People from all walks of life have been affected by the music of The Beatles. They gave the world inspiration and happiness in almost everything they did. On October 9, the 80th anniversary of his birth, a new music video will be released honoring John Lennon – “John Lennon: A Day In His Life”, Grammy- nominated American producer, Michael Franklin, and Beatles animator, Alvaro Ortega teaming up to create it.
The spark of Lennon’s tribute began when Franklin awoke from a dream in which he dreamt of the Lennon song, “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” while hearing John’s voice singing “A Day In The Life”. Amazed by the similarity between the two songs’ chord sequences and lyrics, Franklin hurriedly put this combination to the piano, the next night, another similar dream awakening him again – this time the baroque piano solo bridge sped up to sound like a harpsichord dashed off by my father, Sir George Martin, for John’s song, “In My Life” from Rubber Soul while The Beatles were on a lunch break.
“John Lennon: A Day In His Life” is Franklin’s montage of some of the most memorable moments we love from The Beatles songs, John’s vocals superimposed over a cleverly stitched together visual collage, the tribute based on an original score from the “Sergeant Pepper” album.
Franklin said, “I realized the same chord progressions are in ‘Eleanor Rigby’, as well as other Beatles songs. It was quite a surprise, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what The Beatles did. I dove right in, exploring other Beatles song bites. The music production took about three weeks to research, edit, and arrange.”
After completion of the tribute track, it was time to synchronize the video. Franklin had been aware of Ortega’s unique animations of The Beatles for several years, skillfully editing on his laptop previous bit and pieces of Ortega’s work, demonstrating to him what could be done, reaching out to Ortega in Spain, Ortega happily agreeing, the rest now history.
A tribute to John Lennon. A new music video. “A Day In His Life”. This unique musical and visual tribute has been created with deep, heartfelt loving care for one of the greatest musicians of all time. Gregory Paul Martin - 10/06/2020
Michael Franklin, a Grammy Nominated musician and producer has worked performing producing for myriad of legendary musicians. As a musician with Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Bruce Hornsby, Members of The Rolling Stones, Yes, Toto, The Moody Blues and many others. As a music director for television, Hard Rock Live, Wolfman Jack TV Show, NBC, CBS Comcast and concert specials. As a record producer Reggae Tribute, Larry Coryell, Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Pat Travers, Blues Image, Patrick Moraz and many others.
His most recent production, the highly acclaimed album with Jon Anderson of Yes, “1000 Hands Chapter One”, released worldwide, on Blue Elan Records,(https://www.blueelan.com/artists/jon-anderson/
Michael is currently in production on a new album for Robby Steinhardt, the original vocalist, and violinist for the band Kansas.
Alvaro Ortega, recognized worldwide for his popular animated series BEATOONS, has parodied the Fab Four in cartoons have been enjoyed my millions for many years in video and in print worldwide.
CHRONICLES, TRUTHS, CONFESSIONS AND WISDOM FROM THE MUSIC LEGENDS THAT SET US FREE
…Order yours today on Hardcover or E-book
at bookbaby.com and amazon.com
Featuring over 45 intimate conversations with some of
the greatest rock legends the world will ever know.
