Joe Bonsall Interview: The Oak Ridge Boys to Release Their Very First Live Album!

By Ray Shasho

An Interview with Joe Bonsall of The Oak Ridge Boys:

The legacy of The Oak Ridge Boys reaches way back to World War II. The original group was called the Oak Ridge Quartet and performed faithfully at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. They quickly earned recognition as one of the top drawing Gospel groups in the U.S.A. The group managed to sustain a steady following of faithful fans and followers over the next several decades with numerous lineup variations.

In 1973, a new chapter to the Oak Ridge dynasty was written. The Oak Ridge Boys new lineup consisted of … Duane Allen (lead vocals), Joe Bonsall (tenor), William Lee Golden (baritone), and Richard Sterban (bass singer). The new Oak Ridge Boys would also cross-over musically into the realms of country, rock, and pop while preserving their traditional gospel roots. The 1973 legendary formation of The Oak Ridge Boys would eventually earn them status as “American icons.”

In 1977, The Oak Ridge Boys backed up Paul Simon in the studio on his classic hit “Slip Slidin’Away.” The group also recorded with George Jones, Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash, Roy Rogers, Billy Ray Cyrus, Bill Monroe, Ray Charles, and Shooter Jennings. ‘The Boys’ have also appeared before five presidents.

The Oak Ridge Boys incredible string of hit singles include … “Y’all Come Back Saloon,” “You’re The One,” “I’ll Be True to You,” “Cryin Again,” “Come On In,” “Sail Away,” “Dream On,” Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight,” “Trying to Love Two Women,” “Heart of Mine,” “Beautiful You,” “Elvira,” “(I’m Settin’) Fancy Free,” “Bobbie Sue,” “I Wish You Could Have Turned My Head (And Left My Heart Alone), “American Made,” “Love Song,” “I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes,” “Everyday,” “Make My Life With You,” “Little Things,” “Touch a Hand, Make a Friend,” “Come On In (You Did the Best You Could Do),” “It Takes a Little Rain (To Make Love Grow),” “This Crazy Love,” “True Heart,” “Gonna Take a lot of River,” “An American Family,” and “No Matter How High”… to name a few.

The Oak Ridge Boys have spawned (12) gold, (3) platinum, and one double platinum album. They’ve also generated more than (12) Number One Hit singles and over (30) Top Ten Hits, including one double platinum single. The Oak Ridge Boys recently celebrated the sale of over (41) Million albums worldwide.
Their mega-hit “Elvia” (1981) penned by Dallas Frazier and sung by Joe Bonsall on lead vocals, became one of the group’s biggest hits and their signature song.

The Oak Ridge Boys celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2013 and today are stronger than ever. Their first live album ever entitled Boys Night Out will be released on Cleopatra Records April 15th on three different formats… CD, vinyl and digital download. ‘The Boys’ recently returned from sea on their annual Oak Ridge Boys Rally-at-Sea aboard the Celebrity Reflection with stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg and St. Maarten. The Oak Ridge Boys are currently on the road in support of Boys Night Out.

Tenor Joe Bonsall is also an established author. He’s written a series of children books and several exciting novels including the commercially successful G.I. Joe & Lillie, An American Journey: A Look Back Over Thirty Years with The Oak Ridge Boys, and From My Perspective that includes a foreword by General Chuck Yeager.
I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Joe Bonsall recently while on the road in Laughlin, Nevada. We chatted about … Boys Night Out the new live album, Nashville, Joe’s latest book, The inception of “Elvira,” Phillies baseball… and so much more.

