I always get one but it doesn’t matter because I still get sick a couple of times… can’t cover everything. But this year it hurt! And I got it at a doctor’s office, so if they don’t know how to give one than no one does.”
Ray: Norman, do you still compose and play music?
Norman: “I’m always trying to compose. It’s kind of interesting these days because music has changed so much. Actually, I was sitting here thinking to myself, the production values have just gone way off in an odd direction, not exactly disco but certainly heavy dance music, and these repeating phrases, and I wonder if I could write a song like that.”
“But I’ve been doing a few gigs here and there just as a guest artist and it may lead to something for next spring, hopefully, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Ray : The airwaves have really changed over the years but I can still tune in somewhere on the dial  and catch, “Spirit In The Sky” from time to time.
Norman:“I take great pride in the fact that… on my website, I get emails all the time, people will write to me and say, “I still listen to the oldies stations and they play your song and I still have to pull over  because it’s just too powerful.”” 
Ray: Anytime I hear “Spirit In The Sky” being played it always sounds so fresh, like an unexpected surprise. And the staying power since it was first released in 1969 is amazing.
Norman: “It totally amazed me, I was happy to have made it. It was a risk, I almost didn’t make it, then it made it, and then it went away. Years later it got recorded by a couple of other people and became number (1) two more times in England. Then it took on a life in movies, TV, commercials, and heavy duty play on radio. I’ve talked to deejays that say we don’t play it anymore and people get mad.”
Ray: Who would have thought that “Spirit in The Sky” would be written and performed by someone of the Jewish faith?  
Norman:“Yea, but I’m a writer and I’ve always thought I can write about anything I want to write about. I was into all kinds of music from jug band music to country music. I was taken by Porter Wagoner, he’d wear these snazzy coats that he’d got from Nudie’s in North Hollywood and had a big pompadour. And he was kind of interesting. He had a show on TV and I’d watch it. One day he’s singing this song about a preacher and I said, “Wow that’s a little out of my league to write about preachers and stuff, but I can do it.” And that’s what I did. But it had nothing to do about having a religious background. Many people thought I was tongue- in- cheek and making fun by saying, “Never been a Sinner” but basically I didn’t know any better. I just did it at the top of my head and put music to it that was unbelievable when you think of a spiritual type of song and it was very risky. But as it developed, the producer and I both knew we had something.”
Ray: The song still sounds so clear and crisp even today. 
Norman: “We specifically mixed it on small speakers so it would sound good in a car. We were smart enough to know that and I remember having the conversation with Eric the producer saying, “It’s got to sound good in the car.” People drive and they listen to the radio…back then. There were no cell phones you had to stop and make a call, life was way different. The radio in your car was IT! Wherever you went the first thing you did was started your car and then turn on your radio. That was it (one and two) three didn’t matter.”
Ray: You were originally from Massachusetts and then actually came to Los Angeles to start a band?
Norman: “I moved to the San Francisco area from LA and actually started in Boston.I started my first band Dr. West’s Medicine Show and Junk Band in LA and did that for a few years. Then I didn’t want to do it anymore and wanted to become a solo artist. So I put bands together until one finally clicked and we were playing at the Troubadour and Eric Jacobsen who had produced the Lovin’ Spoonful happened to walk in. He heard me and then came backstage and said, “I’d like to sign you.” Just like that! He said, “I don’t want the band, move up to the Bay Area and let’s write songs and produce something, see what we can do.” And so that’s where “Spirit” got born.”
“If you ask me what I based “Spirit In The Sky” on… What did we grow up watching?  …Westerns!  These mean and nasty varmints get shot and they wanted to die with their boots on. So to me that was spiritual, they wanted to die with their boots on.”
Ray: So that was the trigger that got you to write the song?
Norman: “Yes. The song itself was simple, when you’re writing a song you keep it simple of course. It wasn’t like a Christian song of praise it was just a simple song. I had to use Christianity because I had to use something. But more important it wasn’t the Jesus part, it was the spirit in the sky. Funny enough… I wanted to die with my boots on.”
Ray: Being Jewish, did you receive any flack from the Jewish community?
Norman: “I think at first it was a little hard to conceive but it seems to have gone away. I still get strange letters from heavy Christians that find it appalling that I said, “Never been a sinner I never sinned” and I’m truthful in writing back. I say… “You know, I flubbed that part. So what are you going to do?””
Ray: You told me earlier that you were divorced and living alone, do you have children Norman?
Norman:“I have two. They’re around the age of forty, my son lives in Alaska and my daughter lives close here. And I am a Grandfather.”
Ray:  I’ve got to ask, I always wondered about the similarities of ZZ Top’s, “La Grange” guitar riff compared to, “Spirit In The Sky.” Do you think that was just a coincidence?
