A lifetime in the music business has given RayMan Ramsay plenty to write about.

The now-retired South Surrey resident has authored two books about his days as a 害羞草研究所淧romo Monkey害羞草研究所� who helped sell records, starting in the late-1960s.

The series offers a wide selection of real-life stories and hands-on working experiences documenting Ramsay害羞草研究所檚 decades with Quality Records/TPC Distribution and, later, the RCA/BMG record labels, in the B.C. market.

He also includes anecdotal stories and his thoughts of some of the world害羞草研究所檚 most famous musicians, including Elton John, KISS, David Bowie, Dolly Parton and others, along with Vancouver-area music-biz insiders.

Full of puns Ramsay is known for in conversation, the two 害羞草研究所淧romo Monkey害羞草研究所� books are subtitled 害羞草研究所淢onkey See, Monkey Two: Personas & Prima Donnas害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淢y Life as a Bellhop in the Waldorf Hysteria: Friends & Enemas.害羞草研究所�

Self-published by Friesen Press, the books kept Ramsay busy during the COVID pandemic, and in the years before that, too.

害羞草研究所淭he reason there害羞草研究所檚 two books is because they害羞草研究所檙e written in different styles, and I just couldn害羞草研究所檛 mix them,害羞草研究所� Ramsay said over a cup of coffee.

害羞草研究所淚 kind of miss the job (as record company promo rep/manager), but writing the book is something I害羞草研究所檇 wanted to do,害羞草研究所� he continued. 害羞草研究所淚n 2013 I realized it was my 45th anniversary in the music business so I wrote a little thing about that and sent it to all my friends. Well, they all came back wanting more 害羞草研究所� give us more! So OK, that went on for years, and that害羞草研究所檚 where I got the idea to turn these thoughts of mine into a book, or books now. They were enjoying it and I wanted to enjoy something too, before my orbit goes to obit.害羞草研究所�

A couple of years go Ramsay and his longtime wife, Lynne, moved from Ladner to a place in South Surrey.

As a young man Ramsay got into the commercial fishing business, following in family footsteps, but eventually put his passion for music to work, as a guy with a creative mind and a way with words and ideas.

On April 1, 1968, Ramsay got his start in the music business when he was hired as a 19-year-old to work as a warehouse 害羞草研究所渉ump害羞草研究所� for Quality/TPC, and the April Fool害羞草研究所檚 joke is not lost on the author.

Later, another landmark day was Aug. 16, 1977, when Elvis Presley died. 害羞草研究所淎nother good start,害羞草研究所� Ramsay deadpanned about his very first day with RCA, which was Presley害羞草研究所檚 record label.

害羞草研究所淚 was driving home from signing the deal to work there, and on the radio comes the news that Elvis died,害羞草研究所� Ramsay recalled. 害羞草研究所淩ecord sales went through the roof, of course.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 did meet Colonel Parker at an Elvis convention centre in Vegas,害羞草研究所� continued Ramsay, talking about The King害羞草研究所檚 notorious manager. 害羞草研究所淗e was sitting there counting stuff, and Ricky Nelson, his latest victim, was sitting next to him. Years later we found out about Parker害羞草研究所檚 treatment of Elvis and I thought, you son-of-a-bitch, why didn害羞草研究所檛 you look after him?害羞草研究所� Taking 50 per cent of what he made was outrageous. I haven害羞草研究所檛 seen the movie (Baz Luhrmann害羞草研究所檚 biopic, released last summer), and it kind of angers me to see Elvis being used that way. I understand this business is all about money, but look after people.害羞草研究所�

Similar tales are told on Ramsay害羞草研究所檚 Facebook page, dubbed 害羞草研究所淢onkey House: the Written Werd,害羞草研究所� and on the website he calls 害羞草研究所淎 Lad in Ladner害羞草研究所� (aladinladner.simplesite.com).

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

One story involves the night he had some fun with American country artist Charley Pride at Surrey害羞草研究所檚 old Newton Inn in the late-1970s.

害羞草研究所淗e had a night off and wanted to go to a country club, and I knew that was the one at the time,害羞草研究所� Ramsay recalled. 害羞草研究所淭he club sent a limo for him, which was cool, he walks in and everyone害羞草研究所檚 jaw drops.害羞草研究所�

Pride didn害羞草研究所檛 perform at the Newton Inn that night, but Ramsay said Kenny Rogers did on another night there.

害羞草研究所淚t was just when 害羞草研究所楾he Gambler害羞草研究所� was coming out and blowing up really big,害羞草研究所� Ramsay said. 害羞草研究所淚t was called a routing date, and he had an open night, to keep the calendar filled. Kitty Wells played there, too.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所� RELATED: .

Ramsay害羞草研究所檚 sense of humour was shaped by 害羞草研究所淢onty Python害羞草研究所檚 Flying Circus,害羞草研究所� the British comedy show.

害羞草研究所淚 worked with Monty Python in the 害羞草研究所�70s when they were coming through Vancouver,害羞草研究所� he said with a smile. 害羞草研究所淭he tickets weren害羞草研究所檛 selling (for the show), which blew my mind, because who wouldn害羞草研究所檛 go see these loons? So I suggested they get a flatbed truck, build a cage and put all the Monty Python signage on it, for the concert, and pay a guy to drive around in rush-hour. The guy putting on the concert, Hugh Pickett, said at that time, it then set a box-office record for sales, because that was outside the box, and different people react to different things.害羞草研究所�

For the record labels, Ramsay害羞草研究所檚 job involved getting albums noticed and sold.

害羞草研究所淚 remember we had The Eurythmics, and Annie (Lennox) had the mask on for that album (害羞草研究所淭ouch害羞草研究所�), and we were at A&B Sound. For the ad I said, 害羞草研究所榃e害羞草研究所檙e going to put this album in upside-down.害羞草研究所� The buyer, we got into it screaming and yelling, he says, 害羞草研究所楾hat害羞草研究所檚 stupid.害羞草研究所� But it was our ad, and he didn害羞草研究所檛 get the concept of people reading the Province on the bus and there害羞草研究所檚 this upside-down ad, and how people would then get into a conversation going about that.害羞草研究所�

In the record business today, digital marketing dominates the streaming world, and there are few CDs, vinyl albums and cassettes to sell.

害羞草研究所淏ack then we had to get creative sometimes,害羞草研究所� Ramsay said. 害羞草研究所淚 really enjoyed the work I did because I was absolutely thrilled by the feeling that I could create an idea and move the thing forward.

害羞草研究所淪ome people didn害羞草研究所檛 bother, and believe me, I don害羞草研究所檛 think I ever did anything special that someone else couldn害羞草研究所檛 have done, I just did it because I saw an opportunity and moved with it.害羞草研究所�

Ramsay says partial proceeds from sales of his two books will be donated to Wigs for Kids and BC Children害羞草研究所檚 Hospital.

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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