Here’s my interview with legendary Oak Ridge Boys Tenor and Author … JOE BONSALL.
Ray Shasho: Hello Joe!
Joe Bonsall: “Hi Ray, hold on, let me turn this music off here, I’ve got Rosanne Cash blaring on my iTunes today.”
Ray Shasho: That’s a good thing.
Joe Bonsall: “Yea man, she’s got a new album out that’s just great!”
Ray Shasho: So should I call you Joe or Ban-Joey?
Joe Bonsall: “You can call me either one, but I am Ban-Joey though … how did you know that?”
Ray Shasho: I dug deep. (Laughing) I’ve always thought the banjo was a difficult instrument to play.
Joe Bonsall: “I’ve never really played an instrument, I’ve always just sang. I play a little piano but not enough where I can say that I play. When I decided to take up the banjo, I didn’t realize that it would be so hard, if I knew that, I may not have even started it. I’ve been playing banjo for eleven years now and after all the years I should be better … but I can at least take it out of the case and make it sound like a banjo now (All laughing).”
Ray Shasho: Joe, do you still live in Nashville?
Joe Bonsall: “The Oak ridge Boys make their home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, right outside of Nashville, and I’ve lived there for the forty-one years that I’ve been with this group. I’m in Laughlin, Nevada right now and its eighty degrees, I should be feeling guilty. For the fourth or fifth time this year we’ve had a real-real winter in Nashville. We don’t usually get that kind of winter, but a lot of the country just got blasted … I guess its global warming Ray (All Laughing).”
Ray Shasho: My wife and I used to take the kids to Opryland USA Theme Park when they were young and we just loved it. I didn’t realize the park and other important landmarks were closed down primarily due to flooding. I chatted with Tony Joe White recently who actually wrote a song about the Nashville flood on his latest album.
Joe Bonsall: “The flood of several years ago flooded out downtown Nashville. It not only closed the Opry but flooded all the way above the stage and the dressing rooms. It was amazing! Everybody got damage from that flood. It was one of the worst floods in the history of the mid south. There was a big rain that came over and stayed, it did not go away. It was dropping seven to ten inches an hour. Every river, especially the mighty Cumberland River which goes right through Nashville, Tennessee flooded out big time. It created a lot of problems. They’ve got a big mall now where the Theme Park used to be … we call it the Grand Ole Shopry (All laughing).”
Ray Shasho: You and the rest of the group will be sailing out to sea soon for The Oak Ridge Boys Rally-at-Sea II.
Joe Bonsall: “We actually have a show in Key West the night before, and then we depart out of Miami for about seven days on the Celebrity Reflection. A bunch of fans and friends of The Oak Ridge Boys can all come out on the ocean with us for seven days … enjoy some islands, some concerts, and personal time. It’s only the second time we’ve ever done it and quite frankly it’s something I really enjoy doing … just really fun. I think it was a nice experience for the folks who came on the tour and it was good for us. I was reading USA Today the other day and they had the top ten brand new cruise ships on the water today and the Reflection was number one.”
Ray Shasho: So Joe how did a guy from Philly windup in a Country and Gospel group?
Joe Bonsall: “I was always musically inclined and loved singing since I was really little. Growing up in Philly … it was the Mecca of the early rock ‘n’ roll. I loved Elvis and all the Philly acts so being in the Philly Hall of Fame now just blows my mind, as a kid I loved the Philly sound. When I was in my early teens going to church, kids got a hold of me and started driving out to the suburbs of Philadelphia to listen to some of the great Southern Gospel groups. Loving Doo-Wop and the harmony like I did, I thought the power harmonies of these Gospel Quartets just blew my mind. I started charting a path in my life when I was fifteen years old that someday I was going to sing in a quartet like this. So I started my own little quartet in Philly when I was younger and it was a metamorphosis for sure, but to end up today being sixty-five years old and spent my whole life singing in a quartet … so I did what I wanted to do.”
Ray Shasho: Philadelphia is usually known for American Bandstand and Soul music, but the city has also been associated with some of the top Gospels singers in the world like … The Dixie Hummingbirds and Clara Ward ( Famous Ward singers).
Joe Bonsall: “You’re exactly right; a lot of great gospel music came out of Philly. I lived in Philly since I was nineteen years old. Since I lost my parents I don’t get up to Philly as much as I used too. I love the city and growing up there, it’s a melting pot for sure, and I wouldn’t change anything about growing up in Philly. My neighborhood was a little rough and that was good for me too, I learned how to either fight or run and I learned how to do both (All laughing).”
Ray Shasho: I know you’re a huge Philadelphia Phillies fan, have you ever done a fantasy camp with the team?
Joe Bonsall: “I did the ultimate fantasy camp; the Phillies let me hang in the dugout for three straight days. I went out there in a Phillies uniform and took ground balls and fly balls and just hung out with the team, and that was right after they won the World Series with Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose, Steve Carlton and all that bunch. I became friends with all those guys and they were all Oak Ridge Boys fans. The whole time we were out there taking batting practice, they were blasting “Elvira” over the speakers at the old Veterans stadium. The first piece that I ever wrote, that was published, was a piece called ‘Daydream’ in which I chronicled that event, and it was published in Country Music Magazine at that time. It was a great experience for me and I still love the Phillies.”
Ray Shasho: I also heard that you have nine cats …did you name each cat after a Phillies lineup?
Joe Bonsall: “No, my wife is actually in charge of naming the cats. I’m actually down to seven now. My wife and I are big cat people … I love my cats. Having cats leads to having more cats, and for some reason I think that’s how it happens. My wife Mary and I married in 1982 and we’ve always had cats around. They’re fun and unique in their personalities, traits, and the things they do and I really enjoy watching and studying them. I wrote a series of books on cats back in the early 90’s called Mollie the cat book series where I took the four cats that I had and made a story out of them. I made my little kitty Molly famous at the time; we lost her a couple of years ago. I still get mail from people who read Molly to their kids or grandkids.”
Ray Shasho: You’ve written numerous books as an established author … but I believe your most popular novel to date is GI Joe and Lillie.
Joe Bonsall: “It’s my best-selling book, it came out in 2003 and it still has legs. It’s a story based on the life of my parents. My father was there at D-Day on Utah Beach on the first day of the invasion on June 6th. He fought about fifty days and then got hit at St. Lo. He won a Silver and Bronze Star, a Purple Heart. My mother was in the Women’s Army Core, she was a (WAC).They met after the war and what I do in the book is follow her life growing up and his growing up, both of them and their war experiences, then them meeting and going on as a family. I wrote it as a third person. People that know that the writer is the son doesn’t really hurt the story any. Most people if they read the book and really don’t know me, at the end will realize that it’s the son that’s writing the story for the parents. For me it was a rare opportunity that very few of us ever get to honor our parents. They both rest in Arlington today. I think the story hit a lot of positive chords with people because so many people from that generation lived that same exact life.”

“Today at our show, General Chuck Yeager will be here. He’s 91 years old today. For the fourth consecutive year, he will be celebrating his birthday with The Oak Ridge Boys. He’ll be here with us tonight in Laughlin, Nevada. He’s an amazing human being. He was just in South Africa training young South African pilots to fly F-14’s.”
Ray Shasho: Joe, The Oak Ridge Boys recently signed with Cleopatra Records and are finally releasing a Live album on April 15th… what took you so long man?
Joe Bonsall: “You know that’s a real good question. Over all of these years, I can’t tell you how many fans and friends have asked us …when are you going to do a live album? I guess it never felt right to do it. A live album idea was always put on the shelf. We got the idea last year after our manager Jim Halsey started talking with Cleopatra Records. After we came up with the idea of a live album …they loved it! So what we did is take recording equipment out and started recording shows one after another and had some forty some songs in the can. We picked out the best twelve or thirteen, best ones and biggest hits. We tweaked and remixed them, then turned it in to the record company and they just loved the album. We’re all real happy with it … it came out just great!”

“The album will be released worldwide and even be available on vinyl. It could even start a series of live albums because believe me we’ve got the songs now. We’ve been listening to some great old classics that weren’t hits that people love. Songs like … “Dig A Little Deeper in the Well” for instance, it was never a single but it’s an Oak Ridge Boys song that everybody knows. So we’re trying to bring songs like that back on stage and record them live too. Who knows within the next year or so we could have a whole box set of live music, it could be an anthology like you will not believe. The album will be available on tax day April 15th, so if anyone has any money left, they can buy the album. We’ll be promoting it pretty heavily and hitting the road really hard this year.”
Ray Shasho: Everyone loves “Elvira” but my favorite Oak Ridge Boys tune is the group’s rendition of Wood Newton’s “Bobbie Sue” The Oak Ridge Boys definitely rock on that one.
Joe Bonsall: “Speaking of that …right after we turned this album over to Cleopatra, they came back to us and said we’re going to do a tribute album to The Allman Brothers, would you guys like to be a part of that. So we recorded “Ramblin’ Man” and our version rocks! We’re also staging it. We’re pinning people’s ears back with “Ramblin’ Man” right now.”
Ray Shasho: Did The Oak Ridge Boys back up Paul Simon on “Slip Slidin’ Away”?
Joe Bonsall: “We sure did. That was a great experience… we were starving to death yet we sang with Paul Simon. It really put some fire under us to get us through another year.”
Ray Shasho: Was it the Dallas Frazier version of “Elvira” that inspired the group to record it?
Joe Bonsall: “I had heard “Elvira” by Kenny Rogers and The First Edition; I also heard Rodney Crowell and was familiar with the old Dallas Frazier cut. When Ron Chancey our producer back then pitched the song, he played us the Dallas Frazier cut and I listened to it only one time. I knew if we were going to do it, we’d have to do it different. We’d need to feel it like we feel it. If you notice there’s some melody changes and a few things in there that aren’t like the other Elvira’s. But it was the Dallas Frazier cut that Ron Chancey pitched to us. Dallas is still around and still writing. We ran into him not too long ago. He wrote a couple of other songs for us …a gospel song called “The Baptism of Jesse Taylor” which was a big record and won us a Grammy. He also wrote a song that’s on our The Boys Are Back album called “You Ain’t Gonna Blow My House Down.”
Ray Shasho: Joe, 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?
Joe Bonsall: “There are so many people I already have collaborated with. I sung with our longtime friend George Jones on a record and then our history with Johnny Cash. I never knew Elvis like Richard (Richard Sterban) did, but I kind of feel like I knew Elvis because Richard spent a couple of years with him. I know all the stories and of course was a big Elvis fan. I sometimes envy Richard singing gospel songs around the piano with the Stamps Quartet and Elvis. I would have loved being around that circle and singing with Elvis.”

