Former Dio Drummer (EX AC/DC) Simon Wright joins Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon on The Metal Voice ( https://www.facebook.com/themetalvoice) on the 10 year anniversary of Ronnie’s passing. Wright talks about his relationship with Ronnie, Dio Disciples, Dio Hologram and the music on the Dio albums he played on. He also spoke about his time with AC/DC.
Quotes from the interview
Working with Ronnie
“Ronnie was just great to work for, he let me do my own things and experiment with things (Drumming). I just loved the way he worked, it was all about the music to make it the best possible.”
His views on the Dio Lock up the Wolves album today
” I did listen to it a couple of weeks ago and I think it stands up. It’s got some great songs on it and I have fond memories of recording it. I do think it stands the test of time, it holds up well in the overall Dio Catalog.”
On Magica 2 that was never completed
“Ronnie had written down the beginnings of the continuation of the story of Magica and we were working on some songs. Doug Aldrich came over the house just to keep things rolling along because Ronnie wasn’t feeling very well and we thought it would occupy his mind and Ronnie wanted to do it. There was three or four ideas put down and Ronnie begun to continue the novel but that wasn’t to be. ”
On the Dio Disciples album that is in the works
“The album is on hold cause we took a shift and we were all involved with the Hologram, which is called Dio Returns. So we were out on the road of May June of last year and it went really well. When we first started it was kind of slow and people were very wary of it and you can’t blame them cause it’s new technology. People were thinking we were doing Ronnie a bad move which is ridiculous people have screens up that show images and it’s pretty much the same thing. So we took a shift and Dio Disciples is on hold at the moment. We have got about 4-5 demos down of different songs that me and guitarist Craig Goldy were working on and that’s about it. It’s kind of on hold at the moment as we are focusing on Dio Returns.”
Songs he played during with Auditioning for AC/DC
“It was Led Zeppelin Black Dog, AC/DC Shoot to Thrill and ZZ Top Tush”
Denver, Colorado based doomed heavy metal quartet KHEMMIS unveil their new mini-album, “Doomed Heavy Metal”, which will be released digitally onApril 17th via Nuclear Blast.
In celebration of the announcement the band offer fans the live video for theirDIO cover of ‘Rainbow In The Dark’. Watch the video here:
The band comments: “As lifelong fans of ZZ TOP, ‘Fandango’ has been a consistent source of inspiration for the four of us. The combination of high-octane live cuts and rare studio recordings make the release stand out in the band’s discography. In that tradition, we are thrilled to announce “Doomed Heavy Metal”. This mini-album is similarly unique, combining sought-after singles and live cuts together on one record. We’ve topped it all off with a newly recorded version of DIO’s immortal ‘Rainbow in the Dark.’ For those who have clamored for the rerelease of the long out of print ‘Empty Throne’ and ‘Conversation with Death’, your calls have been answered. We hope new and old fans alike will pick up the album, pour a tall glass of their favorite beverage, and party with us!“
“Doomed Heavy Metal”, is a unique collection of songs from the quartet. Side A includes a brand new cover of ‘Rainbow in the Dark’ as well as a pair of rare singles–‘A Conversation with Death’ from the band’s 7” split with SPIRIT ADRIFT and ‘Empty Throne’ from the Decibel Magazine Flexi Series. Side B highlights the power and emotional intensity the group wields onstage with a selection of live recordings from 2018’sTwo Nights of Doomed Heavy Metal showcasing one song from each of KHEMMIS’ albums.
Below is the “Doomed Heavy Metal” track list:
Rainbow In The Dark (DIO Cover)
A Conversation With Death
Empty Throne
Bloodletting (Live)
Three Gates (Live)
The Bereaved (Live)
Pre-order your digital copy of “Doomed Heavy Metal” albumhere. Pre-save the album on Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer: https://nblast.de/KhemmisPreSave
Jimmy Kay from Canada’s The Metal Voice spoke to Ex- Dio, Last in Line and Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell. Campbell, spoke about his battle with cancer, Last in Line’s new album and not getting paid in Dio which resulted in him getting fired.
LAST IN LINE’s sophomore album, “II”, will be released February 22 via Frontiers Music Srl.
