By Ray Shasho
-Interviewed December
30th 2014
There were many
similarities between The Moody Blues & The Beatles. Both had an entire band that could sing
harmoniously and at times almost identical alongside one another. Each band
member was also able to perform solos flawlessly. Both bands became good
friends and even shared the same manager (Brian Epstein) for a spell. The Moody
Blues became part of ‘The British Invasion’ and supported The Beatles
on their final UK tour in December of 1965. They followed the tour with
their first trip to the U.S. appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show.
In 1967, Moody Blues mates Ray
Thomas and Michael Pinder performed
on the studio tracks of “I Am the Walrus” and “The Fool on the Hill” from The Beatles, “Magical Mystery Tour”album. Both bands also mimicked
each other’s artistic strengths … originality, prodigious songwriting &
musicianship abilities and shared everlasting worldwide popularity.
NEW
RELEASE …The Moody Blues
50th Anniversary re-mastered release -‘The Magnificent Moodies’ –Esoteric
Recordings (Cherry Red Records) An Official (Deluxe 2 CD) 50th Anniversary Edition
of the Moody Blues debut album is now available.
Re-mastered from
the first generation master tapes, along with all the singles the band recorded
between 1964 and 1966. Notably, this collection includes 29 previously
unreleased bonus tracks.
RAY
THOMAS is the legendary
co-founder, flautist, singer and songwriter for The Moody
Blues. Thomas demonstrates an unimaginable musical feat spanning
over five decades. It was Birmingham mates Ray Thomas and Michael Pinder who
actually formed The Moody Blues in 1964. They recruited guitarist Denny
Laine, drummer Graeme Edge
and bassist Clint Warwick. After signing on to Decca Records, they recorded
their debut album‘The Magnificent Moodies’ spawning
the hit “Go Now” (#1 UK, #10 U.S.).
In 1966, Clint Warwick
left the band. Thomas & Pinder eventually brought in longtime friend John
Lodge to replace him on bass and vocals. That same year, guitarist and vocalist
Denny Laine quit to form an electric string band and was replaced by
guitarist/vocalist Justin Hayward … and the classic-lineup of The Moody Blues
was inaugurated.
After diminishing
record sales and slumping popularity, the band averted from its R&B
beginnings to a prolific symphonic rock format captivated by brilliant lyrical
content. According to Ray Thomas, Denny Laine had been experimenting in that
direction before his departure from the band.
In 1967, THE MOODY BLUES began their path to rock immensity
with the release of their masterpiece concept album entitled, ‘Days of Future Passed’ (1972 #3 U.S.
Billboard Top 200 Albums), an idea that was intended to be a stage show.
Originally the record company wanted the group to record an oldies rock and
roll demo disc made for salesmen who would then use it to sell the
state-of-the- art ‘Deramic Sound.’ The demo recording would also include Peter
Knight and the London Festival Orchestra performing Dvorák's New
World Symphony.
‘Days of Future Passed’ featured Peter Knight
and the London Festival Orchestra. The album spawned the classic hits,“Tuesday Afternoon” (#24
U.S. Billboard Chart) and “Nights
in White Satin” (#2
U.S. Billboard Chart). Ray Thomas wrote the tracks … “Another Morning” and “Twilight
Time” for ‘Days of Future Passed,’ and his pivotal flute
performances were inspiring.
Producer Tony
Clarke’s influence became significant to the groups success.
The Moody Blues succeeded ‘Days of Future Passed’ with another concept
release entitled ‘In Search of the Lost Chord’ (1968).
Ray Thomas contributed the tracks “Dr. Livingstone, I Presume,” co-wrote “Visions of Paradise” and wrote and sang his most
famous composition with The Moody Blues called“Legend
of a Mind,” a psychedelic tribute to American psychologist, writer, and LSD
advocate Timothy Leary.
Ray
Thomas penned the tracks “Dear
Diary” and “Lazy Day” for
their follow-up album entitled‘On the Threshold of a Dream’ (1969).
Thomas wrote “Floating” and “Eternity Road” for their fifth album … “To Our Children's Children's Children’ (1969).
Thomas also penned
several fan favorites … “And
the Tide Rushes in” (1970) from ‘A Question of Balance,’ “Nice to be Here” (1971) from ‘Every Good Boy Deserves Favour’ and the classic “For My
Lady” (1972)
from ‘Seventh Sojourn.’
After completing their
world tour … The Moody Blues went on hiatus, and it was during this time that band
members entered into solo projects and collaborations.
Ray Thomas released
two critically acclaimed solo albums with Nicky James entitled… ‘From Mighty Oaks’ (1975) and Hopes, Wishes and Dreams (1976).
In 1978, The Moody
Blues released ‘Octave’ the final album to
include Moody Blues co-founder Michael Pinder. YES keyboardist Patrick Moraz would replace Pinder. Ray Thomas
demonstrated his songwriting proficiency once again with the tracks … “Under Moonshine,”and “I’m Your Man” on
the ‘Octave’ release.
