Exclusive: John Mayall to Celebrate his 80th Birthday While Performing in Sarasota

By Ray Shasho

John Mayall Interview:

John Mayall is appropriately acknowledged as the “Father” or “Godfather of British Blues.” His magnificent musical journey spans over a half century. Mayall is a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, producer and bandleader acclaimed for founding and pioneering The Bluesbreakers, a medley of musicians that integrated various lineups and prompted the careers of legendary artists such as Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Jack Bruce, John McVie, Roger Dean, Mick Fleetwood and Keef Hartley to name just a few. Many of the proficient musicians that Mayall inducted into his Bluesbreakers band are already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame … So why hasn't John Mayall been inducted yet?

In 2008, John Mayall officially retired the name ‘Bluesbreakers’ and opened an exciting new chapter with The John Mayall Band. Mayall is revived and revitalized. His new band features a fearsome foursome of dynamic blues musicians. The John Mayall Band is … John Mayall (vocals, guitar, keyboards and harmonica), Rocky Athas (guitar), Greg Rzab (bass) and Jay Davenport (drums).

John Mayall will be celebrating his 80th birthday while performing with his band on November 29th at the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium in Sarasota, Florida with special guests Larry McCray and Tucci. For tickets and further information visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/466811 or call (941) 954-4165 for more information. The Sarasota Municipal Auditorium is located at 801 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236.

 JOHN MAYALL grew up in a village near Manchester, England and initially learned about jazz and the blues by listening to his father’s record collection. Mayall spent two years at art school. At 18, he worked in the Royal Engineers for national service (military duties) as an office clerk in the south of England and Korea.

In 1962, Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies opened a new club devoted entirely to blues music. This became the catalyst for Mayall to give up his day job of graphic design and form a blues band. He moved from Manchester to London and began assembling musicians under the branding of 'The Bluesbreakers.' Mayall was thirty years old.

THE BLUESBREAKERS debut release was entitled John Mayall plays John Mayall featuring Roger Dean on guitar. After Eric Clapton quit The Yardbirds he was invited to play with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. A lineup of John Mayall (vocals, piano, Hammond organ and harmonica), Eric Clapton (guitar and vocals), John McVie (bass guitar) and Hughie Flint (drums) would lead to the band’s best- selling classic …Blues Breakers John Mayall with Eric Clapton (1966). Jack Bruce had also contributed to the recording. After the album hit the charts, Clapton and Bruce left to form Cream.

Peter Green replaced Eric Clapton on their next release A Hard Road (1967). Green and John McVie also had ambitions goals of starting their own band and formed Fleetwood Mac. The Bluesbreakers hired Mick Taylor for their next release entitled Crusade (1967). Taylor would eventually leave to join The Rolling Stones.
Throughout the years …Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, Roger Dean and Jack Bruce revisited The Bluesbreakers while contributing on various studio recordings. John Mayall is highly respected for incorporating legendary band members and studio musicians under the Bluesbreakers umbrella.
In 1969, John Mayall moved from England to Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles.

Throughout the 70’s … Mayall incorporated jazz, pop and funk into his repertoire while working with such performers as Red Holloway, Blue Mitchell, Larry Taylor, and Harvey Mandel.

In 1982, John Mayall reformed with original Bluesbreakers Mick Taylor, John McVie and Colin Allen while embarking on a worldwide tour. The tour spawned a video concert film entitled ‘Blues Alive’ and featured guest artists Albert King, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and Etta James.
In 1984, a new Bluesbreakers lineup was comprised of future legends Coco Montoya and Walter Trout.
Wake Up Call, the 1993 release by John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers featured guest artists Buddy Guy, Mavis Staples, Albert Collins and Mick Taylor. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award. Also in 1993, Texas guitarist Buddy Whittington joined The Bluesbreakers while making his debut on the Spinning Coin album.

The 2001 release, Along for the Ride featured Peter Green, Mick Taylor, John McVie, Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Steve Miller, Billy Preston, Steve Cropper, Otis Rush, Gary More, Jeff Healey, Shannon Curfman and Jonny Lang.
John Mayall celebrated his 70th birthday during a fundraiser event called ‘Unite for Unicef’ in Liverpool, England and was filmed, recorded and released as a DVD and double CD in December of 2003. The concert featured old friends Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor and Chris Barber.
The BBC aired an hour-long documentary of John’s life and career entitled ‘The Godfather of British Blues.’ Mayall was also awarded an OBE (Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom) by The Queen’s Honours list.
In 2007, John Mayall released his 56th album, the critically-acclaimed … In the Palace of the King a tribute to Freddie King.
John Mayall has also released numerous live recordings on his own online label, Private Stash Records which are available on his website at www.johnmayall.com.

In 2008, John Mayall officially retired the name ‘Bluesbreakers’ and opened a new chapter with The John Mayall Band.
In 2009, John Mayall released Tough with his new band.

