KEEL Frontman Issues New Album Update

Reactivated '80s hard rockers KEEL entered a North Hollywood, California studio on June 18 to begin recording their new album, "Streets Of Rock 'N' Roll", for a tentative late 2009 release. The CD is being co-produced and mixed by ace producer/engineer Pat Regan (RITCHIE BLACKMORE, WARRANT, BILLY SHEEHAN, ETC.). Ron Keel's vocals are being engineered, recorded, and produced by Paul Shortino (ROUGH CUTT, QUIET RIOT).

Commented Ron: "Today Marc [Ferrari] and Bryan [Jay] will be wrapping up rhythm guitar tracks by putting finishing touches on the new KEEL power ballad 'Does Anybody Believe'. We're going at the rate of about three songs a day — each track has to be doubled and then you split 'em hard left and right in stereo, to get that BIG hard rock guitar sound...

"I'm back in Vegas, getting ready to start lead vocal sessions next week (I should be warmed up and ready for Rocklahoma two weeks from today). Vocals will most likely take the better part of a month: I'll tackle one song a day, give it all I got, scream my guts out, then take a day off before hitting the next one.

"There are 14 songs total, and in addition to lead vocals there are tons of harmonies and background vocals and big shouting rock anthem chants... At some point in the next month, we'll bring the other guys in the band to Vegas to participate in some of the big background harmonies — and since it's a KEEL tradition, we hope to have some special guest appearances on this album (we've already pegged Jaime St. James for a vocal part on 'Gimme That'). And, of course, we've got to take time out for Rocklahoma in the middle of all this.

"We are very close to making our announcement confirming the contract signing with our new record label. Everything — the record company support, the artwork and photography, and especially the music — is coming together to make this the best-sounding and most entertaining KEEL album of all time."

"Streets Of Rock 'N' Roll" track listing:

01. Hit The Ground Running
02. Come Hell Or High Water
03. Streets Of Rock N Roll
04. Push & Pull
05. Brothers In Blood
06. Hold Steady
07. Live
08. Does Anybody Believe
09. No More Lonely Nights
10. The Devil May Care
11. Lookin' For A Good Time
12. Gimme That

With the high volume of requests for the band to reunite, the members — Ron Keel, guitarists Marc Ferrari and Bryan Jay, drummer Dwain Miller along with Geno Arce (Ron's longtime bassist) — felt the time is right to deliver the show fans everywhere have been demanding: a KEEL reunion.

"It would not have been right without these guys," said Ron Keel.

The KEEL debut reunion concert took place in Hollywood on January 31. The location for this historic event was Club Vodka at The Knitting Factory. Watch fan-filmed video footage from the show below.

In 1985, KEEL's "The Right To Rock" became the fastest-selling debut in A&M Records' history and the band was proclaimed the "Best New Band" by Metal Edge and Circus magazines. The album's title track was a hit on radio and MTV and remains a staple on VH1 Classic, in addition to the group’s subsequent hits "Tears Of Fire", "Because The Night", "Somebody's Waiting" and "Rock & Roll Outlaw". The group developed a reputation as one of the genre's most entertaining live acts, opening for heavyweights like BON JOVI, AEROSMITH and VAN HALEN, among many others.

For more information, visit KeelReunion.com.

KEEL performing on January 31, 2009 at Club Vodka at The Knitting Factory in Hollywood, California: