Interview with Singer/Songwriter Ron Keel

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Ron! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it is greatly appreciated.

Ron Keel: Thank you, I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you and your readers, promote my mayhem and spread the word.

CV: Musically, what has been a defining moment for you personally?

RK: I was 16 years old, playing a Halloween dance at a place called A.R.C.H. – that stood for “Arizona Retarded Children’s Home.” I know that term is not PC these days, but that was the name of the place. The audience was a thousand mentally handicapped kids all dressed up like Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy…my band was sloppy and out of tune, and those people didn’t care. They surrounded me after the show, they were stroking my shoulders, many were crying, and they just kept saying “Thank you for playing music for us.” And although we sucked, that was the first time I felt the power of what music could do, how you can touch people and make them happy for a while. And that night, I achieved success…all the fame and glory and money could never compare to that one moment.

CV: For me, as well as multitudes of other Metalheads from 80's, "The Right to Rock" was the anthem song of our generation; both the battle cry and battle hymn that would come to define what made Metal great and what the music meant to us.  Did you know when writing that song that it would immediately have such an effect on people and maintain that impact 35 years later?
RK: I absolutely knew we had something special with that song, the power of the music and the strength of that message. Our producer Gene Simmons told me during the session, he said “You know you’re going to have to sing this song for the rest of your life.” And he was right – it’s still in the show today, and Ron Keel Band has recorded a killer new version of it on our album “Fight Like A Band” that will stand the test of time for another 35 years.

CV: As a songwriter, do you find you are always chasing your next "The Right to Rock?"
RK: We did set the bar pretty high with that one, and I’ve tried to keep it there, or close. I’m just chasing my next really good song, and there are a lot of them on the new album.

CV: Many artists overtime become disenchanted, and even resentful of their hit songs; not wanting to be defined or confined by their success. Has this been a point of contention for you at any time in your career?
RK: Not at all – I’m very proud of my body of work, whether it’s the hit songs or the album cuts. I’ve enjoyed the challenge of redefining myself as I’ve grown as a man and as a musician. I’m not the same guy I was when I was 25 – nobody is – and I’m extremely comfortable in my own skin and in my music.

CV: The recent Keelfest brought together the Ron Keel Band, Keel and Steeler, which included bassist Rik Fox.  What an amazing line up of bands showcasing your diverse and successful musical career. Does such an event give you a chance to see the music differently...more as a fan?
RK: Great question, and actually yeah…with Keel and Ron Keel Band, I have the luxury of singing all the songs I love but rehearsing for Keelfest gave me the chance to fall back in love with those Steeler songs as well. I just put together the show I would have wanted to see if I were a fan, and the reaction was incredible.

CV: Is there a chance fans will be hearing new music from Keel and Steeler in the near future?
RK: Well, there’s always a chance. At this stage of the game, I’ve learned to never say ‘never.’ I just released a great new album, “Fight Like A Band,” and the response from the fans, the industry and the media has been incredible. Ron Keel Band is my business, and business is good right now.

CV: Critics have complained that music in general has gone soft; that there's no edge or energy to it anymore. Many cite that the rawness and electricity have been replaced by well-polished and cliché imitations of its former self. Do you agree with such sentiments? Has music as a whole gone soft?
RK: Critics aren’t saying that about my new album. And there’s a lot of great new music out there – I am hearing it every day, and playing it on my STREETS OF ROCK N ROLL radio show. There is a lot of crap out there too, so you have to weed through that to find the good stuff.

CV: The new Ron Keel Band album "Fight Like A Band" is now out on EMP and comes across with plenty of punch that fans would expect from a hard rocking machine.  No doubt due to the band's tenure working and touring together these last few years as well as backing up multiple notable artists such as Paul Stanley, Kip Winger and Don Dokken just to name a few. There is definitely a strong musical connection. During that time was the band working on original material amidst playing covers and backing up other artists? And was it a challenge at all to switch gears for the band to become its own musical entity...or was it just a matter of flipping the switch so to say?
RK: Those experiences you mention made us a family, and created a really strong personal bond between us that did translate into the music once we started writing together for “Fight Like A Band.” And we did not work on any original music together until the day we committed to creating this album; at that point, hell yes it became a challenge. We didn’t just flip the switch, we flipped it hard and broke it off and the floodgates just opened up. The result is a very special collection of songs, brought to life by the performances of these musicians and the sonic skills of my co-producer Mike Dresch.

CV: Fans are in agreement, the new album rocks...with comments like "surpassed my expectations," "good is an understatement," "instant classic," "awesome album from start to finish," and the list goes on. Are you at all surprised at the fans’ reactions and embracement of the album?
RK: I am, and I’m very grateful for it. For 22 months of writing and recording this thing, I was just immersed in the creative process. At first, we were just trying to write the best songs we could, then extensive pre-production to prepare for the sessions, then seven months in the studio…and I got so wrapped up in these songs. I thought we had something very special, and I believed these songs would resonate with our hard workin’, hard rockin’, hard partyin’ audience, but I’m still blown away by the reaction.