CHRIS SQUIRE... DR. JOHN... GREG LAKE... HENRY MCCULLOUGH... JACK BRUCE … JOE LALA… JOHNNY WINTER... KEITH EMERSON... PAUL KANTNER... RAY THOMAS... RONNIE MONTROSE... TONY JOE WHITE... DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS… MIKE LOVE... TOMMY ROE... BARRY HAY... CHRIS THOMPSON... JESSE COLIN YOUNG... JOHN KAY... JULIAN LENNON... MARK LINDSAY... MICKY DOLENZ… PETER RIVERA ...TOMMY JAMES… TODD RUNDGREN... DAVE MASON... EDGAR WINTER... FRANK MARINO... GREGG ROLIE... IAN ANDERSON... JIM “DANDY” MANGRUM... JON ANDERSON... LOU GRAMM... MICK BOX... RANDY BACHMAN… ROBIN TROWER... ROGER FISHER... STEVE HACKETT... ANNIE HASLAM… ‘MELANIE’ SAFKA... PETULA CLARK... SUZI QUATRO... COLIN BLUNSTONE… DAVE DAVIES... JIM McCARTY... PETE BEST
THE ROCK STAR CHRONICLES
BOOK TRAILER
BOOK REVIEW
-By Literary Titan (5) STARS
The Rock Star Chronicles, by Ray Shasho, is a splendid book written by a music enthusiast who has poured their heart and soul into it. It’s a story of a boy who loved rock music, and his obsessive passion of it earned himself the name Rock Raymond. He went to school but instead was schooled in all matters of music while his peers were buried chin-deep in coursework. He then became a radio DJ and has now compiled a book on all interviews he held with Rock gods who raided the airwaves back in the 70s and 80s. It’s a compilation of interviews with outstanding vocalists, legendary guitarists and crazy drummers in the rock music scene. Each interview gives a reader an in-depth view into their personal lives and the philosophies that guide their lives which all serve to humanize these great icons. For readers who are old enough to call themselves baby boomers this book will bring old memories back to life. Millennials, on the other hand, may think of this book as a literal work of the Carpool Karaoke show.
The Rock Star Chronicles is a book I didn’t know I was waiting for. To come across a book that will talk me into trying something new. One brave enough to incite me to venture into new frontiers. This book made me a believer- I am now a bona fide Rock and Roll music fan.
Ray Shasho masterfully gets the interviewees talking. He smartly coaxes answers from them with crafty questions designed to get a story rolling out of them. The artists talk about diverse issues ranging from music, politics, and their social engagements. Having been on the music seen all his life, Ray Shasho knows the buttons to press, how to get them comfortable about talking about their lives.
The book’s cover is befitting of its subject matter with the leather look offering a royal background to the golden letter print. It speaks to how high a level rock music holds in the pecking order- arguably, modern music as we know it has originated from blues and rock music. The second noteworthy thing is the use of high definition pictures to reference the musician being interviewed in every sub-chapter. This ensures that the book is for both original rock and roll lovers and aspiring new ones. Together is makes for a refreshing and consistently enjoyable read.
I recommend this book to rock music enthusiasts, aspiring musicians wondering what it takes and all readers curious to learn new things by going back in time.
MUSIC EXECUTIVE-MANAGER OF THE POLICE-STING-ANDERSONPONTY BAND
One of the music
industry's most influential figures, Miles Copeland's career in management
stretches back 44 years to 1969 in London where he represented progressive rock
bands such as Wishbone Ash, Al Stewart, Climax Blues Band, Renaissance, Curved
Air, and Caravan until he jumped ship, landed in the turbulent ocean of punk,
and worked with the Sex Pistols, the Clash, Blondie, and many many more. In
1978, he became manager of his Brother Stewart's band, The Police and
shepherded them to become one of the biggest bands of the 1980s.
The success of
The Police and the novel methods used to break them enabled Miles to found
I.R.S. Records. In the next few years, the company had hits with The Buzzcocks,
The English Beat, The Cramps, Fine Young Cannibals, Wall of Voodoo, Timbuk 3,
R.E.M. and a number one album with the all-girl group, The Go-Gos. He continued
to manage Sting (solo) through seven blockbuster albums and introduced Sting to
Algerian singer, Cheb Mami. Their collaboration bloomed with "Desert
Rose" whose worldwide success was attributed to Miles' innovative
corporate deal with Jaguar. In all, Miles can rightfully claim to have been
involved in the sale of over 150 million albums. Miles currently owns and
operates CIA - Copeland International Arts.