Norman:“It’s interesting when you pull apart those beats between Canned Heat (“On the Road Again”), me, and ZZ Top, they’re very similar yet it’s different enough to be different. I think we all just ripped off the old guys from the 1920’s who laid down this beat. If you go back and listen to all the black music from the 20’s you’ll probably recognize all of rock and roll. We all have our influences and there are just so many notes. But again, if you listen to, “Spirit In The Sky” there are notes in there that are way different and to the ordinary ear it may sound alike.”
Ray:  Do you think that your song may have been a precursor for “Jesus Christ Superstar” or “Godspell?”
Norman:  “I don’t think so. I think just the hippie thing, the love thing, and the flower children were spiritual, so… I don’t know.”
Ray: But you contributed religion and Jesus into the spiritual mix.
Norman:“I brought the heavy industrial fuzz box into it. (All laughing) That’s what I did. I loved it when someone coined that phrase.”
 Ray: Who were some of the bands that you toured with after, “Spirit In The Sky” was released?
Norman: “I don’t think we toured with one band, we just showed up. We opened for the Doors, The Moody Blues, and played the same gigs with Lynyrd Skynyrd, John Mayall, and we got to headline a little too.”
Ray: Did you get to hang with Jim Morrison?
Norman: “No, he was not available to hang with a Norman Greenbaum. (Laughing) And I didn’t care because the gig was in Hawaii, I just wanted to play and go lay on the beach.”
Ray: Norman, do you have a good road story that I can share with my readers?
Norman: “We were playing in Atlanta and opening up for Delaney and Bonnie. The gig was at this rather old Hall and Delaney and Bonnie had done their soundcheck and there were sparks flying, so they hiked and refused to play because the wiring was faulty. So the whole gig was going to be cancelled but I said, “Oh, we’ll play” and sparks did fly, the wiring was faulty and we had to be very careful not to electrocute ourselves.”
Ray: Man, you could have been easily electrocuted and really had become the, “Spirit in The Sky.”
Norman:  “Wouldn’t that have been ironic.”  Here’s another road story… we did a gig at the Whiskey a Go Go and then we drove up to San Luis Obispo in California to play a club there where we played regularly. When we got there I didn’t feel good and felt like I had a fever, so I asked the drummer to take me to the emergency room because something was definitely wrong. When I got there they wouldn’t let me in, not because I had long hair but because I had the measles. They said, “We can’t let you in here” and I said, “I’ve got insurance.” They said, “You have a communicable disease…you have the measles.” So somewhere in LA I got the measles visiting peoples families.”
“So I had to go back to the motel and lay low for a few days with a fever and the measles. Then there’s this knock on my door and I said, “Who’s that?” And the voice said, “It’s Ted Nugent,” I said, “Ted Nugent? You can come in my room but I’ve got the measles.” He said, “No problem I’ve had the measles.” I said, “What are you doing in San Luis Obispo?” He says, “I’m just passing through.”
“Now here’s the story here… I don’t know if it was an illusion, a delusion, a dream, or if he actually knocked on my door. I’ve never met him and was never able to find out. I pretty much think it was a dream… I had a fever! So it was kind of funny. (All laughing)”
Ray: Well, if Ted Nugent is reading this article; Ted, have you ever visited Norman Greenbaum at his motel room in San Luis Obispo, California when Norman had the measles?
A lot of bands covered, “Spirit In The Sky.” I really liked, The Stovall Sisters version.
Norman: “They did a pretty good version in fact I’m doing a guest appearance in February, locally here, and they’re going to be there also backing me up again, probably the first time in… ever. They were on the original and sang background for me on a number of songs. They live in Oakland and we occasionally speak. So I’m really looking forward to it.”
Ray: I also noticed covers by Darrel Mansfield, DC Talk, and Elton John did a decent cover version of the tune.
Norman: “Well, it was also covered by The Blind Boys of Alabama, and of course there was Doctor and the Medics and Gareth Gates, and those were the two that became huge hits again all over Europe…huge hits!”
Ray: Who played your favorite cover of “Spirit In The Sky?”
Norman: “I think I like the one by The Kentucky Headhunters the best, although The Blind Boys of Alabama is an interesting track because Charlie Musselwhite played harmonica and I think the guitar player was from Los Lobos.”
 “I got an email from Porter Wagoner’s daughter years after, they’d never known about my story because we totally travelled on different circles, and she said, “It just came to my attention that when you did a couple of interviews that you mentioned my dad being an influence on you. He would have liked to have met you.” I thought to myself, wouldn’t that have been a cool thing. But we did exchange hats…she has a “Spirit In The Sky” hat and I have a Porter Wagoner hat.”
Ray: Wouldn’t it have been cool if he had done a cover of the song?”
Norman:  “Yea, wish for something too late, huh?”
“But I do think it’s time someone else does another cover of the song, so put out the word. (Laughing)”
Ray: Norman, thank you so much for being on the call today. I’ve got a good feeling that “Spirit In The Sky” will continue to be played on the airwaves for years to come. And younger generations will soon be rediscovering a truly classic song.  Norman, if you’re ever in Florida look me up.
Norman: I sure will Ray, so long.