Thomas penned “Painted Smile” and “Veteran Cosmic Rocker” for the bands tenth album“Long Distance Voyager” (1981), “I Am” for ‘The Present’ (1983), “Celtic
Sonant” for ‘Keys of the Kingdom’ (1991), and “My Little Lovely” for ‘Strange Times’ (1999).
‘Strange Times’ would be the final album featuring Ray Thomas as a member of The Moody Blues.
The Moody Blues
continue to tour worldwide with Justin Hayward, John Lodge and Graeme Edge.
RAY
THOMAS continues to be
musically active …but at his own pace. Ray collaborates with a wide-range of
international musicians while adding his magical flute onto various tracks in
the studio. Recently, Thomas collaborated with longtime friend and bandmate John
Lodge in the studio for an upcoming solo project.
Ray Thomas is also currently working on a new solo album.
I had the recent
pleasure of chatting with Ray Thomas… the legendary singer, songwriter and
flautist from The Moody Blues about …the band’s latest release ‘THE MAGNIFICENT MOODIES’-REMASTERED …The
early days of The Moody Blues … Brian Epstein … Working with John Lodge again …
Michael Pinder … A new Ray Thomas solo release … ‘Day’s of Future Passed’…
“Legend of a Mind”…And much-much more!
Here’s my interview
with Singer, Songwriter, Flautist, and co-founder of The Moody Blues …
RAY
THOMAS (It was a
Tuesday afternoon and the day after Ray’s birthday)
Ray
Shasho: Happy Birthday Ray!
Ray
Thomas: Well thank you
and your name is Ray too?
Ray
Shasho: I am and so is my son’s name.
Ray
Thomas: “Well there you go, my grandma used to call me
“Little Ray of Sunshine.”
Ray
Shasho: 2014 was sort of the year of
The Moody Blues for me; I’ve chatted with Michael Pinder, Patrick Moraz and now
Ray Thomas. I understand you and Michael are still very close friends.
Ray
Thomas: “Oh yea, we
still talk every week. He’s getting a bit forgetful now, but we’ve known each
other most of our lives. It was his birthday two days before mine. We’re very
similar and they call us the twins. (All laughing)”
Ray
Shasho: Graeme Edge (Moody Blues drummer) lives about 20 minutes from my
home here in Sarasota … Do you still chat with anyone else in the band?
Ray
Thomas: “I haven’t seen
or heard from Graeme in years and haven’t heard from Justine (Hayward) since I
retired …you’re soon forgotten.”
“I worked with John
(Lodge) a couple of weeks before Christmas on an album he’s making and I was in
the studio with him. I’ve known John since he was fourteen years of age and I
was fifteen. He doesn’t like people to know that we’re so close in age so John
lies. (All laughing) He wrote a song for his grandson, he’s called John
Henry after a railroad man in the states. Ray began to sing … “John Henry was a
railroad man; He worked from six 'till five.” So anyway, John came around and
said I’ve written this song and I’d like you to put flute on it. I went into
the studio and brought my bass flute and C flute. John hadn’t worked in
that studio with a producer before; I had, so I introduced them.”
“But it was just like
we were in there yesterday. John was sitting there on a stool with his guitar
on his lap and I got in there and set my flutes up and we played the track. I
told John that I had an idea to put bass flute on it and then play the C flute
over the top of the bass flute. John picked around on his guitar and said I
think that’s going to work! So I said, well I’ll tell you the best thing we can
do … Let’s fucking do it! (All laughing) And so we did. But it was just
like we worked together like we used to. After he put some strings on it John
followed me back home and asked me what I thought of it. I said it’s your song,
but if I was you I’d go for it, it could sell the album (10,000 Light Years
Ago) for you. And so that’s what we’ve done. John and I had a wonderful day
although it was pissing down rain and the weather was crap. John is doing a lot
of recording in Florida. I think he wants me to do another flute job on another
song. Anyway, we took a few photographs together and when we left it was
raining and the studio was at the bottom of the producer’s garden, so John was
holding this big ole umbrella because I don’t get around too fast on my legs,
and he was also holding my hand. I had my stick and John’s holding the umbrella
for the both of us. I said if someone had taken a photograph from the back it
would have made a wonderful shot. (All laughing) So we’re holding hands as we
walked away from the studio. (All laughing)”
“John came out with
the most stupid thing when he got home. His wife and daughter were there and
they were waiting to see how we got along together. So John rushed in
there and said … it sounds just like us … it sounds just like us! I said you
silly sod of course it does, it’s still us. (All laughing)”
Ray
Shasho: The Moody Blues have a new release out … an official (Deluxe 2-CD)
50th Anniversary edition of The Moody Blues debut album – ‘The Magnificent Moodies’-including 43 -bonus tracks and
29 -previously unreleased.
