"I feel so unsure As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor As the music dies Something in your eyes Calls to mind a silver screen And all its sad goodbyes
I'm never gonna dance again Guilty feet have got no rhythm Though it's easy to pretend I know you're not a fool I should have known better than to cheat a friend And waste a chance that I'd been given So I'm never gonna dance again The way I danced with you"
I miss just about every radio friendly song containing a sax solo. It's like the calling card for any 80's song that still gets airplay. A great sax solo can turn a song into a bonafide hit. "Careless Whisper" is one of those songs. It is unmistakable. Twenty seconds in you know exactly what song it is. I remember my dad first bringing the single home all kinds of excited. It was by this new British group called Wham and I HAD TO listen to it, immediately. He insisted and I couldn't understand his overwhelming need to share it.
Then it started and I totally got it. It really WAS different and it really was a musical moment for me. One of the first songs that I remember really hitting me on a deep level. It wasn't superficial bubble gum pop. It wasn't a great synth beat with no meaning. It was deep and it was the first time that I ever had a song show me just how music connects people.
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley had written it years earlier and while it was technically released as George's first solo single, it's known as a Wham song. It appears on their Make It Big album and was performed by them from the very start. I know you already know the song, but how does it make you feel?
Since Covid-19 has brought gigs to a screeching halt we are flashing back to some of the best of the best content here at DailyBOOM.
ICYMI
When I say "metal cowboy" the first name that springs to mind for veteran rock fans is singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Ron Keel. Not only has he been a constant on the rock scene with bands like Steeler, Alcatrazz and of course, Keel, but he has sold millions of records and had two albums produced by Gene Simmons. While his resume is impressive it's not complete yet.
The Ron Keel Band released their first album, "Fight Like a Band" back in February to rave reviews. The eclectic mix of metal, southern rock and a bit of country may make the music tricky to categorize but the quality of the music will keep you listening on loop for quite a while. I had a chance to catch up with Ron earlier this week and his stories behind the making of "Fight Like A Band" make its success that much sweeter. Check it out below.
Ron Keel Promo Shot
Ron Keel on his current band:
"The Ron Keel Band formed four years ago when we were all hired to be the house band for a major midwest entertainment complex. It was a $70 million dollar business with a pawn shop, a radio station, and a concert venue. As the house band, we would travel around the country representing that brand and we would back up major acts like Paul Stanley and Jack Blades from Night Ranger. The money was fantastic and I was able to put together my dream team. We had one hell of a ride for about a year with the tour bus, the crew, even the pyro (laughing). Then it imploded and we were left with nothing. They pulled the rug out from under us, pulled the plug and we were left with nothing but each other.
The band was so strong and the chemistry was so great that we decided to stick together and rebrand it as The Ron Keel Band and just keep going. Within weeks of that decision, my wife was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Most peoples' lives have been touched by cancer and so everyone knows that it's a life changer, you're going to war and you've got to be ready to fight. So I had to be there with her through chemotherapy, radiation and seven surgeries. Everyone always asks how she's doing and Renee is great, we had a happy ending to this story but it was hard. The band was my support group and they stuck with me even though we were looking at a year of not many gigs."
Ron on digging in and creating new music:
"We decided since we couldn't tour that we would get together and write. The songs on "Fight Like a Band"are what came out of that time of hanging tough and hanging together. We were able to create songs that I believe are my best work. I know that I'm supposed to say that with every album you know it's the, 'my kid is the most good looking kid' thing (laughing). In this case, though, it's really true (still laughing), it's my baby and I'm so proud of the end result. I still listen to it every day in my truck because I make music for myself so that I can listen to it and enjoy it. I put it all in perspective a long time ago. I've sold 3 million records and so if you love music as much as I do then come along for the ride.
We spent a long time on the arrangements and how the guitars work together and a bunch of other things that you do to prepare for a session, but I had never sung the vocals on that lead track before with the band. The whole first verse is about fighting like a girl and it was all about my wife getting that diagnosis and deciding to fight and so there I was in the studio just losing it, an emotional wreck while trying to sing that verse. Once I got through that then the rest was fine but it was really an emotional experience singing that song for the first time in the studio. The second verse goes on to tell the story of my life back in the 80's so it's all very autobiographical and personal.
"Good Songs Bad Times" was the first song that we wrote and I don't know how you'd classify it (laughing). It's not country and it's not southern rock, it's just good. These days you kind of have to label stuff so that people know what they're getting but with this new record, I can't tell you exactly what it is other than hard rocking, hard-partying good old rock and roll. I grew up in a time when the term rock-and-roll encompassed everything. I listened to Black Sabbath and The Eagles and both were the same, they were rock-and-roll."
Ron Keel Promo Shot
Ron on how his audience has grown:
"I love that we've got 25-year-olds in the audience just eating it up and loving what the new band is doing without knowing my history or what I did before they were even born. They get to go back and visit where I've been and then they can go along for the ride to wherever we're headed. The old fans have been very tolerant as well. Those people that have followed me since the '80s, that have been around for all the twists and turns that my career has taken and that are still there, just enjoying the music, I'm so grateful for them.
This record really resonates in the heart of all kinds of people. Rock fans, southern rock fans, and even country fans will enjoy it. It's hard and heavy arena rock, but it is also cowboy rock with screaming vocals, screaming guitars and those thunderous drums. It has a little bit of the wild, wild midwest in there too. We had absolutely no preconceived notions of what the album would be or what it would sound like or the direction that the songs would take. We just got together and wrote the best songs that we possibly could. Some of the songs are very reminiscent of the commercial rock that I was known for in the '80s.
There are always predominant themes in my lyrics and one is the struggle to survive and the right to be who you are and to express yourself. "Fight Like A Band" is really about the struggle to survive and then the struggle to succeed. We're all in the same boat. We all want to be happy and there are so many songs on this record that embody that."
Ron on his extensive love of music:
"When I first heard the term heavy metal, as it pertains to music, I thought it sounded cool and I wanted to do that. It sounded so exciting and wild to me. The music that I was listening to at the time was Van Halen, Led Zepplin, Sabbath and the other first generation of metal bands. They really struck a note with me and I wanted to hear the music louder, faster and stronger. I love the excitement and electricity of metal and arena rock in general.
As I matured I needed to explore different musical landscapes. I grew up playing the blues, jazz and even classical music. I was classically trained and listening to all of those British bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. I just love music. I'm never going to write a jazz album or a classical piece, that's not me (laughing), I'm a regular guy. I'm making music for the common man and the common woman. Songs that mean something and make you feel something, and also entertain you. This is entertainment and it's supposed to be fun. You want to make them feel something but you also need to take them away from the daily grind. Music can be an escape and for a lot of us, it's a sanctuary."
Ron on what keeps him making music after all of these years:
"The same burning desire that I had when I was 2 years old, or when I was 17 years old, I'm the same guy. I'm a little more mature, a little smarter and I've got a lot more experience, but that drive to succeed has always been there. It's what I'm all about. The business has changed completely, it's not the 80's and we're not selling millions of records anymore. It's much more difficult to sell music because people think that it's free. They wouldn't even consider spending a dollar on a song so it's a really tough business to make a living in. What drives me is the desire to succeed, not the desire to sing and play because I can always do that, I can go right downstairs and grab my guitars and sing and play. I always will do that, but success is the thing. Success for me right now is having a record like this one out, being able to touch the media and the fans, and then still travel the world. I still believe, even at this age, that the best is yet to come. I've got to believe that. I know that father time wins every day and one of these days he's going to catch my ass, but not today. I know that there is more time behind me than there is in front of me at this stage of the game, but I'm happy, healthy, I've got a great band and we've got great opportunities in front of us."