I had the rare privilege of chatting with John Mayall recently about the current tour, his incredible band of blues virtuosos and a musical career that has spanned more than 50 years.
Here’s my interview with singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and legendary leader of The Bluesbreakers … JOHN MAYALL.
Ray Shasho: Hello John, happy Friday the thirteenth.
John Mayall: “Is that what day it is … oh my God.”
Ray Shasho: You’re currently on a rather lengthy tour.
John Mayall: “Not sure which tour you’re talking about, we do several tours. We’ve got an east coast tour which is almost three weeks, is that the one you’re talking about?
Ray Shasho: So you correlate the tour as east coast or west coast in the states and maybe by continent when travelling abroad instead of classifying it as a worldwide tour?
John Mayall: “It’s just whenever the offers come in and where the agents can group together and we tour. The next one we’re doing is the east coast tour and like I say is about three weeks.”
Ray Shasho: You’ve got about eighty confirmed dates worldwide and counting, in my book that’s still a lot of touring.
John Mayall: “It’s really nothing …nothing at all.” (All laughing)
Ray Shasho: John, you’ll be making a rather rare appearance in Sarasota, Florida on November 29th at the Municipal Auditorium. I for one is extremely excited to have John Mayall performing in my backyard.
John Mayall: “We’ll certainly try and stir things up for you. I will also be celebrating my 80th birthday when we perform in Sarasota.”
Ray Shasho: I just can’t believe it.
John Mayall: “Yea, time rolls on doesn’t it?
Ray Shasho: It’s obvious you still have a passion for touring and you look incredible man …Do you have any secrets for looking young and keeping so incredibly fit?
John Mayall: “No, I guess I’m just blessed with good genes I suppose. But I keep healthy and I’m always very active and always have been so. I don’t really see any signs of aging yet. Music keeps you young.”
Ray Shasho: We have a lot of Brits that live here in Sarasota, usually on a part-time basis, do you have any connections here?
John Mayall: “Florida is a state that we don’t get to nearly often enough, but we don’t pick places, it always has to do with promoters in various areas and coming forward with gig offers. So it’s not really up to us.”
Ray Shasho: John, I really like your current band … Rocky Athas on guitar, Greg Rzab on bass guitar and Jay Davenport on drums … they’re all amazing musicians.
John Mayall: “They are pretty amazing; we’ve been together for five years now but it really doesn’t feel like anything at all, we just love playing together.”
Ray Shasho: They all have incredible resume too. What inspired you for putting this particular band together?
John Mayall: “Initially it was because I was taking a break after the disbanding of The Bluesbreakers and it coincided with Eagle Records wanting a new album. It was the last one on the contract that I have with them and that kind of triggered a new chapter.”
Ray Shasho: The band definitely captures that traditional classic blues sound and image onstage. I watched numerous You Tube videos from various 2013 live performances and the band sounds great! My favorite video was the group performing “Stormy Monday” the classic T- Bone Walker tune at B.B. Kings … just awesome!
John Mayall: “We just started doing that one again. A lot of things songs we lay dormant for several years and then decide to bring them out again … giving them a fresh life.”
Ray Shasho: John, it’s reassuring seeing the blues persevering and attracting audiences worldwide.
John Mayall: “Just judging by the amount of young players that always seem to be popping up … it will. Some of them are better than others, but the whole point about it is they are all attracted to the blues and want to play it.”
Ray Shasho: I’ll admit, I’ve been worried about the blues genre sustaining. Younger generations may not be able to sense or experience what it takes to conceive a bona-fide blues song … maybe too preoccupied with their cell phones.
John Mayall: “Anybody can get the blues because the world in a tangle the way it is; there are plenty of things to get you depressed about. Smartphone’s aren’t for everybody, there is an amazing amount of young players who devote all of their time to learning the guitar or whatever instrument …it’s usually guitars that seem to attract everybody.”
Ray Shasho: You play a variety of instruments effortlessly and you’re also an incredible harp player. I’ve never been able to master the harmonica, were there any special techniques that you used in learning how to play?
John Mayall: “It’s all self-taught and I just bumble my way through it into whatever best way I can. I don’t know how to explain it; I guess I do the best I can with any instrument I get attracted to. But they’re just tools in order for you to express yourself and that’s really the upshot of it.”
Ray Shasho: There were so many great blues artists from the very early days. Kim Wilson of the Thunderbirds introduced me to Harmonica Frank Floyd who actually played the harmonica without holding it or assistance of a neck brace while singing at the same time. And Maria Muldaur turned me on to the legendary Memphis Minnie.
John Mayall: “There was a lot to listen to out there. Memphis Minnie was one of the very few and very popular female blues singers and guitar players in the 30’s. She was a friend of Big Bill Broonzy who saw it all from that era of the 30’s and 40’s.”
Ray Shasho: John, what do you remember about growing up in England during World War II?
John Mayall: “We had the bomb shelters in the schools and had air raid drills. So I guess that was exciting I suppose. It was all part of what was going on. I was about eleven or twelve so I remember a lot of it. We lived about twelve miles from Manchester and Manchester was bombed pretty heavily. You could see the sky was red from the bombs.”
Ray Shasho: Was it difficult finding blues music while growing up in England?
John Mayall: “I had my father’s record collection right from when I was a kid and so I was kind of weaned on jazz and blues … mainly on jazz I suppose. 78’s were the only thing invented at that time, so there were plenty of 78’s to get the background of what was going on.”
Ray Shasho: Jim McCarty told me that Eric Clapton actually auditioned for The Yardbirds. Did he have to audition for The Bluesbreakers?
John Mayall: “No, he was a known quantity by then. The Yardbirds were a pop band from the beginning although they were doing blues material. Their final direction showed where they were really at.”
Ray Shasho: John, 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?
John Mayall: “I guess Big Maceo Merriweather was one of the people that I missed. He’s my idol on piano. So he’s the first one that comes to mind. I just feel lucky because I’ve played with most of the people who are no longer with us, so it’s great to have had that experience. But there are lots of people I would have loved to heard play … Lead Belly… Blind Lemon Jefferson … All the pioneers of boogie-woogie … just so many people, the list is endless.”
Ray Shasho: John, thank you so much for being on the call today but more importantly for all the incredible music you’ve given us and continue to bring. We’ll see you in Sarasota on November 29th for your 80th birthday.
John Mayall: “Excellent Ray, we’ll see you in Sarasota.”

John Mayall’s 80th Birthday Concert starring The John Mayall Band will be performing on Friday November 29th at the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium in Sarasota, Florida with special guests Larry McCray and Tucci. For tickets and further information visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/466811 or call (941) 954-4165 for more information. The Sarasota Municipal Auditorium is located at 801 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236.
John Mayall official website www.johnmayall.com
John Mayall tour schedule www.johnmayall.com/tour.html
John Mayall on Facebook
John Mayall on Myspace
John Mayall Historic Live Shows (Never before released live recordings from the 70’s to the 90’s) available to purchase at CD Baby!

Very special thanks to Jane Ebdon

Coming up NEXT … My interview with Julian Lennon

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

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Roger Earl Interview: ‘Foghat’ Legend Talks about Willie Dixon and Honoring the Blues

By Ray Shasho:


Roger Earl is the prodigious drummer and founding member for rock & blues legends Foghat. Earl is the only band member to appear on every album that Foghat has ever recorded. Roger Earl’s ingenuity is responsible for embracing and sustaining the Foghat legacy.

Savoy Brown: In 1968, Kim Simmonds decided that his band Savoy Brown needed a new direction and brought in Chris Youlden as their lead vocalist, Lonesome Dave Peverett on guitars, Rivers Jobe on bass, and Roger Earl on drums with perhaps one of the bands strongest lineups to date. Savoy Brown toured and recorded extensively spawning the albums Getting to the Point, Blue Matter, (featuring the hit single, “Train to Nowhere”) A Step Further, (featuring crowd pleaser, “I’m Tired,”) Raw Sienna and Looking In. Savoy Brown quickly developed a huge fan base in the U.S and became a mainstay on progressive rock format radio and concert arenas worldwide.

Foghat: In 1970, new bassist Tony Stevens, rhythm guitarist and vocalist Lonesome Dave Peverett, and drummer Roger Earl left Savoy Brown to form their new band Foghat. In 1971 they brought in slide master Rod Price (Black Cat Bones) on lead guitar and Foghat was officially launched. The band prominently expressed its British blues roots early on with the release of Willie Dixon’s penned “I Just Want to Make Love to You.” With the addition of their mega hits “Slow Ride” , “Fool for the City” and the commercially successful Foghat Live album, (selling over two-million copies) the band became mainstays on FM Rock radio worldwide.

Throughout the 70’s the band toured extensively, usually supporting headliners, but eventually became the headliners while selling out arenas and stadiums. After numerous personnel changes the original Foghat members reformed in 1993.

In 1994, the original Foghat lineup released their thirteenth studio album entitled Return of the Boogie Men. Foghat also released a live album called Road Cases and an album recorded on the syndicated radio show King Biscuit Flower Hour in 1999.

In 2000, Lonesome Dave Peverett died of pneumonia and complications stemming from kidney cancer at the age of 56 years old. Then in 2005, ‘The Magician of Slide’ Rod Price died after suffering a heart attack before falling down a flight of stairs. Price was 57 years old.