RAY SHASHO INTERVIEWS
MILES COPELAND III
ON BBS RADIO 1
POSTED ON YOU TUBE
THE
RAY SHASHO SHOW
Bi-weekly
Monday Afternoon at 3 pm Pacific/6 pm Eastern
Prodigious violinist/composer/Jean- Luc Pontyand legendary ‘YES’ lead vocalist/ songwriter/Jon Andersonhave united their musical mastery to originate the Anderson
Ponty Band, and with the formation of a new musical venture enters a debut
album soon to exhibit new music and classics re-imagined.Anderson & Pontyare also excited to include their fans in the experience. Music
enthusiasts can pledge to their Kickstarter campaign (already in-progress)
entitled theJon Anderson & Jean-Luc
Ponty Project.By contributing you can receive
various items related to the project including an invite to the dress rehearsal
in Aspen, Colorado where the CD will be recorded, VIP show tickets, and an
invitation to the post show band party.
As of August 15th …$67,576 has
been pledged, but a total of $95,000 is needed to hit goal with only 8 DAYS to
go! (The minimum pledge is only $1.00) The project will only get funded if they
hit goal bySunday August 24th at 1:55 PM EDT. Join the ‘Jon Anderson & Jean-Luc
Ponty Project’and help these incredible
legends reach their goal for recording a new album… Contribute and join
in on the musical journey HERE
The musical blend ofJon Anderson’sangelic vocalizations of progressive rock virtue andJean-Luc Ponty’sawe-inspiring instrumentation of jazz-fusion & classical
essence… will undeniably be spectacular!
JEAN-LUC
PONTYwas taught by his classically trained parents who were also music
teachers. He learned to read musical notes before he learned the alphabet.
Ponty was taught the violin and piano, but at the age of eleven his father
asked him to choose only one instrument so he would be proficient with a single
instrument instead of mediocre at several.
After graduating from the
Conservatoire de Paris, it appeared that Jean-Luc was on the way to a
prodigious classical music career and eventually performed with a major
symphony orchestra. But Ponty also began to establish a musical appetite for
jazz music which led to Jean-Luc recording his debut “bebop” album entitled
Jazz Long Playing in 1964.
In 1969,Frank Zappacomposed the music onKing
Kong:Jean-Luc Ponty
Plays the Music of Frank Zappa. The release featured an array of virtuosos
including …Frank Zappa and George Duke. Ponty moved to Los Angeles after Zappa
asked him to join the Mother of Invention tour.
Jean-Luc Ponty performing onFrank Zappaalbums …Hot Rats (1969),Over-Nite Sensation (1973),Piquantique (1973),Apostrophe (1974),Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar (1981),The Lost Episodes (1996),One Shot Deal (2008),Road Tapes, Venue 2 (2013)
Ponty signed as a solo artist
with Atlantic Records in 1975 and over the next decade released 12- consecutive
albums reaching the Top 5 on Billboard’s Jazz charts and selling millions of
copies. Ponty also became one of the first jazz artists to have a music video.
In 1995, Jean-Luc Ponty joined
forces with guitaristAl Di Meolaand bassistStanley
Clarketo recordThe Rite of Stringswhich followed with a tour of the U.S., South America, and Europe.
In 2005, Ponty toured with Stanley
Clarke on double bass and Bela Fleck on banjo.
Ponty’s daughter is
singer/pianist/composerClara Ponty.
TODAY:Jean- Luc Pontyis as busy as ever … an exciting collaboration and album withJon Andersonand a new album with Stanley
Clarke forthcoming.
I had the great pleasure of
chatting withJean-Luc Pontyrecently about his latest
collaboration with ‘YES’ legendary songster Jon Anderson …Jon Anderson &
Jean-Luc Ponty Project/Kickstarter campaign …. Working with Frank Zappa…
Daughter Clara Ponty …Chick Corea/Return to Forever …Stanley Clarke …
Acoustic vs. Electric Violin … Classical vs. Jazz & Rock …And much-much
more!
Here’s my interview with the
legendary proficient violinist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, musical
pioneer, former member of Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, Mahavishnu
Orchestra, Return to Forever, and the newly formed Anderson Ponty Band …JEAN-LUC PONTY.