Aaliyah is one of many artists that we lost way too soon. When she dropped her first single, "Back & Forth", with the help of R. Kelly back in the spring of 1994, it was clear the girl had talent. It was also pretty obvious that she was just starting to find her way in the music business and that first single was as good a calling card as any. It was simple, smooth and really blew up dance floors. I can remember the video in heavy rotation on MTV as well. It was clear that this chick was going to be around for a long time and we were lucky to watch her kind of grow up and into her own skin over the next eight years. Sadly, Aaliyah's life ended in a plane crash after filming her final video, "Rock the Boat", in Aug. 2001. Filming had wrapped earlier than planned and the plane that Aaliyah and her entourage boarded crashed only 200 feet from the runway just after takeoff. It was originally confirmed that the plane was over its' weight limits and that contributed to the deadly crash.
Years after her death, Aaliyah is still credited not only with leaving her own mark but also with changing the game for other women in music. Check out her first video below.
A feature-length documentary by DailyBOOM Media on Covid-19's crushing impact on the music industry as seen through the eyes of artists, musicians, promoters, venue owners, merchandisers and Save Our Stages/NIVA ambassadors.
Featuring:
Jeff Pilson
Michael Sweet
Joel Hoekstra
Haley Johnsen
Sabrina Nieves
Todd Kerns
Chip Z'Nuff
Ron Keel
Jeffrey "Soave" Martinez
Ace Von Johnson
Jade Starling
Stacey David Blades
Sal Abbatiello
and more.
"Gonna make a move that knocks you over Watch this turn one's gonna put you away But I'm doing my very best dancing Every time you're looking the other way I could move out to the left for a while I could slide to the right for a while I could get up and back Right on track But is right on track Is that gonna get you back"
I'm kind of surprised how much airplay that The Breakfast Club's "Right On Track" still gets. Or I was until I did a little bit of reading. I remember the song well because it got constant radio playback in 1987. It was that perfect dancey synth that was everywhere at the time. While it seems like this song was just another one-hit-wonder, it was created by a group that was together for 11 years. The Breakfast Club first formed back in 1979 and in its' earliest years it included Madonna in the lineup. She was dating Dan Gilroy, the lead singer at the time. His brother Ed Gilroy and Angie Smit rounded out the first lineup. Madonna eventually left and I love the fact that the group found success a few years later, without her. They were even nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy in 1988 which speaks to their success.
The Breakfast Club did put out several songs and had a second album that was shelved for nearly 30 years. Percolate was eventually independently released in 2016 with minimal fanfare. That may have been a bit of a disappointment for them, but they'll always have this great song that many people still seen to love. Check out the video for "Right On Track" below!
I remember being 15-years old and in tenth grade when Eddie Money released Can't Hold Back, an album that had several breakout hits like "Take Me Home Tonight" and "I Wanna Go Back". The video to the latter was all about a middle age man revisiting his high school, walking through empty halls and remembering his youth. At the time of its release, I was still that high school kid and so while my head got the concept, there was no way that I'd really get it.
Fast forward nearly 30 years and "I Wanna Go Back" can almost feel like an anthem on particularly lousy adult days. It's funny how, as a teen, you really don't understand how your life will change. Some of those turns will be natural and gradual while others feel like detours that lead to nothing but a dead end. But one thing is constant and that is that nothing really stays the same.
Not that change is a bad thing by any means, but it's amazing how those years just fly by and those teenage worries that were like life and death now seem pretty laughable. Check out the video below, what does it remind you guys of?
"Gonna be some sweet sounds Coming down on the nightshift I bet you're singing proud Oh I bet you'll pull a crowd Gonna be a long night It's gonna be all right On the nightshift Oh you found another home I know you're not alone On the nightshift"
"Nightshift" is a 1985 hit song by the Commodores and the title track from the eleventh album of the same name. The song, written by then lead singer Walter Orange was a tribute to soul/R&B singers Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye, who both died in 1984. The Commodores originally didn't want "Nightshift" to be released as a single but their record label insisted and eventually the song found its' way to number three on Billboard's Hot 100.
The video reminds me of my grandmother's house because it seemed to always be playing while I visited. "Nightshift" was also the first Commodores song to find mainstream success in spite of Lionel Richie's departure from the group. Check out the video below!