Most recently: Foghat’s current line-up is the strongest since its heyday and features original drummer Roger Earl leading a rejuvenated and talented band of rock and roll musicians. Slide guitarist Bryan Bassett was a founding member of Wild Cherry(“Play that Funky Music”) and also played with Molly Hatchet, vocalist and guitarist Charlie Huhn performed with Ted Nugent and Jerry Shirley’s Humble Pie, while bassist Craig MacGregor shared his musical talents with legendary artists such as Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter to name a few.

Foghat’s most recent release entitled Last Train Home (2010) has received rave reviews. It’s a back to basics rock & blues triumph! Last Train Home is an incredible blend of blues classics and brand new Foghat material. The album also features Roger’s Brother, Colin Earl on keyboards, Lefty “Sugar Lips” Lefkowitz on harmonica, Eddie “Bluesman” Kirkland on vocals and guitar, and Jeff Howell on bass. The album spawned “495 Boogie” which was the foundation for their latest single "The Word of Rock n’ Roll." The lyrics for the song were written by Phil Dessinger one of their fans after winning a contest.

I gave Last Train Home (5) Stars … The album definitely kicks-ass!

Foghat will be performing at ‘Born to Ride Day of the Dead Jam Music and Motorcycle Festival’ on Saturday November 2nd at England Brothers Park in Pinellas Park, Fl. Foghat will be joining co-headliners Paul Rodgers (Bad Company) and Joan Jett &The Blackhearts along with Blackberry Smoke, Molly Hatchet, David Allan Coe and Soul Circus Cowboys. -For tickets and information visit http://borntoridejam.com/ or call 1-877-987-6487 to charge by phone. For additional information call 813-531-4051. Gates open at 11am.

Foghat will also be performing at the 16th Annual ‘Thunder by The Bay Motorcycle Festival’ on Saturday January 11th, 2014 at 8 pm on Main Street in Downtown Sarasota. -For further information visit www.thunderbythebay.org or call 941-371-8820 Ext. 1800.

Recently, I had the great pleasure of chatting with the original drummer and founder of Foghat, Roger Earl about meeting Willie Dixon, their latest studio release Last Train Home, touring, Kim Simmonds & Savoy Brown, Dave Edmunds, and of course my infamous ‘Field of Dreams’ wish question.

Here’s my interview with the legendary drummer, singer, songwriter, chef, wine entrepreneur, leader and founder of classic rock legends Foghat … ROGER EARL.
Ray Shasho: Hello Roger, how are you doing?
Roger Earl: “Hello Ray, I’m doing okay, how are you doing?”
Ray Shasho: I’ve been chatting with a lot of drummers here of late … I talked with Corky Laing most recently and Billy Cobham before that.
Roger Earl: “I love Corky, he and I are good friends. Billy is a great-great drummer, I saw him a couple of times actually and he does stuff that mere mortals can only dream about.”
(All laughing)
Ray Shasho: So how’s the tour coming along Roger?
Roger Earl: “The tour has been doing great this year; we’ve been all over the place …north, south, east and west and we keep seeming to be yo-yoing a lot from east coast to west coast and that’s okay. Yea, so it’s been a very exciting touring year and it’s not over yet, we’ve still got lots of dates to do.”
Ray Shasho:You’ll be performing in Sarasota, Fl. for the ‘Thunder by the Bay Motorcycle Fest’ on January 11th 2014.
Roger Earl: “We’re also going to be performing at Born to Ride Day of the Dead Jam Music and Motorcycle Festival in Pinellas Park on November 2nd. Actually we have a home down in Florida and also a studio in DeLand, halfway between Orlando and New Smyrna Beach in the middle of nowhere. We have a band house there where we record, rehearse, and kickback in the winter learning some new old songs.”
Ray Shasho: I watched the original Foghat lineup perform six times, mostly at the Capital Centre in Maryland. You guys supported a lot of bands like the J. Geils Band and Black Oak Arkansas before finally headlining the 18,000 plus arena in 1978.
Roger Earl: “Two reasons I remember that. We recorded there one time and another time we flew in there and it was back in 1977 when we had our own plane for awhile and I forgot to put my sneakers in my bag and had to play barefoot. It wasn’t such a problem once the pedals warmed up a bit. So that’s why I remember the Capital Centre.”
(All laughing)
Ray Shasho: Foghat’s “The Word of Rock n’ Roll” single is a great tune! This was actually a contest where the fans added the lyrics to “495 Boogie.” How many people actually contributed to the lyrics?
Roger Earl: “We recorded it on our last album Last Train Home and it was an instrumental, my Brother Colin played piano on the album and was really cool. So he came up with the song. He just started playing and I said that sounds great Colin, let’s do that one! So we ran through it once to get the arrangement down and the chords, then the second time …that was the take. Foghat has never done an instrumental. Then a good friend of ours who is a deejay, Charlie Ocean, wrote the lyrics and renamed it “Big American Blonde,” and then recorded it on the song. But it was a little risqué and never really made it on the radio. So the idea was to mention about doing the vocals for it. Unfortunately, Charlie passed away in July of 2011.”

“We decided to run a competition for all our fans to write the lyrics and also had to sing them to some degree or another. Actually the quality of the songs was really impressive and some of the singers were really-really good. It was difficult but we narrowed it down to about three songs. The band, Ken Dashow from WAXQ Radio in New York City, and Jeb Wright a good friend of ours from Classic Rock Revisited were the judges. We picked one, Phil Dessinger was his name, he wrote the lyrics, we redid it and mixed it and there we have it. The song has a very positive lyric line to it about being on the road and enjoying it. It’s kind of like a basic rock and roll song, like a Chuck Berry kind of thing. Where would we be without Chuck?”
Ray Shasho: Where would we be without the early ‘American Blues’ artists?
Roger Earl: “I’ve been a big fan of the blues since I first began listening to it. I also got the chance over the years to play with a number of my heroes. I played with Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and went and had dinner at Willie Dixon’s house. Muddy was a beautiful man, really-really cool, and Willie Dixon was just fantastic. What’s really cool is when you meet your musical heroes and they don’t let you down. They were very gracious and had lots and lots of stories.”

“One of the things I remember about Muddy is we did this show called Foghat’s Tribute to the Blues at the New York Palladium. It was to raise money for the New York Public Library; they didn’t have a decent blues record collection. It gave us an excuse to get together with our heroes and actually play with them and we were doing just fine at the time financially. Anyway, we’re backstage and we’ve been in New York City for about a week rehearsing with everybody. Muddy was backstage and looked over at one of the performers on the stage, Eddie “Bluesman” Kirkland and looked over at Eddie and he said … “I know you.” And I said to myself, how cool is that, because you can never remember everybody’s name, you meet hundreds of players, musicians, and people. What a way to greet somebody … “I know you.” What are you going to say, no you don’t! So I stole that from Muddy. If I can’t remember somebody’s name, I go, “I know you.”