Ray
Shasho:Hello Jean-Luc, where am I calling you to?
Jean-Luc
Ponty:“I’m in the south of France right now on the
French Riviera, also touring Italy and Switzerland … beautiful weather here, a
bit balmy like Florida. It looks more like California than Florida but the
weather is nice here.”
Ray
Shasho:Let’s first discuss the Kickstarter
campaign…‘Jon Anderson & Jean-Luc Ponty Project’ which will help fund a new
album of classics and new material by the newly formed …‘Anderson Ponty Band.’
As of August 15th … the project has raised $67,576 with a goal of $95,000.00
and only 8 days to go.
Jean-Luc
Ponty:“The project was our manager’s idea and Jon
and I went along with it. There were record labels interested but he was eager
to use the tools of today and the internet. But it is great because we feel the
fans are part of it and feels less business-like somehow, not having to deal
with business people and record companies. This time it’s more between us and
the fans. Either way, we’re still going to record the CD, so it will work one
way or another.”
Ray
Shasho:So what types of costs will the Kickstarter funds contribute to?
Jean-Luc
Ponty:“It will cover roughly a month of work. All
the expenses of rehearsing and having the band, we will all reunite in Aspen,
Colorado and then the rehearsals begin on August 30th and I will arrive a few
days later because I’m finishing a tour in Europe. But the band and technicians
start getting together August 30th in Aspen. It covers all the expenses
including recording. I think the return will be much more rewarding financially
because the difference you get paid from a record company as an artist and
owning the masters is very different… it’s like one to six roughly. For me it’s
about having total artistic control and we own it. I saw some of my greatest
albums early in my career on which I have no control at all. For example …
decisions in distribution, remastering, or spreading the tracks in different
compilation formats are out of my hands. I see a lot of messages from fans that
would like to hear many of my songs remastered with the latest technologies and
I have nothing to say about it. About fourteen years ago I started to try and
control more of my productions. It involved too much of my time so what we
decided was to make license deals and have them distributed by labels, but the
good thing is that I am the owner of what I recorded since the year 2000.”
Ray
Shasho:I was extremely excited when I first heard the
news about you and Jon Anderson forming a band together … I knew immediately
that the music and dynamism you both share would mastermind an incredible bond.
Jean-Luc
Ponty: “Jon and I really gel very well. It just
came up like that! I was contacted a year ago to contribute a violin solo on a
song that he was producing. He liked the solo and one thing led to another.
Then Jon got the idea of singing on one of my songs … “Mirage.” Spontaneously
he took the song and sang half way through it and then sent it to me, and I was
so impressed how good it sounded and how it worked really well with my music.
In a way, I thought we should have done that year’s ago … but better late than
never. (Laughing)”
Ray
Shasho:Will “Mirage” be on the new release?
Jean-Luc
Ponty: “Yes, right now we are working
on it and trying to make a new version. So we’ll see how that works.”
Ray
Shasho:Jean-Luc, do you have an idea when the new CD
may be released?
Jean-Luc
Ponty: “I hear around February of 2015, that’s
the plan so far and what we are shooting for.”
Ray
Shasho:You’ve been asked to play with so many
legendary performers… including Frank Zappa. What was it like working with
Zappa?
Jean-Luc
Ponty:“It was unexpected for me because coming from classical music, I
thought rock or jazz would be fun … just a vacation. (Laughing) In fact, I
found out, and rightly so, that it was very serious and demanding. So I felt it
was very similar to being in a symphony orchestra with a conductor that demands
specific ways to play the music. But then I learned that this was the way to do
it if you want to get close to perfection. When we were on the road, I remember
comments from other musicians about our band, that we were so tight. At times
it was a little difficult because Frank was very demanding, but I respected
that because he had so much talent and creativity. That’s what I learned from
Zappa and even Jon McLaughlin. If you want to succeed you have to be a strong
leader, and I applied that when I started my own group soon after, and indeed
it works, but it works if you have a strong and valid comfort, then musicians
will respect you. If you don’t really know what you’re doing or the music is
not up to par then that’s when musicians will not respond so well.”