“To tell you the truth, I wish we could have done something with Bruce Springsteen. Springsteen is a real hero of mine …actually Springsteen or Bob Seger. Those two guys come to mind because I love that style of what they do and how they write. It would have been fun to collaborate with either or both of those guys.”
Ray Shasho: Joe, thank you for being on the call today but more importantly for all the incredible Oak Ridge Boys music you’ve given us and continue to bring.
Joe Bonsall: “I enjoyed talking with you Ray, and your personality, insight and preparation… thank you! I’m so proud to be with The Oak Ridge Boys, I joined the group in 1973 and I was 25 years old. I’m 65 today and my group is still out there. We’re singing good, we’re feeling good, and very blessed with good health.”

THE OAK RIDGE BOYS LIVE -BOYS NIGHT OUT (Track list) …1) You’re The One 2)American Made 3)(I’m Settin’) Fancy Free 4)Love Song 5)Y’all Come Back Saloon 6)Sail Away 7)Dream On 8)This Crazy Love 9)Trying To Love Two Women 10)Come On In 11)Make My Life With You 12)Thank God For Kids 13)Elvira 14) Bobbie Sue … Pre-order your copy here

The Oak Ridge Boys official website
The Oak Ridge Boys concert dates
Author Joe Bonsall on amazon
The Oak Ridge Boys on Facebook
The Oak Ridge Boys on Twitter
The Oak Ridge Boys on Myspace
Very special thanks to Billy James of Glass Onyon PR

Coming up NEXT … Interviews with Judy Collins and Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull

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


Purchase Ray’s very special memoir called ‘Check the Gs’ -The True Story of an Eclectic American Family and Their Wacky Family Business … You’ll LIVE IT! Also available for download on NOOK or KINDLE edition for JUST .99 CENTS at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com - Please support Ray by purchasing his book so he can continue to bring you quality classic rock music reporting.
“Check the Gs is just a really cool story ... and it’s real. I’d like to see the kid on the front cover telling his story in a motion picture, TV sitcom or animated series. The characters in the story definitely jump out of the book and come to life. Very funny and scary moments throughout the story and I just love the way Ray timeline’s historical events during his lifetime. Ray’s love of rock music was evident throughout the book and it generates extra enthusiasm when I read his on-line classic rock music column on examiner.com. It’s a wonderful read for everyone!” …stillerb47@gmail.com


© Copyright rayshasho.com. All Rights Reserved

Wayne Swinny Interview: SALIVA Rise Up with Vengeance on Brilliant New CD

By Ray Shasho

An Interview with Saliva guitarist Wayne Swinny:  

An exciting new chapter has been written in the Saliva saga that entails a sensational new singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, a brilliant new CD that may be their finest recording to date, a new record label, and the launch of a new tour. Saliva is back with rock ‘n’ roll vengeance!

SALIVA has been conquering audiences with their eclectic mix of rock, metal, grunge, rap, and hip-hop … ceremoniously labeled as nu metal or hard alternative …since the band’s inception in 1996. The Memphis based band released their self-titled debut album the following year under the Rocking Chair Records label. Saliva’s second studio album Every Six Seconds would not be released until 2001 but had catapulted the band into the mainstream while achieving commercial success. The album spawned the proverbial favorites … “Superstar,” “After Me,” “Click, Click Boom,” and “Your Disease.” Many of the songs were featured in such motion pictures as The Fast and the Furious and Dracula 2000. Saliva also financially benefited with their music by being featured in various video games and sporting events including Monster Jam and WrestleMania. Every Six Seconds also instituted the band’s relationship with Island Records.

In 2002, Saliva scored commercially again with their first single entitled “Always” from the Back into Your System album. The single reached #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks and became Saliva’s biggest hit to date. The track was also featured in the game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. The album also spawned the hit “Rest in Pieces” penned by James Michael & Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe and a third single “Raise Up.” Saliva was also chosen to support Kiss and Aerosmith on tour in 2003.
Survival of the Sickest (#20 on the Billboard 200) was the group’s fourth studio release in 2004. The album launched two singles …"Survival of the Sickest" and “Razor’s Edge.” The band continued to reap rewards for their music being included in video games and pay per view specials. Guitarist Chris D’ Abaldo parted ways with Saliva in 2005. Jonathan Montoya (Full Devil Jacket) eventually replaced him as the new rhythm guitarist.
Saliva released the single “Ladies and Gentlemen” in 2006 reaching #2 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock charts and became the band’s best- selling single. The single was followed-up with the album Blood Stained Love Story in 2007. The release sold 31,000 copies in its first week.

In 2010, Jonathan Montoya exited the band and Saliva announced it would continue as a four piece group.

In 2011, Saliva released Under Your Skin their seventh studio effort. It would also be their final studio album with longtime frontman Josie Scott. The album spawned the single “Nothing.”The track “Badass” co-written by Wayne Swinny was featured in the film Saw 3D.

SALIVA TODAY: Their back to rock basics line-up is … Bobby Amaru (lead vocals), Wayne Swinny (guitars), David Novotny (bass guitar) and Paul Crosby (drums/percussion). Their brand new single “Rise Up” is available to purchase at all digital stores. Rise Up …their incredible new CD on their new label… Rum Bum Records will be available to purchase on April 29th. Saliva is currently on tour and recently performed several dates in Florida.