Ray
Thomas: “That’s an awful long time; it’s half a
century for God’s sakes. I’ve done several different interviews for magazines
and radio stations and people have been asking me questions and some of them I
just can’t answer because it’s been so long ago.”
Ray
Shasho: There’s a track on ‘The Magnificent Moodies’
that hasn’t been released before. Your wife Lee said I should mention it
because it’s an excellent song.
Ray
Thomas: “She might be
talking about the Tim Hardin song called “How Can We Hang On to a Dream.” It’s
a beautiful song and I’m thinking about covering it because I’m making a solo
album next year. It might be the last one because I’m getting on a bit now. I
can’t really perform anymore; I’ve got this balance problem and it’s called
Cerebellar Ataxia and it’s like a short circuit in the brain. If I lose my
balance, by the time my brain tells me that I’ve lost my balance; I could be on
the floor. The signal has to travel a longer route to the place where it says
you’re going to fall over. So it’s really very debilitating. It’s incurable so
I just live with it. I walk around with my stick and I don’t drink anymore
which helps.”
Ray
Shasho: Ray, have you written any songs for the new
solo album yet?
Ray
Thomas: “I’ve got two finished.
I did a duet with my cousin Ryland Teifi, and he had this idea to write a song
about his great-grandfather who is my grandfather. He lives in Ireland with his
wife and three daughters. He’s married to one of the Clancy families. So he had
this idea to write a song, and in Welsh they call grandfather Dada. So I was
sending him over lyrics and he was sending me ideas back and forth, and eventually
he came over. The timing of the session couldn’t have been better for me
because I was diagnosed with prostate cancer; it’s all in remission now, I’m
responding well to the treatment. He came over; we sat in my kitchen, shared
all our ideas and put it all together. The day I had to go into the hospital to
have all these bloody tests were the day of the session. Of course these tests
were bloody important to me so I had to go. I had them all done in one
day. I told Ryland and he went into the studio and lay down the piano and
guitar tracks. I went into the studio the following day and we just laid it all
down, and it’s turned out absolutely lovely!”
“I didn’t realize
until we had this song pretty much finished, and he being a lot younger than me
… he couldn’t remember Dada. He was only a little toddler when Dada died. All
the grandfathers were Welshmen. You know what they say … We’re British by birth
but Welsh by the grace of God. So after we laid the track down, we played it to
members of the family and they all started crying over it. Well I thought that
was a good sign. (All laughing)
My grandfather was a
Welsh miner and went on from there to become a carpenter and a wood carver, and
he did a lot of work in older chapels and churches in Wales. He worked on the
church where I got married in. He went on from carving pews, alters, and whatnot,
to carving oak throne-like chairs and Chair the Bard for Eisteddfod (Welsh
festival of literature, music and performance) The Bard is a Welshman that has
the best understanding as a poet of the Welsh language. I’ve got one of the
chairs here, I was able to buy one off one of the winners, it’s almost
impossible but I managed it. The song goes from his early days of working in
the coal mines to right through to carving the chair for the Bard Throne. The
words are very personal to us, so that’s going on the album.”
Ray
Shasho: Where will you be recording the new solo album?
Ray
Thomas: “There’s a
guy called Greg Walsh and he’s worked with Tina Turner and loads of people, he
has a couple of Grammy nominations … and he has a studio that looks like a log
cabin. Inside, it’s a state-of-the-art studio, but not very big. I like working
there because it’s nice and comfortable and hooks up to the house so I can make
a nice cup of tea. During the last session he said to me, I’m just nipping up
to the house to fuck the wife, and I said, so you won’t be gone long then. (All
laughing) And he’s a lovely-lovely man, so I’ll record it there.”
Ray
Shasho: One of my favorite Ray Thomas solo albums was your debut release
‘From Mighty Oaks’ (1975) in which you collaborated with Nicky James … just a
great album!
Ray
Thomas: “Thank you. My
old mate Nicky James who really wrote both albums with me and he died. That was
a bit of a blow. He came upstage one night and got this violent headache and
felt dizzy. He went to the doctor and was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and it
had gone so far it was inoperable. It was fortunate in a sense that he didn’t
last long with it. But once they diagnosed it, it was just too late to do
anything. It was a real shame. There’s this track that’s on one of Nicky’s
albums called “Troubadour” and I adored this song for years. I think I’m going
to cover that too. Nicky had such a wonderful voice and I was a little bit
hesitant, because I was worried about giving the song justice. I thought, well,
it’s going to be my version of it, so we’ll give it a crack. Finbar Furey is
coming over to play his Irish pipes for me; I’ve worked with Finbar before on a
track that’s on my box set and it’s called “The Trouble with Memories.” Finbar
is the Prince of Irish Pipes.”
Ray
Shasho: My favorite tracks on ‘From Mighty Oaks’ are …“Hey Mama Life” and
“Adam and I.”