CV: Is there a bit of an autobiographical aspect for you and the members with the title track, "Fight Like A Band?"
RK: More than a bit. In 2014 I was given the opportunity to be the face and the voice of a multi-million-dollar entertainment business called Badlands Pawn in Sioux Falls; I relocated to South Dakota for that gig and assembled my dream band as the House Band for that franchise. My longtime bassist Geno Arce also made that move, along with guitarist Dave Cothern – we had done some shows together as Ron Keel Band and two better dudes and musical partners you’ll never find. I also imported Steve ‘Doc’ Purcell from Nashville on lead guitar, he and I have been working together since ’04. We hooked up with two South Dakota Rock N Roll Hall Of Famers, drummer Jeff ‘The Rev’ Koller and keyboardist Dakota Scott and we busted our asses for that business, touring the country and backing up those artists you mentioned.

We were living the American dream all over again, with a great crew, big tour bus, a lot of hype and making a good living – and then Badlands Pawn closed down after only one year and the rug was suddenly and rudely yanked from beneath us. We all loved each other and loved what we were doing, we still had shows booked on the calendar, and sticking together was the best option for all of us. We lost the bus and the hype, but the band and crew stayed tight together.

Well, right around that time, my wife Renee was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer and as most everybody knows, that’s a life-changer. We knew we were in for a fight – chemo, surgeries, radiation, all that. So I had to back off the show schedule to be with her in 2017 and care for her during that time. That’s when I decided it was time to make an album, and since we couldn’t do a lot of shows that year we got together and wrote some killer songs.

And that title track “Fight Like A Band” is the first single and signature song off this record; the whole thing is about the struggle to survive and succeed, and the lyrics are taken from real life experience – the first verse tells of her cancer diagnosis, the second verse sings about my experiences in Hollywood in the 80’s trying to make it in music. And the chorus shouts the truth…if you’re gonna take on the world, fight like a band.

CV: The album also contains new versions of classic Keel songs: "The Right to Rock," "Because the Night," "Tears of Fire" and the power ballad, and one of my favorites, "Somebody's Waiting." You're quoted saying that you "wanted another shot at those vocals..." What is it you feel the Ron Keel of today brings to those songs that his younger self did not? Have the songs and their meanings changed for you? Is there a different connection to them now than you had back then? Less pressure maybe?
RK: Wow, lotta questions jammed into one…those songs are part of the soundtrack of my life, they are like friends of mine, and I wanted to give ‘em the treatment they deserved.

I sing better now than I did then. I was just a kid, learning my craft – now I’m a seasoned veteran with a much bigger toolbox and total control of my instrument…power, tone, control, all those aspects of my voice have improved with time. And trust me, there’s WAY more pressure now than there was then – it’s all on the line now, as I head down the homestretch for the next 10 years with the pedal all the way down.

CV: How has songwriting changed for you? Do you find yourself considering aspects you might have overlooked earlier in your career? Is there a stronger connection between the voice and lyric now for you?
RK: Songwriting is 50% magic and 50% hard work. You’ve got to keep your heart and your head open to all possible musical and lyrical ideas, and you’ve got to be willing to shut yourself away in a room, without a cell phone or an internet connection, and allow those ideas to take shape without distraction. And you’ve got to know how to collaborate, which we all did on this new album. It’s my job to connect all the pieces, the verses and choruses, the riffs and the grooves, and turn them into something I’m proud of.

CV: What is the "Ron Keel" attitude? Is it like the song says "Taking the world on my terms...I'll take it by the balls?" What keeps you ticking?
RK: I just want to live my life, have a good time, work hard, play hard. It’s obvious I really love what I do, and the desire to do it at a very high level, that’s what drives me on. There’s a lot of people depending on me…my wife, my band mates, my crew, my fans, the people I work with in the industry…it’s not about me, it’s about all of them.

CV: What's next for you?
RK: Another beer, another song. A lot of shows this summer, including headline gigs at the Sturgis Rally, big hometown show with Night Ranger at Hot Harley Nights, gigs from Green Bay to Denver to St. Louis and then the Monsters Of Rock Cruise in 2020…maybe KEELFEST 2020?!?!? Life is like a song, and I’m just making it up as I go along. Hey that rhymes…maybe a tune in there…

CV: Thank you again Ron for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It has been an honor. I wish you all the best and continued success.

RK: Hey, thank YOU for the chance, keep up the good work!

Check out Ron at:
FIGHT LIKE A BAND Official Music Video: https://youtu.be/JlX_bnLHaC0 
Follow Ron Keel at: http://patreon.com/ronkeel
Official: http://RonKeel.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RonKeel
Facebook: http://facebook.com/ronkeel 
Buy the new album from EMP Label Group at http://fightlikeaband.com 

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word.  Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.

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