Watch the interview here:
When asked about his current health and his battle with Cancer
“I’m tired today I got another infusion yesterday, I’m supposed to do them every three to four weeks but given the touring schedule particularly last year with Def Leppard I had to push it to six to seven weeks. I’ve been very fortunate that I found a treatment that works for me. I was part of a clinical trial for this new wonder drug almost four years ago and now it got FDA approved and it’s working for me, so it’s holding everything in place. Also it has minimal side effects, it’s immunotherapy a general term given to a bunch of these new drugs that basically bolster the immune system and the body and so your body can fight cancer. My oncologist seems to be happy for now. I feel very fortunate as there’s only about a third of the population who actually has been able to use this drug and get good results from it because it’s based on your genetic makeup. You have to have a certain genetic marker in order to be given this drug, something called PDL, which I happen to have and about a third of the population has as well. This drug will be given to people regardless of what your what kind of cancer you have, as long as you have this PDL. So if you have lung cancer or in my case lymphoma it will yield good results.”
When asked about what it was like to work with producer Jeff Pilson on the New Last in Line Album coming out on Feb 22 2019
“Jeff has so much energy. Jeff is very upbeat, funny, it’s always a better room when Jeff is in it. Jeff’s musical talent is quite diverse too, he’s a lot more than a bass player, he plays keyboards, guitar and sings. He is also a very experienced and talented songwriter, engineer and producer, just a really really well-rounded very talented artist. It’s always a pleasure to work with Jeff, the hardest part about working with Jeff is just nailing him, he’s so busy and that’s true of all of us.”
When asked about recording the new Last in Line album
“We have to work around everyone’s we’re evolving busy schedules and and we kind of do these records piecemeal, it’s not like we go in and we’ve got three or four weeks to actually make a record I mean that would be luxurious. We’d write and record two three four songs at a time and then there would be months in between where we would reconvene and do another two three four songs.”
When asked if there is a Dio flavour to the album and what it was like to play with Phil Soussan
“There’s the underlying element of the Dio vibe yes, that’s because we have 50% of the original Dio members in this band now. When we started the project Jimmy Bain was still alive, so when Jimmy, Vinny Appice and I played it was like the Holy Diver album all over again.There’s just a chemistry that the three had when we played together. Losing Jimmy Bain was a real kick in the nuts for us but we eventually we carried on and we were very fortunate to get Phil Soussan (Ex-Ozzy). Phil is very much cut from the same cloth as Jimmy and in terms of understanding the kind of dynamics or that kind of music but he’s a different player than Jimmy. Jimmy was a very fundamental player, with a huge tone and just great timing. Phil is less of a fundamental player he’s a little bit more adventurous and musical and he wants to find passages to play.”
When asked about the organic growth of Last in Line band
“When the project started we had no ambition other than to play songs from the first three do albums and play some clubs around LA where we were living at the time. Had I known that we were going to record and release albums of original music I would have thought twice about naming the band Last in Line. It just seemed like a very appropriate title at the time. Ronnie had passed away about a year and a half prior to us starting this project and we just wanted to go ahead and play the early Dio songs and have fun. Nobody thought it was gonna grow and become a real serious band but here we are.”
When asked about his thoughts about bands today who sound like Dio Copycats
” I would say, I have no idea to be honest I’m not familiar with them. I don’t listen to a lot of music, I generally live under a rock and I just kind of do my own thing. But you know if our singer Andrew Freeman had walked into that rehearsal room back in late 2011 and if he had sounded anything like Ronnie I wouldn’t have planned any shows. I just think that would be a bit cheesy,. Ronnie was the best of his genre and he was just like such a gifted singer had such a unique voice and tonality and style. I think it would have been really creepy to to go on stage with a Ronnie clone. I had a lot of people say to me why didn’t you get this guy or that guy they sound like Ronnie but that’s totally missing the point,. Andrew freeman is a really strong singer, he can sing anything and he can sing the Ronnie stuffy that’s in his wheelhouse and but he does it in his own way. The tonality of his voice is totally different and makes it his own and that’s what appealed to me in the first place and that’s what made this in interest project for me.”