(All laughing)

“Muddy was special and a beautiful man. It was a sad day when we lost him. Willie Dixon … I think was one of the greatest influences certainly on blues music and contemporary rock and roll. He was beautiful. We went there …myself, Dave and Rod actually turned up in the Southside of Chicago and had dinner with him and his family. Everybody in the family played guitar or piano. We were all sitting down and eating and talking. Of course we asked Willie about certain songs and stuff and he says …”Yea.” So he sends one of the kids upstairs to bring down a 78 rpm of some obscure tune and I remember Rod Price and Lonesome Dave drooling. But we’ve stayed in touch over the years and it was a sad day when we lost him.”
Ray Shasho: Many of those early blues legends never seemed to get the due praise and credit they truly deserved.
Roger Earl: “I think Willie did okay, he had that one issue with Led Zeppelin’s management where he wasn’t given credit, but I think that got settled. But not by Foghat mind you … who was the first to give credit where credit was due. That’s how we got to meet Willie Dixon because he wrote “I Just Want to Make Love to You” and obviously performed by Muddy Waters. That was our first big single over here and came off the first album in 1972. Then in 1977 we released Foghat Live and the single off of that album was “I Just Want to Make Love to You” which was a hit again. By then Willie was saying, “Who are these Foghat guys?””

“We had a three day spell playing in Chicago. On the first night, Willie’s daughter came down to see us. The second night she actually came back with her Brother Butch who I believe later became Willie’s road manager. Then on the third night we played there they brought their dad down. So there we were standing around with Willie Dixon, and as far as we were concerned in the presence of greatness. He was a tall man and had this incredible smile and a wonderful way with people. I remember Dave introduced him on stage and said, “Without Willie Dixon there would be no rock and roll.” And that’s pretty close to the truth. Then Willie invited us over to his house and we managed to talk with him a number of years after that.”
Ray Shasho: I had the opportunity to chat with one of your old bandmates from your Savoy Brown days Kim Simmonds. Kim is such a great guy.
Roger Earl: “Actually, I recently inducted Kim into the New York Blues Hall of Fame. I live out on Long Island and decided to take the train, in case we decided to have a few drinks. I got there and Kim was playing at a place called the The Iridium. Kim and I keep in touch; we talk two or three times a year. So I went inside and told Kim, they’ve asked me to induct you into the Blues Hall of Fame tonight. He gave me a look, like … Oh dear, Rogers inducting me?”

“At the ceremony I started by saying …Kim gave me my shot and I’m forever grateful. I think Kim might be playing better than ever and his voice has dramatically improved. He sounds like a great singer now. It was a lot of fun, I got up and played a couple of new songs with his band and had a good time that night.”
Ray Shasho: I wouldn’t mind seeing Roger Earl on a Kim Simmonds/Savoy Brown album or Kim Simmonds on a Foghat album.
Roger Earl: “I would do that! We’ve actually discussed it but we’re never quite able to organize it with our varying schedules. There is the possibility though …but time is rolling on.”
Ray Shasho: Roger, I have to apologize for not getting the opportunity to review your last studio album entitled …Last Train Home and especially for not having the opportunity to rave about it … it’s definitely a kick-ass album! So I’ll be reviewing it with this interview and I’m giving it (5) stars.
Roger Earl: “Thank you! Actually we were really pleased with the way it turned out. It wasn’t a difficult record to make. It’s something Dave and I talked about a number of times when Dave was alive but we never got to do it. Foghat always recorded one or two blues songs on their albums and it was something I wanted to do. I said to the guys in the band, everybody pick two or three songs that they wanted to do, then we’ll get together down in Florida and we’ll play them. The ones that work we’ll do and the ones that don’t we’ll just put on the side. It wasn’t difficult; it really was a labor of love. It was really enjoyable; I got to play with my Brother Colin who plays piano. Colin played on our first album and a few others from time to time but was busy with his band Mungo Jerry and then his subsequent band the King Earl Boogie Band. We never really got the chance to play together. Eddie “Blues Man” Kirkland who we played with back in 1977 came down and we played for hours and hours. It was very special and we really had a good time.”
Ray Shasho: The band is incredible and with quite a resume. Slide guitarist Bryan Bassett was a founding member of Wild Cherry and also played with Molly Hatchet, Charlie Huhn played with Ted Nugent and Humble Pie, bassist Craig MacGregor played with Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter to name a few. And of course Eddie “Blues Man” Kirkland contributed on the album.
Roger Earl: “I think what Charlie did with Ted Nugent was certainly some of Ted’s best stuff. And there’s also something to be said for taking over for Steve Marriott of Humble Pie. Unfortunately our bass player Craig MacGregor couldn’t make this record; he had a problem with a nerve in his left hand, but he’s back with us now better than ever. A good friend of mine Jeff Howell who played with numerous bands and Foghat from time to time played bass on it and did a fantastic job. We also had a harp player, Lefty “Sugar Lips” Lefkowitz who is also a good friend of mine. So we had the Foghat blues band.”
Ray Shasho: With the horrible way the music industry has been over the past twenty years or so, it was really refreshing to hear a pure rock and roll album again.
Roger Earl: “The album wasn’t hard or a stretch for any of us, it was actually a real joyous bunch of sessions that we did. We started off with rehearsals here in Long Island and finished everything down in Florida. Most of the songs were done by the second or third take. But there’s an attitude to playing blues and rock and roll. It was a lot of fun doing it … in fact, I might do it again!”
Ray Shasho: Rocker Dave Edmunds was instrumental to Foghat’s debut album. How’s Dave doing these days?
Roger Earl: “I haven’t talked with David in a number of years. Dave doesn’t tour too much; the last time he did was with Ringo Starr. I have a great deal of respect for Dave Edmunds. When we were doing our first album and we basically got a record deal through Albert Grossman, Dave and Foghat were using the same studio. Dave had the nightshift and we were taking over from about midday to midnight. Of course the sessions would crossover and we would go in and listen to him and then he would hangout and listen to us. We were struggling at the time, we could play but we weren’t producing. It may have been our management at the time. We were struggling with the tunes so we asked Dave to help us out. I seem to remember when we started working on “I Just Want to Make Love to You” and it might have been the first song that we started working with Dave Edmunds. He just sprinkled some of that magic dust on it, in fact the whole album I think, even the ones that he didn’t like, finalize, or work on initially. The album wouldn’t have been nearly as successful as it was without Dave. He’s a great musician and producer.”
Ray Shasho: Did you play skiffle music when you were young?
Roger Earl: “I was about four years behind on that. But yes, when I was about eleven years old I just moved into senior school and I remember we did have a skiffle group and I had a standup tea chest, a broom handle and a piece of string. I think that lasted about a week. Then after that, it wasn’t until I was about thirteen when I made the decision that I needed to play. My father took me to see Jerry Lee Lewis in South West London and I was never the same after that. Jerry Lee had a huge impact on my attitude to music, what and how I wanted to play. I could never quite master the drum work he had during the early Sun Record days. My father brought home his first records and introduced the household to Jerry Lee Lewis. He’d put them on the record player and say … “This boy can play the piano!” (All laughing) Dad played piano as well.”

