solo record

New Music Monday Blog Tom Keifer The Way Life Goes

In this Music Monday Blog, we are going to get into the first solo record from lead singer Cinderalla, who is Tom Keifer. There is two things I love about this singer’s first solo record. First thing, it is so different than his band’s music. Second thing, Tom Keifer voice is fine and health. Tom went for vocal box surgery and no one knew as a fan base if he was going to sing again or at the level he did back in the 1980’s. I am happy he is back. I am going to back down his music career and then get into this great solo record. Let us get into the history of Tom Keifer.

History

Carl Thomas Keifer was borned in 1961 in Springfield, Pennsylvania. He grew up loving the blues and later founded Cinderella with bassist Eric Brittingham in 1980. Jon Bon Jovi discovered Cinderella in 1985 at Empire Rock Club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With a recording contract from Mercury/Polygram Records, Jeff LaBar, who is the lead guitar player, and Jim Dmec, who is the drummer, join the band that same year. Fred Coury replaced Jim Dmec on drums to make it on their “Night Songs” record. In 1988, Cinderella released their second record, which was called “Long Cold Winter.” “Heartbreak Station” was released in 1990 as their third record. Fred Coury left the band after a short tour and joined Arcade with lead singer of Ratt, who is Stephen Pearcy. Tom lost his voice during the recording of their fourth record. This delayed the recording of the “Stilling Climbing.” He went for several operations to solve this problem Fred was replaced Kenny Aronoff to finish drum tracks on the record. The record had some poor sales and dropped off the charts. Mercury Records drop the band and the band went on a hiatus or broke up in 1995. In 1997, the band resurfaced to record a few new tracks for their first Greatest Hits record, which was called “Once Upon A…” The band did tour in 1998 which led for a live record, which was called “Live At The Key Club,” to be released in 1999 under Cleopartra Records. Cinderella was singed to Sony Records in 2000. However, before they could release their fifth record, they were dropped by Sony. It led the band and Sony to be in court fights over the music. The band has done several tour dates but in 2008, the band was forced to cancel their tour dates due to Tom’s vocal chords. In 2009, the band stated that Tom’s voice is back to normal and went on a few more tours. The band is still together and Tom is health. Tom has been working on this record since 2003. “The Way Life Goes” was record in 2013 under Merovee Records. He worked on this record with his wife Savannah Keifer. Let us get into the music.

Track List:

Solid Ground

There is some nice guitar work at the beginning of the song. Tom screams over the top of some nice music. He wrote some nice lyrics and music. This is a different pace to his Cinderella music. There is some nice drumming and bass playing on this song. There is some nice guitar work. Tom’s singing is solid. This is a great opening track to his first solo record.

A Different Light

Tom comes in singing with an acoustic guitar. There is some nice music and good lyrics. I love how the chorus came together. I love the drumming and bass playing. This is a nice calming song. The main versus reminds something he would write with Cinderella but the chorus is a little different. This song sounds like a Bon Jovi song or one of Jon’s solo songs. I love this song. I love the fade out ending.

It’s Not Enough

I love the effect on the guitar. Tom’s singing is strong with some great lyrics. I love the drumming and bass playing. This is a song I could see Cinderella do back in the day. His vocals chords sound very strong so far on this record. His wife’s back up singing is spot on and blends nicely with his vocals. Savannah Keifer, who is Tom’s wife, is all over this record because she helped her husband write this record. She has a beautiful voice. I love the fade out ending to this song too.

Cold Day In Hell

I love the acoustic guitar and then the harmonica from Pat Buchanan. Tom wrote some nice music and lyrics on this song. I love the back up singing on this song. It is perfect for this song. I love the sax playing from Jim Horne. It gives this song a nice change of pace to the rest of the songs on this record. This is a killer chorus. I love the build up to the ending of the song. Once again, another fade out ending.

Thick And Thin

I love the piano playing on this song. This song gives this record a different element. He has some nice lyrics on this song. I have crazy thought he wrote this song for his wife. I love how there is guitar to expand the music from the piano. The drums and bass are a nice support. Man, these are some great lyrics. He put some thought into these words. I love the short guitar solo towards the middle of the song.

Ask Me Yesterday

I love the guitar work at the beginning. This is a thinking man’s song. I love the lyrics. He wrote some nice music for ten years and how time made them really good. I love how the drums and bass are nice support throughout this record. There is some nice music on this song.

Fools Paradise

“Fools Paradise” has a little pick up from the last two songs. There is a programming on this song and you can hear it. Midi Programming is coming from Mitch Goldfarb. Tom is singing is pretty solid with some great lyrics. I love the guitar work and the lays of guitars on this song. There is a nice guitar break towards the middle of the song. Drums and bass playing are spot on but I kind of wish he would do more with the drums and bass on this record. I love the exiting guitar solo to end the song.

The Flower Song

“The Flower Song” is his first single off this record. I love the acoustic guitar at the beginning of the song. I love the touch of the slide guitar playing on this song. There is some nice back up vocals. Tom’s singing is solid and wrote some great lyrics. I love the music because it is almost like a folk song. I love the calm drumming and bass playing on the song. I love the trade-off from the slide guitar and the normal guitar players on a short solo. There is some organ playing deep in the background.