When asked about him getting fired for standing up for himself because of payments that were promised but not delivered
” I was in my early twenties and it wasn’t about the money to me but it’s about the principle, I’m very very big on principle. When somebody makes me a promise I expect them to keep it because I keep my word it’s that’s just the way I was brought up. When I tell somebody I’m going to do something I meet my commitments. Ronnie had made us a promise and payment and we worked for very little money, less than our road crew and the band was very successful. Back then people bought records and we were selling a lot of records and we were all very involved in the creative process, it was really a collaborative process. We were kind of squeezed. Wendy Dio who never really saw it as a band. She never really saw the value in the band and that’s something that really really upset me. ”
“After I was fired I think Ronnie knew better he understood the real magic that the original band had and the chemistry we had and how we created together. I think Ronnie was really fearful of her and he never stood up. Like I said it was never about money I just wanted what Ronnie promised, it was a contract that was between the four of us and and he just wasn’t man enough to follow through on it and and I called him on it and I got fired as a result. It was very painful for me for many years. We never got royalty checks that was the whole issue, we worked for for minimum wages even though we were writing the music we got no royalties, we got none of the merchandise or the t-shirts or those ticket sales for the venue’s or anything. We got a flat salary that was less than the road crew. Ronnie had promised by the third album Sacred Heart there would be an equity situation so that was the the principal that got me fired. You know they offered us a few few hundred dollars more per week and then I got sent a contract by Wendy and it said failure to sign and return this contract by this date will constitute you’re no longer being in the band. I tried to call Ronnie, I was in Ireland at the time, it was a break between legs of the Sacred Heart tour which finished North America. I’d gone back to visit my family my parents and I got this contract in a FedEx envelope and I was shocked I opened it and and I tried to call Ronnie and he wouldn’t answer the phone. Next thing you know Craig Goldie is the guitarist. It was a seamless transition obviously it was well-executed and planned you know but that I wouldn’t change any of that, I would change maybe how I reacted to it in later years. Ronnie and I both made the mistake of airing our grievances in public which is never a good idea but you know it is what it is and it was only after Ronnie passed away that I was really able to kind of look at the entire situation in a very different light. For years I didn’t want anything to do with with the legacy of Dio. Later on I really wanted to reconnect with that fire.
When asked if Pete Wilis the original guitarist will join the band on their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction
“I really don’t know I mean you know Joe Elliot put it out there in an interview. I know that Pete’s Willis was welcome to come join, I hope he does I really do. I only ever met Pete once many years ago very briefly and you know I don’t know the guy at all but he was a very very important part of the legacy of the original Def Leppard. I think it’d be great if he shows up. ”
When asked if he would have mended fences with Ronnie today and work together if he was alive
” I think if the gatekeepers would have let that happen Ronnie and I absolutely would have worked together again. There are always people who come between artists. People always ask me well what’s Ronnie like. Ronnie had his good days and his bad days there were days when when Ronnie was really difficult to be around and there were days when he was a real pleasure to be around. I think Ronnie was very proud of me as a guitar player particularly in the early days he really liked taking me around L.A .saying this is my new guitar player, look what I discovered, like Ozzy had Randy Rhoads. I wanted to bring my best riffs and then play my best solos I wanted to be the best I could be for that band and then I gave my all because again we were working towards a common goal or so we thought. ”
DEF LEPPARD’s brand new greatest-hits collection titled “The Story So Far – The Best Of”, was released in November.
The band will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this spring. The honor comes after the British rockers got the most votes in the Rock Hall’s online fan poll.
Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon from Canada’s The Metal Voice interviewed former DIO Keyboardist Claude Schnell. Claude Schnell Talks Last In Line, Sacred Heart and Dream Evil recording sessions, guitarist Vivian Campbell’s contribution to Dio and his exit, the tensions on the recording of Lock up the Wolves and his thoughts on the Dio Hologram and Dio Disciples.
Watch the interview here:
When asked about the songwriting, publishing and why Ronnie stated all lyrics and melodies were written by him
“Quick lesson in publishing when it comes to the rights of a song they are based entirely on two things, the melodies and the lyrics. I think and suspect cause Ronnie got the short end of the stick in much of the Rainbow credits as well as possibly Sabbath, the omnipresence of Ronnie James Dio on all lyrics and melodies by him was to get it out of the way that it was his project, every word, every note and it was his own band Dio. Ronnie wrote the lyrics and the melodies and as far as the music went everyone in the band would contribute. Most of that stuff qualifies as arrangement.”
When asked if Dio was a band or solo project
“It’s semantics, it’s subject to interpretation for better or worse for the first three albums 1983-1986 we were a band there is no question about it . A band isn’t determined by who gets paid what. What makes a band has to do with hanging out and mutual respect. On the first three records I was just a salary player but regardless of who says otherwise I was in a band.”