Norman Greenbaum official website http://www.spiritinthesky.com/
“Spirit In The Sky” Film and TV credits http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1178546/
last.fm http://www.last.fm/music/Norman+Greenbaum
I want to thank Billy James of Glass Onyon Publicity for arranging this interview.
Official website http://glassonyonpublicity.wordpress.com/

*This article is dedicated to a very dear friend who passed away this month and is now a “Spirit In The Sky.” Jerry Gerard and I attended broadcasting school together back in the late 70’s in Ft Lauderdale, Fl. I’ve always considered myself a music aficionado, but Jerry took it to another level. He started his radio career at WCCF in Punta Gorda, Fl. His illustrious radio career included working at WCEZ/West Palm Beach, WINZ/Miami, WSVN-TV/Miami, WMBM/Miami Beach, WRRX/97X Gainesville, Fl, WRVG/Georgetown, Kentucky, WUIN/Wilmington, NC and WNRN/Charlottesville, VA.
Jerry's persistence and insistence to carry on a successful broadcasting career was truly commendable. And his love and passion for the music helped him endure. Jerry Gerard was a warm and sincere friend and I will miss him very much.
I love you man.



Contact Ray Shasho at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com




© Copyright rayshasho.com. All Rights Reserved

Interview/Review: Janet Robbins ‘Song of the Gypsy Tree’: Mesmerizing and Magnificent

By Ray Shasho


In the world of mundane so-called superstars that repetitively get shoved into our subconscious, it’s truly invigorating to be absorbed by an emerging and untainted virtuoso. She’s Janet Robbins. An inventive and enchanting songstress, who composed, produced and performed all the instrumentation on her latest masterpiece, amply titled, Song of the Gypsy Tree. The CD projects an eclectic mix of sounds, imagery, and energy that embraces the mind and spirit.  
Janet Robbins grew up in a Nashville household that included legendary dad, Marty Robbins. Robbins was an illustrious country & western music entertainer with numerous hits including several that reached the pop charts. One of Robbins most memorable tunes was “El Paso,” a #1 chart topper on both the country and pop charts. Marty Robbins was respected and emulated by legendary artists such as Elvis Presley, Frankie Laine, Johnny Cash, The Grateful Dead and The Who.
Marty Robbins was also a multi-instrumentalist performer.