“As far as the drummers go … Earl Palmer from New Orleans was one of my earliest influences for playing and also Fred Below who was on most of the early Chess Record recordings. You’ve got to give the drummers some credit too. (All laughing)”

“Around the same time we met Willie Dixon in Chicago, we had a night off somewhere and Dave and I went out to this place called Mother Blues. Dave and I walked in and I go over to the bar like I often do. Dave is just in the doorway transfixed and looking at the stage. So I get my drink, wonder back to Dave and hand him a glass of wine. He says to me, “Do you know who that is playing drums?” I said no. He said, “That’s Freddie Below.” We went up and talked with him during the break and shook hands. Dave was more mesmerized than I was. We both got up and played a few tunes. I’ll never forget Dave saying … “You know who that is?” I think it’s imperative in music to never forget about being a fan. It’s the joy of music why we do it for. At least that’s why I do it.”
Ray Shasho: Roger, I thought it was interesting that you auditioned for both Jimi Hendrix and Arthur Brown.
Roger Earl: “Actually, the reason why I auditioned was that I was already in Savoy Brown and at that point hadn’t been paid. It was a blues band. I still had my day job, I was a commercial artist. We were doing about two or three shows a week and came in to work looking very tired. After about two weeks, I went up to the manager’s office which was the same as the booking agent and his name was Harry Simmonds, Kim’s Brother. So I said Harry, I haven’t been paid yet, am I going to get paid? Harry said, “You haven’t been paid, we’ll have to see about that.” This went on for about six weeks and I thought maybe I’d better start looking for work. If they don’t want to pay you there must be a problem.”
Ray Shasho: So the real reason you left Savoy Brown was because you weren’t getting paid?
Roger Earl: “I think it was just time for a change. We both did well after that. Kim’s band Savoy Brown went on and made some terrific records and Foghat did the same. It probably wasn’t a bad move in either of our parts. Kim’s still here and he’s a great player and I’m looking forward to playing with him again sometime. Things have a way of working out.”
Ray Shasho: Bassist Tony Stevens had rejoined Foghat for awhile, what is he up to lately?
Roger Earl: “Tony Stevens was always difficult to work with; he was always getting fired from whatever band he was in. He was the only one who got fired from Savoy Brown. He went off to England one time when we were supposed to be starting a new tour. Basically it was not a happy relationship and it wasn’t working. So he got fired and then sued us for the name and went out as Foghat. He had been bought out of Foghat for thirty-five thousand dollars back in 1974 … and that was a lot of money back then. When he was invited to join again, he didn’t get any rights to the name Foghat and he decided he wanted to be Foghat. So we were in a huge lawsuit and we won. Half a million dollars later … I’m on the road again and he’s in Thailand or somewhere. Let me put it this way, there’s no love lost there.”
Ray Shasho: In the summer of 2010 …Bobby Rondinelli replaced you for some gigs?
Roger Earl: “I took a fall and broke my back across three vertebrae. That’s never happened before; we were playing this Casino in Oklahoma and I went on stage to check the monitors and the drums and I went to step up on the side of the drum riser and there was nothing there. So that wasn’t a lot of fun. Promoters live on a rather thin profit margin these days so I called Bobby. Bobby Rondinelli is a great drummer and can do just about anything … and we’re good friends. So, he did a good job for awhile. I got back ASAP because I didn’t want anybody taking my place. (Laughing)”

“Then another time we were in Canada and I went down to sit on my drum stool and it collapsed underneath me. But I’m doing fine now; I work really hard on keeping healthy.”
Ray Shasho: I heard you’re quite a connoisseur of wines?
Roger Earl: “Not really a connoisseur, I just like to drink the stuff. We do make some fantastic wines called Foghat Cellars. We just released a 2010 Chardonnay, a 2010 Pinot Noir, and also have a 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon coming out. It’s a lot of fun. I met Steve Rasmussen in 2007 when we played the California Mid State Fair, we did two shows there, both sold-out, and then he sent an email to our manager saying … you’re probably already doing this but would you be interested in making some Foghat wine? I started giggling and drooling and said …Yes please! Yes please! You can visit Foghat Cellars at www.foghatcellars.com.”
Ray Shasho: I understand you’re also a great cook, I watched ‘Roger Earl’s Rockin’ Kitchen’ on You Tube recently, what is that all about?
Roger Earl: “I do like to cook any chance that I get. I have in my house about a dozen people to cook for. About six to eight people is the perfect size because you can talk and hear each other. It came up …Why don’t you do a TV cooking show? So we did a couple of pilots and it turned out interesting … so we’ll see. But I like my job of playing drums… that’s my favorite. Craig MacGregor our bass player is also a chef. So the band doesn’t go hungry when we’re recording or rehearsing down in Florida.”
Ray Shasho: Roger, here’s a question that I ask everyone that I interview … If you had a “Field of Dreams” wish, like the movie, to play or collaborate with anyone from the past or present, who would that be?
Roger Earl: “Give me a minute, that is like your wish list isn’t it. Hands down I would love to play drums with Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry on guitar and Willie Dixon on bass. I might have a contemporary singer, someone like Paul Rodgers who is probably one of the greatest singers out there or one of my favorite early singers is probably Chris Youlden of Savoy Brown. Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon on bass and me playing drums … that would have been a ‘Field of Dreams’ for me.”
Ray Shasho: One of my favorite singers is also a favorite of yours … Humble Pie legend Steve Marriott.
Roger Earl: “Oh, I can spend an hour talking to you about Steve Marriott. We toured incessantly with Steve Marriott and Humble Pie and the J. Geils Band. Stevie particularly endeared himself to me. It might have been one of our early big shows and we were supporting Humble Pie. For some reason the crew was giving our crew a hard time about the sound and the lights, about what we had or couldn’t have. I think either our road manager or manager had mentioned it to Steve, who was five foot something, and he walked out on stage and said… Alright, don’t give f*ing Foghat any f*ing problems, give f*ing Foghat whatever the f*ck- f*ing Foghat wants, alright? And we never had another problem. We became good friends with Stevie after that. Dave and I would hang out with Stevie into the early hours of the morning, listening to music and getting ripped. Stevie was special and I loved the man.”
Ray Shasho: Roger, thank you so much for being on the call today, but more importantly for all the incredible Foghat music that you’ve given us and continue to bring. We’ll see you in Pinellas Park on November 2nd and in Sarasota on January 11th.
Roger Earl: “I look forward to it Ray and it’s been my pleasure.”

Foghat will be performing at ‘Born to Ride Day of the Dead Jam Music and Motorcycle Festival’ on Saturday November 2nd at England Brothers Park in Pinellas Park, Fl. Foghat will be joining co-headliners Paul Rodgers (Bad Company) and Joan Jett &The Blackhearts along with Blackberry Smoke, Molly Hatchet, David Allan Coe and Soul Circus Cowboys. -For tickets and information visit http://borntoridejam.com/ or call 1-877-987-6487 to charge by phone. For additional information call 813-531-4051. Gates open at 11am.

Foghat will also be performing at the 16th Annual ‘Thunder by The Bay Motorcycle Festival’ on Saturday January 11th, 2014 at 8 pm on Main Street in Downtown Sarasota. -For further information visit www.thunderbythebay.org or call 941-371-8820 Ext. 1800.
Foghat official website www.foghat.net
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Visit Foghat Cellars “Music & Wine… Passions Combined” at www.foghatcellars.com
Purchase Last Train Home the latest release from Foghat at amazon.com

Very special thanks to Chip Ruggieri of Chipster PR and Rose Nangano

Coming up NEXT … My latest interviews with the legendary John Mayall of The Bluesbreakers and Julian Lennon chats about his incredible new album.