Ray
Shasho:Your daughter Clara Ponty is a pianist, singer
and composer?
Jean
Luc Ponty:“She is doing some very good music but is also
struggling, like I warned her. But she still wanted to stick to music which is
her passion. So what can I say? Last year at a Festival in France they invited
me to play with my daughter, and we put a band together and rehearsed. While
rehearsing I said wow, this is nice, it’s different because she is singing and
has a few vocals and some of her compositions are very good. But it’s feminine
and very emotional; it’s a lot about feelings. Although I don’t only have
technique and energy in my music, so there is still some of that. It was a good
contrast and worked great together. So after that I said let’s do more. In the
beginning I wanted her to prove herself first, and then she got a contract with
Universal in the late 90’s and released an album that was number one on New Age
Radio. So she was doing very well until the music business started changing,
especially for instrumental music. But she has recorded several albums and has
a good following already.”
Ray
Shasho:Jean-Luc, who was some of the musicians or artists that got you
interested in playing the violin?
Jean-Luc
Ponty:“It started with my father; my parents were music teachers in a
small town in France. My father played several instruments but violin was his
main instrument. My mother was a piano teacher. They both taught me to read
music when I was five years old and I think I was reading notes before the
alphabet. (All laughing) Then they began teaching me violin and piano. When I
was eleven, my father asked me to choose one of the two so I could become
really good at one instrument instead of only mediocre on several instruments.
I chose violin, maybe because of the father figure… I don’t know I never spoke
to a psychiatrist about it. (All laughing)”
“I think it was because I
thought it was the more expressive of the two. The violin you hold up against
your body and very archaic. I do love the piano too but it’s a little more
mechanical as an instrument. Piano was a great asset as a composer. I would
have never written all the music that I had written if I hadn’t been a pianist.
The violin is not so much of a composer tool. Then in the 70’s it gave me
access to all the latest technology … synthesizers, organ, electric piano, and
access to all these new sounds. So it became as important as what I was doing
with my violin. It was a combination of all this together that built my
personal musical comfort.”
Ray
Shasho:You’ve used 4, 5, and 6 string violins?
Jean-
Luc Ponty:“The standard is four, but in 1978-79, Barcus
Berry brought me a prototype with five strings, and it’s actually the blue
violin that you might have seen on some of the covers, it was actually my first
blue violin. It was a little strange at first but I loved to have the
additional string in the low edge. I quickly got use to it and it became my main
instrument ever since. So I’m a five string guy.”
“Then in the 90’s, there was
this guy in England who approached me and was making six string violins. There
was also this guy in California making seven strings …it can become a gimmick
after awhile.”
Ray
Shasho:Do you prefer the electric violin sound over
traditional acoustic?
Jean-Luc
Ponty:“Not really. After I began playing jazz,
coming from the conservatory with a four string acoustic classical violin, then
playing in front of a microphone and stage, as soon as the drummer played the
beat loud … that was it, I was covered. So it was out of necessity that I
started looking for amplification in the early 60’s. It was just to get more
volume. Once I started plugging in I realized different sounds and it was no
longer the sounds of the traditional classical violin. There was no way to
amplify the natural sound of the violin … I was just getting another
sound. It was like putting a microphone on an acoustic guitar, you also
get a different sound. But somehow I liked it and suited well to play jazz. So
that’s how it went for a few years until some rock guy’s discovered me, I guess
because I was playing an electric instrument, they liked it, and I got called
for Zappa, and they liked the sound. Once I got to play with rock bands I
needed even more volume … then I got into big amplifiers.”