Ray
Thomas: “I’m going fishing with Adam in May; he’s now
41 years of age. He was a little toddler as you see on the cover. I enjoyed
writing that. Basically we have done what the lyrics said because we go off
fishing together for a week in France. I used to take him fishing and now he
takes me.”
Ray
Shasho: Is Adam a musician or songwriter?
Ray
Thomas: “No, somebody once asked Adam that question
in my company and he said, are you kidding, he’s too hard of act to follow.
(All laughing)”
Ray
Shasho: I’d like to chat about The Moody Blues and I’ll begin with the
early days … What was it like working with Brian Epstein?
Ray
Thomas: “He was our manager for awhile. Brian
was gay, but it was in the days where that was not legal. He had a good
organization and we knew The Beatles very well. Brian took us under his wing,
and this was after “Go Now.” But the thing with Brian, he was in love with a
Spanish bullfighter and was always in Spain with his boyfriend. When Brian
wasn’t in the office at NEMS, then nobody could really make big decisions,
Brian was the decision maker, so consequently NEMS started to not to be so
good.”
Ray
Shasho: I remember those dubious rumors about John Lennon and Brian
Epstein taking weekend getaways together and suggesting that they were a lot
more than just friends.
Ray
Thomas: “I never saw any of that, I don’t believe it.
John had a very cutting wit and very cruel with his comments. He used to go …
“You great big puff, piss off!” And Brian used to adore him. Maybe he liked it
a bit rough like that … I don’t know.”
Ray
Shasho: So continue to talk about your relationship with Brian and NEMS.
Ray
Thomas: “We had an offer
through NEMS to go and play in France and this French promoter wanted to book
us. He said since “Go Now,” they haven’t had a hit in France and the money
wasn’t that good. He’d pay our expenses but would also get people thinking
about The Moody Blues again over there. So we agreed to do it. When we got to
Charles de Gaulle airport, it was packed with photographers and reporters. We
had been #1 with “Bye Bye Bird” and didn’t know that the French record company
had released it. This guy got this #1 act for peanuts to play all over
France … so he was laughing his socks off.”
“We we’re pissed off
and so when we got back we went and saw Brian and told him that he was the head
of a crap organization, and he threw us out of his house. He called a meeting
for the following day with all his heads of department, publicity, agency … and
we sat there with all the heads of department and Brian was there. We always
got along with Brian and he was a real gentleman. Brian banged on the table and
went around asking all his dept. heads what they’ve done about all this. They
all stared at the floor and said nothing. Then he banged on the table again
with his fist and said it appears that the boys are right, I’m the head of a
crap organization. Then Brian said to us, what do you want? We said can we have
our contract back? So he said go and get their contract and he ripped it up in
front of us and said, there you go and good luck. He could have kept us under
contract and that would have been crap. So we said thank you very much Brian
and left. Then Denny (Laine) left and Mike (Pinder) and I got a new band
together with Justin (Hayward) and John (Lodge). I worked with John in a
semi-pro band in Birmingham years before.”
Ray
Shasho: Was that El Riot & the Rebels?
Ray
Thomas: “El Riot …what a bloody name. (All laughing)
When I was a kid I had so much gall when I think about it. John was a bass
player in the Rebels. I was sitting in a club in London a couple of days later
and I was talking to Eric Burdon of The Animals. Eric had been advertising in
one of the trade magazines for a guitarist/singer. He was putting the new
Animals together at the same time. He said since I put an ad in the paper I
found the guy I want. Eric said, all I put in my ad was …Top recording band seek
guitarist/singer, they won’t know what band it is from the ad anyway. If you
want to come around to the office tomorrow you can have all the replies, and
that’s how we found Justin …a little bit of fate.”
Ray
Shasho: Speaking of fate …I always thought it was quite amazing when The
Moody Blues were able to successfully crossover from an early R&B sound to
a progressive rock orchestral aspect.
Ray
Thomas: “It was sort of going that way when Denny was
with us and writing songs. After he left, he formed a string quartet to back
him. Bringing Justin in had a much softer approach vocally, and then Michael
working with the Mellotron, which was great with the flute …and it just went
into that direction.”
“Days of Future Passed
was really weird because Decca had just developed ‘Deramic Sound’ which was
wall to wall sound or what we call ping-pong stereo. Like if you listen to Sgt.
Pepper’s, you’ve either got the sound coming out of the left end or right end
speaker, but if you listen to ‘Deramic Sound’ you can place it between the
speakers, so you get wall to wall stereo. So they wanted a demonstration disc
made for all the salesmen to try and sell ‘Deramic Sound’ and we could never
get any studio time. We were developing Days of Future Passed as a stage show. They
wanted us to play tunes like “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Rock Around the Clock” and
stuff like that, and wanted Peter Knight and the London Festival Orchestra to
play Dvorák's New World Symphony. We said that’s going to sound
bloody awful … one minute they’re listening to “Blue Suede Shoes” and then the
next minute to the symphony and us playing someone else.”