I had the great privilege recently to chat extensively with original Saliva guitarist Wayne Swinny. Wayne and I chatted about Rise Up… their latest album and its lyrical meaning, new lead singer and songwriter Bobby Amaru, the departing of Josey Scott, touring with Kiss and Aerosmith, a rock and roll comeback, Football … and so much more!
Here’s my interview with lead guitarist and songwriter for ‘Saliva’ and die-hard Oakland Raiders fan…WAYNE SWINNY.
Ray Shasho: Hello Wayne, how you doing man?
Wayne Swinny: “Hi Ray, I’m all good, sorry about the mix-up, my daughter’s afternoon nap kind of screwed up my schedule (All laughing).”
Ray Shasho: That’s all right, how old is she?
Wayne Swinny: “Two and a half, she’ll be three this June. She’s a hoot right now; it’s really cool, something new every day almost. When you get time you’ve got to just get with your family, fast forward, and spend as much time together as you can. And thank God with iPhones you’ve got Face Time to try and see your family when you’re away. So it’s a little better than it used to be and don’t have to go to a pay phone (Laughing).”
Ray Shasho: So where are you calling from Wayne?
Wayne Swinny: “I’m in Gulfport, Mississippi, that’s where my daughter and wife live. I’m a Memphis boy who moved south in my later years. There are a lot of characters down here that make for some great stories. I did find that out in my years … I meet some unusual characters the more southern that I migrated. We’ll be performing in Memphis in a few days to rework the entire show. It’s going to be a completely new deal and our fans won’t have to worry about seeing us play the same thing they saw before, that’s for sure.”
Ray Shasho: Saliva’s new lead singer Bobby Amaru is terrific and such a great find.
Wayne Swinny: “He’s got a great voice and is an all around professional. The guy can write songs and is a great producer in the studio in his own right as well. But just having him in the band is an adrenaline boost … just getting new blood. With Bobby it’s great and he has respect for all the older Saliva music and he’s not coming in with an attitude. He actually enjoys doing the older material, so he’s the perfect balance. I tell everybody all the time that we hit the lottery when we found Bobby.”
Ray Shasho: Is Bobby also playing rhythm guitar in the band?
Wayne Swinny: “He hasn’t started playing live yet. We do some songs that include a medley of some of the slower songs and covers that we do, so I’ve been on him to grab an acoustic guitar and help me out on that. There are some songs that would be really cool for him to play, so I’m going to stay on him and see what happens with that.”
Ray Shasho: So what is Josey Scott doing nowadays, I heard that he was into Christian music?
Wayne Swinny: “The last I heard, that’s where he was headed. I’m not even sure if he’s still doing anything to be in the business that way. I just know that he got to the point where his family and personal life became more important to him than his musical life, and you’ve got to respect a guy for that. It works for some people and doesn’t work for others, if it wasn’t working for him than I think he made the right decision. It’s a good thing, it appears to be that he’s very happy and content now, and we got very lucky to keep going too, so it worked out for both parties involved, and we’re all very lucky to be where we are in life today.”
Ray Shasho: Wayne, who were some of the artists that got you interested in playing guitar and becoming a professional musician?
Wayne Swinny: “It’s a laundry list of all the classic rock guitar heroes… Angus Young, Randy Rhoads, Jimi Hendrix. Then you’ve got the metal guys … I was a huge early Judas Priest fan so Glenn Tipton and K .K. Downing … all the pre-modern era of metal. I was able to catch some of those guys live early on and made quite an impression on me. I tried to soak in everything, from early Kiss stuff to listening to Rush and Ted Nugent. I was a huge Michael Schenker fan of UFO. The way Michael Schenker played sort of spoke to me, just an awesome player. One of these days I’ve got to get on with Eddie Trunk on ‘That Metal Show,’ I swear, I could probably talk with him for an hour just about UFO. He’s the only guy that knows more Michael Schenker and UFO trivia than I do.”
Ray Shasho: Have you had any kind of formal musical training?
Wayne Swinny: “I didn’t, unless you could call when I was a kid; my father and his father before him were both song leaders in church. Our whole family sang at the church, so all that traditional music was either based on old classical songs or based on traditional blues and gospel. So man … what great knowledge! The ABC’s of rock which is blues and a little bit of classical thrown in to give you a little schoolin’. It was a great place to learn music and that was really the only formal training I had. If you put down sheet music in front of me, you might as well put down Russian dialogue and ask me to speak it, I’ve got nothing there.”

“Literally, when I got my first electric guitar and amp, it was the cheapest one they had. I also bought the Dressed to Kill album, and that is how I got started. So Ace Frehley taught me how to play guitar. I didn’t read music. For me it was the best way to learn. And from there I went to a Kiss concert, I think the ‘Love Gun Tour’ and there was this band from Australia opening up called AC/DC. And holy cow dude! So from Ace Frehley to Angus Young… it just exploded. Those two guys were amazing!”
Ray Shasho: It really is amazing how so many legendary musicians haven’t had any kind of formal training.
Wayne Swinny: “You are right, it’s amazing how many guys aren’t trained, but also intentionally didn’t seek musical training. I kind of wish I hadn’t had this philosophy because it would have been good to be able to read music at this point in the game. I intentionally refused to go back and learn it, even earlier on in my career. I felt if I had that regimented technical knowledge it was going to affect my improvisation or the way I naturally interpreted music. So I stayed away from it literally on purpose.”
Ray Shasho: The bands brand new CD… Rise Up will be officially released on April 29th. It opens up a whole new chapter for Saliva. There’s not a sleeper track on the album and I truly believe its Saliva’s best work to date! I’m giving the album (5) stars!
Wayne Swinny: “I have said that myself. The first album you do, you’re always kind of partial, like your date at the prom. But honestly, I had more fun doing this record and I actually listened to this record. I enjoy listening to this CD more than anyone we’ve ever made, and maybe because I felt more involved and hands-on with it.”
Ray Shasho: The music and lyrical content on Rise Up are extremely intelligent with a clear-cut agenda and definitely not a headbanging rock album.
Wayne Swinny: “We can credit Bobby for bringing in that fresh attitude in the songwriting aspect. I’ve got to hand it to the guy; he’s an all around great musician. He can play anything; he’s also a great drummer. He was a drummer for Burn Season back in early 2000 and can session drum with just about anybody. He can also pick up a guitar or a bass and lay down tracks on a record with no problem.”

