Page 6 - ISSUE 14

PAGE 6 ROCKNATION ISSUE 14
Interview with Ron Keel, early days in music until now? or three different line-ups with the same Lonely Nights, you guys did an amazing
name deleting their legacies by doing that. job on that and the chorus really jumps
Marc Ferrari & Bryan Jay. Marc: It’s been eight years since the books Brian: Ron I photographed you at Rockla- out at ya? Can you tell me anything behind
been out and there has been such a funda-
by Brian Rademacher mental shift how the music gets delivered homa 2008 and 2009 and talking with you, this track?
Brian: Hello everyone with the digital world upon us. Everything you’re genuinely a music lover. What was Ron: Oh cool man thanks. I wrote that
Ron: Hello Brian this is unbelievable happens fast now, You can be playing your impression of Rocklahoma 2008 and song the night we paling in Hollywood
a live show and put it up on YouTube or
getting four metal heads up at 8am in the Interview with James Christian 09’? January 1st 2009 our first gig being back
morning, let’s lift our cups of coffee and I-tunes the same day and selling produce Ron: Well 08 was mixed emotions the fact with the guys. I was on top of the world
by Brian Rademacher
have a toast. Brian your going experience simultaneously as you make it, it’s incredi- that I was there experiencing the spectacle with excitement be back and I was in my
one KEEL’s infamous conference called ble. Obviously the digital world has leveled of the event and of course the disaster of hotel room on Hollywood blvd getting
where everybody talks over everybody the playing field for a lot of people to get the collapse of the side stage. I’m thankful ready for the show and getting in the
else. exposure to a greater audience. When we nobody got hurt. It was a pretty ugly event shower and the song came to me at that
Brian: How did you get involved with the started and the generation before us the when the winds kicked up and pulled the point and I’m trying to do my hair and
band like Saber Tiger and release Project only to reach the world is to get a major north and side stages down. The show make-up and literally came up with the
One in 1997? record deal and that’s not true anymore. must gone and we still performed in the lines. I wrote that song the night of the
Ron: That’s a great but you’ll have to wait I think the digital world is a tremendous beer tents under the pallets and the mud, first Keel show. It’s one of my personal
for my autobiography to read the whole help to musician all over the world. we ended up doing a great gig at one thirty favorites as well lyrically it’s a true story.
chapter, but in a nut shell I was doing a Brian: Let’s get a little bit into when Ron in the morning after Queensryche went off. Brian: The Devil May Care has a little beat
country gig in Phoenix and literally I was went that country route. Do you feel you I sung well which is the most important to of AC/DC.
making fifty bucks a night for five hours went that way because your upbringing? me, I always want to sing well. There is no Marc: A little!!!
work and I came home one night after the Ron: That’s a big question. “Went that comparing what we felt last year at Rockla- Brian: I thank you for a phenomenal
gig and I had this stack of mail on my desk way”, that sounds like I’m turning gay or homa. It had a big red X on our calendar record would you like to say anything in
from Fandango records in Japan and they something (everyone laughing). when it was booked. We did not have it closing, This really is a great record
explained to me they just signed Akihito Bryan: Tell us when you came out of the book when we decided to do the
Kinoshita a huge Japanese guitar star. He closet Ron reunion and we got the phone call
had three greatest hits albums out, he’s Ron: Well you have three guys here that and we got a good time slot. It
the Yngwie Malmsteen of Japan. They have all different styles from thrash to was fantastic with the high fives
asked me how much I would charge them jazz to country to blues. That’s me just and were so happy. We would like
to sing on this record. I told them seventy exploring a different territory. I didn’t turn, the people at Rocklahoma and the
five thousand. They said they would call you just don’t go out and buy a cowboy fans that were sweating out in the
me right back. I* put the phone down and hat and sing in front of a thousands red heat. It was a great memory and
had a cocktail and five minutes later the necks at a rodeo. If you don’t have it in I’ll never forget it.
phone rings and they said we give you your heart and soul you’re not doing your Brian: The guitar playing on this
thirty thousand dollars, I said I’m there. It job and you’re going to have beer bottle new album is great. Marc did you
was a great project a lot of fun and prob- thrown at you. It’s a different side of my guys do anything different?