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

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Cherie Currie Exclusive: “Kenny Do the Right Thing and Give Me My Record!”

By Ray Shasho

The Runaways original lead singer Cherie Currie returned to the stage for the first time since opening for Joan Jett and The Blackhearts in 2010. Currie opened at the Foundry in Cleveland on August 7th and has played two Florida dates in Pensacola and West Palm Beach later that month. She also played a historical show at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California supporting Danzig on August 30th. It was one of the final shows at the venue since its inception in 1972. The Amphitheatre will be demolished to make room for The Wizardry World of Harry Potter theme park. Currie witnessed her very first concert, the David Bowie ‘Diamond Dogs’ Tour at the venue in 1974. The David Bowie concert was Cherie’s epiphany. Bowie became her inspiration while granting her the stage presence needed to become lead vocalist in The Runaways.

Cherie Currie’s tour continues and is receiving rave reviews. Watch for additional tour dates on www.pollstar.com or www.cheriecurie.com.

Cherie Currie was brought up in Encino, California. Her mother Marie Harmon was leading lady to Roy Rogers and Sunset Carson in westerns of the 1940’s. She also appeared in dramas and comedies for Universal. Actress Sondra Currie is Cherie’s oldest sister. Cherie’s twin sister Marie joined Cherie after her Runaways days to form the band Cherie and Marie Currie. Cherie’s ex- husband and her best friend is actor, producer and director Robert Hays (Airplane! He played Ted Striker). Robert and Cherie’s son Jake Hays performs in her band and with his own band called Maudlin Strangers.

Producer/manager Kim Fowley and young guitarist Joan Jett discovered Cherie at the Sugar Shack, an under21 club in North Hollywood. Because of her look, she was asked to audition as lead singer for an all- female rock band called The Runaways. For the audition, Cherie selected “Fever” a Suzi Quatro cover tune most recognized by singer Peggy Lee. The band refused to play the song, so Jett and Fowley wrote “Cherry Bomb” a play on words with Cherie’s name while referring to her bombshell good looks. The tune became an anthem for The Runaways. Cherie Currie was only 15 years old when she became The Runaways lead singer.
The Runaways were signed to Mercury Records. After the release of their self-titled studio album The Runaways (1976), the group quickly embarked on their first U.S. tour and performed at legendary venues like CBGB’s in New York and the Agora Ballroom in Cleveland. The band headlined a show at the Royal Oak Theatre outside Detroit with Cheap Trick and Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers as supporting acts. Later that year, the band launched their first European tour including stops at the Roadhouse in the U.K. and the Apollo in Scotland. Because of the bands teenage stature, the group was dubbed, “Jailbait rock: music’s newest sensation.”
The punk /new wave/rock band’s must successful lineup was comprised of Cherie Currie (lead vocals & keyboards), Lita Ford (lead guitars/ backing vocals), Joan Jett (rhythm guitars & vocals), Sandy West (drums) and Jackie Fox (bass). *Micki Steele and Peggy Foster both played bass briefly for The Runaways in 1975. Vickie Blue played bass in 1977/78 and Laurie McAllister in 1978/79.
The Runaways second release Queens of Noise (1977) featured the heavier guitar-driven tracks that The Runaways were most noted for and initiated by their lead guitarist Lita Ford.
The band became an even bigger sensation in Japan selling-out to frenzied audiences. During the tour, Jackie Fox quit the band and flew home, Joan Jett filled in on bass for the rest of their Japan dates. After returning to the U.S., Vicki Blue became their new bassist and Joan Jett their lead vocalist after Cherie Currie left to pursue a solo career.
The Runaways Live in Japan was also released in 1977.

A clash between bandmates deciding on the bands musical direction led to The Runaways demise in 1979.

A Runaways compilation album entitled Flaming Schoolgirls featuring Cherie Currie was released in 1980 after the breakup of the band.

In 1978, Cherie Currie released her debut solo album Beauty’s Only Skin Deep. The album was produced by David Carr and Kim Fowley and only available in the U.S. as an import.
In 1980, the Cherie and Marie Currie band launched their debut album entitled Messin’ with the Boys on Capitol Records. The album spawned the hit single “Since You Been Gone” (#95 on U.S. Charts) written by Russ Ballard of Argent. The album featured various esteemed session players including Toto band members Steve Lukather, Mike Porcaro and Bobby Kimball. Later in 1998, the twin sisters released a compilation album entitled Young & Wild.

Cherie was also spotted by Dennis Brody of the William Morris Agency while performing at the Golden Bear in Newport Beach. The meeting led to an acting career. Cherie has appeared in Foxes with Jody Foster, Wavelength with Robert Carradine, Parasite with Demi Moore, Twilight Zone: The Movie with Dan Aykroyd and TV shows Murder She Wrote and Matlock.

Author Cherie Currie released (2) books … Neon Angel -The Cherie Currie Story (1989) and Neon Angel -A Memoir of a Runaway (2010).

In 2010, The Runaways movie was released. The part of lead singer Cherie Currie was portrayed by Dakota Fanning.

Cherie is also an extraordinary relief and chainsaw wood carving artist. Visit her site at www.chainsawchick.com

I had the great and warm pleasure of chatting with Cherie Currie recently about her current U.S. tour, life in the Runaways, upcoming collaborations with Lita Ford, her unreleased album, Joan Jett, A famous husband, Chainsaw Chick and so much more.
Here’s my interview with the original lead singer of The Runaways, actress, author, relief and chainsaw woodcarving artist …CHERIE CURRIE.
Ray Shasho: Hi Cherie how are you?
Cherie Currie: “I’m doing good Ray.”
Ray Shasho: How’s the tour coming along?
Cherie Currie: “Oh my goodness … it’s been great! The fans have been really terrific and I’ve been signing after each show for a couple of hours and it’s been fun.”
Ray Shasho: You’ve also got a couple of dates in Pensacola and West Palm Beach Florida.
Cherie Currie: “We’re coming in a day earlier so we can see some sites. It’s going to be three grueling days getting back to the Gibson Amphitheatre as well. But we’re really looking forward to it.”
Ray Shasho: The show at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles will be historic, one of the final shows at the venue before it’s demolished?
Cherie Currie: “Yea, I had no idea that they were tearing it down and putting in a Harry Potter ride. That’s where I saw my very first concert, the David Bowie Diamond Dogs Tour in 1974 and that was the show that made me realize, this is what I wanted to do, I wanted to be on stage. It was an epiphany of what I wanted to do. A couple of weeks later I was approached by Joan and Kim …it was just bizarre. So that Harry Potter ride better be really damn good.”
(All Laughing)
Ray Shasho: Did you ever get the chance to hang-out with David Bowie?
Cherie Currie: “I got to meet him; he came to see us at the Rathskeller in Boston. He came with Iggy and Steven Tyler had come to that show as well, so I got to meet him that night.”
Ray Shasho: I interviewed Lita Ford back in March, her latest album received rave reviews and she’s just knocking em’ dead out on the road.
Cherie Currie: “You know what … Lita and I have become really good friends. Being moms we both really realized how young we were. We were just babies. I mean, her oldest son is sixteen. Lita and I are actually working a little bit together again and it’s really fun … I’m excited.”
Ray Shasho: I heard Lita had a tough chick persona while you were in The Runaways and it may have been one of the reasons for your departure from the band.
Cherie Currie: “I was a little afraid of Lita. She was really tough but had to be that way, I guess for her own reasons. We had Joan, Lita and Sandy and they were really good musicians and I was a little intimidated by all of it because my voice was kind of strange and I never considered myself as a really good singer at all. I felt I wasn’t quite good enough to be in that band.”

