Post by Norma Lee Rogers on Jul 5, 2010 21:11:09 GMT -5
Posted on Monday, July 05, 2010 at 01:22:51 EST
CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer is featured in a new interview with UK-based UberRock. An excerpt is available below.
Q: It has always seemed that you guys wanted wanted to be more LED ZEPPELIN and the ROLLING STONES. Heartbreak Station, for example is incredibly Stonesy, but it seemed like you and the band were forever getting lumped into 80's metal...are you ok with that? Did you feel shoehorned into the 80's glam scene when it seems you obviously always wanted to go in a more '70s bluesy direction?
Keifer: "You know I think it's a shame when in any decade or generation the bands are all lumped into one thing - the 80's aren't the first time that has happened. I think there were other bands that were as unique as we were during the time. If you look at all of the different kinds of bands there were, the images were maybe similar because that was the sign of the times. Musically, vocally and style-wise between us and GUNS N' ROSES, POISON and MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD...there' s a lot of different styles musically and sound wise and all of those bands had their own identity and sound from the music standpoint. So, I hate to see any band get..well, I prefer music be judged individually ,or band to band, but unfortunately people listen to music with their eyes and there was an image to the 80's that I think made it easy to kind of lump it all together. There were a lot of great bands that were unique and had their own sounds, and in that respect I think it's just something that happens. We certainly got a lot of really good reviews on our records and I never really felt like we were unfairly treated, I think that people took us for what we were. It is what it is."
Go to this location for the complete interview.
Following is a special report on Cinderella from BW&BK scribe Mark Gromen:
A month ago, the local boys headlined the Electric Factory in Philly, a rousing "family reunion" of old faces, on and off stage. Such was not the case in AC (as Cinder-fella Tom Keifer acknowledged the gambling mecca by its south Jersey colloquialism) . While a more intimate show, and very similar setlist (heavily weighted towards the Long Cold Winter album), this crowd lacked that fire, it appeared to be composed of '80s MTV fans, buying tickets to hear just a few, select songs, rather than true CINDERELLA fans, knowing or caring about any metallic sensibility. Witness a front row "fan", in conversation, asking "What's the Galaxy?" (The south Jersey club the band headlined weekly, prior to being discovered there by JON BON JOVI). That's like inquiring about THE BEATLES at the Star Club in Hamburg, or Ruthies/Waldorf in Frisco or L'Amours in Brooklyn, it's part of the scene/band history.
Tom Keifer looks the same (hair's a little shorter) and despite the odd dye job, you could pick guitarist Jeff LaBar out of a line-up, but bassist Eric Brittingham? Dark hair, goatee, sleeve of tattoos! Similar to that earlier gig, they began with 'Second Wind'. On 'Night Songs' Keifer brought out a double neck guitar, then traded it for a clear acrylic model on 'Falling Apart At The Seams'. The frontman was more forceful, almost mad (not for real, just stage vehemence) trying to get the crowd to participate in 'Push Push'. 'Shelter Me' saw Keifer play the saxophone. Acoustic guitar greeted 'Heartbreak Station', Fred Coury abandoning the drum stool to sing with Keifer at the front of the stage, a mounted lap steel at their side, for use later. 'Comin Home' sees Keifer back with a double-neck, LaBar on acoustic. LaBar switched to a double neck for 'Nobody's Fool'. Although it's been more than 25 years, still can't get used to the "new" version (where it remains a ballad throughout. Check out the nitro-fueled, self-issued 45 single).
hotlink.myspacecdn.com/images02/124/41c5b443f74e428799b2e0e87646c7ca/m.jpg
For 'Gypsy Road', which concluded the proper set, LaBar striped off his shirt. In anticipation of an encore, fans yell "Keifer," rather than the band name. Odd. The mounted acoustic appeared again, for 'Don't Know What You've Got' to start the encore. With kids visible in the wings, watching their parents onstage, Keifer sang, seated behind a piano. Thirty years ago, would I have believed my local weekend warriors were capable of such highbrow antics (a F-in' piano!? That was something for QUEEN or some other rock royalty). 'Shake Me' began with LaBar sprawled on the floor, Keifer thrusting the mike stand into the crowd. Apart from LaBar (purposefully) falling flat on the floor, band refrained from the flashy '80s excesses (throwing guitars around their neck) for which they are associated.
Band is sounding great. If they come around, check 'em out!