“We approached Tony
Clarke who was going to produce this thing and Peter Knight. We said we’ve got
an idea, and they were very-very brave because Tony Clarke had lost his job, at
the time he was a Decca producer. He was told what to bloody record and that’s
what he did. Peter Knight said, that sounds great and so he stuck his neck out
and didn’t do what they wanted him to do. So every day we went into the studio
and recorded a track and then sent it over to Peter Knight and he wrote the
bridges (overtures) and the end of Days of Future Past. We didn’t actually work
with the orchestra”.
On the last day of the
session the orchestra came in and laid down all the bits and pieces and then we
joined them all up. And every Tuesday Decca used to have a meeting with all
their producers and they used to take their wares to Edward Lewis and the heads
of the department, and would play them and decide if they were going to release
it or not and also decided what money they were going to spend on it. So they
put Days of Future Passed on. After they finished, everyone said …well what the
hell is it and what are we going to do with it? It’s either one thing or the
other. Fortunately there was a guy there called Walt McGuire who was the head
of London Records, which was Decca America. He said if we don’t release it in
the UK then give it to me, I’m going to release it in the states, it’s
brilliant! So they said, well, we spent money on it in the studio, because
studio money was sacred, they wouldn’t give us any studio time so we just
grabbed it and made Days of Future Past in nine days. Also in those nine days
we recorded “Legend of a Mind” which was the inspiration for ‘In Search of the
Lost Chord’… and the rest is sort of history.”
Ray
Shasho: You’ve written so many great Moody Blues classics… and speaking of
“Legend of a Mind” what gave you the idea to write a song about Timothy Leary?
Ray
Thomas: “I’d read about him, I hadn’t met him at that
point. But “Legend of a Mind” is very tongue-in- cheek because I saw the astral
plane as like a psychedelically painted biplane which the hippies hired for a
trip around the San Francisco Bay. Tim Leary was all involved in the Tibetan
Book of the Dead and I had been reading that. So I just wrote Timothy Leary’s
dead and then said no, no, no, he’s just outside his body looking in. I was
just taking a piss really. (All laughing) Just having a laugh at all the
hippies and what they believed in and everything in the states. I never ever
took any drugs with him and never saw him take any drugs either. When he died
everybody wanted to speak with me. This bloody woman from the New York Times
found me, and I was on the road at the time in the states. She said, yes, but
what drugs were you doing? I said I never saw any drugs at anytime I met Tim. I
told her I never took any drugs with him. She persistently tried to get dirt
and shit out of me, so I said fuck you and slammed the phone down. I had just
lost a friend. There wasn’t any dirt about Tim, he was a lovely man, and he was
just a mysterious Irishmen.”
“When he came to see
us, we were playing at the Greek Theatre and Tim turned up, which he used to do
on occasion if he was in the area, he’d come watch us play. We played a concert
at a college much earlier on and I spotted Tim and he came up onstage for
“Legend of a Mind” and played tambourine. That brought the bloody house down.”
“So anyway, Tim came
to the Greek Theatre and came backstage and complemented us about the show.
Then he asked me to go outside with him for a minute. He said there’s something
I want to tell you. After we walked outside he said, I’m going to tell you
something, but if you repeated it, I’ll deny saying it. I said okay Tim what is
it? He said that bloody song made me more famous than I did. (All laughing) I
never told anybody what he said until after he was gone.”
Ray
Shasho: “For My Lady” & “And The Tide Rushes In”
are beautifully written songs which you also perform, what was the inspiration
behind those incredible tracks?
Ray
Thomas: “And The Tide
Rushes In” was recorded after a big argument with my ex-wife. And I say … “You
keep looking for someone to tell your troubles to, I'll sit down and lend an
ear yet I hear nothing new.” Just complaining, then the tide rushes in and
washes my castle away. And “For My Lady” …that was really just after my
divorce. Basically I’m saying I’d give my life for a gentle lady. I was on my
own for about twenty odd years before I met Lee. When people have spoken to Lee
they say how did you meet and she says… Can you say groupie? She followed me
all over the place and I just got to know her on the road. We just became
close. It wasn’t in the days of sexual groupies; it was just women who came to
every bloody gig. She loves me to bits and I love her to bits. I wish I had met
her years before, but that’s life isn’t it.”
Ray
Shasho: How long have you and Lee been married?
Ray
Thomas: “Six years. We went down to Wales and got
married in a place called Mwnt. That’s where my great grandfather made a lot of
the woodworking there and my great uncle George and my grandfather made the
pews in there. It’s got no electricity or anything; I think its 16th century.”
Ray
Shasho: Ray, can you speak Welsh?
