Tuesday, June 9, 2020

JEROME MAZZA OF PROG ROCK'S 'PINNACLE POINT'- THE NEW KANSAS-SPECIAL GUEST ON INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS JULY 21ST 7 PM PT/10 PM ET -BBS RADIO

J E R O M E 
 M A Z Z A
SINGER-SONGWRITER-
MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST-PRODUCER and FRONTMAN 
for PROGRESSIVE ROCK GROUP
P I N N A C L E  
P O I N T
NEW RELEASE
'SYMPHONY OF MIND'

Jerome Mazza is a singer/songwriter born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the age of 8, Jerome taught himself how to play the guitar and sing after being
influenced by guitarist and singer/songwriter, Mark Farner of Grand Funk. 
Playing guitar and singing through his teenage years, he joined his first band at age 19 and toured the east coast in various pop and rock bands. Jerome started to write songs at the age of 25 and was very influenced by the rock band, Kansas, whose music combined classical music with progressive rock. 
Jerome with Kansas legend Robby Steinhardt
While honing his songwriting and his singing, he became a session vocalist including singing commercials in Los Angeles for major corporations such as Coors Beer, Pizza Hut, HBO and several publishing firms. 
In 1990 Jerome became the lead singer for the second album from the Christian metal band, Angelica, entitled “Walking In Faith”.  The album ended up being the best-selling Angelica record. Still today, it’s known as one of the best metal albums in Christian music.
In 2015, Jerome recorded a self-titled solo album in the classical pop style. 
In 2016, Jerome became the lead singer and one of the founding members along with Torben Enevoldsen, of the band, Pinnacle Point. 
In 2017, Jerome contributed lead vocals to multiple tracks on Steve Walsh’s fourth solo album entitled “Black Butterfly” which was released on November 10, 2017. 
Jerome sings lead vocals on three songs (Winds Of War, Now Until Forever, Mercy On Me) and duets with Steve Walsh on the single “Born In Fire”. 

The Outlaw Son Album is available everywhere.
Fusing classic hard rock with the complexity of British prog rock, Pinnacle Point revolves around the songwriting abilities of Jerome Mazza (Ex-Angelica) and Torben Enevoldsen (Fate, Acacia Avenue, Section A). The two met online and started writing together in the beginning of 2016. Their debut album is entitled "Winds Of Change."
"Pinnacle Point is a rock band whose music blends the sounds of Melodic Rock and Epic, Progressive, Symphonic Rock. The band’s 2017 debut album Winds Of Change climbed the album-oriented rock charts and was voted top melodic rock album of the year for many rock music reviewers. The founding members are American lead singer, Jerome Mazza (Angelica, Outlaw Son solo album, and also featured as guest singer on Steve Walsh’s (x-Kansas) last album "Black Butterfly", and Danish guitarist Torben Enevoldsen (Fate, Acacia Avenue, Section A)"
Their brand-new album is entitled Pinnacle Point with a release date of July 17th, 2020. 

Order now at 
www.escape-music.net 
or www.jeromemazza.com
and amazon.com
(5) stars





PINNACLE POINT

SYMPHONY OF MIND


Order now
 at www.escape-music.net or www.jeromemazza.com
and amazon.com




Symphony of Mind by Pinnacle Point

From the opening note of their new album "Symphony of Mind", Jerome Mazza and Pinnacle Point will you give you the feeling that you want to "drop the needle on the vinyl". 
The vocals and inspirational lyrics on this album will bring you back to the nostalgic times that are reminiscent of the days of the sound of Kansas,  the early years and the deep cuts before their songs hit the radio stations. 
Jerome takes you on a journey with flawless sound of true progressive classic rock and roll, in the purest form. His voice is penetrating, powerful, yet smooth and tranquil and brings back fond memories of the concert days of the 1970’s and 1980's.
 The symphonic style is hypnotizing and carries its weight throughout the entire album. 
The storytelling is consistent and presents a true message. 
The ebb and flow and the building crescendos will remind you of what has been missing from the classic rock generation for the past decades. 
Congratulations on making us feel we have returned to a place of familiarity that gave us so much pleasure. 

