boiMAG.com "Screamin' Rachael Exclusive Interview Part 2"

by Mike Macharello

Q: You were recently in New York City, how was that?

A: So as usual the Big Apple is my ultimate party city. We got to see the amazing performer Randy Edelman who’s songs are featured in many hit movies including the theme for “Beethoven” the one about the dog. We celebrated two birthdays both Randy’s and Irene Michaels. In attendance were celebrity stylist Marc Di Alwis, his partner Fabulous photographer Billy Hess, Suzanne Tripaldi and of course Eileen Shapiro who organized the event. I attended with Trax new promotional Director James Farley. Some of you may feel as I do that Grace Jone is one of the most terrific artist there’s ever been in dance music. Well, that’s true but we did lose another fantastic artist to that list her brother Chris Jones, Chris left a beautiful collection of music to be promoted in his name by Trax Records, leaving a portion to his estate and for the research of bone cancer, which he unfortunately died of last year. When you hear this man’s silky, beautiful voice you’re going to know that this is important material that needs to be released and Grace herself has always been so proud of her brother Chris who was the one who encouraged her to sing in the first place. Chris did a lot of work with Miss Autumn Leaves, and their duets along with her new material, and his unreleased catalogue are being coordinated by James.

We met up with Bobby Shaw who is of course one of the most well-known promoters of dance music in the United States, particularly loved in New York. Here’s a bit of tea that I can spill on him. He actually introduced Madonna to Jellybean so there you go you always get some great insider stuff when you read the uncensored Screamin' Rachael. By the way DJ/Producer and journalist, Mike Macharello worked with Bobby back in his Warner Brothers/

RFC Records days. Bobby supported and serviced the DJs with WB releases to Mike’s legendary Let’s Dance Music DJ Pool in Chicago. You can catch Bobby’s DJ show on Spotify and other outlets. He played “I Like Rain” last weekend.

I can’t say how excited New York is to see that Chicago’s scene is so vibrant and exciting when it comes to Pride and boiMAGagazine. I wanted to give a special shout out to “Get Out Magazine”, which has celebrated New York for so many years. Eileen Shapiro introduced me in the magazine. And of course Michael Musto, the magazine’s new editor, who you can never speak enough about, and of course it seems Michael Musto can never speak enough about himself, but that’s why we love him so much!

Wonder boy, Jason Chaos party king has been doing a lot of big things. He recently left his job at the Hustler Club and is now doing some fabulous rooftop parties, but you can always catch him around Producers Club, and wherever all the action is! And by the way, he did a fantastic version of the Marshall Jefferson's “Move Your Body,” which we hope to release soon but if we don’t, and you’re lucky enough to catch the underground edition, you’ll be surprised as this thing is really great! I’m afraid to say Marshall Jefferson wasn’t too happy, but what can we say sometimes the the student surpasses the master.

Whenever I speak about NYC I think about Eileen Shapiro. She’s an Author, promoter, publicist and woman about town, and partnered with “The Jimmy Star Show with Ron Russell” I believe they are one of the most viewed Podcast shows, with millions of viewers. Don’t miss their Uncensored show, they’re a hoot!!! I simply loved being their recent guest.

Q: Let’s go back, do you have any personal stories you can share with us about your husband at the time, Larry Sherman?

A: No matter how shady Larry Sherman may have been, one thing was true and that is he was a genius. Sociopaths frequently are.

I could tell you a story about how he was blown up involved with mafia action. I didn’t know the place was Smugglers bar. They talk about it in Rollingstone’s, May issue this year. Larry was never charged, and his friend Rick Randazzo got off. Larry told me one of the doors was rigged to kill him with an explosion. He would tell tall tales, like the time he said someone, sent somebody to burn down the plant. He said he received a phone call, that hung up on him. Larry told me he had a premonition, he went to the factory, saw a guy and he said he shot and kill him, then put him in a meat grinder!

With Larry you never knew what to believe because sometimes you’d find out something he said was true! You could see a part of the plant where there had been a fire. He also told me he had the Airdale "Gator" who had won more best in shows than others, and was legendary. That was true. I read about that in Dog World Magazine, and still have one of the medals.