Ray
Thomas: No, I can
understand little bits of it but I was raised in Birmingham. My dad could speak
Welsh, and all my family speaks Welsh, but not me. But it’s a very ancient
language. In this little church where Lee and I got married, it’s so old;
they’ve got a little window because the Lepers were not allowed to come in. So
they could watch the service from outside through this tiny little window. They
found the church bell in a farmer’s field after they repaired the roof, then
reinstalled it but it never sounded quite right. When we finished the service
and Lee and I were going to walk out, the Vicar (A priest in
the Church of England who is in charge of
a church and the religious needs of people in
a particular area) stood there and said, there it goes … he’d fixed
the bell and it resonated throughout the valley for miles and miles … and he
wouldn’t stop bloody winging it! (All laughing) There were only seven of us for
the ceremony at the church that day. We told the Vicar and the Bishop to keep
it quiet because if the fans found out it be a bloody circus, and which they
did anyway, but it all worked out really well.”
Ray
Shasho: You’re a brilliant flautist.
Ray
Thomas: “I never took a lesson in my life and just
taught myself. I’ve got a few bad habits that I can’t rid myself of after all
this time. Like on the fingering and how you hold the flute, I don’t do it
correctly. But when we did all the tours with the orchestras I’d meet all the
flute players and they’d come backstage and tell me that I inspired them to
play the flute, and these were brilliant classical musicians. This one girl
said to me, what I want to ask you, she said, how do you make your flute
scream? I said it’s the way you blow it obviously, but you’ve got to be in a
rock and roll band to do it. I had to play over the power of electric guitars
and mellotrons.
Ray
Shasho: “When I think of flautist in the world of
rock, you and Ian Anderson always come to mind as the best.
Ray
Thomas: “I was playing before him; I was one of the
first rock and roll flute players. Have you heard the Moody Bluegrass? (A
Nashville tribute to The Moody Blues) When they did their first volume, I was
absolutely knocked out! I’ve heard some different music played to our songs and
some of it is bloody awful. We’ve had rap versions of “Night in White Satin”
for God’s sake. So when I heard all the pickers from Nashville on it I got in
touch with the guy from Moody Bluegrass and said to him how much I really loved
it. I sent him a little silver flute in a tiny little case and I put on the
case … ‘The only thing missing’ … because they don’t have flutes. So when they
did volume two, he got in touch with me, and he said, we’re going to do “Dear
Diary” will you put the flutes on? So they sent me a track over and I went into
the studio and put the flutes on it. Then he said to me, well, you might be the
first rock and roll flute player … but now you’re the first bluegrass flute
player … which knocked me out!
Ray
Shasho: I asked Michael Pinder if there were any
regrets on leaving The Moody Blues. Mike said, “No, I don’t because I was
really quite happy with what Ray and I achieved. We had what we wanted… we
conquered it.”
Ray
Thomas: “Yea, that’s true really. Now that we’re
getting older he gets all sentimental, he said we really did it didn’t we, and
I said bloody right we did. Two lads from Birmingham…and I said we really shook
it up, and he said damn right we did. He’s right there, but I’m glad I carried
on for as long as I could.”
Ray
Shasho:The Moody Blues popularity and
longevity has intensified throughout the years. There have been a few different
variations of the classic lineup, kind of like what Crosby, Still, Nash &
Young has done over the years. Then of course after Michael left, Patrick Moraz
was added on keyboards and stayed with the band for twelve years.
And
now there are only three members still performing. How much longer do you think
they’ll keep it going?
Ray
Thomas: “I don’t know mate, as I said, I haven’t
spoken to them, only John. But for as long as possible I hope because they’re
selling catalogue. I’m getting paid for sitting on my ass. (All laughing)”
Ray Shasho: Ray,
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?
“Well I’ve already
done it with The Beatles, Mike and I performed on “The Fool on the Hill” and “I
Am The Walrus.” We went down to the studio and it was my idea to put all the
harmonicas on “Fool on the Hill.” So I’ve done it with The Beatles. I’ve sung
with Sonny Boy Williamson, Memphis Slim, and I’ve played on the same stage with
all the great ones …Queen, Genesis … you name it really. So I don’t really know
that’s an odd one … Crosby, Stills and Nash might be nice.”
“James Brown
influenced the band from early on. Actually there’s a funny story, he was on
the road same as us and we didn’t know he was staying at the same hotel. We
were getting ready to leave and there were two limos for us and one for him. So
I jumped into the first limo and I’m sitting there and James Brown got in. I
was sitting in the wrong car. (All laughing) He looked at me like …who the hell
are you? I said shit James I’m in the wrong car sorry.”
Ray
Shasho: Ray, do you know when your new album will be released?
Ray
Thomas: “No, the thing
is, I’m not going to put myself under pressure like I used to. When I write a
song, I don’t like it hanging around because I start picking at it, trying to
change it, and inevitably you fuck it up. So as I write one, I’ll go down to
the local studio and record it as a whim. I haven’t got a deadline; I’m getting
too old for all that pressure. I’ll just do it when I can. So let’s say
sometime in 2015. Sex, drugs and rock and roll are a thing of memories; I’ve
had more than my fair share so I’ve got no regrets.”