By Rockette S.
The Classic Rock Music Reporter


PINNACLE POINT

WINDS OF CHANGE

the debut album


Purchase 
 at 
www.escape-music.net  www.jeromemazza.com
or amazon.com
                                                

For more information about Jerome Mazza
and Pinnacle Point
visit


JEROME MAZZA
 APPEARS
JULY 21ST 2020
7 PM PACIFIC/10 PM EASTERN
on INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS
with RAY SHASHO
BBS RADIO ONE
www.bbsradio.com



MY NEW BOOK IS FINALLY OUT!
ENTITLED
THE
ROCK STAR CHRONICLES
SERIES ONE

CHRONICLES, TRUTHS, CONFESSIONS AND WISDOM FROM THE MUSIC LEGENDS THAT SET US FREE
 …Order yours today on Hardcover or E-book at bookbaby.com



Featuring over 45 intimate conversations with some of
the greatest rock legends the world will ever know.
CHRIS SQUIRE... DR. JOHN... GREG LAKE... HENRY MCCULLOUGH... JACK BRUCE … JOE LALA…  JOHNNY WINTER... KEITH EMERSON... PAUL KANTNER...  RAY THOMAS... RONNIE MONTROSE... TONY JOE WHITE... DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS… MIKE LOVE... TOMMY ROE... BARRY HAY... CHRIS THOMPSON... JESSE COLIN YOUNG... JOHN KAY... JULIAN LENNON... MARK LINDSAY... MICKY DOLENZ… PETER RIVERA ...TOMMY JAMES… TODD RUNDGREN... DAVE MASON... EDGAR WINTER... FRANK MARINO... GREGG ROLIE... IAN ANDERSON... JIM “DANDY” MANGRUM... JON ANDERSON... LOU GRAMM... MICK BOX... RANDY BACHMAN… ROBIN TROWER...  ROGER FISHER... STEVE HACKETT... ANNIE HASLAM… ‘MELANIE’ SAFKA... PETULA CLARK... SUZI QUATRO... COLIN BLUNSTONE… DAVE DAVIES... JIM McCARTY...
 PETE BEST


BOOK TRAILER


BOOK REVIEW
-By Literary Titan (5) STARS
The Rock Star Chronicles, by Ray Shasho, is a splendid book written by a music enthusiast who has poured their heart and soul into it. It’s a story of a boy who loved rock music, and his obsessive passion of it earned himself the name Rock Raymond. He went to school but instead was schooled in all matters of music while his peers were buried chin-deep in coursework. He then became a radio DJ and has now compiled a book on all interviews he held with Rock gods who raided the airwaves back in the 70s and 80s. It’s a compilation of interviews with outstanding vocalists, legendary guitarists and crazy drummers in the rock music scene. Each interview gives a reader an in-depth view into their personal lives and the philosophies that guide their lives which all serve to humanize these great icons. For readers who are old enough to call themselves baby boomers this book will bring old memories back to life. Millennials, on the other hand, may think of this book as a literal work of the Carpool Karaoke show.
The Rock Star Chronicles is a book I didn’t know I was waiting for. To come across a book that will talk me into trying something new. One brave enough to incite me to venture into new frontiers. This book made me a believer- I am now a bona fide Rock and Roll music fan.
Ray Shasho masterfully gets the interviewees talking. He smartly coaxes answers from them with crafty questions designed to get a story rolling out of them. The artists talk about diverse issues ranging from music, politics, and their social engagements. Having been on the music seen all his life, Ray Shasho knows the buttons to press, how to get them comfortable about talking about their lives.
The book’s cover is befitting of its subject matter with the leather look offering a royal background to the golden letter print. It speaks to how high a level rock music holds in the pecking order- arguably, modern music as we know it has originated from blues and rock music.  The second noteworthy thing is the use of high definition pictures to reference the musician being interviewed in every sub-chapter. This ensures that the book is for both original rock and roll lovers and aspiring new ones. Together is makes for a refreshing and consistently enjoyable read.
I recommend this book to rock music enthusiasts, aspiring musicians wondering what it takes and all readers curious to learn new things by going back in time.



Ray Shasho author interview
by Literary Titan


The Rock Star Chronicles uses your interviews with rock legends to humanize them and preserve their contribution to the genre. Why was this an important book for you to write?

I was fortunate to have lived through two of the greatest decades for music. It was a time when radio played incredible music and rock concerts were a bargain and a happening thing to do. Rock groups featured incredibly talented musicians with guitarists and lead singers in the spotlight. There has never been a generation to match that period of music expertise and staying power. I wanted the reader to understand and realize how great a talent they really were and still are. Especially to wannabe musicians and the young. Many of the artists I have interviewed have passed on and others nearing retirement. It was important to me to tell their stories at a vulnerable period in their lives and be recognized as the greatest music legends the world will ever know.