“Bobby Huff was also quite an asset in the studio too. As a producer he didn’t over produce, he kind of let us by ourselves with Bobby Amaru. Being his first record with us, he knew there was sort of a growth process. I think we were actually able to give each song the time that it deserved in the writing process …so credit to both Bobby’s.”
Ray Shasho: Did Bobby Amaru write most of the lyrics on the new album?
Wayne Swinny: “He either wrote or co-wrote on a lot of the songs. I don’t think there was a single song that Bobby didn’t have his input on. There were several that he already had written before he got in the band. When we heard demos of them we thought they were really cool. So we kind of reworked them with the Saliva twist. Bobby was open to changing things up and making things work. It was the most enjoyable process that I’ve had in the business to date, and I think everybody in the band would say the same thing.”
Ray Shasho: There’s an obvious strategic message or theme to the new album. For instance, a few sample lyrics off the newly released single “Rise Up” … It's time we choose a side … It's time for do or die… Some things are worth the fight… It's time to set it off. Talk about the meaning and intention behind those powerful lyrics?
Wayne Swinny: “I think there are multiple levels to the message. It not only applies to us as a band, to rise up from the reformation of the band sort of speak, but it also speaks to the times right now. There’s so much turmoil in the world. You can either let it all get you down or you can take it and let it inspire you to rise to new heights. That’s kind of where we are as a band, as a country, and a world … we’re all kind of in that same spot too. If the message reaches one person, than it’s worth it, so hopefully we can reach a few people.”
Ray Shasho: Some other tracks on the new album … “She Can Sure Hide Crazy” features awesome guitar licks with Soundgarden overtones.
Wayne Swinny: “A little bit … I broke out the effects for that one and had to do a little whammy. I had fun doing that one.”
Ray Shasho: “No One But Me” was probably my favorite track.
Wayne Swinny: “Wow, no kidding? Thank you very much. I actually had a slightly different form of that music. We put out three records since I wrote that music and it just kept getting passed over. I threw it out there this time and Bobby Huff and Bobby Amaru took the idea and sat there right in front of me and turned it into the song that it is now. So kudos to those guys and Bobby for coming up with the whole direction of the song.”
Ray Shasho: Another track that I really enjoyed, and also think should be played on mainstream radio is “Redneck Freakshow.”
Wayne Swinny: “We had a thought that with all the reality TV that is happening, maybe eventually somebody might grab a hold of that and use it for a theme song.”
Ray Shasho: Talk about the meaning behind “1000 Eyes.”
Wayne Swinny: “That’s a good question. We had a friend of ours that’s a writer and does screenplays. One of his ideas was getting looked at for a zombie show on TV called The Walking Dead. He had a script that was being considered and wanted to get music for it. So literally … that quick, Bobby took the idea and ran with it. He came back with a song and we’re like, dude, that’s freaking amazing! We loved it and it made the record. We’re still hoping with all the undead stuff out there we’ll get usage in a show, a movie or something. So the song is from the point of view of the last guy that’s not a zombie …and he’s fighting his way through all the zombies.”
Ray Shasho: I think teens today are way too passive when it comes to issues affecting our country and the rest of the world. They’re not getting involved and I think Smartphone’s are probably partially responsible for that. My generation got involved and inspired because of the lyrical content in the music recorded by our favorite bands or artist …and then it became ‘us and them.’
Wayne Swinny: “We have these electronic pacifiers now. I love technology, don’t get me wrong, and I’m just as guilty of having a version of each kind … I have a tablet, iPhone, and all the other electronic pacifiers. So I am guilty, but I do feel like you may be right, it sort of keeps people from stepping out physically and doing something. You can blog or rant about it on your Instagram, Facebook or Twitter account all you want, but it actually takes getting out of your house and doing something to get it done sometimes. I think we are lacking a little bit of that, but as soon as we say that, somebody’s going to step out and prove us wrong.”

“I really don’t even remember my life before rock. I was around thirteen when I got a guitar. All I remember before that was riding my bike and going fishing and that’s really all the early memory I’ve got. So all of a sudden, when I found music is when my eyes became open. I became aware of not only music itself, but issues outside of music.”
Ray Shasho: The music industry definitely hasn’t been a factor for inspiring young minds nowadays.
Wayne Swinny: “My big soapbox is with American Idol and all these popular shows. Music is not a competition and it’s not a sport people! They’ve turned it into something that it’s not. But if people want to watch those shows, I won’t judge them. It’s kind of the sign of the times and they’re just trying to make it in this world and it’s a great jumpstart. To me, the experience more people should bring away from competitions are not who wins or loses, but it’s about meeting other musicians and expanding your horizons.”
Ray Shasho: A lot of the greatest musicians in the world were discovered in their garages.
Wayne Swinny: “That’s it. You got in your garage, turned it up as loud as you possibly could and attracted as many angry neighbors and teenage friends as you could. That’s how I did it!”
Ray Shasho: Can rock music make a comeback in the mainstream?
Wayne Swinny: “As far as the cycle goes we’re at six o’clock right now. I think it’s working its way back around the cycle. As long as there are still a handful of us out there still rockin’ it will survive. It may be in a little bit different shape or form, but if the idea, the feeling, and the emotion of it survive … it will live on!”
Ray Shasho: You’re right, we may be in one of those cycles. Between Elvis and the Beatles there was a cycle, and during the disco era there was another cycle. Today’s mainstream radio is reminiscent to the disco phase.
Wayne Swinny: “Right, we are kind of in that phase right now. I’ve had that same thought myself. I was a kid, and I remember slapping a ‘Disco Sucks!’ bumper sticker on my mom’s car. She got really mad when she found out, but I had to do it to support rock. (All Laughing) But it also seems that people are listening to a much wider range of music. So you have to catch people when they are in that rock mood and give them something to hold on to.”
Ray Shasho: One of the financial advantages to modern technology is that you can collect music royalties from video games.
Wayne Swinny: “Absolutely! We pay a lot of bills with video games and movie soundtracks. I remember seeing a comment from one of the fans that said, “Hey man, can’t you write anything that doesn’t have anything to do with sports or wrestling? (All laughing) But I am a big sports guy! I wake-up every morning and watch ‘Mike & Mike’… that’s a big part in my everyday routine.”
Ray Shasho: Wayne, are you a Tennessee Titans fan?
Wayne Swinny: “I’m not an anti-Titans fan, because I am a Tennessee boy. I was an Oakland Raiders fan way before the Titans were even a franchise. I’ve got two Raiders Tats. And I’m talking from back in the day when “The Snake” Ken Stabler was there. Kenny Stabler was the guy I wanted to be when I was a kid. He was like the rock and roll quarterback of all-time. Kenny Stabler and Fred Biletnikoff were probably the reason I grew my hair long in high school.”
Ray Shasho: In 2003, Saliva supported Kiss and Aerosmith on tour … what was that like?
Wayne Swinny: “Crazy and most surreal time of my life. It’s insane to even think about it now. I had to wake up every day and pinch myself on that tour. Joe Perry was just too cool for me at first. Aerosmith had a reputation and they lived up to it for being a little out of it. Every single night, just because the way the stage was laid out, Gene Simmons setlist would be out there every night on the stage, and I don’t recall a night where I didn’t rip his setlist completely to shreds. It was right where my effects board was and my backup mike and close to his too. It would strike all of his stuff, but his setlist would be taped down. So right where I planted my left foot every night was usually at the Kiss setlist. As soon as I did a turn or spin it would just tear to shreds. I was always terrified that Gene was going to get mad because when they were in their garb he was like twelve feet tall and they were quite imposing figures. He was my first rock idol. Luckily, Gene was very cool and he laughed it off. He always had a stack of extra setlists on hand. It was never intentional, I wanted to make sure he knew that, and it wasn’t me thumbing my nose at the man or anything like that (All laughing).”
Ray Shasho: Wayne, 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?
…And it can’t be Kenny Stabler; it has to be a musician. (All Laughing)
Wayne Swinny: “If I built a band on stage … “I’d like to hangout one night with Bon Scott, write some music, and just see what that was like. That guy was crazy! He would have been fun to be in a band with. As far as drummers, I would have to say John Bonham… Are you kidding me? John Paul Jones on bass, he did some really cool and innovative stuff. He could play progressive and play straightforward rock songs too. If we started adding guitar players, that would be a crowded stage … Angus Young, Jimmy Page, Joe Perry …and the list goes on and on …all the guys that laid the foundation for where we are now.”