Back in the mid-eighties if you were living in Pennsylvania then you were very familiar with a group called The Hooters. They were from Philly and had a string of hits that landed on Billboard's hot 100. "And We Danced" and "All You Zombies" were probably the most popular but my favorite was "Johnny B". How popular were The Hooters? They actually opened the Philly portion of a huge ditty called Live Aid, one of the most star-studded benefit concerts of all time.
Fast-forward more than 30 years and The Hooters are still around and on occasion, they do pop up to play a gig together. Check out "Johnny B" below.
It's Saturday so I figured it was a good time for a little dose of American Bandstand. After all, if it really was a Saturday in 1980-something then Bandstand was probably part of your lunchtime ritual. Back in 1984, New Edition was on the rise, and "Mr. Telephone Man" was one of the songs that really gave them a huge boost!
A feature-length documentary by DailyBOOM Media on Covid-19's crushing impact on the music industry as seen through the eyes of artists, musicians, promoters, venue owners, merchandisers and Save Our Stages/NIVA ambassadors.
Featuring:
Jeff Pilson
Michael Sweet
Joel Hoekstra
Haley Johnsen
Sabrina Nieves
Todd Kerns
Chip Z'Nuff
Ron Keel
Jeffrey Martinez
Ace Von Johnson
Jade Starling
Stacey David Blades
Sal Abbatiello
and more.
A feature-length documentary by DailyBOOM Media on Covid-19's crushing impact on the music industry as seen through the eyes of artists, musicians, promoters, venue owners, merchandisers and Save Our Stages/NIVA ambassadors.
Featuring:
Jeff Pilson
Michael Sweet
Joel Hoekstra
Haley Johnsen
Sabrina Nieves
Todd Kerns
Chip Z'Nuff
Ron Keel
Jeffrey "Soave" Martinez
Ace Von Johnson
Jade Starling
Stacey David Blades
Sal Abbatiello
and more.
If you've been reading Daily Boom for any length of time then you've probably pretty easily caught on to my love of freestyle music. Those same songs that had me on my feet as a teen now almost instantly put me in a better mood. That tells me that whatever power freestyle once had, still remains at least for me. The Cover Girls have undergone line up changes over the years and regardless of who hits the stage, I still adore them.
When "MyHeart Skips a Beat" first was released in 1989 it really looked like this group was ready to skyrocket towards serious mainstream success. Instead, lead singer Angel Clivilles left in the middle of their tour to pursue a solo career, leaving the group in a bit of chaos. Evelyn Escalera stepped in as lead singer and she continues that role to this day. "My Heart Skips a Beat" has always been one of my favorites by The Cover Girls and the video mix of the song really is a classic example of what great freestyle sounds like.
Since Covid-19 is preventing any new gigs DailyBOOM is flashing back to some of our favorites from previous years, plus some interviews that are oldies but goodies! Enjoy this flashback!
ICYMI
Chances are that if you're a rock fan you already know who multi-instrumentalist Tom Gimbel is. He started playing the drums as a young child and eventually that early rhythmic base turned him into the musical virtuoso that he is today. After touring with Aerosmith for several years beginning in the late '80s, Tom joined Foreigner back in 1995 and has loved every minute of it. The band puts his talents to great use and in any given show you'll see him moving effortlessly between guitar, keys and of course that magical saxophone.
Foreigner kicked off their Juke Box Heroes Tour with Whitesnake and Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening earlier this month and I was fortunate to steal a few minutes of Tom's time before the Jones Beach, NY show. What ensued was a conversation over coffee and blueberry muffins (although miles apart) that was sprinkled with serious laughter. The only thing more entertaining than Tom's playing might just be his personality. He is clearly the guy that makes friends with everyone in the room- but only if he wants to.
(Photo provided by Tom Gimbel )
Cate Meighan: So, you're one week into the Juke Box Heroes Tour, how is it going so far?