What is one interview in this book that stands out as the most exciting one you had?

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull has always been a rock hero to me. He has written and performed complex music and always had an incredible stage presence. Going to a Tull concert back in the day was a huge event. I will admit the first time I interviewed Ian Anderson I was quite nervous. I remember when the phone rang for the interview, I thought, that’s Jethro Tull calling me! During the second interview I got him to chat about politics, religion, ancestry, and world events. I tried not to ask the same mundane music questions that have been asked of him many hundreds of times. He was intellectual and I was on my best game that day.

What do you think is one thing modern musicians have to learn from the icons of the rock and roll genre?

Bands must perform live. All the legends started performing at school dances, bars, clubs, and anywhere they could be seen by an audience big or small. If they are talented eventually someone will give them a break, but it will not be easy. Having a You Tube video with a lot of page views is a start, but it will never have the impact of playing in front of live audiences.

What do you find is a common misconception people have about music?

People that pay big money to watch an artist lip sync on stage and still call it a great show. Music lovers who go see a legendary rock band and there are no original members in the band. Ringo Starr would never bill himself as The Beatles, instead he created an All-Starr band. All generations need to do a little homework before purchasing expensive tickets to concerts nowadays. My book will certainly help identify who the real legends are.
Music is a universal language that we all share and cherish.

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

JORMA KAUKONEN JEFFERSON AIRPLANE & HOT TUNA ICON SPECIAL GUEST ON INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS JULY 14TH 7PM PT/10PM ET ON BBS RADIO ONE

J  O  R  M  A
K  A  U  K  O  N  E  N
LEGENDARY SINGER-SONGWRITER-GUITARIST
With
J E F F E R S O N  A I R P L A N E
And
H O T   T U N A
EXCLUSIVE!
In a career that has already spanned a half-century, Jorma Kaukonen has been one of the most highly respected interpreters of American roots music, blues, and rock. A member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and a Grammy recipient, Jorma was at the forefront of popular rock and roll, one of the founders of the San Francisco sound and a progenitor of Psychedelic Rock. He is a founding member of two legendary bands, Jefferson Airplane and the still-touring Hot Tuna. Jorma Kaukonen is a music legend and one of the finest singer-songwriters in his field. He continues to tour the world bringing his unique styling to old blues tunes while presenting new songs of weight and dimension. His secret is in playing spontaneous and unfiltered music, with an individual expression of personality. In 2016, Jorma, Jack Casady and the other members of Jefferson Airplane were awarded The GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award for their contributions to American music.

In 1965, met Paul Kantner and was invited to join a new not-yet-named rock band Kantner was forming with Marty Balin. As a self-described blues purist, Kaukonen was initially reluctant, but found his imagination excited by the arsenal of effects available to electric guitar, later remarking that he was "sucked in by technology." With the group still looking for a name, Kaukonen suggested Jefferson Airplane, inspired by an eccentric friend who had given his dog the name "Blind Lemon Jefferson Airplane." Jorma invited his old musical partner Jack Casady to come out to San Francisco and play electric bass for the new band, and together they created much of Jefferson Airplane’s signature sound.

A pioneer of counterculture-era psychedelic rock, the group was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve international mainstream success. Their 1967 record Surrealistic Pillow is regarded as one of the key recordings of the "Summer of Love."
Jorma and Jack would jam whenever they could and would sometimes perform sets within sets at Airplane concerts. The two would often play clubs following Airplane performances. Making a name for themselves as a duo, they struck a record deal, and Hot Tuna was born. Jorma left Jefferson Airplane after the band’s most productive five years, pursuing his full-time job with Hot Tuna. Over the past five decades Hot Tuna has performed thousands of concerts and released more than two-dozen records. The musicians who have performed with them are many and widely varied, as are their styles — from acoustic to long and loud electric jams, but never straying far from their musical roots. What is remarkable is that they have never coasted. Hot Tuna today sounds better than ever.