When asked about Vinnie Appice’s and Vivian Campbell’s business relationship with Ronnie
“For as much as I was led to believe that what I would get early on and didn’t, as frustrated as I was about it I found my solace when I found out what Vinnie was promised. So as bad as I felt about not getting whatever it was in terms of money. I could only imagine being in Vinnie Appice’s shoes being promised the world and not getting it. The people who usually speak up the most are the people who have the least to lose. Ronnie used to say that musicians in L.A. bands are basically interchangeable parts of a jigsaw puzzle. You don’t want to stir shit or make waves if you don’t want to lose your meal ticket. Enter Vivian who came from a wealthy family. So as far as Vivian was concerned the money we has getting paid by Ronnie was less than most famous bands.”
When asked about Vivan Campbell being replaced by Craig Goldy on the Sacred heart tour and Dream Evil album
“On the one hand Craig is a very accomplished guitar player but we all felt that that Vivian was treated very badly, not so much by Ronnie but it was obvious those decisions were being handled by Wendy Dio. Vivian was basically set up and he was put in a position where the only thing he could do was the exact thing that would get him kicked out of the band. When it came to pass Wendy was trying to get Craig into the band and Vivian got unceremoniously let go. In my humble opinion for no real fault of his own.”
When asked about to Vivan Campbell joining Def Leppad and Ronnie’s reaction
“That’s an interesting thing for Ronnie to react negative to Vivian joining Def Leppard after paying him far below his market value, then you fault him for getting a gig making ten times he was making in Dio. For whatever Def Leppard is or isn’t as far as music is concerned they are a machine, they will be a legendary band that will never be forgotten and for Vivian to be a part of that I think it was a very good move for him. I think the best move for Vivian and for all of us would have been if we had stayed together had Wendy allowed a more equitable split so we can all have a living wage and allow the band to develop in way bands used to develop back in the day. Not to take anything away from Craig but I think that Dream Evil would have been a better record if Vivian was playing on it. ”
When asked why he left Dio after Dream Evil during Lock up the Wolves
“The guitar player that we wanted to replaced Craig with, when I say we I mean Vinnie, Jimmy and I all unanimously agreed that we wanted a guitar player by the name of Gary Howey for the band. Gary auditioned for us and he was amazing, I don’t think the band sounded better. The three of us were convinced Ronnie was going to love this guy. After Gary left after the audition, Ronnie came into the studio and said , guys you are going to hate me for this but I found the guitarist, Rowan Robertson. You could just hear our collective hearts fall. Given that we were stuck with a guitar player we didn’t want Ronnie’s choice in Rowan was somewhat uninspiring and as badly as the rehearsals were going Rowan was having a very hard time in the beginning keeping up with the pressure that Ronnie puts everybody through. Rown was having a hard time keeping up and tensions were building and building. Jimmy got fired, Ronnie seemed terribly upset with Rowans performance, the songs were lukewarm at best and I didn’t want to be in band where Jimmy and Vinnie we not going to be in. ”
When asked about his thought on the Dio Hologram and Dio Disciples
“It just isn’t about Ronnie anymore, they can say it’s about keeping Ronnie’s music alive but nobody made any holograms of the Beetles and their music is still alive. I think their decisions are based more pragmatic concerns. You got a bunch of guys who can’t find gigs, they are managed by the same woman who has contact all around the world with agencies and promoters. And what can be a more natural thing then to take out of work musicians and putting them on tour and making a little money. Don’t get me wrong not to take anything away from these guys they all do a great job and if the fans are happy about it that’s all that matters. But you are not asking me what the fans thing you are asking me what I think.”
Claude Schnell (17 May 1958, Brooklyn, New York) is an American keyboardist who has been a member of the bands Magic, Rough Cutt, Dio, and Last in Line. He also played on the Y&T album Down for the Count.
Claude Schnell’s discography with Dio
The Last in Line (1984)
Sacred Heart (1985)
Intermission (1986)
Dream Evil (1987)
Finding The Sacred Heart: Live In Philly 1986 (2013)
Jimmy Kay from Canada’s The Metal Voice recently interviewed current FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson (Dokken, Dio) who called in from his hotel room on a headlining tour with Foreigner in North America.
