CINDERELLA Frontman Doesn't Rule Out Possibility Of New Studio Album

Wisconsin-Music.com recently conducted an interview with CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

Wisconsin-Music.com: You've been doing a lot of tours since CINDERELLA reunited in '98 without any new music. Is there anything planned on the horizon?

Tom Keifer: "Well, not at the moment. And the reason for that is after we reformed we were signed to Sony Records. We signed the deal in '98, and did a brief tour in theaters and clubs. Then we started the process of writing songs for the next record. That process continued until 2001, when the label finally signed off on the material, a budget and a producer. About a week after that happened, without getting into a lot of detail, we had a falling out with the label which ended up in a lawsuit. The record was never made, the lawsuit is still on going, and we're tied up in courts as far as new CINDERELLA music. In the meantime, we've built our tour industry back up, and we've all been working on side projects. I have a solo record that's coming out probably early next year. I've been working on it for the past couple of years."

Wisconsin-Music.com: Will it be an independent release, or will you shop it to labels?

Tom Keifer: "Well, the record is finished and produced, and ready to deliver. Now I'm going to take it out to labels and try and find a home for it. That's the process that I've started now."

Wisconsin-Music.com: Is there anything in your past catalog of music that you would revamp or change if you could?

Tom Keifer: "I'd like to remix 'Long Cold Winter'. Not that I don't like the mixes, because I think at the time they were great. But I'd love to hear that record dry, without all the effects and reverb. When I listen back on all the records, 'Heartbreak Station' is the one that doesn't sound dated and the reason is because there's no dating effects on it. When you hear the bombastic reverb on a share drum, you go 'THAT'S '80s!' (laughs) And I got really tired of that sound after the second record, and the sound of 'Heartbreak Station' was very intentional. I remember walking into the studio, walking over the board, and grabbing the faders where the reverb returns were and just pulling them down. I've approached music that way ever since. Put a mic in front an amp or drum, and that's it. That's all you need."

Wisconsin-Music.com: Looking down the road… once everything is resolved with Sony, do you see another CINDERELLA record at some point?

Tom Keifer: "I think it's a possibility."

Wisconsin-Music.com: And would it be more of a modern version of CINDERELLA, or back where you left off in the mid-'90s?

Tom Keifer: "I think it would be was what CINDERELLA does. I don't think we would try to change in any way. We would just try to have better songs, and to sing better and play better. At least that's what we've tried with each record we do. You always want to grab a little bit of some of the cutting edge technology or sound and use some of that on your record. And that's cool, as long it's done in a way that it works with the music."

Read the entire interview at Wisconsin-Music.com.