J O R M A
K A U K O N E N


AIN'T IN NO HURRY



AVAILABLE AT 
AMAZON.COM







Purchase Jorma’s memoirs

Been So Long: My Life and Music
at amazon.com

“Been So Long is a survivor’s tale, well told and sprinkled with a bit of 1960s fairy dust.” —Wall Street Journal


"Jefferson Airplane guitarist Kaukonen’s candid and affectionate memoir resembles the rambling and free-flowing road trips he enjoys.... A mesmerizing storyteller, Kaukonen delivers a memoir as intricate and dazzling as his music." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“This is his searingly honest story, a tale of extraordinary success, excess and addictions” —Iain Patience, Blues Matters

“It's not only exciting, it's deeply honest, and it's full of experiences and thoughts ...  amazing and timeless!"
 —Uli Twelker, GoodTimes

“Jorma Kaukonen's Been So Long: My Life and Music stands apart.... an incredibly insightful look inside the life of a musician who was not only influenced by some of America’s greatest music but who also left an indelible mark on that very same musical landscape." —AXS

"It is thoughtful, insightful and downright fun.” Jesse Finkelstein, Blues Radio International

For more information about Jorma Kaukonen
and Hot Tuna visit

Jorma blogs consistently.
Cracks in the Finish:

BreakDownWay.com Online Guitar Lesson Workshop: Jorma Kaukonen & Friends Online Guitar Lesson Workshop, brought to you by the good folks at the Award-winning Fur Peace Ranch. Learn American Roots, Blues, Folk, Finger-picking and more, with enough to occupy all ranges of skills from beginner to advanced.  http://breakdownway.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/BreakDownWaycom/195747373778909?sk=info&tab=page_info

Hot Tuna Tour

DATE     VENUE  PERFORMER       NOTES
05/09/20              Fur Peace Station
Pomeroy, OH     Jorma Kaukonen              Quarantine Concert #6. Jorma online again! 8pm ET
06/13/20              Fur Peace Station
Pomeroy, OH     Jorma Kaukonen              Jorma and Radney Foster. SOLD OUT
09/19/20              Ryman Auditorium
Nashville, TN      Jorma Kaukonen              Jorma opens for Tommy Emmanuel
09/21/20              Diana Wortham Theatre
Asheville, NC      Jorma Kaukonen              also Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley
09/22/20              Carolina Theatre
Greensboro, NC Jorma Kaukonen              also Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley
09/23/20              Brooklyn Arts Center
Wilmington, NC Jorma Kaukonen              also Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley
09/25/20              City Winery
Atlanta, GA         Jorma Kaukonen             
09/26/20              Songbirds Guitar Museum
Chattanooga, TN              Jorma Kaukonen             
10/17/20              Fur Peace Station
Pomeroy, OH     Acoustic Hot Tuna            RESCHEDULED from March 21. SOLD OUT
11/01/20              Fur Peace Station
Pomeroy, OH     Jorma Kaukonen              Jorma opens for Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams. SOLD OUT
11/14/20              Fur Peace Station
Pomeroy, OH     Electric Hot Tuna              SOLD OUT
12/18/20              Neptune Theatre
Seattle, WA        Acoustic Hot Tuna           
12/19/20              Capitol Theatre
Olympia, WA      Acoustic Hot Tuna           
05/28-30/21        Legend Valley
Thornville, OH   Jorma Kaukonen              Dark Star Jubilee
07/08/21              Count Basie Theatre
Red Bank, NJ      Electric Hot Tuna              also David Grisman Trio
07/12/21              The Mahaiwe Theater
Great Barrington, MA     Electric Hot Tuna              also David Grisman Trio
07/13/21              The Wilbur
Boston, MA        Electric Hot Tuna              also David Grisman Trio
07/14/21              Flynn Theatre
Burlington, VT   Electric Hot Tuna              also David Grisman Trio
07/16/21              Paper Mill Island Amphitheater
Baldwinsville, NY              Electric Hot Tuna              also David Grisman Trio
07/17/21              Penn’s Peak
Jim Thorpe, PA  Electric Hot Tuna              also David Grisman Trio
07/18/21              Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
Munhall, PA       Electric Hot Tuna              also David Grisman Trio


JORMA KAUKONEN 
APPEARS
JULY 14TH 2020
7 PM PACIFIC/10 PM EASTERN

on INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS
with RAY SHASHO
BBS RADIO
www.bbsradio.com

MY NEW BOOK IS 
FINALLY OUT!
ENTITLED
THE ROCK STAR
 CHRONICLES
SERIES ONE

CHRONICLES, TRUTHS, CONFESSIONS AND WISDOM FROM THE MUSIC LEGENDS THAT SET US FREE
 …Order yours today on 
Hardcover or E-book
 at bookbaby.com 



