DRAFT 4

Keel is an American heavy metal band founded in 1984 in Los Angeles, California. They were known for their rock anthem "The Right to Rock." The band was active until 1989, with a brief reunion in 1998. Keel reunited in 2008 and is currently touring for their 25th anniversary.

Keel was formed by former Steeler vocalist Ron Keel. The original members were Ron Keel on vocals, David Michael Phillips on guitar, Marc Ferrari on lead & rhythm guitars, Bobby Marks on drums and Kenny Chaisson on bass guitar. Within months, Phillips left to join King Kobra and was replaced by Bryan Jay. This was the lineup for their 1984 debut album Lay Down the Law. After the album's release, Marks left and was replaced by Steven Riley, who subsequently left early in the recording of the band's second album to join W.A.S.P., and was in turn replaced by Dwain Miller, forming a lineup which would remain stable for almost 4 years. Their second album, which caught the eye of Kiss's Gene Simmons was The Right To Rock, released on March 26, 1985. Their Simmons-produced third album The Final Frontier was released on April 30, 1986. It included the single "Because the Night", a song that was co-written by Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen and had been a hit for Smith in 1978.

In 1986, Keel actually won the Best Band of the Year award in the 2nd annual Metal Edge magazine reader's poll, beating such noted bands as Iron Maiden & Judas Priest. In 1987, the song "Rock & Roll Outlaw" (a cover from the 1978 self titled debut of Australian hard rock band Rose Tattoo) appeared on the soundtrack of the movie Dudes. Their fourth album, Keel, was released on June 21, 1987, recorded with producer Michael Wagener. An unreleased track from the album, Ferrari's "Proud To Be Loud", would eventually wind up on Pantera's Power Metal album, which Ferrari produced early in 1988.

Ferrari & Jay both left in 1988, after touring in support of the Keel album. They were replaced by keyboardist Scott Warren & guitarist Tony Palamucci. Their fifth album, Larger Than Live, was released in 1989 with six new studio recordings, including a cover of the 1980 Humble Pie song "Fool for a Pretty Face". Also on the album were six live tracks recorded in March 1989. Following the shooting of the music video for the song "Dreams Are Not Enough" on that same year, Ron Keel announced the disbandment of Keel.

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Keel - The Final Frontier (1986)
Personnel:
Ron Keel - lead vocals, guitar, keyboardsMarc Ferrari - lead guitar, backing vocals
Kenny Chaisson - bass, backing vocals
Dwain Miller - drums, backing vocals
Bryan Jay - lead guitar, backing vocals
Gene Simmons - producer
Joan Jett - guest rhythm guitar
Jamie St. James - guest backing vocals
Gregg Giuffria - guest backing vocals
Mitch Perry - guest rhythm guitars

Tracks: (Listen Online as You click the song or download for study)
01. The Final Frontier 3:20
02. Rock and Roll Animal 4:47
03. Because the Night 3:47
04. Here Today, Gone Tomorrow 4:06
05. Arm and a Leg 3:08
06. Raised on Rock 3:10
07. Just Another Girl 3:16
08. Tears of Fire 4:20
09. Nightfall (Instrumental) 1:56
10. No Pain No Gain 3:44

NOTE:

Keel reformed briefly in 1998 (with Ferrari) to release an album of songs that were mostly written in the late 80's. Once Keel had run it's course, Miller recorded with Outlaw Blood while Ferrari formed Medicine Wheel. Keel fronted an all female band called Fair Game, then unbelievably changed his name to Ronnie Lee Keel and performed as a country artist before forming Iron Horse.

Albums to be posted soon:
Keel - Lay Down The Law (1984)


01 - Thunder and lightning
02 - Lay down the law
03 - Speed demon
04 - Princess of illusion
05 - Born ready
06 - Metal generation
07 - Till hell freezes over
08 - Tonight you're mine
09 - Let's spend the night together
10 - Somewhere in the night [Fair game]
11 - Blind faith [Fair game]
12 - Rock 'n' roll outlaw [Dudes soundtrack]

Keel - The Right To Rock (1985)


01 - The right to rock
02 - Back to the city
03 - Let's spend the night together
04 - Easier said than done
05 - So many girls, so little time
06 - Electric love
07 - Speed demon
08 - Get down
09 - You're the victim (I'm the crime)
10 - Easier said than done [remix]


Keel - Keel (1987)


01 - United nations
02 - Somebody's waiting
03 - Cherry lane
04 - Calm before the storm
05 - King of the rock
06 - It's a jungle out there
07 - I said the wrong thing to the right girl
08 - Don't say you love me
09 - If love is a crime (I wanna be convicted)
10 - 4th of july

Keel - Larger Than Live (1989)


01 - Evil, wicked, mean & nasty
02 - Riding high
03 - Die fighting
04 - Dreams are not enough
05 - So many good ways to be bad
06 - Fool for a pretty face
07 - Hard as hell [live]
08 - Rock and roll animal [live]
09 - Private lies
10 - Rock and roll outlaw [live]
11 - The right to rock [live]
12 - Cold day in hell

Keel VI - Back In Action (1998)

01 - Back in action
02 - Reason to rock
03 - United nations
04 - Friday every night
05 - Reach out and rock somebody
06 - Hold your head up
07 - Proud to be loud
08 - Answers in your eyes
09 - Lay down the law '84
10 - Speed demon '84