Janet Robbins was told not to follow in her famous father’s footsteps by her dad. According to Janet, Marty Robbins kept his personal life private, not wanting to expose his family to all the glitz of show business. And she admits that she rarely got to see him perform. Janet stayed away from music for the first half of her life and was not a fan of country music. Instead at an early age embraced, The Doors hypnotic single, “Riders on the Storm.”
Janet would soon be captivated by artists such as Yes, Pink Floyd, Jeff Beck, Led Zeppelin and ambient music pioneer Brian Eno. Janet was also influenced by classical greats Chopin, Beethoven, Mozart and Dmitry Kabalevsky. Robbins music is categorized somewhere between progressive/ambient/ and experimental. But she has an indefinite talent that could easily embellish any existing genre.
Robbins graceful vocalization and entrancing orchestrations can easily become a motion picture soundtrack. “As In Winter,” a magnificent and complex piece, thrusting the mind into wondrous journeys. “November,” is a haunting superlative blend of piano and vocals. “Sparks,” is a powerful anthem of love for the planet.
Janet Robbins impressive debut album titled, All the Worlds was released in 1998 with delightful similarities to Song of the Gypsy Tree. Robbins followed with Carrying the Bag of Hearts Interpreting the Birth of Stars, a (3) Volume CD instrumental release recorded by Janet using her home studio. This mystifying compilation of ambient sounds will soothe the psyche and stimulate the senses. Robbins never ceases to amaze. 
I had the wonderful privilege of speaking with Vocalist/Songwriter/Multi-instrumentalist/ Producer/ Janet Robbins last week from her home in California.
Ray: Janet thanks so much for being on the call today. When I received your CD, I was instantly persuaded by the artistic front cover and your Stevie Nicks-like pose on the back cover. I gave it an immediate listen and then became totally captivated.  So I checked out your Facebook page and noticed that you and I were only (2) days apart in birth. (Same month and same year) We’re both an Aquarius. Then I began to feel a connection.
Janet:“How cool is that! Have you ever had your chart read?”
Ray: No, I never have but would really love to.
Janet: “I read that’s why I mentioned it. I had the fortune to study with someone who is gifted and did it for all the right reasons, assisting people and not sort of a fortune telling kind of thing but a strong spiritual grounding in her kind of teaching so I learned and love the stars.”
Ray: And it’s apparent in your music.
Janet: “Yea, it shows on some of the instrumental stuff (Carrying the Bag of Hearts interpreting the birth of Stars, Volumes I, II, III) before this last CD.”
Ray: After listening to Song of the Gypsy Tree, I wanted to listen to your debut CD All the Worlds and could only get bits and pieces from Amazon. What I heard was also truly amazing and similar in ways to your latest release. But I have to say, Song of the Gypsy Tree hit a home run for me. I can easily see it as a soundtrack for a movie.
Janet: “That’s interesting because music to me is so visual and as well as the music before Song of the Gypsy Tree which was the sort of non vocal or non lyric music. It’s very visually evocative and in fact what I’m working on right now is putting together an installation and working on creating visual loops to work with sounds and music. I’m glad you said that because I see the placement of the music really having more of a home with film.”
Ray: There are many novels that come to life and make a lot more sense once they become movies. Some stories need that visual to explain the characters and the plot.
Janet: “Yea, well Blade Runner. I’ve been watching Blade Runner again a lot lately. And all the commentary that came from Philip Dick’s book.”
Ray: Your bewitching composition “November” had hints to the soundtrack of one of my favorite movies, The Mothman Prophecies. The music remarkably blended into the suspense of that motion picture.
Janet: “I’ll have to check it out, I’m on a big film kick right now renting and watching films. Yea, I’m visually inspired anyway.  I just made this move from North Carolina back in the spring and I was on the road in my RV for four months and just with the transition of being here it feels right for me to combine visuals and audio, and being inspired by great film right now. Listening to some of the commentary and how did they shoot it and what did they do with the lighting here. I tend to have a lot of analogue and Blade Runner was like all people and analogue and just some of the things they employ to create their effects were so amazing and such a draw forcing people into true creativity and desperate attempts to get what they needed to do… genius reveals itself and I love that, I love seeing that and am very inspired by that.”
Ray: Janet, what inspired you to create the Song of the Gypsy Tree album?
Janet: “I don’t know of a particular inspiration except for my affinity with nature and my respect and awe of what we’ve been given as a planet and some of the things we do to it. But I wanted to be more in love with the things I’ve been writing about as opposed to say what was wrong with something.”
Ray: Do you try to convey a certain message in your music to your audience?
Janet: “For me, I come around the back door, things surprise me, and I usually screw up when I try to do something with my head, when I try to go at it from the front door and try to create as a result of an idea about how something might be or sound. Although that’s always there to some extent, if I can be in a little more receptive space then I think I get to a truer voice. And then whatever that message is, if I can get myself over to the music and if there’s a message there then I think it’s probably a truer message. If I try to relay a message specifically I would get preachy and I can do that, but I try not to. (Laughing)”
Ray: Something has to spark that creative energy before writing those beautiful songs. Mark Lindsay (Paul Revere & the Raiders) told me that he does most of his writing while he takes his long walks in the morning.
Janet: “I’ve always lived near nature. I have to be in the trees and live near the trees and I go out and talk to the trees, I hang with them, I write with them. And it isn’t just trees, a great rock, a good view of the water, lake, or the river. But trees I think especially. I have been on the east coast since 2000, but a couple of places that I’ve lived, in New York and then in Asheville, I was fortunate to have lots of trees and I had acreage up in Woodstock and had these amazing old trees and in Asheville as well. So I was able to go out and spend some time and hang with them and just felt the need to write at that point.”
Ray: I’ve talked with many artists who seem to live life according to the lyrics of their music. One artist who comes to mind is Jon Anderson of Yes. No matter what trials and tribulations life brings to him he remains positive and seems to have a grip on life. Your music is very positive like Jon’s; do you feel that you have a grip on life?
Janet: “I hope so. I have to have a loose grip on life. I’ve been fortunate in ways in finding instruction, or people who I felt were helpful in some sort of discovery around life. I’ve always been more interested in the more mystical side of things. Being here, being on the planet, and developing a relationship with nature as well as having my head in the stars are important to find footing. I’ve had some great teachers and have a pretty good relationship with myself and life and trying to cultivate what I think is possible. I don’t think we were meant to live miserable lives here but I think a lot of humanities stuff has created a pretty miserable place for a lot of people. And I don’t think that’s how it has to be. I think some pretty horrible things might continue to happen but at the same time that’s not what we have to create, it’s pretty much up to us.”
Ray: You played most of the instruments on Song of the Gypsy Tree, shades of Todd Rundgren, and you recorded the album at home. River Guerguerian and Chris Armstrong also made contributions on percussions.