Featuring over 45 intimate conversations with some of
the greatest rock legends the world will ever know.
CHRIS SQUIRE... DR. JOHN... GREG LAKE... HENRY MCCULLOUGH... JACK BRUCE … JOE LALA…  JOHNNY WINTER... KEITH EMERSON... PAUL KANTNER...  RAY THOMAS... RONNIE MONTROSE... TONY JOE WHITE... DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS… MIKE LOVE... TOMMY ROE... BARRY HAY... CHRIS THOMPSON... JESSE COLIN YOUNG... JOHN KAY... JULIAN LENNON... MARK LINDSAY... MICKY DOLENZ… PETER RIVERA ...TOMMY JAMES… TODD RUNDGREN... DAVE MASON... EDGAR WINTER... FRANK MARINO... GREGG ROLIE... IAN ANDERSON... JIM “DANDY” MANGRUM... JON ANDERSON... LOU GRAMM... MICK BOX... RANDY BACHMAN… ROBIN TROWER...  ROGER FISHER... STEVE HACKETT... ANNIE HASLAM… ‘MELANIE’ SAFKA... PETULA CLARK... SUZI QUATRO... COLIN BLUNSTONE… DAVE DAVIES... JIM McCARTY... PETE BEST

THE ROCK STAR CHRONICLES 
BOOK TRAILER

Thursday, May 28, 2020

LESLIE MANDOKI AND IAN ANDERSON SAY THANK YOU! JULY 7TH 2020 ON INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS WITH RAY SHASHO -7 PM PT/10 PM ET ON BBS RADIO

L E S L I E
M A N D O K I
 (MANDOKI SOULMATES)
and 
IAN ANDERSON of JETHRO TULL 
release
“#WeSayThankYou” 
expressing the feelings of gratitude
 many of us have felt in these troubled times 
EXCLUSIVE




In 1991, Ian Anderson, Jack Bruce, and Al Di Meola became founding members of Leslie Mandoki’s band project ManDoki Soulmates, and for almost three decades, Leslie Mandoki has continued to unite a “who is who” of the icons of Anglo-American and European rock and jazzrock in the Mandoki Soulmates band.
IAN ANDERSON with LESLIE MANDOKI
The remarkable lineups in the band’s recordings and performances over the years has included singers and players including Ian Anderson, Jack Bruce, David Clayton-Thomas, Chaka Khan, Chris Thompson, Bobby Kimball, Steve Lukather, Eric Burdon, Greg Lake, Al di Meola, Randy and Michael Brecker, Peter Frampton, and Jon Lord.


The Soulmates concerts are marked by the musical synergy of all these musical icons united in one supergroup of Grammy award winning legends, where everyone’s egos come second. Original Soulmates compositions and collective improvisations on highest levels are just as much part of the concerts as world-renowned hits of the individual Soulmates members. “One stage – one band!”

With his Soulmates Leslie Mandoki raises Jazz-Rock back to socio-political relevance, to quote him in his own words: “Even in times of Twitter, social media and short news on the smartphone, when mental laziness often blocks the perception, music for us is still like a love letter to our audience – handwritten with ink on paper.”

This band is pure sophisticated JazzRock, or as Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) put it: “One of the best bands you will ever hear!” As the world continues to be consumed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson sings and plays flute with Mandoki Soulmates mastermind and leader Leslie Mandoki.  Mandoki has found inspiration and a new spark of hope amidst the chaos.
He has penned a powerful new song in appreciation for the heroes who have emerged in this global crisis, the nurses, doctors, and other health care providers as well as the grocery store clerks and food delivery personnel who have stepped up to serve their communities. The new song, entitled simply “#WeSayThankYou,” expresses so clearly the feelings of gratitude many of us have felt in these troubled times.


Mandoki explains, “As an artist, I feel it is my duty to contemplate ideas for a better world. Now, like so many of us, I suddenly have the time. Let us grab this uncommon moment of pause together and take a new approach to the problems of the world. And let’s take a hard look at who this crisis is casting in a heroic light, and who comes out the villain.” 



The duet is available through the Purple Pyramid imprint of indie giant Cleopatra Records, Inc. and is Mandoki Soulmate’s first release in the recently inked partnership with the L.A.-based label. Additional Mandoki releases are set to follow later this year.

Leslie will be donating the royalties from the sales, syncs, and airplay of “#WeSayThankYou“ to a To-Be-Announced Charity. 

“#WeSayThankYou” was written in the context of Leslie’s own isolation in Germany, where his doctor wife, Eva, is a first contact physician. 
Ian and Leslie have worked together for over 20 years on various collaborations with his jazz-rock band Soulmates featuring the good and great of classic rock and jazz. Mandoki’s Soulmates toured North America in 2018.




