Interview with Keel’s lead singer, Ron Keel
HARD ROCK NIGHTS: We are joined by the lead singer of Keel, Ron Keel. Ron, ten years ago you guys got back together and you released a new CD, but you didn’t tour. This time around, you are hitting the road. Tell us, what brought about this second reunion?
RON KEEL: The reunion’s been a long time coming. It’s been 25 years since the release of our first major album, The Right To Rock, and it’s been 20 years since the band performed together on stage. We felt like these were pretty big milestones in our lives, in our careers. Unlike some bands, these guys have remained good friends throughout the years. Marc Ferrari and Bryan Jay, our guitarists, and Dwain Miller, our drummer, and I have stayed in constant contact, we’ve jammed together whenever possible, and we’ve always talked about getting back together and doing the reunion only if we could do it right. Only if all the right pieces were in place and we could do something that we’re proud of and make the right moves. And the time is right to do that now. We did our first show on January 31 in Hollywood, it was sold out, the band was smokin’, the crowd was incredible, and we’re off to a good start. We’ve got a lot of big plans this year for a new Keel CD and some big shows including Rocklahoma this summer.
HRN: As you just mentioned, you played your first reunion gig just two weeks ago tonight in Hollywood. The reviews have been great. How was it for you, as an artist up on the stage – what was your perspective?
RK: It was one of the most incredible experiences of my career, and I think it was one of the best Keel shows ever. The band is better ever, they’ve got every bit as much energy, all their chops are still there, only now we’ve got 20 years more experience and maturity to back it up, and a real appreciation now for our fans, what we’ve accomplished, our place in rock history. The whole motivation behind the reunion was certainly not to make money. We’ve all got successful businesses of our own now and lives and families. We really did this for the friendship, for the fans, for the love of the music and to have a good time, and boy, was it a good time. If that’s any hint of things to come at future Keel shows throughout the year, we’re all in for one helluva ride.
HRN: You mentioned the band is playing at Rocklahoma this year. Last year, you performed on one of the side stages as a solo artist, but this year the band has one of the prime spots on the main stage, is that correct?
RK: That’s correct. I went last year because I really wanted to be a part of it. We got snubbed for a main stage slot for whatever reasons. The talent booker who was booking the show last year is no longer with Rocklahoma, and the powers that be there are now really getting behind us and have offered us a great primetime slot on either Friday night or Saturday night, July 10 or 11. We’re going to be going on at 6:30 or 6:45, just as the sun goes down on a weekend night, third from the top on the bill. It’s an honor to have such a prime spot on the festival that really started it all. You always think that Rocklahoma is the big bad monster of American rock festivals. They got it all started several years ago with their first event, giving bands like ourselves to get back out on the big stage, play for a large amount of fans and do it right, give them the big show that they deserve.
HRN: When somebody goes to a Keel concert, what kind of songs can they expect to hear besides the hits?
RK: Throughout the years there have been fan favorites, songs that seem to have a life of their own that weren’t singles or videos. Throughout my career, I’ve continued to perform and play these Keel songs live on stage with all of my projects from Ironhorse to K2 and so forth, and there’s always people yelling for certain songs like “Speed Demon.” I think that is one of the more popular Keel songs, it was a real fast, uptempo metal song of both Lay Down The Law and The Right To Rock, and people have just been clamoring for that song, so of course that’s in the show. “I Said The Wrong Thing To The Right Girl” and “Cherry Lane” both are songs that probably could have been hit singles if they’d been released, but the fans won’t let them die and that’s the kind of stuff we’re going to be giving to them. At least one song or more off of every Keel album, and by the time we hit the big stage this summer, we’ll probably have some new material as well. I’m sure we’ll include something off the new record. The new Keel CD is scheduled to come out in June, so we’ve got to throw something off the new record into the show as well.
HRN: Speaking of the tour, are we going to see Keel on one of the big package tours like Crüe Fest or Poison/Def Leppard?
RK: Oh man, they’re talking about it. They’re talking about it, and there’s just so much buzz right now, and so much interest, and the phone won’t stop ringing and the e-mails are pouring in. I can’t promise you anything, but we’re going to do everything in our power to take this reunion as far as we can take it, have a good time with it, and hopefully reach as many fans as possible. We get, of course, a thousand e-mails a day saying come to this town, or come to my town, or come to this state. I know you guys are in the Cincinnati area. I do believe that you’re going to see Keel in Ohio within the next few months. We have a couple of plans to come to the Columbus and Cincinnati area. They’re not written in stone yet, but I want everybody to stay in touch with us online at keelreunion.com, and as soon as we book a show in your area, you’ll be the first to know about it.
HRN: Tell us how the new record is coming along.
RK: The thing was kind of like a snowball that turned into an avalanche. We started talking about it last summer and we got the right pieces in place behind us business-wise. A great booking agent, Sullivan Bigg at Bigg Time Entertainment, who is booking all of our shows for us. And even before we committed to doing the reunion, Bryan Jay and I started writing songs together. Bryan and Marc both have a business in the music library business, where they shop songs and music to TV and films. So Bryan and I were starting to write some Keel-style songs for television and movies. As soon as we started getting together and talking about it, the question in every interview that I did starting from the day we announced this thing was, “Is there going to be a new Keel CD?” Originally I would have thought, “No, we’re probably never going to see a new Keel album.” And then, as we started to get together and hang together, the song ideas started pouring out of us, and now, like I said, it’s like an avalanche. There’s three or four new songs every day, we’re calling each other and e-mailing mp3s back and forth, and we’ve all got our guitars on and our headphones and our notebooks in front of us. The songs are just literally pouring out of us, 20 years worth of energy and passion and rock ‘n’ roll is coming to life right before our eyes and ears. We’re really excited about the creative process, just writing together, creating, having fun. I can promise you and the fans that the new Keel album, we’re not going to reinvent the wheel. We are going to make a classic Keel album full of anthems along the lines of “The Right To Rock,” songs about attitude, that powerful ‘80s rock that we’re known for. We’re not going to be doing anything way to far to the left or right, it’s going to be a real Keel rock ‘n’ roll anthem type of CD, and it’s going to come out somewhere in June, we’re not sure of the release date yet, but in time for the big summer festivals on Chavis Records. We’re really excited about creating together, getting in the studio and recording. We’re going to have fun with it, I hope the fans will enjoy it too.
HRN: What about song titles? Can you reveal anything along those lines tonight?
RK: It’s probably too early for that. I’m looking at a list of them here hanging on the wall in my office. I’ve got lyrics taped up all over the studio, just pouring stuff out. There’s no way to tell what’s going to make the cut and what isn’t. Right now we’re just pouring ideas out and we’ll pick the best of the best and record those, and we’ll announce the album title and the song titles in a month or two.
HRN: Ron, we really appreciate you taking the time to call in tonight, I know you’re very busy rehearsing and writing, and getting ready to hit the road.
RK: Thank you. Thanks to you and to all the fans out there for keeping the dreams and the music alive. Make sure you stay in touch with us at keelreunion.com, and we’ll keep giving you the right to rock as long as you want it.
For more information on Keel, visit keelreunion.com, and add the band as a friend on Myspace, too!
To hear the audio from this interview, visit Hard Rock Nights on Myspace!
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