Watch the interview here:
When asked about his legendary answering machine messages
“Actually there was a bootleg a long time ago of my answering machine messages. There was a period, especially in the 90’s when I would just make these epic answering machine messages and I sort of got known for it, so then I felt obligated to continue. One time I did Pilsonian Rhapsody, I actually did, Bohemian Rhapsody done to an answering machine message. I went crazy with all the voices and music. I did the Batman theme, but of course I said PIL-SON instead of Bat-man and again played all the instruments. If you can ever hear the bootleg there are some pretty hysterical stuff.”
When asked which of the three bands Dio Foreigner and Dokken he is most proud of
“It would be Dio because there was a connection about Dio. It was the most heaviest powerful band I had been in and I took what I learn in Dio and brought in back to Dokken later on. I would say Dio but I am really proud of Foreigner. Foreigner is on a headlining tour now and we worked our asses off to get back here of course we have Mick Jones great songs but we had to work our way back”.
When asked if Foreigner will be writing a new studio album
“I don’t see us do a whole record of new material like we did in 2009 that was a tough situation for us because we are on the road so much that it was really tough for us to come up with a whole record of new material, it was a lot of work and a lot of stress. I don’t really see that happening again. What I do see happening is what we had done on the last couple of years is that we will put out a new song here and there maybe include it in some package. I see us going recording of new songs but not full albums.”
When asked if Foreigner is still Foreigner without Mick Jones can the band exist without Mick
“It’s a fair question but I will ask anybody who asks that have you seen the band live. When Mick is not there, it’s still very much Foreigner. It’s sanctioned by Mick. I understand how people feel about original members but with Foreigner it’s really about the songs. Lou Gramm was one of the greatest rock voices ever and it’s not taking away from Lou it’s actually flattering Lou that his performances were so universal that we can carry on and do those songs even when he is not there, so we can also do those songs when Mick is not there. The only way it could exist without him being there is if he passed away because he will always be connected to Foreigner. Even if Mick Passed away the legacy of the music is so strong to me yes Foreigner could exit but I don’t anticipate it existing without Mick in some way or form.”
When asked if there are any unreleased Dio Songs?
“As far as me having it no, as far as being unreleased material yes there is. There is actually a fair amount of unheard material. There is talks and they are in the works of someday the music seeing the light of day. In order for it to be releasable there would have to be things done to it . Yes there is Ronnie on songs that people have not heard does exists.
However I do remember playing Ronnie a riff and us starting to work on a song and I believe the riff is going to surface on the upcoming Dio Disciples record.”
When asked if there will be a new studio album and a US tour by the classic Dokken lineup
“The reunited Dokken gets offers all the time and we talk about most of them, we are all on speaking terms and we get along fine. It’s down to opportunity. I think all of us have somewhere in us where we would like to do perhaps one final studio record together. So I see that as a distinct possibility somewhere down the line but as a whole US tour the problem is kind of obvious it’s our scheduling. Maybe someday some limited shows, its not impossible and I think a recording is possible but it’s kind of first things first. The last time we talked about a recording Don was starting to work on his Dokken album, fair enough, there is no hurry. Maybe some day but nothing in the books right now.”
When asked who much truth there was to the bickering and hatred of Don Dokken and George Lynch
“It was a drastically over hyped version that something that is essentially true. The two of them get along pretty good now but there was a time in the early days they didn’t get along great. What really blew it all up is when we were doing publicity for the Tooth and Nail record we had a publicist who wanted to come up with a publicity angle that would really help sell the band. So what they centered in after talking with everybody was wow Don and George don’t like each other and that just exploded and it became the media hook that got stuck with the band and then it became a self fulfilling prophecy and then it became our worst enemy. Did George like the fact that the band was called Dokken, of course he didn’t like that he just wanted to have a regular band name. ”
When asked when he joined the band was he an equal partner in Dokken
“It was equal right from the beginning and that was the brain child of our managers Cliff Burnstein and Peter Mensch and they new about the personalities of the band and the name so right from the start it was an equal split except for Breaking the Chains album cause I wasn’t on it but they gave me a little piece of it. Don and George also encouraged me to write and to be a participant right from the beginning. ”
When asked how the whole band fell apart after Back for the Attack Album
“It was our personalities exaggerated by drugs.”
When asked about him producing the new Last in Line album and a timeline on it’s completion
“Right now they are talking about January 2019 as a release date, the record is not completely done recorded.”
When asked about his memories of the late Vinnie Paul from Pantera
“I didn’t know him well, actually Pantera opened for Dokken on our very first tour, Pantera they were really sweet to us, they were just starting out. My memory of Vinnie was that he always brought fun with him, he was a very nice man. There were some strip club trips in the 90’s , he was always up for a good time. I hope he rests in peace.”
When asked about his new band/ project and new album project with George Lynch, Robert Mason (Warrant) and Mick Brown
“That record is actually done although it’s going to come out until April 2019 it is phenomenal, it’s a very inspired piece of work. We have a new band name but we are not announcing it yet. George is playing his ass off on it. The music is very natural to what we are there is a bit of Dokken in there, there is a bit of Lynch Mob in there, it’s kind of that direction although it gets a little deeper, we got pretty musical and deep on this record. We are trying our best to do a couple of live shows at some point. The whole record is recorded and done it’s being mixed right now to be released April 2019.”
Jimmy Kay from Canada’s The Metal Voice recently spoke to former BLACK SABBATH, DIO Drummer VINNY APPICE who on October 27 will be releasing the album with his brother Carmine Appice entitled Appice ‘Sinister’.
Watch the interview here:
Vinny Appice spoke about how he joined Black Sabbath the recording of The Mob Rules album, the Live Evil controversy and how he and Ronnie James Dio left, recording Holy Diver, the last in Line, Dream Evil with Dio and his time playing with John Lennon.
When asked about when he was asked to possible join Ozzy Osbourne’s band during the Blizzard of Oz period (10:16)
“Right before Sabbath a couple of months before I got a call from Sharon Osbourne and she was just starting to manage Ozzy and Ozzy wasn’t doing anything except partying.
Sharon asked me if I wanted to go to England, I guess they heard my drumming somewhere and go meet Ozzy. hang out and see how it goes and possibly join the band. But I was like 20 years old. So I asked my brother (Carmine) I knew Ozzy was not the average guy, but Ozzy didn’t have a solo career yet he was the singer they fired from Sabbath. Carmine said that the last time he saw Ozzy was at the Rainbow and Ozzy was eating spaghetti and Carmine turned around to talk to somebody and then he turned back to Ozzy and there was Ozzy sleeping in the spaghetti bowl. Who knows what would have happened if I joined? I always think I might have been on that plane that crashed with Randy Rhodes if I joined Ozzy. Who knows cause I knew Randy before we were friends.”
When asked about the controversy surrounding the departure of Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice during the producing of the Black Sabbath Live album Live Evil (16:20)
“I think the engineer (of Live Evil) liked to party at that time I just remember that me and Ronnie would show up around 2pm that was the call and the rest of the band didn’t show up till later on. I didn’t understand why, I loved the band I loved everybody in the band. Then it came out in the press that Ronnie and I went early into the studio to turn up the drums and vocals, why would we do that?”
When asked his opinion of guitarist Vivian Campbell being fired from Dio (24:40)
“Vivian is a monster guitar player. There were some business problems within the band we were promised to be sharing and things we gave it up for the first album and tour cause it costs a lot of money to launch a band and Ronnie was putting in his money. Then it never happened we were doing tours and arenas back then one of the tours grossed 8 million dollars but we got nothing out of it, just salaries. What was promised never happened and Vivian really called management out on it. So that really became bad blood with Ronnie but we all felt the same way. Ronnie and Vivian did not see eye to eye and then Ronnie said to me I am going to fire Vivian, I’m like WHAT? I was just in shock. I kind of mentioned that was not a great idea cause of the sound of the band. Ronnie decided he could go on without him. When ever you got something that works in a band, magical with the people in it you don’t do that. ”
When asked about him playing on Lennon’s last live performance ever (52:00)
“Our producer friend Jimmy Lovine he loved our band at the time BOMF and wanted to produce us brought us into the studio in New York Mahatten to record some demos the owner heard our band and singed us to a management deal . One night Jimmy called us up and asked if we could come to the studio to do hand claps, we said sure, we go downstairs and their is John Lennon in the room . We ended up doing hand claps for the song ‘Whatever gets you the the Night’. Couple days later Lennon came to our rehearsal room to check us out. We smoked a couple of joints with John, it was very cool. John would come back and hang out with us a lot. He felt safe with us. He asked us to do three videos with him. then we asked us to do a live performance with him at a TV show on ABC. then about three years ago i see a magazine that says big page with that picture in it I am right next to John and it mentions me and Lennon and it says this was John’s last performeance, I’m flattered WOW. I played on John Lennon’s last performance ever.”