“The most star struck I’ve ever been in my entire life was a surprised meeting. We were staying on Sunset Boulevard and I’m out walking the halls on my cell phone and I come back around the corner toward my room. Coming out of the room across the hall from ours was Little Richard. He had the two biggest bodyguards I’ve ever seen in my life. When I saw him I literally dropped my cell phone and I know my jaw went wide open and I started pointing and saying … You! You! I was just in shock. And he had the biggest grin from ear to ear and motioned for me to come over. He gave me a big hug and handed me three of his prayer books. Maybe he took one look at me and said one of these isn’t going to be enough. It was the greatest rock star moment of my life.”
Ray Shasho: Wayne, thank you for being on the call today but more importantly for all the incredible music you’ve given us with Saliva and continue to bring.
Wayne Swinny: “Alright man …thank you brother!”

Saliva’s new single … “Rise Up” is now available to purchase on iTunes and amazon.com
Saliva’s incredible new CD also entitled … Rise Up will be released April 29th via Rum Bum Records.
Rum Bum Records official website www.rumbumrecords.com
Saliva official website Saliva on tour
Saliva on Facebook
Saliva on Twitter
Saliva on Myspace
Very special thanks to Chip Ruggieri of Chipster PR

Coming UP … My interview with singer Joe Bonsall of The Oak Ridge Boys, the legendary Judy Collins, Jesse Colin Young, and Travis Barker of Blink-182

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


Purchase Ray’s very special memoir called ‘Check the Gs’ -The True Story of an Eclectic American Family and Their Wacky Family Business … You’ll LIVE IT! Also available for download on NOOK or KINDLE edition for JUST .99 CENTS at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com - Please support Ray by purchasing his book so he can continue to bring you quality classic rock music reporting.

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

© Copyright rayshasho.com. All Rights Reserved

Michael Pinder Exclusive: The Moody Blues Founder Admits to Seeing UFO Formations

 By Ray Shasho

An interview with The Moody Blues legendary keyboardist Michael Pinder

Michael Pinder was affectionately labeled “Micky the Moonboy” as a youth for his preoccupation of the moon, stars, music and electronics. But who could have predicted that a silly nickname perhaps more suited for a sci-fi cartoon superhero would actually forecast his destiny. Pinder’s fascination with the cosmos and a life-changing realization that we are not alone in the universe became the basis for composing intricate and surreal musical masterpieces.

Michael played Hymns on the piano in Church every Sunday at his Colonel’s request; in return Pinder received an early discharge from the British Army. Pinder asked for the early-out after hearing The Beatles “She Loves You” on the radio. Ten days later, Pinder was back in Birmingham, England. He quickly found a job working with Streetly Electronics where he learned the mechanics of the Mellotron. Michael Pinder would become an illustrious keyboardist and trendsetter for the instrument.

In 1964 … Michael Pinder (piano, organ and vocals) and Ray Thomas (tambourine, flute and vocals) formed The Moody Blues along with members …Denny Laine (guitars, harmonica and lead vocals), Clint Warwick (bass guitar and vocals) and Graeme Edge (drums and vocals). The R&B/Rock/Pop Birmingham band scored a Top 10 hit in the U.S. with “Go Now” (1965) from their debut album The Magnificent Moodies.
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 1966 … after the departure of Denny Laine and Clint Warwick … The Moody Blues reformed with old friend John Lodge (bass guitar and vocals) and Justin Hayward (lead vocals and guitars) who was recommended to Pinder by Eric Burdon of The Animals. The band had an awakening after a disgruntled audience member visited their dressing room complaining about their music. The group immediately changed their musical direction and style, hence … the commencement of one of the most amazing transformations in rock history.
Meanwhile …Michael Pinder suggested to his friend John Lennon that The Beatles use the Mellotron on Magical Mystery Tour …and they did. Pinder’s Mellotron influence is undeniably detected on “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Pinder and bandmate Ray Thomas were also invited to play harmonica on the tracks… “I Am the Walrus” and “The Fool on the Hill.”

“In 1967 …The Moody Blues first attempt at a dissimilar musical direction had consummated with an awe-inspiring masterpiece entitled… Days of Future Passed. It would be the first Decca/Deram Records release in stereo. Michael Pinder’s Mellotron ingrained a brave new transcendental manner and Progressive Rock was born. The proficient players of The Moody Blues were also accompanied by The London Festival Orchestra while creating the band’s first concept album. Days of Future Passed spawned two of the band’s biggest commercial hits with its new lineup … “Nights in White Satin” and “Tuesday Afternoon.” Pinder wrote the tracks… “Dawn is a Feeling” and “The Sunset.” Pinder’s dramatic reading of “Late Lament” added a mind-blowing conclusion to a superlative album. Producer Tony Clarke’s influence also had a huge impact on the group.