. Tom Gimbel: The shows have been beyond our wildest dreams. It's so good and we're having such a great time. We're with two other bands, Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening and Whitesnake. Jason Bonham was in Foreigner as our drummer for about three years and we just toured with his band last year so they're a ton of fun and we've known the Whitesnake guys forever. It's like being in rock n' roll band camp on the road, like a little fraternity (laughing). It's just a fun summer tour with really spectacular staging and wonderful weather so far. Mick Jones is on top of his game, Kelly Hansen (lead vocalist) is singing as well as ever and everyone else sounds great so we're having the time of our lives.
CM: What defines a great show for you?
TG: I think it's when the band is really clicking together. There's honestly never a bad night for us. We have good nights and then we have great nights. A lot of times it's the sound on stage like if you get on a cement floor the sound can be harsh and brittle. The way the room is designed and the energy of the crowd, everything contributes. When the sound is good and we're all grooving because the audience is into it, those are the ingredients for a great night.
CM:When you were younger did you ever see your career unfolding the way that it has?
TG: When you're young you have all these dreams of fame and fortune. I was never so interested in fame, but fortune? Well, that was interesting (laughing). I really hoped and believed that if I worked super hard and had a little bit of luck, good things would happen and that's really still my feeling. I work hard and hope for the best, and the good things have been pretty consistent.
When you're young and you just want to be a musician, you really don't think about what you'll be doing this many years later. Or if you do you think you'll be a billionaire, retired by the pool, racing horses or something (laughing). In actuality, the world has changed and real-life rolled in and that important music kind of became free. The world changes and you just adapt to things. The CD business kind of crumbled and people are acquiring music in different ways so you have to think of other ways to create income. That's why you see guys starting their own tequila company, coffee line or hot sauce.
(Photo Credit: Karsten Steiger)
The emphasis is also now on live music and that really fits the bill for me because it's my favorite thing. I love to play with the audience and have good interaction. When I watch my favorite bands I go to YouTube so that I can watch them play live. I still love the albums and want to have both, but when it comes to The Beatles, Al Green or Marvin Gaye I want to watch them play live, that's my thing. I never got to see The Who play live but I can watch their concerts from 1972. You know it's nice to just go back in time and visit with them and see how they gelled right there onstage.
CM: What is it that keeps you out there performing after all these years?
TG: It's the music for sure. I love playing rock guitar with a drummer, that's my favorite thing to do and then I love singing on top of that. Playing the saxophone and just being able to wail away on "Urgent" is about as much fun as you can have. This is what we all are looking for and it's what you work towards as a musician, so when the summers come around touring is just what we do.
(Photo provided by Tom Gimbel )
CM: What do you do to keep that musical spark lit for yourself?
TG: I'm always working on little projects. They recently did something with the wireless units and so we can't use the same frequencies that were once used for the microphone that is on the saxophone. That meant we had to get all new wireless stuff and that meant that we can no longer use the mic that I like, so we're shopping for microphones and I've had to try other ones. When it finally sounded good again I was so happy. I'm always looking for a magical reed for my tenor sax because it can make a drastic difference the way that the sound just jumps out of the saxophone big as a house.
There's always something to keep me inspired. I'll be looking at guitars online and then I find the same thing on eBay and think 'oh, I've gotta buy that quick before somebody else gets it". There should be a parental safety measure that stops you from being able to buy things after midnight. (laughing). I have storage space filled with things I thought I might need. It's okay though because it keeps me out of trouble.
CM: You're not a planner are you?
TG: I definitely go with the flow. I've never been a planner, I'm like one step at a time, no wait, two toes at a time (laughing). I'm really a linear person so I do things one step at a time in a sequence. It has worked for me and I like who I am now. I think we get more comfortable with ourselves as the years go by. When you're young you're always trying to prove something to somebody. Growing into your own skin is the best benefit of getting older.
CM: You've mentioned a few times how much things have changed over the years and with that change comes an onslaught of not so positive things, what is something that kind of eats away at you?
TG: I think it's a travesty that music programs are being taken away in the schools. Music was not only the best part of school for me but it probably kept me in school. Music was my motivator and I think a lot of kids might find themselves in that same situation, with music being the one thing that they like. It keeps kids out of trouble. We often bring choirs from local high schools on stage to sing with us. We tell people to talk to their board of education or school administrators to see if they can somehow help because these programs are being just stripped away. These kids haven't done anything wrong but they're being punished and losing something they need. It's really sad for the kids and we need to work together to save the music and other creative programs.