Janet: “Yes. I used Logic in my studio and a lot of different samples and loops that I’ve made and manipulating sounds and changing sounds and recording live instruments but usually out of character, you would never recognize the guitar that’s on there or the autoharp that’s on there. And Kevin Bartlett was great fun to work with in regards to that. I wanted someone to help me out with the vocals, to record my vocals, because I was going to be way too close to it. We had fun in recording some things, like I have an old Vox electric guitar from the 60’s and we used an Ebow on it and mixed that with an autoharp on “Egypt” and things like that. So that was a lot of fun to create sounds that way and most of it was me using the keyboards. I’d send templates up to Kevin, he was in New York, and he’d send some audio files back and we’d work that way.”
Ray: I noticed at the end of the title track, “Song of the Gypsy Tree” you did sort of a backwards track or reverse tape effect like George Martin used with The Beatles.
Janet: “(Laughing) I know what that was, yea. It was a great sound I just stumbled on that. I was playing some manipulated sound and then I slowed it down and I’m not sure if I actually reversed it though. I mean it was a great sound but it was just kind of there and it was like wait a minute this should go here. It was assembling in a collage sort of way. It was just one of those blissful little sounds, very satisfying, and it sounds like a tree. That little sound has soul and that could be in my head and that sounds like a tree… in my world.”
Ray: Didn’t your dad create a sound accidentally, I think it was during the recording of “Don’t Worry” the sound was created by a faulty preamplifier and he decided to keep it in the recording.
Janet: “Yea, it was the original fuzztone. I believe a tube went out and he said keep playing because he liked the sound. They wanted to record over it and he said no we’re keeping it, he liked it. And that was credited for being the first fuzztone. He was a real pioneer and did a lot of things like that in his life.”
Ray: Janet, you took a completely different direction than your famous father didn’t you?   
Janet: “That wasn’t my world and he kept it very separate growing up and I never cared for being in Tennessee, it wasn’t my world and it wasn’t my music although I didn’t know what my music was, that came much later, but I think just that sense of pioneering and discovery is strong.”
Ray: I’m going to read a lyric for you now. “We make up songs about Tesla’s ray gun building rocket ships for frogs in astronaut suits.” Talk about this lyric in your song “Egypt.”
Janet: “Well, I’m a big fan of Tesla and his ray gun and when I was little we use to pretend to have ray guns. But that was actually a pretty literal reference because I would catch frogs and try to dress them up. (All laughing)”
Ray: You actually grew up listening to mostly progressive rock music right?
Janet: “YES, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Jeff Beck, and that’s what got me through high school. When I was around 11 or 12, I carried around The Doors “Riders on the Storm” 45 record.”
Ray:  Who were some of the women vocalist that you admired growing up?
Janet: “Bobbie Gentry. Wow I haven’t thought about her for a long time until recently, a couple months ago when I went online and played a You Tube video and I said, “Oh my God these were such fabulous songs!” Bobbie Gentry, “Ode To Billie Joe” and I think for the soul, Aretha Franklin.”
Ray: I would have thought at one time in your life that someone would have approached you to record a country album.
Janet: “Not really, I’ve been away from that world for so long and never was in that world. The truth is I  wasn’t. Again, he(Marty Robbins) kept it separate. And I left early, I left Tennessee when I was 18. I was kind of out of there and then my dad died. He was only 57 and I was like 23 at the time. And I never lived back in Tennessee again. My brother is ten years older and he was in the business,  he still lives there and is much more of a southern boy and that’s more his world. So in a way it kind of created a little bit more of a buffer because I was pretty much out of the scene.”
Ray:  I’ve got to ask, being brought up by a famous dad, did he ever bring to your home any of his famous friends when you were little?
Janet:“I see pictures of before I was born and he may have brought band members over to the house but whatever happened after I was born, like nobody came, it was very separate. I was born in 1959 and “El Paso” was written in 1959 and it was right after that he kind of  shot  into a bigger audience. I think that shifted things and also his private life, he was a notoriously private person. And I have that too, I don’t have his public persona. He had a public persona and he had a private life and he didn’t want the two to mix. My mother was an evangelical and a very different character and so it was a strange mix. And I think got stranger as the years progressed. But they stayed married, it was just that his world was a different world. But he in that world was also known as a loner. He wasn’t a drinker, smoker, he didn’t live that country life. He was more the outsider cowboy loner guy. So he had that reputation within the community as a very private individual, fun to have around but private, and didn’t bring anybody home. It’s interesting because a lot of what I know is by stories from other people. And I know Johnny Cash or Roseanne use to say that they had one of my dad’s albums on their record player at all times and yet I never meet these people. And so it was odd.  I didn’t see my dad perform till I was 19 and that was in Florida."
"But he and I were a lot alike in funny ways, we mirrored each other, and I think it bothered him in some ways. Because he saw the Gypsy in me and I think it scared him a little bit. He had very few talks with me about life, or a career, or anything, but one of the things he said was, “Whatever you do… do whatever you want to do, I don’t care what you do, but don’t go into the music business.”” (All laughing)
Ray: And it stuck… until now. It sounds like he was a pretty cool dad though.
Janet: “He was a character, sometimes he didn’t  know about fathering, I think that confused him, but he was a good person. And he was a good provider. He wanted to provide for his family and I think he  had all good intentions.”
Ray: I did some surfing around the internet looking for additional music by Janet Robbins and heard a great progressive piece that sort of rocked from your debut album, All the Worlds called, “To see You Again.”
Janet:  “I love that song, I haven’t heard it in years. I was living in Los Angeles at the time and it was certainly reflective of that time period in LA. Even though it wasn’t a rock album it went more in that direction and the guitar player that I worked with who helped me put that album together and produced that album, he was just a phenomenal player and still is but Gregg Montante is his name, and we got such a great sound.”
Ray: I can see you collaborating with so many great artists… perhaps Tony Levin, Billy Sherwood of Circa who is also an awesome producer and of course the great Brian Eno. I can see you on a David Gilmour or Ian Anderson album as well. Have you considered collaborating with other artists?
Janet: “It is something that I’m open to right now. Yea, there’s a force behind it, some kind of kinetic energy. And because I’ve worked so much on my own, I know what I can do on my own, but when you’re around other people you have a great creative connection, it’s pretty miserable if you don’t and you’re trying to put something together, but if you have a really strong connection with somebody, that’s a completely satisfying experience in a whole different way than working on your own. And so…I’m into it.”
Ray: So what’s the next project that you’ll be working on Janet?
Janet: “The one that I’m working on right now is moving to this audio/visual direction and I’m looking to have an installation in San Rafael for the month of May and what the finished product would be is… I do think I will have a DVD of this that would probably be more towards the end of next year.”
Ray:  I’m looking forward to it. Janet thank you so much for chatting with me today, it’s been a real pleasure. I’ll close by saying that your music is charming, inspiring and radiant. Please stay in touch because you are a great talent and I’m a big fan.
Janet: “That’s fabulous… I’ll take it, so appreciated. Take care dear.”