The Moody Blues subsequent release … In Search of the Lost Cord (1968) was recorded without an orchestra … although Pinder’s ingenious performance on the Mellotron often sounded like a symphony. Pinder composed “The Best Way to Travel” and “Om” on the album. “Ride My See-saw” became a commercial hit for the band.
In 1969 … The Moody Blues released On the Threshold of a Dream. The group’s signature sound became exclusive to the rest of the rock world. Pinder had considerable songwriting duties on the album with … “So Deep Within You,” “Have You Heard (Part 1),” “The Voyage,” and “Have You Heard (Part 2).”
Inspired by the 1969 moon landing …To Our Children’s Children’s Children was their first album released on the band’s newly formed Threshold Records. The band followed the critically-acclaimed release with … Question of Balance (1970). Pinder penned … “How Is It (We are Here)” and his proverbial classic … “Melancholy Man.”

Every Good Boy Deserves Favour was released in 1971. For the first time, the entire band lyrically collaborated on “Procession” the opening track. Michael Pinder also penned the final track on the album entitled … “My Song.” The release spawned yet another Top 40 hit with … “The Story in Your Eyes.”
Also in 1971 … Pinder played tambourine on John Lennon’s Imagine album on the track … “I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama.”
Seventh Sojourn released in 1972 brought an end to the classic Moody Blues era. Michael Pinder penned … “Lost in a Lost World,” and “When You’re a Free Man.” The album also spawned… “I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band) and became one of the bands highest charting hits reaching #12 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in the U.S. Pinder also substituted the Mellotron with its precursor the Chamberlin.

In 1976 …Pinder released his solo album entitled … The Promise.

After a lengthy hiatus, The Moody Blues released Octave (1978). Michael Pinder departed the band during the sessions but contributed… “One Step Into the Light.” Pinder was replaced by YES Swiss keyboardist Patrick Moraz. Without Pinder’s Mellotron and Chamberlin influence, The Moody Blues intricate progressive period was over.
The Moody Blues continue to tour and record as a band with Justin Hayward, John Lodge and Graeme Edge (the only original band member left in the group).

In 1994 …Pinder released his solo effort … Among the Stars (a private mail order release).

MOST RECENTLY … Esoteric Recordings has released Michael Pinder’s 3-Disc CD & DVD set of ‘The Promise (1976) & Among the Stars’ (1994) plus new bonus material featuring Michael’s sons (The Pinder Brothers) and Ray Thomas (The Moody Blues) on flute.

I had the rare pleasure of chatting with Michael Pinder recently. We chatted about his remarkable days with The Moody Blues, his relationship and influence on The Beatles, and UFO’S!

Here’s my interview with legendary Moody Blues singer, songwriter, keyboardist, Mellotron pioneer, and technological beneficence to the music world …MICHAEL PINDER.
Ray Shasho: Hi Michael so glad that you could be on the call today. How’s California weather treating you?
Michael Pinder: “Actually it’s not a bad day, there’s hardly any clouds with a little bit of sunshine and it’s about 68 degrees.”
Ray Shasho: I think we’re both lucky because the rest of the country is really suffering … Michael, Esoteric Recordings has released your 3-Disc CD & DVD set of ‘The Promise (1976) & Among the Stars’ (1994) plus new bonus material featuring your sons (The Pinder Brothers) and Ray Thomas (The Moody Blues) on flute.
Michael Pinder: “Yes, Mike and Matt, two of my three sons are on the album. They recorded four albums as The Pinder Brothers and have their own business teaching music. Matt does a lot of gigs playing bass, like with Kevin Russell’s Cream of Clapton. Dan is the third son in Los Angeles; he’s a film editor in the movie business. I have a talented family. My dad played piano and banjo and my mom sang a little bit. Because my dad was a piano player, I was exposed to a lot of early music from the 20’s, 30’s 40’s, 50’s. But after the Elvis period and the first time I heard The Beatles first tune …that was it, the signal for me. I was in Germany at the time in the military. I happened to be in good with the Colonel at the camp because he was very religious and every Sunday morning he would send for me.”

“One morning he said, “Pinder, I understand you play piano?” I was playing for the guys in the Mess. He said, “How about playing a couple of Hymns for me on Sunday? I said, yes sir, no problem sir. I also found out that there was a guy who played bass and a guy who played drums. The Colonel gave us the equipment to play and he said all I want you to do is to play a few hymns on Sunday mornings. So there I am in Germany and I’m listening to the radio on Saturday morning and I heard The Beatles “She Loves You” for the first time …and that was like, oh yea! I thought, I’ve got to get out of here, but I was already signed up for quite a few years. So I went to see the Colonel and I told him what was happening. He said no problem and within about ten days I was back in England.”
Ray Shasho: That’s an amazing story… why did the Colonel give you an early discharge from the military?
Michael Pinder: “The Colonel was the camp. I played for him every Sunday morning because he was very religious. He said thank you for all the music you’ve played for us and we’ll take care of you. Prior to that, I had a band called The Rocking Tuxedo’s which was my first band. Ray Thomas also had a band and we sort of got to know each other. By the time we got to about the third Beatles hit (All laughing), Ray and I decided to put a band together and we called it The Moody Blues. The reason we called it The Moody Blues was because my mom ran a big seven bar British Pub and the name of the beer company was called Mitchells & Butlers …M&B. I thought we could get on the circuit because they had probably about a hundred different pubs. So I thought “Mood Indigo” because the song stuck with me as a kid and we were playing blues tunes. So that’s how I came up with The Moody Blues.”
Ray Shasho: During the British Invasion …the early Moody Blues had a very different sound and musically ahead of their time, much like The Animals, Yardbirds, and Rolling Stones. I guess not being from Liverpool and hailing from Birmingham may have had something to do with it too?
Michael Pinder: “Yea exactly, we were all on the road but all took a different direction.”
Ray Shasho: What was it like touring with The Beatles?
Michael Pinder: “It was absolutely fabulous! It was just them and us. There was a guy who was like a comedian that would open the show and his name was Pinder … I can’t remember his first name.”
Ray Shasho: At what point did you begin playing the Mellotron?
Michael Pinder: “When the Colonel let me off because I heard The Beatles song … I was looking for a job. There was a company located about three miles from where I lived and was born. I read their ad in the newspaper saying they wanted somebody that had mechanical ideas and knew music. So I applied for the job, got it, and it turned out to be a Mellotron company.”
Ray Shasho: I’m really fascinated with the Mellotron as a musical instrument … an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replaying keyboard. It basically plays a tape when you press a key. But you altered it in some way when you began playing it?
Michael Pinder: “What I did … on the left hand keyboard there would be rhythm sections and things like that, the right side was used for soloing. I didn’t need the cheesy rhythms so what I did was took those out and put another right handed version in the left and created two mellotron’s … one on my left hand and one on my right.”
Ray Shasho: Michael, you became a trailblazer for the Mellotron.
Michael Pinder: “I was lucky enough to turn The Beatles on to the Mellotron. I called them and they sent four Mellotron’s to The Beatles.”
Ray Shasho: It would have been awesome if you had actually played the Mellotron on the track … but we should all still thank you for your very critical contribution to “Strawberry Fields Forever?”
Michael Pinder: “Yes (All laughing). I did play harmonica on “I Am the Walrus” and “The Fool on the Hill” … me and Ray both. They had every kind of harmonica you could imagine. Ray Thomas and I were also lucky enough to get on the final Beatles UK tour.”
Ray Shasho: You also played on John Lennon’s Imagine album?
Michael Pinder: “I played tambourine on “I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama.” I turned them on to the Mellotron but when I got there all the tapes were hanging out and nobody knew how to handle it. I couldn’t play Mellotron on that so I grabbed a tambourine, got on the drummer’s high-hat, and went for “I Don’t Want to Be a Soldier Mama.”
Ray Shasho: Was Days of Future Passed …The Moody Blues Sgt. Pepper’s?
Michael Pinder: “I would say so. It was apparently the first stereo record that Decca ever did.”
Ray Shasho: Michael, you were so inspirational and important to the success of The Moody Blues, and composed so many intricate and beautiful arrangements, for instance… "Have You Heard/The Voyage/Have You Heard (part two)" from the album On the Threshold of a Dream. Where do some of your songwriting ideas come from?
Michael Pinder: “It comes from the heart, mind, and things that I’ve listened to over the years.”
“I was born in 1941, at the end of 1945 my mom called me in from the garden while I was collecting spiders. She called … “Michael, I want you to meet somebody,” and there was my dad. He was a sergeant in the military and had just gotten back from France. So she introduced my dad to me … I had never really seen him.”