“Anyway, Lita and I have been doing a little bit of singing together and it’s really a gas to hear her sing because she didn’t sing in The Runaways. I was talking to her the other day about it and I said why didn’t you ever try? And she was just into mastering her guitar, and she sure did, she’s such a great player and songwriter too.”

“But we’ve been talking about doing some shows together.”
Ray Shasho: You actually opened for Joan Jett And The Blackhearts back in 2010?
Cherie Currie: “I sure did, over in Orange County. It was amazing, a sold-out crowd of nine thousand people. I really didn’t expect to come back into this business at all, but after that show I got such great reviews and immediately got offered a record deal and to do a tour. Kenny Laguna was my manager back then and he wanted me to do the record with Blackheart. It’s still not being released and there’s not much I can do about that. We went right into the studio immediately after that show in 2010 to cut a record. Matt Sorum produced it. Billy Corgan is on it and wrote a duet for him and me, The Veronicas, Juliette Lewis came in and sang … Slash and Duff was on it. For some reason Kenny hasn’t mastered it.”
Ray Shasho: I wonder why Kenny is taking so long to release it.
Cherie Currie: “That’s been my question for the last two and a half years, so when my management contract was expiring in March … I wouldn’t re-sign.”
Ray Shasho: That’s a real shame, you’ve got some great artists on the album and Matt Sorum from Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver produced it.
Cherie Currie: “He’s very talented and really put everything into this album. Kenny wouldn’t let me play any shows after I performed with Joan either. For someone my age, a year is like five. Why wouldn’t he let me play? Even with the movie and my book, that would have been PR enough for me to be able to get out there and have fun and play Runaway songs, and say hi to the fans old and new, but he wouldn’t let me do it.”
Ray Shasho: I wonder if Kenny is protecting Joan’s legacy is some way.
Cherie Currie: “That seems to be what everybody else is saying because there’s no rhyme or reason to it. I’ve really had to work super hard trying to forgive this man for this. To me it just does not make sense.”
Ray Shasho: Joan really hasn’t had anyone else achieve the level of success as she has after The Runaways, but now Lita is back and drawing huge crowds and the original lead singer of The Runaways Cherie Currie is touring.
Cherie Currie: “Without a record it’s very difficult for me, so it’s a cruel and unusual punishment. He just wants me to sign a record contract that I will not sign. It’s one of those 60/40 contracts that they own you for life. Are you f*ing kidding me? He was one of my best friends for seventeen years and I just really want him to do the right thing and give me my record. It’s so hard to go out and do these shows with no record. The record has been finished for three years. I’ve had to walk away and let it go and I thought the evil was out of this business. Joan’s record is coming out in October and it just blows my mind because she hadn’t even thought about making a record when I went in to make mind. I wish her the best, but it will be a cold day in f*ing hell before I ever let anyone do this to me again.”

“I really knew there was a conflict of interest way back when we signed with him, and believing without Blackheart I wouldn’t have a chance in hell. But I’ve had so many offers after I signed with him and the people were mistaken. I signed with him because I trusted him. I’ve known him for seventeen years and is really good friends with my son and my wonderful ex-husband Robert Hays and felt like family to me, so I feel extremely betrayed by the whole thing. I don’t think Blackheart had any other hits out of that record company besides Joan, so it doesn’t seem to make sense to me.”