**Kevin  Bartlett is credited for his production work and percussion credits on 'Song of the Gypsy Tree.' Additional percussion on "Sparks" credited to River Guerguerian.

I want to thank the incredible Billy James of Glass Onyon Publicity for this interview.

 CD Releases by Janet Robbins

 All the Worlds
Carrying the Bag of Hearts Interpreting the Birth of Stars Volume I
Carrying the Bag of Hearts Interpreting the Birth of Stars Volume II
Carrying the Bag of Hearts Interpreting the Birth of Stars Volume III
Song of the Gypsy Tree


Purchase all of Janet Robbins CD’s at
 http://janetrobbinsmusic.com/
CD Baby  http://www.cdbaby.com/
and Amazon.com


Janet Robbins on ReverbNation
http://www.reverbnation.com/janetrobbins
Janet Robbins on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/janetrobbins
Marty Robbins official website
http://www.martyrobbins.com/


Order author/columnist Ray Shasho’s great new book ‘Check the Gs’ - The True Story of an Eclectic American Family and Their Wacky Family Business
  -Get your copy now for the holidays at amazon.com,iuniverse.com,barnesandnoble.com or borders.com. 

Pacific Book Review says… Ray Shasho has quite a memory, especially when it comes to what songs played on the radio during important times throughout his youth.  Combining his nostalgic recant of  Billboard’s Top 100, like some infomercial for a Time-Life Oldies CD collector’s set, along with his detailed whimsical recollections while growing up, and you have the “soundtrack ” for a truly enjoyable story called Check the Gs: The True Story of an Eclectic American Family and Their Wacky Family Business. 


 
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Contact Ray Shasho at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com

Exclusive Interview: The Voice of ‘Snoopy VS. The Red Baron’ -Barry Winslow

By Ray Shasho

In 1966 the Belleview- Ocala, Florida rock band, The Royal Guardsmen struck superstardom with their release of a catchy tune about a funny- looking dog with a big black nose and his military campaign against the notorious World War I German flying ace Baron von Richthofen also known as “The Red Baron.”  With eighty combat victories under the Baron’s belt, a Superhero Beagle flies into the sky piloting his doghouse to seek revenge. After The Red Baron shoots down our hero, he regroups with a new battle plan devised by The Great Pumpkin and challenged the Baron to a real dog fight. Snoopy fired once and he fired twice and that Bloody Red Baron went spinning out of sight.

The Royal Guardsmen band name was invented after lead vocalist/ left handed guitarist Barry Winslow auditioned for the band on his Vox Royal Guardsman amplifier. The original Guardsmen featured Barry Winslow on lead vocals and guitars, Tom Richards on guitars, (Richards died in 1979, Pat Waddell replaced him) Bill Balough on bass, Bill Taylor on keyboards, John Burdett on drums and Chris Nunley on vocals.
Their Top #2 Billboard hit “Snoopy VS. The Red Baron” sold over a million copies and earned the band a gold record. It remained as a bestselling hit on the charts for a solid 12 weeks. The song was penned by Producer Phil Gernhard and songwriter Dick Holler. The Guardsmen recorded the song at Charles Fuller Production studio in Tampa, Florida and it was released on Laurie Records. Although Peanuts creator Charles Schulz and United Features Syndicate sued The Royal Guardsmen for using Snoopy without their consent, a deal was compromised and the Guardsmen were allowed to continue to write additional Snoopy tunes… and they did.

“Beaglemania” was back and the band released “The Return of The Red Baron,” “Snoopy’s Christmas” (topped the seasonal charts and went platinum) and “Snoopy for President.” The Guardsmen had minimal success with non Snoopy arrangements such as “Any Wednesday,” “I Say Love,” “Airplane Song” (My Airplane) and their re-released first single/ Top 40 hit “Baby Let’s Wait.”

The Royal Guardsmen have shared the stage with rock legends The Who, Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, Tommy James and the Shondells and The Beach Boys to name just a few.
To celebrate their 40th anniversary of “Snoopy VS. The Red Baron,” The Royal Guardsmen reformed and for kicks played at a high school reunion in Florida. Later that year they opened for the Commodores in Clearwater on the fourth of July and also performed on a Carnival Legend cruise.

In 2006, The Royal Guardsmen released “Snoopy VS. Osama.” The song was reintroduced with a few lyric modifications by Winslow and Burdett after Bin Laden was killed.

Today original lead vocalist/ guitarist Barry Winslow and drummer John Burdett are not part of The Guardsman. But original lead Beagle, Barry Winslow says never say never and there’s always a possibility for another full scale reunion.

BARRY WINSLOW is a successful Indie Gospel artist and lives in Missouri. In 1985, Barry received a platinum award for his collaboration on “A Child’s Gift of Lullabyes” project.
Barry’s first solo effort was called “Transition.”  It’s a beautifully composed album with lyrics of hope and inspiration and enjoyable listening. Barry’s voice is superlative on tracks like “Nothing Without You.” Singing songs of praise with kind of a Bob Seeger/Don Henley flare.

Barry enjoys riding around on his Euro sidecar motorcycle. A perfect ride for joyriding around town with perhaps a certain Beagle during the holidays.

I got the chance to chat with songwriter/guitarist/head Beagle Barry Winslow last week. Here’s my interview with the Top 40 music icon and just a really cool guy.

How’s it going Barry?

“I’m hanging in there trying to dodge the sleet and the freezing rain but other than that we’re good.”

You’re currently not with the Guardsmen is that right?

“A while back we regrouped to do this little get together, we did several gigs you know. The rest of the guys went back together and I haven’t heard of any concerts or anything else but I’m doing my thing and John’s doing his and together we’re doing a couple of musical things.”

Yea, I noticed on your website that there is some kind of contractual issue going on?

“That’s exactly what it was all about, they were supposed to sign us up for like three years but it just didn't work out..”

I see this over and over again, when the original lead singer is not with the band anymore because of all the issues. Then the group tries to sell themselves with the original brand name. 

“It burn’s me up too brother because I wanted to do this really bad. The camaraderie with all the guys and everything after all those years, we started out being friends and have always been friends. Little did we know that we’d be in a band you know?”

“I guess it was amazing we did the three or four gigs that we did. We had a cruise that we did about an hour and a half show on a cruise ship that was really awesome. We went out to Vegas after all these years and we did the same old rock and roll stuff we always have and made a bunch of old gray hairs pretty happy. There were some new youngens there too I guess because of “Snoopy’s Christmas.” The song has bridged the gap and time zone and everything else, it’s amazing. Forty four years later the thing is still rockin’ man.”

So how’s Snoopy doing these days?

“He’s tired man. He’s grown up now, John and I put together a little thing called “Snoopy VS. Osama” and we always preempted it. Well now, Snoopy’s grown up and so is Charlie, Snoopy is working in the Motor Pool pulling wrenches and Charlie is driving a Bradley. It was the natural evolution of things (laughing).”

You are an Idie Gospel Artist now?

“Yes, I’m really proud about it and absolutely love doing it. You know Ray I really thought, me doing this stuff you’ve got to be kidding me. I’m telling you, God’s got to be real… he’s just got to be real. Because take a bum like me man, a crazy person and turn me around and get me these songs to do… it just blew me away.”

When did you first make the transition into Christian music?

“Actually it was back in the 80’s but like a lot of people I ignored it. I’m an aircraft mechanic; I’ve been pulling wrenches on helicopters for the last ten years till I retired. I stayed completely out of music for like fifteen years and all of a sudden a real close friend of mine over in Nashville was opening up this little bitty church and he said can you play an alter chord for me. I said if I knew one I’d probably try to do that. I didn’t own any equipment; I sold everything I owned when I quit clubbing. Well, he handed me an old guitar that had a curved neck on it and felt like barbed wire on a two by six and they gave me a Ray Boltz album and said see if you could do the alter. I said this is Christian music? I didn’t know, so I did it like unplugged and I saw the reaction first of all to the anointing and the music itself, it had nothing to do with me and that was fantastic in my book… I loved it. I’ve never been one of those oh dig me …look at me, never been that way. To see this all take place right in front of my eyes… I thought this is incredible! And plus I could feel it, it had meat to it.”

“About three or four days later a whole bunch of these songs began popping into my head and I started writing them down and I’d no sooner get done with one and another one would show up. So I went over to a friend of mine who had a little studio and lay down some tracks and got some demos roughed out and took them downtown to a friend of mine at one of the Nashville studios down there… one of the engineers. Then a full blown atheist heard them and paid for the session. And I was just blown away! I never wanted to go to a label with it, I just let him handle it and it’s on the Indie charts now. It’s been selling well through CD Baby, they’ve been a blessing to me and they handle everything you know.”

I really enjoyed “Nothing Without You” from the ‘Transition’ album. It’s such a cool tune. I always liked your voice back in the 60’s but man your voice has really matured, you sound amazing.

“I’m really honored you said that because it’s the first time I’ve been able to sing anything the way it’s supposed to come out. It’s just me man and that’s the thing I really love about this whole thing, I’m really pleased with it to no end.”

“When I look back on it now since I knew that he called me, I look back and realize why I was spared so many times, I could have died 150 times between now and then so he wasn’t through with me brother. And even at this age I’m a lot closer to a hundred than twenty. I guess he wants me to do something else before I cash in. I was real thick headed but he (God) finally got to me.”

I’m going to switch gears to the 60’s and The Royal Guardsmen. I heard you had a lot of fun on those bus tours and especially hanging out with Sam the Sham and The Pharaohs and Tommy James and The Shondells.

“Oh yea, Butch Gerace the bass player, he and I were always getting in trouble. We were real good at playing Black Jack and one night we played a little long and whatever money we’d win we’d split it and the bus had left. So we spent most of our winnings in a cab trying to catch the bus. The cab driver was happy though, he made a pretty good chunk. But we did catch the bus.”

Where did you play Black Jack?

“Anywhere, hotel rooms… wherever we could… on the bus we didn’t care. We had Keith and the Wild Kingdom with us on that tour too. It was a tour that Laurie records set up just to match everybody with all the so-called novelty stuff. You know Sam had “Little Red Riding Hood” and all that stuff. Tommy was I guess the only legit guy there. A lot of nights we’d swap top billing depending on where we were going so everybody would have a shot at it. But it was a lot of fun we spent over a month plus on that bus. The main thing was I got to meet people and that was my whole thing about being with this big tour. We’d go do our thing have fun with that but I wanted to go meet the fans plus see the other bands we were running into. I ran into Hendrix…Jimi Hendrix man and just a super nice guy very congenial. I was impressed… very impressed.”

What were some of the other bands that you played with?

“We played gigs with The Who. We opened up for them in Melbourne, Florida in the semi round down there. It was awesome man they were fun… fun people. I thought we were loud! The Who were perfectly audible from outside the parking lot. Everybody used their equipment, I think there was one band ahead of us and then we came on and then they came on after us.”

The Royal Guardsman split up around late 1969 right around when album rock was starting to take over the airwaves. A lot of bands that made their bread and butter off Top 40 radio airplay dissolved at that time because they couldn’t evolve into that transformation. Tommy James did it with “Crimson and Clover.” But you guys had a shot with “Abraham Martin and John?”

“I realized when I did the demo on “Abraham Martin and John” and just fell in love with the song and it was a song for the times. Phil Gerhard our producer said yea, you can have the song. Man, I drove back to Ocala just absolutely beaming. I was a whopping 19 years old and thought now is the time to really do something. And he ended up giving it to Dion. God Bless Dion but I was done at that point, I said I had enough. And the rest of the band I think felt the same way and they were tired of it so we all went our separate ways for a year or two and I mainly relaxed for that first year and now what do I want to do in the real world and the music kept tugging on me. Anyway, I ended up doing everything from selling cars to pulling wrenches on airplanes. There were a couple of times that I was tempted to go back and I was offered a couple of things but I got to thinking about it and I didn’t want to go through that hoop again. There was no way to progress from that point. But I’d never dreamed that I’d be doing Christian music.”

When “Snoopy VS. The Red Baron” was released and became so successful the band got sued by Peanuts creator Charles Schulz and United Features Syndicate.

