Rick Ray has been a fixture on the NE Ohio music scene since he started performing at the age of 13 in 1972. Influenced heavily by musicians like Robin Trower and Frank Marino, Rick used his six-string abilities to play with the bands Riot Act and Neurotic, as well as the eponymous Rick Ray Band, in the years spanning 1973 to 1996. In 1999 Rick started Neurosis Records to release some of his old material as well as new solo recordings. Then in 2000 he put the Rick Ray Band back together, and has to date released 5 albums with the group.

Although Rick lives in Perry, Ohio, he frequently plays the Winchester here in Lakewood. He will be there again Friday, May 4th. The show will be a CD release party for The Rick Ray Band’s newest album, ‘Nothing To Lose’.

Lakewood Observer: You kind of straddle the line between rock, pop, and jazz. Do you feel the music you play belongs more to any one of those particular genres, or do you feel you defy easy categorization? What would you call your style of music?

Rick Ray: I guess when people ask, my description sounds like this: "psychedelic progressive hard rock fusion". I think it defies the easy categorizing, but that kind of makes the Rick Ray Band unique.

LO: You’re nothing if not prolific. In the past you’ve sometimes released 4 or 5 albums in a year. What keeps your creative juices fired, and do you ever worry about the well running dry?

RR: My creative juices just come from always playing my guitar. As for the well running dry, I don't know if that's possible. I'm not only coming up with new songs but there are songs that have been shelved just because they didn't fit on some of the past releases, good songs that just weren't used. There are hours and hours of these. I don't know if they'll ever see the light of day but they're there if I need them.

LO: Sadly, your previous vocalist Chuck Abraham passed away recently. Was it a natural choice to bring in Chuck’s younger brother Alex to replace him?

RR: When Chuck, who was a childhood friend, died, the Rick Ray Band was going to take a break from "everything". But Chuck's younger brother Alex came up and asked if he could pick up where Chuck left off. We all agreed, and the result is the new release 'Nothing To Lose'.

LO: Although you’re from way out east in Perry, Ohio, you seem to play The Winchester a lot, and it’s where you’ve decided to have the release show for your most recent album. Is there anything special about the club that makes it one of your favorites?

RR: The Winchester has a great atmosphere, great sound system and I like Jim Maleti, the owner, he's a good guy.

LO: You recently contributed a track to the Frank Marino tribute album which also featured such well known guitar slingers as George Lynch and Ronnie Montrose. Did that help get you more attention on a national level?

RR: I would say it has. The song I put on 'Second Hand Smoke' (A Tribute To Frank Marino) was “Poppy”. I had played that song live for 10 years before Frank ever got around to releasing it. I had learned it off a bootleg album.

LO: Other than the aforementioned compilation, all your material has been released on your own label. Do you have any interest in trying to get signed, or do you prefer doing things on your own?

RR: I think I'm unsignable and always have been. To get signed you have do what other people tell you to do. I can't and never have been able to do that. I don't have the desire to become a record company horror story like most artists that get signed become.

LO: In addition to the high level of musicianship and songcraft in your work, you also have something to say. What is the main thing you hope to get across to listeners through your lyrics?

RR: The truth, things like "war is a racket designed to make the elite richer than they already are and bring the population levels down. War does not exist for the lies they say it does!" Some of the lyrics are inspired from the Bible, the prophecies of the future from Books like Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel, Amos, Joel and Isaiah. Some of the lyrics have to do with mind control which is a plague that's really taken root, especially here in the U.S.

LO: Anything else you want to add?

RR: The new album, 'Nothing To Lose', is probably the best thing any of us has ever done. I started to realize this about three-fourths of the way through the making of this album. Mixing this album down was a very pleasurable experience. Almost the whole CD will be performed live at the Winchester on May 4th.