ably the heaviest record I’ve ever done. It personality that really enjoyed exploring. I Marc: The other guys have been
was a good memory. love the fact country music is built around playing in other projects and I
Brian: They said that was their biggest the voice, the song the lyrics. You can sing have other venues to take care of
selling record. a song that means something about life so I had to do a lot of wood shed
Ron: That’s cause Ron Keel sang on it or heartache. I commonly tell people that chopping to get myself up to that
(Everyone laughing). country music really start to resonate in level. Bryan and I tagged team to
Marc: In 1988 you work with Pantera on me when I went to jail, got divorced, got get this record better.
the release Power Metal. What was your laid and did it all while I was drunk, that’s Ron: That’s one thing that’s great
impression of Dimebag and what was he real life. What was the original question about this band this twin guitar team of that’s not bull-sh#t.
like as a person? why I turned gay (Everyone laughing). Bryan Jay and Marc Ferrari competes on Ron: One thing that is great is getting
Marc: That song was actually recorded To answer your question it was when a level with the best guitar teams in rock feedback from the journalists, the guys
in 1987 and released in 88’. I went back Keel broke up and the grunge thing with history. That’s something I grew up with like yourself that really like this record
a few year prior to that with the Pantera Nirvana took over it was a bleak landscape from Thin Lizzy to Priest. I can’t quit living and they get it. I’m glad we can share this
guys they came out to the first Keel gig in for all of us and all our peers who wanted this lie, I have to confuse in print and in record and feel we accomplish our goal.
Texas in 85’. I think it was the bronco bowl. to be rock stars. Nobody wanted to hear front of the media and the world, I actu- Please check out the new Keel band site.
They came out to see us in our first swing it, instead of being the coolest guys in the ally played all the solos on this record. We are revamping it and you will be able to
through Texas and handed me their Proj- world, we were kind of a joke thanks to (Everyone laughing). We just wanted Marc see daily blogs, videos and audio tracks,
ects In the Jungle CD which was already spinal tap and what happened in the early and Bryan in the pictures because they’re A lot of new content. Enjoy the Streets of
out, they had two records out at that time. nineties. I am fortunate enough to have a so good looking… Rock and Roll.
I was pretty apparent these guys were place to land. All I had to do is pick up my Brian: For me my favorite track is No More Brian: Thanks guys, I will see you on tour.
pretty special even back then. I stayed in guitar, sit there and pour my heart out in
touch with them and flew out to see them a song. It has been a nice ride for me in
on weekends just to hang out. I was like an country music, I love it.
amazing party anytime you’re in the same Brian: How did the talks go about on a
area code as those guys and they came Keel reunion?
out to see many of our gigs. I played on Bryan: We have always been in touch with
the song and they loved it. each other. Even the week after I left the
Brian: So what was your impression of band in nineteen eighty-eight we were THE BAY AREA’S BIGGEST & BEST INDEPENDENT MUSIC STORE!
Dimebag? always friends and there was never bad
Marc: Oh God, it was finding a hunk of blood or mud swinging. As the years went 2401 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley 69 Powell St, San Francisco
gold. You knew he was immensely talented on I would always get a call from Ron 1820 S. Bascom Ave., Campbell 15590 Hesperian Blvd., San Lorenzo
and was destined for greatness. Even back saying what would you think about dong 1280 Willow Pass Rd, Concord 6623 Pacific Ave, Stockton
then when they were playing commercial this or doing that. If you live long enough 5611 Blackstone Ave, Fresno 920 Admiral Callaghan Lane, Vallejo
hard rock he was still ripping it up. He was you get to celebrate a twenty fifth anniver- 630 San Antonio Ave, Mountain View
a great performer and I think he was still sary and that’s what happened. It was a
only a teenager, maybe sixteen at the time milestone in Keel history and something
when we met and he was a great guy, he we all recognized and put our talents
had a heart of gold. back together and see what happens. Ron
Brian: When you wrote the book Rock Star honored the legacy of the name Keel and
101: A Rock Star’s Guide to Survival and did not tour under the name Keel since we
Success in the Music Business. How much broke up in 89-90, whereas other bands of
has the music industry changed from your our genre been touring separately with two
ROCKNATION
TOP 10
HARD ROCK PICK Featuring Jason McMaster
OF 2009 (Dangerous Toys)
“Loaded” CD “Viva La Rock, Fantastico” CD

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