Christopher: When you and Ritchie split in 1975 what happened next in your and his life?
Shoshana Feinstein: After I left Richard in May 1975, I remained in Oxnard California. I moved out of the beach house we shared (Ronnie and his mate are on the deck – picture from Cookie) and I moved into the house about a mile from our beach house that Ian Broad stayed in. Ritchie let me live there with my band mates for a month and told me that I had to leave. I didn’t have much money because I had not “gigged” in a while. My band and I pooled our resources and moved back to North Hollywood to work as ‘Dark Star’
I never asked Richard for money or help with my career. I struggled for another year in Los Angeles, gave up and moved back up to Rhode Island to be near my Family. I went through major changes spiritually, financially and emotionally. I married the keyboard player from Dark Star Michael Iannuccilli and I settled down … for a bit.
For 15 years, Richard still called me, pursued me and came to see me when I moved back to Rhode Island. Twice once when I was married he came to our home; then later when I was going through my divorce with Michael in 1984/85 he came up to see me in an original band that I was singing backup for, called Coup D’etat. I was single then but I’m not sure if Richard was married to or about to marry Amy.
He never offered to help me with my music (I never asked him for help. At one point when DARK STAR was recording the first demo at the Record Plant in 1975, Artie Shaw (Alice Cooper’s Producer) produced us then. Richard told my guitarist John Angelina that he would bring our songs to his record company Warner Brothers. I found out twenty years later that he never did bring those tapes to Warner Brothers.
In spite of our differences and the paths that we chose, every year Richard would call me two or three times. We would talk about spiritual things. I have a strong belief in one God and the Scriptures. Richard was very much into magic and liked delving into the dark side. We would clash about this. At one point, he told me that his spiritual advisor/wizard told him to stay away from me because I was the lost one wandering in the darkness. Ha! Ha! That didn’t go over with me one bit. I hung up on him
Christopher: Did your split-up with Ritchie have any impact on your artistic writing?
Shoshana Feinstein: Yes, I had composed and recorded some songs. I recorded two particular songs with ‘Dark Star’ after I left Ritchie. I wrote the first one, “Dirge” about Richard and I. The second one “Fight Strong” was my anthem about how I would carry on without him. That what had transpired between us at the end would not break me. These were done in 1975.
I also recorded ”Jag On” (It is a Rhode Island expression that means I’m going out and getting drunk over you) and “Movin On,” this song was recorded with a remote unit in the practice area that we rented. All these songs along with other ones with DARK STAR I will be releasing soon.
Christopher: Do you remember that any strange or weird thing happened to both of you in the time you were not together?
Shoshana Feinstein: A couple of years later I had married again and had just come back from my honeymoon on Marco Island, Marco Island is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. I mean the day after Richard calls me being very cordial and gently asks me, “Hello Judith it’s so good to hear your voice. I hope that you are well.” I told him that I was well and he talked awhile and asked me this (are you ready for it) … “Judith have you ever heard of a place called Marco Island? I bought a house down there and would love for you to come see it sometime.” “Oh! Yes, I have Richard, I responded. I just came back from honeymooning there.” That was in July 1990. He never called me again.
I think that he was just beginning to be on the outs with his girlfriend of almost ten years, she would know just about everything that had to do with Ritchie and Rainbow.
This story gets stranger. My second husband and I decide to move down to Marco Island in the summer of 1991. I sold my house in RI and we moved down to Marco Island. Richard’s at this time now ex-girlfriend moves into his beach house. Tammy called me a few times when I lived there but we never met until around 2007. I moved back to Rhode Island in 1993 and was divorced again in 1994. I think that I am allergic to marriage. I kept on singing though in spite of setbacks!
Christopher: You probably have heard Ritchie reunited his Rainbow in 2015 just for a set of live shows in Germany 2016. I am curious what do you think about their present performance of “Catch the Rainbow” song? In addition, what do you think about Ritchie’s new lead singer Ronnie Romero?
Shoshana Feinstein: Ronnie Romero is a good fit for the new Rainbow. He has similarities to Dio, yet Mr. Romero also has his own style. I wish Richard the very best in his new venture. I wish new Rainbow and the Rainbow Girls success.
Christopher: Thank you very much for your time, support and for lots of spiritual things happened while making this interview possible. Thanks for using the excerpts from your upcoming book “Detours of the Defiant Diva” written under the name of Shoshana. It was an honor for me to chat to you, to a woman with such a powerful voice and personality that was infused with the life of one of the greatest Rock guitarists and composers ever. Thanks!
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[Images and Audio published with permission of Shoshana Feinstein. Interviewed published with permission of Chris Willow. No part of this interview can be reproduced or reprinted with the express consent of the original author. All rights reserved.]