“I’ve done a lot of
work with different bands in the studio including an Italian prog-rock band
called ‘Syndone’, and did a track on their album. Weeks after the session, a
great big box arrived at my front door and it was full of pasta from Naples,
all types of shapes and sizes, and that’s how they paid me, it was brilliant!
I’ve also done three or four tracks for Mike Pinder’s sons, and just finished
another one for them. I also worked with a Ukrainian band called ‘Melting
Cloud’ from the Ukraine, and their music is really weird. I did one with
harmonica and one with flute and did two tracks for them. Their producer worked
a lot in Russia and had these two young guys come over. When they found out
they knew me they asked me to play on their album. When I arrived you would
have thought God had turned up. But I got a lot of enjoyment from doing it, I
don’t mind working for other people. If I don’t do that or going fishing, I’m
just sitting around on my ass. (All laughing)”
Ray
Shasho: The music business today could sure use your help Ray … it’s
bloody awful!
Ray
Thomas: “I don’t like to put
any artist down because I know how difficult it can be.
But having said that
…there really is some crap out there! Where are the ‘Sgt. Pepper’s’, ‘Days
of Future Past’, or the Crosby, Stills and Nash band’s? I feel so
sorry for these young boy bands, they put a bit of money behind them and they
have a couple of hit records and it’s a throwaway society, to throwaway bands
before they really got on their feet and know what they’re doing, there’s no
apprenticeship these days. We used to play in the pubs, clubs, and some hard
working men’s clubs in the north of England. They didn’t really throw bottles
at you but they told you to fuck off! (All laughing) Get them off; let’s have
the bingo and all this shit! We got off the stage and got back into the van and
almost in tears. It just spurs you to want to do better.”
Ray
Shasho: I’ve heard you’ve had some interesting fans
over the years?
Ray
Thomas: “We’ve had some real weirdoes. I’ve had a
woman live in my garden for three weeks and I didn’t even know she was there.
The doorbell rung one night and I was expecting a friend of mine, When I opened
the door she leaped past me into the house and was covered with shit because
she’d been living under my shrubs. She lay on the floor in the sign of the
cross, sobbing in tears and looked like a nun would. She wanted me to father
her child who was going to be the new messiah. She was sobbing because she
wasn’t a virgin anymore. But it frightened the shit out of me!”
“I had another guy
come into the dressing room and dropped to his knees in front of me. He wanted
me to lay my hands on him because by doing that he was going to leave his body
and Krishna was going to enter his body. He had been working out for years to
get his body in tip top shape … and it was. It was frightening!”
“There was a guy in San
Antonio that we didn’t know about, but he sat in the town square a year before
we were coming to town. He sat there with a sign saying … In 365 days they will
be here! Then 364 days and so on… and it became a fixture with the press and
the television. So they picked up on it and used to go and interview him and
asked … Who is going to be here in 200 days now? He said The Moody Blues,
the Rock Gods from up higher are coming. For us it was great publicity. We
didn’t know about him. We arrived at the hotel on the day, and I was sharing a
room with Pete Jackson who works with Clapton now as his tour manager, he was
our tour manager and we were sharing a room to keep the expenses down in those
days. There’s a knock on the door and I thought it was a bellhop with our bags.
So I opened the door and this vision went pass me, his skin was almost black,
he wore a little sheepskin jerkin on, hipster jeans and sandals. He left past
me ranting and raving, he was like the war man from Borneo. Pete Jackson phoned
security and they threw him out. The following day after the gig he was back in
his place with ‘Number one, I was wrong, they’re shit!’ (All laughing) So we’ve
had some strange experience.”
Ray
Shasho: Ray, have you witnessed some of the UFO’s that
Mike has seen?
Ray
Thomas: “I think Mike
has seen a few more than me. (All laughing) Michael is really into all that
shit. Who am I to disbelieve him, if anyone is going to see a whole fleet of
UFO’s over his head … it’s Mike. (All laughing) I rang Mike up for his birthday
and said you’re older than me you old bastard! Two days later he rings’s me up
and says; now you’re the same age as me you old bastard! He came out with a
good one, he said, well I’m two days older than you, so if I die I want
you to go out and have a fucking great time for two days. He thinks I’m going
to die two days after him because he’s two days older. (All laughing)”
Ray
Shasho: Ray, thank you so much for being on the call
today, but more importantly for all the incredible Moody Blues music you’ve
given us and solo efforts you continue to bring.
Ray
Thomas: “Thank you Ray,
I enjoyed it.”
