Writer’s Workshop: Randy Ray

RD: It seems like, consistent with a lot of the Relix writers, you have a really friendly rapport with a lot of your regular subject material. Do you, and Relix in general, seek to maintain a loyalty to the musicians in this scene by staying in their good graces or do you get the green light to take the gloves off if you think something is not any good?

RR: Ahhh…that is a great question. I’m a freelance writer. From my editor, I get a list of CDs, DVDs, and books for possible review, word count, a deadline, and no guidelines. I also pitch show reviews, but, as you can imagine, I pitch a show that I want to attend. Because I write for Relix doesn’t mean that I am connected with a group philosophy. I doubt the editors actually talk about this sort of ‘loyalty to the musicians’ issue. Yes, there are relationships to maintain in this industry, from publicists to managers to all of the artists involved, but as a writer, I am not told to remain positive to keep these unions intact.

If my style appears friendly, it is because I often choose to write about subjects that are worth my time, and I focus on the elements of the subject that move me in an emotional way. If I don’t talk about a song, inevitably it is because I didn’t like it. Selfish? I suppose, but it is ironic when I get feedback about something critical I have written because readers will want me to think a certain way, and I can only really think like me.

RD: Speaking of Relix, not to drum up any rumors or anything, but from an insider’s perspective, can you shed any light on the future of the magazine, given the news that Zenbu Media experienced some significant “belt tightening” and might be shutting its doors?

RR: I’m actually a bit of an outsider, and not connected with any Relix insider information. I get a list of possible assignments sent to me, and I move forward based on interest and time constraints. As far as I know, Zenbu Media shutdown two of their metal magazines, and Relix will continue, which is great because I enjoy writing for them.

RD: Do you have a routine when you go about reviewing an album? In other words, are there any particulars with regard to the place you listen, number of times before putting pen to paper, note taking tricks, bong hits, etc.?

RR: I’m old school. I listen to an album straight through about 3-4 times. I then shuffle through the songs on my iPod, to find visual imagery that grabs me, and wait for some overriding theme to hit home. I usually don’t start the review until I have the opening sentence in my head, which can often take a little while. (Translation: the coffee kicks in, and that huge layer of cerebral fog has finally vanished.)

Once that initial sentence spark happens, I move through the review fairly quickly while trying not to be bogged down in details. When I finish the initial draft, I tweak, tighten and edit, before adding continuity to the flow. I also make sure that the conclusion is somewhat definitive. Later, I gasp in horror when I see all of the long sentences I wrote.

RD: Having written two unpublished novels and working on a third, are you finding it tough to balance the desire to write what you really believe in your own voice versus perhaps taking on a more commercial approach or topical choice?

RR: Another great question, Ryan. I wrote the first novel to see if I could finish a book-length story. I let about 30 people read it, and they all swore on their best friend’s grave that maybe I should continue writing. I did send it to about 20 agents to see what would happen, and my favorite rejection was from a well-known agent who sent me a wonderful 3-page dissertation on why I needed to obey the literary rules before I broke them. In my weird way of thinking, I have always seen that as high and twisted praise.

I wrote the second novel for myself, and quite frankly, it was the best high I’ve ever had. Every weekend for seventeen months, with a month off to re-group in the middle of the process, I worked on the novel, and when I finished, I felt like I had dispensed with some of my more self-indulgent tendencies. I am writing the third novel for publication, and it definitely fits into the “surreal story around the ethereal campfire” vein, so we’ll see.

RD: Did you ever conduct an interview that turned out to be just a ton of fun?

RR: God, I hope not. I hate fun. I’m in this for the research, Ryan. Let’s see…Tom Marshall will always be the King of Fun. He towers over everyone else—literally and figuratively.

RD: I recently read your interview with Ben Fong-Torres from 2006. Did interviewing a music writing legend make you think particularly hard about your questions under the assumption that he might be criticizing them?

RR: I let Ben know that it was like the Punk Meets the Godfather, and he should definitely understand that there is a new sheriff in town, and I’ll bitch slap him if he gets out of line.

Yeah, like that happened. Seriously, I knew my material, and we had a pretty solid conversation. For whatever reason, he liked me, and we got along really well while covering a lot of ground. He sent me some of his old FM radio programs from KSAN in San Francisco, which were fantastic, as a ‘thank you’ when we finished.

I know what you’re saying about being careful about questions. I try to do that with everyone as if this will be a definitive interview. Respect the subject, and he or she, hopefully, will respect you. I read your interview with Jesse Jarnow, and I agree with something he said about interview preparation. I am equally nervous before that cat being interviewed gets on the phone. It’s funny—on almost every tape, you can hear me letting out a huge breath before the interviewee answers the phone.

But to be perfectly honest, the only musician I’ve ever been really nervous speaking with was Trey Anastasio because we weren’t actually talking about easy subjects, and, like thousands of other cool cats, hippies, Wookies, Phunky Bitches, legendary loonies, and heady scribes, Big Red will always be a very creative and iconic hero, despite his faults.

RD: If you thought about all the musicians you have met so far in your career, which one do you think your childhood self would view as the coolest?

RR: Gregg Allman.

RD: You are mainly known for your connection with the music scene, so what drove you to write a bi-weekly column about obscure films?

RR: I’ve done all sorts of crazy writing, from dozens of ghost stories when I was a wee lad, sports editor in high school, alleged news stories in college, and posting yellow stickies filled with cartoon bubbles of dialogue on animal photos in an employee break room—that last one is by far my biggest feat. I was on newspaper staffs, in theatre, studied film, and it all led to me writing fake dialogue for a pair of dogs on a wall.

Writing for canines led to a stint as a copy editor/writer for an international design firm. HarperCollins published two large books of our various work, and my tone poems made the cut. Besides that, I also love all kinds of movies—classic, weird, and cheesy—and writing about obscure films finally gave me a chance to explore some of that fascination.

RD: Keeping with the Writer’s Workshops theme, we always include this little exercise in these segments: translate the following three blurbs into your favorite music critic bologna speak. (Just a few words or a sentence is cool)

Page stole the show in Hampton: Did McFly go back in time, and fuck up the historical timeline again?! When did Page McConnell take over the Rock Universe? And what the fuck am I going to say to that bastard, Marsh, next time I see him? Springsteen sucks?!

Josh Clark’s Firebird looks smooth: Jesus…Josh Clark…this guy is a Rock Star. Period. He LOOKS like a guitarist should look. Even his eye-candy Firebird geetar doesn’t look as smooth as this son of a bitch on a bad night. Now if only he’d hook up with a group like MC5, we’d all score, we’d all be shakin’ our asses to some really smooth rock music. Until then, I’ll drink some cough syrup, and bitch about Jagger’s lack of taste.

Why did Kanye want to play at SXSW?: Remember when Marvin Gaye was the trendsetting point person for relevant men of soul?Remember when Black Music and Everything R&B meant something? Remember when I cared two shits about Kanye “FUCK BONNAROO WITH MY CAPS LOCK KEY ON BITCH” West? Yeah, me neither.