More photos from the show can be seen here : www.bravewords.com/galleries/397
CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer is featured in a new interview with UK-based UberRock. An excerpt is available below.
Q: It has always seemed that you guys wanted wanted to be more LED ZEPPELIN and the ROLLING STONES. Heartbreak Station, for example is incredibly Stonesy, but it seemed like you and the band were forever getting lumped into 80's metal...are you ok with that? Did you feel shoehorned into the 80's glam scene when it seems you obviously always wanted to go in a more '70s bluesy direction?
Keifer: "You know I think it's a shame when in any decade or generation the bands are all lumped into one thing - the 80's aren't the first time that has happened. I think there were other bands that were as unique as we were during the time. If you look at all of the different kinds of bands there were, the images were maybe similar because that was the sign of the times. Musically, vocally and style-wise between us and GUNS N' ROSES, POISON and MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD...there' s a lot of different styles musically and sound wise and all of those bands had their own identity and sound from the music standpoint. So, I hate to see any band get..well, I prefer music be judged individually ,or band to band, but unfortunately people listen to music with their eyes and there was an image to the 80's that I think made it easy to kind of lump it all together. There were a lot of great bands that were unique and had their own sounds, and in that respect I think it's just something that happens. We certainly got a lot of really good reviews on our records and I never really felt like we were unfairly treated, I think that people took us for what we were. It is what it is."
Go to this location for the complete interview.
Following is a special report on Cinderella from BW&BK scribe Mark Gromen:
A month ago, the local boys headlined the Electric Factory in Philly, a rousing "family reunion" of old faces, on and off stage. Such was not the case in AC (as Cinder-fella Tom Keifer acknowledged the gambling mecca by its south Jersey colloquialism) . While a more intimate show, and very similar setlist (heavily weighted towards the Long Cold Winter album), this crowd lacked that fire, it appeared to be composed of '80s MTV fans, buying tickets to hear just a few, select songs, rather than true CINDERELLA fans, knowing or caring about any metallic sensibility. Witness a front row "fan", in conversation, asking "What's the Galaxy?" (The south Jersey club the band headlined weekly, prior to being discovered there by JON BON JOVI). That's like inquiring about THE BEATLES at the Star Club in Hamburg, or Ruthies/Waldorf in Frisco or L'Amours in Brooklyn, it's part of the scene/band history.
Tom Keifer looks the same (hair's a little shorter) and despite the odd dye job, you could pick guitarist Jeff LaBar out of a line-up, but bassist Eric Brittingham? Dark hair, goatee, sleeve of tattoos! Similar to that earlier gig, they began with 'Second Wind'. On 'Night Songs' Keifer brought out a double neck guitar, then traded it for a clear acrylic model on 'Falling Apart At The Seams'. The frontman was more forceful, almost mad (not for real, just stage vehemence) trying to get the crowd to participate in 'Push Push'. 'Shelter Me' saw Keifer play the saxophone. Acoustic guitar greeted 'Heartbreak Station', Fred Coury abandoning the drum stool to sing with Keifer at the front of the stage, a mounted lap steel at their side, for use later. 'Comin Home' sees Keifer back with a double-neck, LaBar on acoustic. LaBar switched to a double neck for 'Nobody's Fool'. Although it's been more than 25 years, still can't get used to the "new" version (where it remains a ballad throughout. Check out the nitro-fueled, self-issued 45 single).
hotlink.myspacecdn.com/images02/124/41c5b443f74e428799b2e0e87646c7ca/m.jpg
For 'Gypsy Road', which concluded the proper set, LaBar striped off his shirt. In anticipation of an encore, fans yell "Keifer," rather than the band name. Odd. The mounted acoustic appeared again, for 'Don't Know What You've Got' to start the encore. With kids visible in the wings, watching their parents onstage, Keifer sang, seated behind a piano. Thirty years ago, would I have believed my local weekend warriors were capable of such highbrow antics (a F-in' piano!? That was something for QUEEN or some other rock royalty). 'Shake Me' began with LaBar sprawled on the floor, Keifer thrusting the mike stand into the crowd. Apart from LaBar (purposefully) falling flat on the floor, band refrained from the flashy '80s excesses (throwing guitars around their neck) for which they are associated.
Band is sounding great. If they come around, check 'em out!
More photos from the show can be seen here : www.bravewords.com/galleries/397