MANDOKI SOULMATES

 with

IAN ANDERSON



we say thank you


available at
 iTunes Store, Apple Muisic and Amazon Music



MANDOKI SOULMATES



NEW
  DOUBLE ALBUM
RELEASE


Living In The Gap 
Hungarian Pictures


at iTunes Store, Apple Muisic and Amazon Music


For more information about Leslie Mandoki
and Soulmates
visit
Mandoki Soulmates with Ian Anderson
Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull website


LESLIE MANDOKI 
APPEARS
JULY 7TH 2020
7 PM PACIFIC/10 PM EASTERN
on INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS
with RAY SHASHO
BBS RADIO ONE
www.bbsradio.com

MY NEW BOOK IS FINALLY OUT!
ENTITLED
THE 
ROCK STAR CHRONICLES

SERIES ONE



CHRONICLES, TRUTHS, CONFESSIONS AND WISDOM FROM THE MUSIC LEGENDS THAT SET US FREE




 …Order yours today on Hardcover or E-book
 at bookbaby.com 

Featuring over 45 intimate conversations with some of
the greatest rock legends the world will ever know.
CHRIS SQUIRE... DR. JOHN... GREG LAKE... HENRY MCCULLOUGH... JACK BRUCE … JOE LALA…  JOHNNY WINTER... KEITH EMERSON... PAUL KANTNER...  RAY THOMAS... RONNIE MONTROSE... TONY JOE WHITE... DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS… MIKE LOVE... TOMMY ROE... BARRY HAY... CHRIS THOMPSON... JESSE COLIN YOUNG... JOHN KAY... JULIAN LENNON... MARK LINDSAY... MICKY DOLENZ… PETER RIVERA ...TOMMY JAMES… TODD RUNDGREN... DAVE MASON... EDGAR WINTER... FRANK MARINO... GREGG ROLIE... IAN ANDERSON... JIM “DANDY” MANGRUM... JON ANDERSON... LOU GRAMM... MICK BOX... RANDY BACHMAN… ROBIN TROWER...  ROGER FISHER... STEVE HACKETT... ANNIE HASLAM… ‘MELANIE’ SAFKA... PETULA CLARK... SUZI QUATRO... COLIN BLUNSTONE… DAVE DAVIES... JIM McCARTY... 
PETE BEST

THE ROCK STAR CHRONICLES BOOK TRAILER



BOOK REVIEW
-By Literary Titan (5) STARS
The Rock Star Chronicles, by Ray Shasho, is a splendid book written by a music enthusiast who has poured their heart and soul into it. It’s a story of a boy who loved rock music, and his obsessive passion of it earned himself the name Rock Raymond. He went to school but instead was schooled in all matters of music while his peers were buried chin-deep in coursework. He then became a radio DJ and has now compiled a book on all interviews he held with Rock gods who raided the airwaves back in the 70s and 80s. It’s a compilation of interviews with outstanding vocalists, legendary guitarists and crazy drummers in the rock music scene. Each interview gives a reader an in-depth view into their personal lives and the philosophies that guide their lives which all serve to humanize these great icons. For readers who are old enough to call themselves baby boomers this book will bring old memories back to life. Millennials, on the other hand, may think of this book as a literal work of the Carpool Karaoke show.
The Rock Star Chronicles is a book I didn’t know I was waiting for. To come across a book that will talk me into trying something new. One brave enough to incite me to venture into new frontiers. This book made me a believer- I am now a bona fide Rock and Roll music fan.
Ray Shasho masterfully gets the interviewees talking. He smartly coaxes answers from them with crafty questions designed to get a story rolling out of them. The artists talk about diverse issues ranging from music, politics, and their social engagements. Having been on the music seen all his life, Ray Shasho knows the buttons to press, how to get them comfortable about talking about their lives.
The book’s cover is befitting of its subject matter with the leather look offering a royal background to the golden letter print. It speaks to how high a level rock music holds in the pecking order- arguably, modern music as we know it has originated from blues and rock music.  The second noteworthy thing is the use of high definition pictures to reference the musician being interviewed in every sub-chapter. This ensures that the book is for both original rock and roll lovers and aspiring new ones. Together is makes for a refreshing and consistently enjoyable read.
I recommend this book to rock music enthusiasts, aspiring musicians wondering what it takes and all readers curious to learn new things by going back in time.