“My dad used to do deliveries and would bring big crates home so we could break it up and light the fire with it. So we had one in the garden, it was kind of like a coffin without a lid on. I would get a blanket and a cushion and just lie in there and couldn’t see anything except the sky. That was one of my favorite things to do and just watch the skies.”

“When everybody was at work and the older kids were all at school … I used to get a privet stick, strip all the leaves off and turn it into a bow. Then I’d put it behind the little spider webs, onto the web, then go to another one and put it on there … and then watch the spiders fight. There weren’t any spiders left in my garden so I’d go across the street. “So I was in the neighbor’s garden picking spiders off the web and watching them fight. The neighbors weren’t at home. I turned around and there was this guy standing at their front door. He looked like Michael Rennie from the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still. So I turned around and this guy was standing by the door of the house. He points and says, look up there. I looked up and saw formations of different types of spaceships. Then they both sort of disappeared, it was one of those miraculous things. So I’ve always been into the outer space thing. It’s one of those things that stay with you your whole life.”
Ray Shasho: Was that the only time you witnessed a UFO?
Michael Pinder: “In 1966 … with the first band, we were coming back from Manchester around midnight and we always wanted to get back to London before dawn, otherwise we’d have trouble getting to sleep. We were coming down from Manchester on the day they opened the M6 motorway. So we’re driving home about one o’clock in the morning and I’m sitting in the back, and I’d put my head back and look out the back window and look at the stars. So we’re driving and probably doing sixty miles an hour. There was this red light and I said, I don’t remember that radio station around here. So I told the guys to pull over and we got out. We all looked over the top of the car and there was this red ball kind of thing moving across the freeway that turns into a square … like a red dice. As it approached us, it got bigger and bigger, and we were all sort of bathed in this blue light. We ended up getting home three hours late and wondering what the heck was that? …So that really solidified my nickname of “Micky the Moonboy” as a kid. I was always interested in the moon. …Read Zecharia Sitchin … he’s the guy!”
Ray Shasho: Michael, any regrets on leaving The Moody Blues?
Michael Pinder: “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 Shasho: Do you still talk with your old bandmates?
Michael Pinder: “I talk with Ray a lot; we’re still the best buddies. We’re the guys who started the band.”
Ray Shasho: I was part of a family retail electronics business in Washington D.C. and we were among the very first in D.C. to carry Pong, the Atari 2600 console and all the game cartridges. After you left The Moody Blues you actually went to work for Atari?
Michael Pinder: “Yes I did for awhile. I was demonstrating for them. I think I still have my original Pong and Atari in the garage (All laughing).”
Ray Shasho: Graeme Edge lives about 15-20 minutes from me. He’s made headlines in the National Enquirer most recently …did you read it?
Michael Pinder: “Yes… misperforming in back of a car. He kind of deserves what he gets.”
Ray Shasho: Michael, 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?
Michael Pinder: “I think I’ve already gotten to play with who I’d want to play with and that’s The Beatles. When we did the last Beatles tour in the UK that all made sense. Do you remember the song…“Those Were the Days” by Mary Hopkin? …Paul gave the song to us first. I told Paul thanks a lot but it’s not quite us. So it turned out to be a one hit wonder for her and I could kind of sense that. But we were so lucky to have played with so many great bands… especially The Beatles.”
Ray Shasho: Michael, thank you for being on the call today but more importantly for all the incredible music you’ve given us and hopefully will continue to bring.
Michael Pinder: “Ray I appreciate you calling and giving us the chance to chat about it. Cheers!”

Esoteric Recordings releases a Deluxe 3 Disc CD &DVD Set by Moody Blues founder and keyboard player Michael Pinder. -Purchase ‘The Promise/Among The Stars’/DVD set at http://www.cherryred.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=4389
Michael Pinder official website
Michael Pinder on Twitter
The Pinder Brothers official website
The Pinder Brothers on Facebook
Ray Thomas official website

As always ...very special thanks to “the great” Billy James

Coming UP … My interview with guitarist Wayne Swinny of SALIVA, Joe Bonsall of The Oak Ridge Boys, the legendary Judy Collins, Jesse Colin Young, and Travis Barker of Blink-182.

This article is dedicated to my Brother Harry who has always been a devoted fan of The Moody Blues.

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

Purchase Ray’s very special memoir called ‘Check the Gs’ -The True Story of an Eclectic American Family and Their Wacky Family Business … You’ll LIVE IT! Also available for download on NOOK or KINDLE edition for JUST .99 CENTS at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com - Please support Ray by purchasing his book so he can continue to bring you quality classic rock music reporting.

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


© Copyright rayshasho.com. All Rights Reserved