Purchase: The Moody Blues 50th Anniversary re-mastered release-‘The Magnificent Moodies’ –Esoteric Recordings
(Cherry Red Records)… Official (Deluxe 2 CD) 50th Anniversary Edition of
the Moody Blues debut album re-mastered from the first generation master tapes,
along with all the singles the band recorded between 1964 and 1966. Notably
this collection includes 29 previously unreleased bonus tracks …
DISC ONE
THE MAGNIFICENT MOODIES: REMASTERED
1 I’LL GO CRAZY 2. SOMETHING YOU GOT 3. GO
NOW 4.CAN’T NOBODY LOVE YOU 5. I DON’T MIND 6. I’VE GOT A DREAM 7.
LET ME GO 8. STOP 9. THANK YOU BABY 10. IT AIN’T
NECESSARILY SO 11.TRUE STORY12. BYE BYE BIRD
BONUS TRACKS
13.LOSE YOUR MONEY (BUT DON’T LOSE YOUR MIND) 14.STEAL YOUR HEART AWAY
15. GO NOW! (FIRST VERSION) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED) 16. IT’S EASY CHILD
17. I DON’T WANT TO GO ON WITHOUT YOU 18.TIME IS ON MY SIDE 19.
FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART (I LOVE YOU) 20. AND MY BABY’S GONE
21. EVERYDAY 22.YOU DON’T (ALL THE TIME) 23.BOULEVARD DE
MADELEINE
24. THIS IS MY HOUSE (BUT NOBODY CALLS) 25. PEOPLE GOTTA
GO 26.LIFE’S NOT LIFE 27. HE CAN WIN
DISC TWO
PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED SESSIONS 1964 – 1966
THE JULY 1964 OLYMPIC STUDIOS SESSIONS:
1. GO NOW! (SECOND VERSION) 2. LOSE YOUR MONEY (BUT
DON’T LOSE YOUR MIND) (EARLY VERSION) 3. STEAL YOUR HEART AWAY (FIRST
VERSION) 4. I’LL GO CRAZY (FIRST VERSION) 5. YOU BETTER MOVE ON
6. CAN’T NOBODY LOVE YOU (FIRST VERSION) 7. 23RD
PSALM
THE 1965 BBC RADIO
SESSIONS:
8. GO NOW 9. I DON’T WANT TO GO ON WITHOUT YOU
10. I’LL GO CRAZY
"SATURDAY CLUB” SESSION - BBC LIGHT PROGRAMME
RECORDED 12TH APRIL 1965
11. FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART (I LOVE
YOU) 12. JUMP BACK
"SATURDAY CLUB” SESSION - BBC LIGHT PROGRAMME
RECORDED 3RD MAY 1965
13. I’VE GOT A DREAM 14. AND MY BABY’S GONE
"SATURDAY CLUB” SESSION - BBC LIGHT PROGRAMME
RECORDED 1ST JUNE 1965
15. IT’S EASY CHILD 16. STOP 17. EVERYDAY
"SATURDAY CLUB” SESSION - BBC LIGHT PROGRAMME
RECORDED 21ST SEPTEMBER 1965
18. YOU DON’T (ALL THE TIME) 19. I WANT YOU TO KNOW
"SATURDAY CLUB” SESSION - BBC LIGHT PROGRAMME
RECORDED 9TH NOVEMBER 1965
THE 1966 DENNY CORDELL SESSIONS
20. SAD SONG 21.THIS IS MY HOUSE BUT NOBODY CALLS (FIRST
VERSION)
22. HOW CAN WE HANG ON TO A DREAM (FIRST VERSION) 23. HOW CAN WE HANG
ON TO A DREAM (REMAKE) 24.JAGO & JILLY 25. WE’RE BROKEN
26. I REALLY HAVEN’T GOT THE TIME (SEPTEMBER 1966
VERSION) 27. RED WINE
28.THIS IS MY HOUSE BUT NOBODY CALLS (STEREO MIX)
Special thanks to the
‘incredible’ Billy James of Glass Onyon PR
COMING
UP NEXT…An interview with
lead vocalist and songwriter NIKKI LUNDEN and guitarist LORA
‘G’ ESPINOZA from an incredible new band entitled ‘Lunden Reign’…Also upcoming
folk/rock/singer/songwriter/guitarist JONATHAN EDWARDS (“Sunshine,”
“Shanty”) and Legendary Pop Crooner ENGELBERT HUMPERDINK
("Release Me")
Contact 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 may 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.’
Watch for the Kickstarter campaign very soon!
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All Rights Reserved
Lodge has been voted one of the “10 most influential bass players on the planet,” and has been the recipient of many awards, including ASCAP (American Society of Composers and Publishers), and Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, and inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, to name just a few. The Moody Blues have released 15 studio albums and countless compilations, and John has also released three solo albums; NATURAL AVENUE in 1977, 10,000 LIGHT YEARS AGO in 2015, and his current LIVE FROM BIRMINGHAM, THE 10,000 LIGHT YEARS TOUR. He also released the duo album BLUE JAYS in 1975 with Justin Hayward, and they were voted the Top Duo for that year.