"The story that I got was that Gerhard had sent them a copy for their approval and somebody just blew it off the desk or didn’t bother to look at it, as if Charles Schulz could really care. Okay that’s the way they want to do, I guess that’s how big wheels want to do it. Anyway once the thing took off and I guess Schulz’s attorneys started smelling money they said “We must talk about this now." I have to blame Phil for that one because he didn’t get a legitimate release for it. But they got kind of crazy and made us do this thing called
“Squeaky VS. The Black Knight” up in Canada, it was the same thing just until they could get the lawyers settled down and then it became the “Snoopy VS. The Red Baron” thing.”

I noticed on The Guardsmen website it talks about “Burned By A Beagle” what’s that all about?

“I guess they’ve done some kind of documentary thing and the way I see the title of it kind of leeds me to believe that they're dissenting the dog. If it wasn’t for Snoopy we would still be kids out of high school probably still be scratching our tails and trying to figure out what we’re going to do.”

Yea, why would you say anything derogatory about the thing that made you so famous?

“I thought it was really kind of in poor taste so to speak because I said you know you guys are not The Beatles man let’s face it. The dog is what put us where we were and if you don’t appreciate that I feel sorry for you. I’m tickled to death every time I look up and see that gold record hanging up there. This thing that they’re doing I really don’t know, I have no idea but I think they showed it at a theater there in Ocala if I’m not mistaken. But it’s a documentary thing and I guess they had Dick Holler to say a few words who was actually the writer on the material Phil just stuck his name on it. But Dick Holler was really the writer for all that stuff. I don’t think it’s what the title implies. I think their intention was to try to build something and let everybody know what’s going on. I love the dog man and grateful we had the shot. At 17 years old I could barely put my drawers on and I’m thinking we’re out here amongst the biggies; we’re doing night after night of twenty five to thirty thousand people in these coliseums.”

Those were fun times weren’t they Barry? 

“Aw, it was incredible I’ll never forget them. I think the most people we ever played in front of was in Seattle in the round and they said there were like forty two thousand paid attendance. The stage rotates real slowly and then it stops and goes the other way. But it was so weird because the vocal from the people was so loud it was overpowering the monitors and now I know how it must feel at a football stadium down on the field.”

Do you have a good story while being on the road?

“One memorable night, we had a guy named Louie Broccoli he was our finance guarantee man, if I could put it that way. We finished doing our show and I ran back out to the bus after the show to probably change clothes and when I walked up to the side of the bus here’s Louie with his forearm under this tall guy’s neck with a pistol pulled and they were discussing where the money was. Most of the time in that era they’d pay you half up front and half when you showed and there was some discrepancy about our half for our particular tour but it got resolved. Louie just scared the Johnson out of him. I was coming around the corner and he said I’m busy here can you give me a minute Barry. So I took off, I didn’t want to be a witness to that. I mean he look liked a Hollywood depiction of a Hitman, his hair was all slicked back and he wore a little silver suit and it’s funny now but it scared the Johnson out of me then.”

What were some of the TV shows that you performed on back in those days?

“We did Mike Douglas, I recently watched the Mike Douglas thing where we broke Snoopy’s Christmas, Ricardo Montalban was the guest host and I remember going out there and we got our guitars in tune thinking we’re really going to be playing this and they said no we’re just going to use tracks. I thought this is good and they finally got the tracks on the monitor where we could hear and we just turned it loose like we were playing live. And when I made a mistake or missed a chord it didn’t make a difference we just kept right on going."
"We did Joey Bishop when he was out on the West Coast and there was a regional show called “Cousin Brucie,” it was kind of like a Dick Clark but on the East Coast and we did him a ton of times. We missed American Bandstand and actually met Dick Clark later on. He said he regretted not getting us on.”

“One of the big shock factors we had was when we looked out in the audience when you hit the stage and see mothers with their children and I guess they had this disappointed look on their face like they were going to see a bunch of Snoopy characters up there and we’d open up with something rockin’ and see their jaws drop. These guys play Snoopy?”

Final thoughts Barry?

“John and I both wish The Guardsmen well and we’re still friends. As far as what I’ve got going, I should have my second album finished soon and it’ll be called “Remnant.”  Everyone will be able to purchase it on CD Baby.”   http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/barrywinslow

Barry thank you so much for being on the call today… Happy Holidays Snoopy!

“Happy Holidays Ray…you got to love the dog!”


Purchase Barry Winslow’s latest release “Transition” and upcoming release “Remnant” at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/barrywinslow


Royal Guardsmen website http://www.theroyalguardsmen.com/


Purchase- The Royal Guardsmen on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Royal-Guardsmen/e/B000AQ39W0

Order author/columnist Ray Shasho’s great new book ‘Check the Gs’ The True Story of an Eclectic American Family and Their Wacky Family Business. Order now for the Holiday’s at amazon.com, iuniverse.com, barnesandnoble.com or borders.com. Also available at Apple’s iBook store.
 
Ray Shasho has quite a memory, especially when it comes to what songs played on the radio during important times throughout his youth.  Combining his nostalgic recant of  Billboard’s Top 100, like some infomercial for a Time-Life Oldies CD collector’s set, along with his detailed whimsical recollections while growing up, and you have the “soundtrack ” for a truly enjoyable story called Check the Gs: The True Story of an Eclectic American Family and Their Wacky Family Business. –Pacific Book Review


Contact Ray Shasho at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com

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