CM: You've got so many good things going on is there anything missing from your life at this point?
TG: Mostly these days I'm looking for my keys (laughing) because they're gone! Seriously, my keys, my phone, sunglasses that I can't find because they're still on my head (laughing).
CM: What would you like to say to the fans that have supported you for so long?
TG: I want to thank the fans for coming out and rocking with us and we'll continue to do this for as long as they want us to. We're so grateful. The stuff that Mick Jones has written with Lou Gramm has just held up so well that it's really timeless. I get a huge charge out of playing music with other musicians, but when you add the audience in then the element of excitement is palpable. I think the audience is the secret ingredient that connects it all and really makes it work. People sing and dance, stomp and swear, whatever. It's all an outlet and that's what a rock concert is supposed to be, it's therapeutic. Where else do you get to yell and scream in public- it's like primal scream therapy only cheaper (laughing) and you go home feeling so much better!
Do you guys remember Karyn White? She first garnered major radio play in the summer of 1988 with "The Way You Love Me" and that song kicked off a string of hits for the rising star. In an era when JodyWatley, Taylor Dayne and Paula Abdul were taking over the charts, White found herself easily in the mix. Her self titled album produced a string of hits including my favorite, "Secret Rendezvous". It peaked at number 6 on Billboard's Hot 100 and burned up dance floors and car radios alike. Check out the video below!
From this padded prison cell So many times I said You'd only be mine
I gave my blood and my tears
And loved you cyanide
When you took my lips
I took your breath
Sometimes love's better off dead"
When it comes to power ballads, Motley Crue was deadly serious when they released "You're All I Need". It was originally written by Nikki Sixx for a girlfriend that he believed was cheating with soap star, Jack Wagner. He handed her the lyrics and never intended to turn it into an actual song but the rest of the band had another idea. They rallied for it to be included on their Girls, Girls, Girls album and won.
I remember when the video for "You're All I Need" was about to drop because MTV immediately banned it. It was filmed in black and white and showcased a young couple fighting violently until the woman is eventually killed. The Crue have always maintained that stories on the 6pm news are far worse- and they are. But I have to say, even in 2021 this video jolted me. I know that it horrifically plays out in homes all over the world and that's simply a fact. But the way that this was shot, makes it all feel very real. You can pick up the emotional rawness in it and I think that's why it was banned.
In the 80's music relied heavily on videos to sell records and I think that the reaction to this one caused the song to stall out in the bottom half of the top 40 on Billboard's Hot 100. Check out the video below. Do you remember this?
"I'd like to know more than just your name Did you come here alone or with someone If only you would open up And let me know just where you're comin' from
Are you lookin' for a new love Or does commitment seem to bring you down Is that a look of yes or is it no Please don't tease me, ho...oh..."
Way back in the summer of 1987 Jody Watley's self-titled album was in heavy rotation thanks to a string of catchy singles. "Don't You Want Me" was the third one to be released and it achieved some pretty amazing crossover success. More importantly, it proved that "Looking For A New Love", which had been released several months earlier, was not a fluke. Ms. Watley had arrived, hoop earrings and all.
This song was totally my jam way back then and to a certain degree, it still is thirty years later. "Don't You Want Me" makes you move, which is one of the reasons why Watley lands in the 21st spot on Billboard's Top Dance Artists of All Time list.
You make me, make me, make me, make me hungry for you
Everything you do is simply dreamy
Everything you do is quite delicious
So why can't I be you?"
I'll admit it, I'm not exactly a fan of The Cure. I cherry-pick, carefully. For whatever reason I've always, always loved "Why Can't I Be You" and it's all about the video. Maybe it's because Robert Smith is slightly more animated than usual or because his lip liner is MIA. Maybe it's the costumes or the fact that the video features some of the most awesomely bad choreography ever. I don't know but when you put these things together it ends up looking like this (below) and I happen to love, this.