Despite everything that happened, our daughter Tessa Sherman and I still have a love for Larry, I can’t explain it… No one understands. At the end of the day, good or bad, Larry Sherman made a great contribution… by spreading house music around the world! Much like in a Godfather movie, there is no question that the Godfather of House, in that sense, was Larry Sherman.

Q: What happened to the pressing plant and all of it’s equipment?

A: Sometimes people ask what happened to the vinyl presses, well, they got chopped apart in the 90’s and eventually Quality Records bought them. It was such a windfall that it made the cover of USA Today because of the resurgence of vinyl. BTW: I’m happy to announce that Trax is going back on vinyl thanks to our director of vinyl production and remix coordinatior Paul Bragiel.

Q: What’s next for Screamin' Rachael?

A: I’m going to continue performing, I've done a couple of great house shows, singing at the Avondale Theater and The Patio Theater. It was fantastic. I never performed my first song Fantasy before, and when I did the crowd and Chicago’s amazing DJ Waxmaster sang along. Irene Michael’s performed too, and one of the shows even had Freestyle performers like Brenda K. Star and Cynthia. I want to give a special thanks to Arny Granat, Kelly who does booking and Chris who manages these venues for giving me a chance to perform. Some people were afraid to do that because of all the printed scandal. Most importantly the audience loved it! That’s all I care about. In fact, it was Jorge Cruz who put together my set and said you have to sing your new song “Rising”! I was afraid to do it because it wasn’t old school but once again Jorge was right because the crowd started screaming! I love writing songs, singing, DJing, signing new artists to TRAX and just being Screamin’ Rachael…

Because certain documents were signed before the Sherman Estate was settled. All the crazy things you’ve been reading about have now been overturned in court! In other words, back to square one. Heard / Owens, Demon owned everything by the BBC and now, that’s not the case! I don’t think most people, or even these companies know about that yet.

Q: What can you tell us about your step daughter Tessa?

A: I’m happy because my daughter Tessa Sherman is now a legal recognized heir. Larry’s widow signed an Affidavit that Sherman had no daughter, even though we were all at the funeral together! As to the rest of the storm that will follow, crazy enough I’m at peace with it.

Now, I’m only a part of what’s to come so certain Lawyers, crooks, liars and even good people can stop focusing me as Cruella! As to the fight about TRAX Records no matter what happens, there will only ever be one true “Chicago TRAX”. No matter how many try to tear it apart, and take a piece, that is never going to change. We are legend and one day my story and the labels’ story will be the stuff of movies, books and maybe even a mini series.

Q: What’s going on right now?

A: Right now I'm working with a female director Balbinka Korzeniowska who just finished her first award winning Million dollar film “Playing Through” about an African American female golfer. I want to support and work with other woman as much as I can, we are still dismissed, and marginalized. It’s very difficult to be a woman in control but between us and the LGTBQ+ community, we have to set standards for future generations.

Also, I want to give a special thanks to the TRAX team in Nashville and around the world. I especially want to thank all the new artists. One of the major magazines told me it would not write about any of the new artist because if a plane doesn’t crash, they don’t write about it.

So now we have the Nashville crew. Label manager DJ Thad X, fabulous and beautiful vocalist writer EYA, and Tony Chrispino of HYMBR who is the first artist that we signed to the new offshoot label TRAX LiVE! I’m putting a focus on Nashville here just to let people know that, no, we are still Chicago TRAX but the hottest new place for music including electronic music is Nashville. Oh, that doesn’t mean that we don’t love all of our artists from Paris, London, Japan, and elsewhere, because thanks to all the new TRAX artists and the fans of those artists, we are still existing and going strong today.

Q: Any last words?

A: Yes, I saved the part of me being a survivor until the end. So in conclusion I want to quote the journalist Oliver Coleman. This didn’t make the Rollingstone’s article, but it came to me by way of text message. He gave me the last word in his article, so I’m giving him the last word in mine.

“ You know, I’ve finally realized what’s so remarkable about you. Whatever else may going on you are an absolutely astonishing, world-class survivor. It’s unbelievable. When you think about Larry, the kidnapping, the Casablanca fight, most of those would have done most of us in on their own. I’ve heard more than one person in this process say they can’t believe you’re still alive. And more than that you’re fucking resolute! Not only have you survived but you haven’t given an inch.”

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