Christopher: How did you meet a guitarist Joe Angelina? What is the story behind your next band?
Shoshana Feinstein: I met John Angelina in Rhode Island in the spring of 1973 when he was looking for a female vocalist for his band, which we called Magic Marriage. (Ridiculous!) I got the gig. We practiced all summer did about four gigs then John and the keyboardist Michael Iannuccilli moved out to L.A. that fall. I said Adieu to them and continued to perform only now it was in top end clubs singing jazz standards. Rhode Island was too small for me I wanted to get out so I move to Los Angeles in the winter of 1974.
I ran into John Angelina and Michael in the Valley one day and we decided to regroup. We formed a band called ‘Dark Star’ with John Angelina – guitar, Michael Iannuccilli – keys, Anthony Pasquazzi – drums. All were from Johnston, Rhode Island and bass – three different Californians at different times with very different stories LOL. We began writing which led to our first demo recording at the Record Plant in L.A. Artie Shaw (Alice Cooper’s producer) produced the first 5 songs. We were a Rock band with a similar sound to ‘Heart’ although I had never heard of HEART until I heard their music and ours played on the same station at one time.
The keyboard player in Dark Star was Michael Iannuccilli and we were married in 1977. We have a daughter Rachael-Khara who was born in 1980. When Michael and I were first married Ritchie came to our house in Smithfield Rhode Island where we all got together and jammed drank some beer and reminisced. Ritchie had known Michael from Dark Star days and always respected him as a person and a musician. Sadly, Michael and I were divorced in 1984.
Christopher: Is Blackmore Ritchie’s real surname?
Shoshana Feinstein: Yes, Blackmore is Richard’s surname.
Christopher: How and in what circumstance did you meet Ritchie Blackmore? Would you tell me when and where the story with him begins?
Shoshana Feinstein: I met Richie in the summer of 1972 at an outdoor concert in the Bronx New York.My drummer from Uncas loved Ian Paice and the two of us were die-hard Purple fans so we drove down to NYC to see this outdoor concert. I was standing outside waiting for the band to play. I had black hair down to my waist, a scarf tied around my breasts and a long flowing skirt on. I looked like a very exotic Gypsy. Ritchie came up to me immediately as he was perusing the audience and invited me backstage. That is when it began … our romance. We communicated through the mail and phone calls. When we met, we had an immediate connection, that I was rather surprised about because I considered Ritchie to be a rather dark brooding type of guy (he was) but I must have brought something out in him that was vulnerable and more gentle.
I truly loved the authenticity that he showed to me. Richard also knew me, he saw me as the unique personality that I am and that I cared deeply for him. I fell in love with him. We were both headstrong and leaders so we clashed and fought over my independence. I was a bit younger than he was and I had inexhaustible energy. I know that it frustrated watching me dash and flit about. In spite of our conflicts, Richard knew that I was not pretentious and that I loved him not his fame. I was never an opportunist, which was to my detriment.
I was always loyal to him in spite of his insecurities and suspicious nature. Ritchie was very drawn to me and would always tell me that it was odd because he had always loved blonde women and he had fallen in love with a dark-haired beauty. The attraction that we had was passionate fiery and profound. When he came to Providence, R.I. the following spring, May 1973, we got together again. I was picked up by his limo in Providence went to the show and then after we partied and I went back to the hotel suite with him.
That morning he told me that he was married. I literally flipped out grabbed my clothes threw whatever at him and told him that I was done and, “… never wanted to see him ever again!” I left him that morning. He lied to me. I was so angry and hurt. I would not return his calls. I ignored him. I just moved on with my life and kept pursuing my career.
Christopher: What happened when you left him in spring 1973? Were you with him in July 1973 when they were recording, rehearsing for the ‘Burn’ album at Clearwell Castle in England, and then after in the beginning of 1974? What happened after spring 1973?
Shoshana Feinstein: I was not with him in summer 1973. I think that he was seeing some French girl Sylvie he told me about her after we reconnected.
In December of 1973 when I first flew out to L.A. I had made some connections with people who knew the band Bread back in December of 1973 when I first flew out to L.A. to scope out the scene. I was living in L.A. for about 3 months when I ran into John, Michael, and Tony from the Rhode Island band. They were living in Van Nuys (the Valley). I was living in North Hollywood alone. I demoed a song for one of their writers, called “Everyman.” It was a great song, I was very happy with the way I sang it as well as my overdubs and background vocals. To this day, I cannot tell you what happened to those people or that song. My father actually helped get me that connection via one of his business associates. I made the move to L.A. end of January 1974. The boys from Rhode Island and I decided to start up another band. We had a manager also from Rhode Island. It seemed that everyone had converged upon L.A. in the early seventies from the East Coast.