“But Joan is a sweetheart and is a good person; she just works and works, probably three hundred days out of the year, and has been doing that for the last thirty years. I commend her for all she’s done.”
Ray Shasho: ‘Chainsaw Chick’ … wow, you’re so incredibly talented. The woodcarvings that you have created with your chainsaw are magnificent! I visited your website and was in absolute awe of the beautiful works that were showcased.
Cherie Currie: “If you click on the new feature camera on the front page (view my photo album at the bottom of the page) that will take you to albums of my most recent works. The website alone is pretty massive. That new feature camera at the bottom of the page will take you to album after album … I shoot things from start to finish to show people how it’s done and you’ll see some really cool things. I did a bench for the Kelly Thomas Foundation for them to auction off for the homeless. It’s a guitar bench, for his memory. He was the guy that was beaten to death by the Fullerton police.”
Ray Shasho: How long did it take you to finish the guitar bench?
Cherie Currie: “I was a relief carver before I was a chainsaw carver. I would do two- dimensional carvings with Dremels and then I would stain, so I got into painting before I got into this. The bench kind of incorporates all of that in one piece. I used different wood stains to do the flowers, vines, leaves, guitar, birds and the book, so that took me start to finish and because I was on a deadline about a week and half. I was working just about every day, eight hours a day, trying to get it done in time for the auction.”
Ray Shasho: When did you first decide to use a chainsaw?
Cherie Currie: “It was a fluke. I was already doing relief carvings … tabletops, wall hangings and things like that, and I was on my way to the beach in Malibu and I saw these guys carving at the side of the road. They had some gallery there at the very top at Mulholland; I didn’t stop but couldn’t get it out of my mind. Every night I went to bed I kept thinking about it, and every morning … this voice in my head kept saying you have to go back, a voice that we don’t listen to but we need to listen to. So about a week or two later I did go and walked into the gallery and saw these beautiful mermaids, dolphins, tikis and seals. I was just in awe because they weren’t crude or what you expected of a chainsaw carver, kind of like Mountain Man crude/ chopped up kind of thing. Instead, it was very-very delicate and detailed. So I talked with the owner Rio and then I heard the voice … You can do this! So I asked him if he could apprentice me and he saw some of my artwork and he said yes. But I learned that you can’t really teach someone how to chainsaw, you can teach them the basics and how to not kill themselves which is the most important thing.”
“My third piece was three sea turtles swimming around a piece of coral and that was accepted into the Malibu Arts Expo which is so hard to get into. They are all artists that choose what pieces go into this Expo at Pepperdine University and it’s a big deal. They didn’t even take Rio’s pieces, they took the sea turtles, that’s when I realized that I was on to something and I’ve been doing it ever since.”
Ray Shasho: I’ve witnessed some beautiful pieces on your website, are they all for sale?
Cherie Currie: “Everything on my website has been long sold. But what I do now is take special orders. So they just reach out on my website and I’ll carve anything and everything that someone would want. They just tell me what they want, design it, I carve it and they have it. I take what I do seriously and I’m a perfectionist, so I do the very best that I can.”
Ray Shasho: “You have a remarkable gift Cherie.
Cherie Currie: “Thank you so much! Even my son who is in my band, and also has a band of his own was drawing in two dimensions at the age of four. He’s been a tattoo artist since he was seventeen years old. He’s extraordinary, an amazing artist and just incredible. There are a lot of tattoo artists that don’t draw. Jake will sit down and just blow your mind. He’s brilliant and just a great human being.”
Ray Shasho: Your biography on your website says you were overworked and underpaid during the height of The Runaways, explain why.
Cherie Currie: “We weren’t making any money. All we ever heard was … we had debts to pay and all that. We got a little per diem of twenty dollars a week and if we needed Tampax or something we’d have to ask. Or can we have a dollar for a cheeseburger … and we were selling places out! I mean we had merchandising and all that stuff and never saw a penny of it. The first check that we ever got was after we came back from Japan and we were there for a long time. After everybody else was paid, I think they gave us a check for $1,700.00 each or something. And we just worked all the time and selling places out all the time. Everybody else was stealing our money. We never even got royalties or anything so we ended up suing in 1997. We sued Kim Fowley and PolyGram for royalties and for the name The Runaways, which Lita, myself, Joan and the late Sandy West owned. We paid fifty percent of all of our royalties to insure that fact. So we were working all the time and not making any money.”
Ray Shasho: Do you think you were taken advantage of because you were young teenage girls?
Cherie Currie: “We weren’t just taken advantage of … we were absolutely robbed! Then the IRS came after me after I left the band for $20,000.00 of unpaid taxes and Kim Fowley had even said my sister had made $20-40,000.00 from him. He was laundering money in a way and should have been put in prison for it. But I ended up having to pay the IRS all this money. I could only afford paying $100 per month and I paid that every month since I was seventeen until I married my wonderful husband Robert Hays. I think I still owed $2300.00 which he paid off after we got married. So I was paying taxes on money that I never saw. We were screwed over big-time!”
Ray Shasho: I saw an interview that Kim Fowley gave around the same time The Runaways movie was released. He was an odd fellow wasn’t he?
Cherie Currie: “He was brilliant when it came to getting The Runaways marketed, I got to take my hat off to him for that, but he was emotionally abusive, but back then I guess it was no holds barred with people who wanted to get from point A to point B, I imagine. There weren’t much morals involved, I’ll say.”
Ray Shasho: Cherie, what was the trigger that got you to stop using drugs?
Cherie Currie: “In 1984 that was the year, I had lost my acting career, I wasn’t making music anymore and I was freebasing cocaine, I guess they call that crack these days. Literally, I just happened to look in the mirror one day and I had that moment of clarity, I saw a dead person looking back at me and it scared me to death. I was actually living with my drug dealer at the time and I just packed up everything and moved home to my Aunts house. I started working selling linens at the mall and just got really humbled and then went on to become a drug counselor for addicted teens. Then I started drawing and that’s how I ended up going to Price Stern Sloan as an artist for children’s books. They asked how long I’ve been drawing and I said a year, and then explained to them The Runaways story. They said wow; we’ve been looking for our first young adult book and this is it. It’s kind of odd how one thing led to another.”
Ray Shasho: Did you enjoy your acting career?
Cherie Currie: “Loved it, it happened so fast. I did a show at the Golden Bear in Newport Beach and Dennis Brody from William Morris was there and approached me. He asked, did you ever think about being an actress? I always thought of myself as an entertainer so why not. The first two things he sent me out for was Foxes and Rock ‘n’ Roll High School. And I got both of them. I chose Foxes because I really wanted to work with Jody Foster. For me to be brought into a film like that and right out of the gate was a miracle for me. It was really hard to get that, I did a lot of screen tests and I think it was down to me, Rosanna Arquette and Kristy McNichol. I was very-very lucky that I got that part.”
Ray Shasho: Your ex- husband is actor, producer and director Robert Hays, probably most recognized as Ted Striker from the Airplane I & II movies.
Cherie Currie: “Was, is kind of an odd word, yes we were married but we’re actually closer now than we ever were. He was here yesterday, he takes care of my dog when I go away and I take care of him. He broke his neck a few years back and he was very lucky, it was the same break as Christopher Reeve had. And I took care of him. I mean, he’s my best friend, I love him and he’s the greatest man on the planet. We just adore each other and go to all the events together. He doesn’t date and I don’t date. We’re a wonderful family with two houses. But Jake has really benefited a lot from that and we love each other deeply. I’d do anything for him.”
Ray Shasho: Your son Jake plays in your band and also has a band of his own?
Cherie Currie: “Jake Robert Hays. He’s 22; the band is called Maudlin Strangers and Jake writes all the music and is an amazing singer, he’s got a voice that’s just killer. He’s also a producer and plays guitar, bass, keyboards and drums. He has actually drummed for me when my drummer couldn’t make it to Cleveland; he played drums for that show. Jake is a music man and an artist. The main thing about having Jake on this tour with me is that he gets to see how the business works. He’s learned so much of what to do and what not to do. And not let him get in the position that I’m in where you let somebody have the kind of power to completely stop you in this business for no reason at all.”
Ray Shasho: When you auditioned with The Runaways, didn’t they want you to audition with a Suzi Quatro song but “Cherry Bomb” was quickly written for you instead?
Cherie Currie: “They asked me to learn a Suzi Quatro song considering my background was Dean Martin and The Andrew Sisters and all that (laughing). So I ended up picking “Fever” from Your Mamma Won’t Like Me, I was a big Quatro fan. I thought that song could showcase my voice. So I learned “Fever” and the girls weren’t happy, they wanted a rock and roll song. So Kim and Joan looked at me and wrote “Cherry Bomb” right there for me to audition to.”
Ray Shasho: It’s amazing how it was written so quickly just for the audition and while you were standing there.
Cherie Currie: “Well they thought Cherry…Cherie and they just thought I was a cherry bomb. They just wrote this song and it was a great.”
Ray Shasho: I chatted with Suzi Quatro not long ago in a Skype interview from England. She looked fantastic!
Cherie Currie: “I just love Suzi; she’s just a wonderful human being, I’m so happy that she’s still in this business because we need her. She was the original badass and kick-ass female musician. Suzi held her own and was in the business when we were coming in and she knows firsthand that it was trying to say the least.”
Ray Shasho: Cherie, 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?
Cherie Currie: “I would have to say David Bowie. Number two would be Suzi Quatro. I almost would rather Suzi Quatro but Bowie would be right up there too. No, Bowie link Suzi Quatro (All laughing).”
Ray Shasho: How about David Bowie and Suzi Quatro on stage with you?
Cherie Currie: “That would be a dream …and link Lita Ford. If I could stand on the same stage as Bowie, Quatro and Lita …I could die and go to heaven … I’m sorry, I can’t just pick one.”
Ray Shasho: Cherie, thank you for being on the call today, but more importantly for all the great Runaways music and brand new music into the future.
Cherie Currie: “Ray, good luck with your next book, thanks sweetie … bye!”

Cherie Currie official website www.cheriecurrie.com
Cherie Currie Chainsaw Chick
Cherie Currie on Facebook
Cherie Currie on Myspace
Cherie Currie on Twitter
The Runaways website http://therunaways.com/
Jake Hays (Maudlin Strangers) on Facebook

Purchase Neon Angel ‘The Cherie Currie Story’ and Neon Angel ‘A Memoir of a Runaway’ at amazon.com

Very special thanks to Pati deVries of Devious Planet and Robert Rowland of Red Entertainment

Coming up NEXT … My recent interview with Roger Earl -legendary drummer and founder of FOGHAT.

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


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