“At that time, engineers would
go to rock bands like Franks Zappa’s to try new prototypes and Frank would tell
me to try them … Wah-wah peddles, fuzz, phase shifters, or whatever. So since I
had an electric instrument, I tried them with the violin. Sometimes I loved it
and other times it didn’t work. In the 80’s, solid-body electric violins came
out from Zeta, and then the first Midi violin that Zeta gave me had allowed me
to plug into synthesizers. I have to say after exploring so much with all types
of sounds, I never lost touch with the original violin. To keep my chops, I
have to keep practicing on the traditional instrument all the time. With Jon
and me, maybe we’ll have some acoustic sets during the show; otherwise I’ll
really need the electric sound to fit with the instrumentation of the band.”
“I’m going to record an album
with Stanley Clarke in a couple of weeks and a French Gypsy guitarist and the
best I’ve ever seen since Django Reinhardt. Also Stanley Love as well. The goal
there will be to not use so many effects and try to be as basic as possible. So
I like the idea to explore new ways with my playing on just the basic violin.”
Ray
Shasho:I’m also excited about this new album you
mentioned with Stanley Clarke. You’ve toured and recorded with Stanley and Al
Di Meola as a trio over the years.
Jean-Luc
Ponty:“Stanley and I first met in 1972. We’ve always
enjoyed doing projects together once in awhile.”
Ray
Shasho:You’ve also been a member of Chick Corea and ‘Return to
Forever.’
Jean-
Luc Ponty:“I met Chick soon after I knew Stanley.
Stanley and Chick asked me to join ‘Return to Forever’ after I left Mahavishnu
Orchestra but I had started my own band and so I was hesitating because it was
a great offer. ‘Return to Forever’ was doing great music, but I had invested my
time and even my savings in putting a band together and thought maybe I’ll
stick to that for now. I consider myself a lucky guy to keep breathing so long,
still in shape to play, and being invited to do projects like with Jon Anderson
in fact. Chick Corea invited me to join them again in 2011, and so I did. It
was fun; no one was trying to push their egos and step on other guy’s toes at
all. It was really the experience of … let’s do the best music we can
together, and everybody left their egos at the door for the sake of producing
good music.”
Ray
Shasho:Jean-Luc, here’s a question that I ask everyone that I interview.
If you had a ‘Field of Dreams’ wish like the movie, to play, compose, or
collaborate with anyone from the past or present, who would that be?
Jean-Luc
Ponty:“Stravinsky, John Coltrane, Jaco Pastorius ...
in fact we had talked about doing something together and he passed away too
soon.”
“I was supposed to be a
straight classical musician, starting with the education with my parents, and
then studying in Paris. Then came so many unexpected encounters in my life,
getting into jazz, getting into rock … so I consider myself happy and lucky for
everything I was offered to do in my life, and now working with Jon Anderson…
it was so unexpected and so exciting.”
Ray
Shasho:Jean-Luc, thank you for being on the call today but more
importantly for all the incredible music you’ve given us and continue to bring.
Jean-Luc
Ponty:“My pleasure Ray, it was really nice talking
with you.”
Join the‘Jon Anderson & Jean-Luc Ponty Project’and help these incredible legends reach their
goal for recording a new album and give back artistic control …
Very special thanks to the
greatBilly JamesofGlass Onyon PR
Coming
upNEXT…Don Wilsonguitarist, pioneer, and co-founder of ‘The Ventures’… Keyboard
extraordinairePatrick Moraz(YES/The Moody Blues)…Al Kooper(The Blues Project, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Bob Dylan, and
responsible for the success of Lynyrd Skynyrd… Country Music’s shining new star
-19 year oldMary Sarah… Folk/Rock singer & songwriterJonathan Edwards(“Sunshine”)… legendary
keyboardistKeith Emerson(The Nice, Emerson, Lake & Palmer), and…
guitarist/singer/songwriterRandy Bachman(The Guess Who, BTO, Bachman & Turner)
Purchase
Ray’s very special memoircalled‘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 forJUST .99 CENTSat amazon.comorbarnesandnoble.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. It’s a wonderful read for
everyone!” …stillerb47@gmail.com
COMING
SOON… Ray’s exciting new book
project entitled ‘SAVING ROCK AND ROLL’