Mood Elevator

I love the music on this song. This song should have been a Cinderella song. Tom’s singing is strong with some great lyrics. The drums and bass playing have pick up. I love the lyrics and the singing from the back up singers. There is some nice guitar work on this song. This song is so much a different pace to the rest of the song. It kind of does not fit on this record, however, there is always songs like that on every record. I still dig this song.

Welcome To My Mind

I love the guitar work at the beginning of the song. There is an awesome main riff. I love the midi programming on this song from Blair Daly. He did a great job. I love the music and lyrics. I almost want to say this should be his second single off this record. Svannah has some solid back up singing on this song. I love the guitar break to a nice low-end guitar solo. There is a nice fast pace on this song. “Welcome To My Mind” makes “Mood Elevator” fit on this record. It is a nice pace for the record now. It makes sense. This is a great song.

You Showed Me

“You Showed Me” brings it back down with some nice piano playing. I love the support from the guitar playing. The drums are perfect with a nice bass line on this song. I love the lyrics. Thank you, Tom for letting the bass player dance up and down that neck. This is a great song. This song needs to be a single off this record. Tom’s singing is off the charts. I love this record so far.

Ain’t That A Bitch

I love the the guitar riff on this song. There is some nice music on this song. Tom has written some nice lyrics with his wife and Conley White. There is a nice pace to this song. The drums and bass playing are pretty solid. There is a nice short guitar solo towards the middle of the song. I love the exiting guitar solo. Nice touch!

The Way Life Goes

The beginning is a little weird and different but comes together. It has a heavy Blues feel to it. I have listen to Blues in my time but not a lot. I know enough to love the music. I love Tom’s singing and he wrote some great lyrics. I love the touch on the back up singers. I love the meaning behind this song. It has a nice theme to it. Nice drumming and bass playing from Ben Strano and Michael Rhodes. Pat Buchanan playing a nice harmonica.

Babylon

Mitch Goldfrab back on Midi Programming. I love the playing from the bass and drums. I love the music and lyrics on this song. This is a perfect song to finish off this great first record from Tom Keifer. I love how this song flows and the pace is perfect. This is a great song.

Line Up For Tom Keifer’s Band

Tom Keifer – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Slide Guitar, and Keyboard
Greg Morrow – Drums, Percussion
Michael Rhodes – Bass Guitar
Tony Harrell – Piano, B3 Organ, Wurlizer, Clvinet

Here is his website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.tomkeifer.com and www.cinderella.net

Twitter: @TomKeiferMusic and @Cinderellanet

In the end, this was pretty impressive solo record. I knew it was in him. Tom Keifer and his wife wrote some great music. I have to say this is a different pace to his music with Cinderella. Most artist release a solo record and they sound like their parent band. I love when artist do something different from their parent band. Geoff Tate from Queensryche did it twice. Don Dokken from Dokken has done it twice. There is other artist like former lead singer from Skid Row. Bach solo music sounds like Skid Row. Rob Halford has done it but still sounds like his Judas Priest. The same can same about Ronnie James Dio and Ozzy. This is no knock on their music. It is still good but I love when an artist goes solo and does something different. This is what music is all about. Their guests were not the mainstream guys like you normally do see on most solo artist records. Pat Buchanan did some great guitar works. He has some great solo music records also. You need to check him out. Back to Tom, I am so glad he is back and fully heathy on the vocal cord side. He sounds great. I have been a fan of Cinderella for a long time. This is a great record and I will be listening to this record non stop. There has been some great new releases in 2013. I have to say this record has to be in my top five of 2013. I highly recommend this record if you are a Cinderella fan or just love some great rock to hard rock with a touch of blues. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! Thanks Tom for some great music over the years. I has been an honor listening to your music. \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

Credit Source: (I pick up the history part from wikipedia.)

New Music Monday Queensryche Frequency Unknown (Tate Version)

In this Music Monday blog, we are going to get into the new release from Queensryche and it is called Frequency Unknown. This release is the Geoff Tate version of the band. Queensryche spite with their lead singer and former band mates are fighting over the name. The other Queensryche will be releasing a new record with their new lead singer. I will have that review here soon.

History

Queensryche was founded in 1982 in Washington. Chris DeGarmo met Mark Wilton to form a band called Joker. Mark Wilton met Scott Rockenfield and Chris met Eddie Jackson. They changed the name to The Mob. Geoff Tate joined but he was not interested in playing metal covers. The band recorded their first EP called Queen Of The Reich. The band discovered there was another band with the same name of The Mob. They rename the band Queensryche from their first EP. The key is they misspelled it. Queensryche was signed EMI Records in 1983. They supported the EP with a tour by opening up for Quiet Riot and Twisted Sister. After the tour, they went into the studio to record The Warning, which is their first studio release, and it was released in 1984. Their second record was called Rage Of Order in 1986. In 1988 Queensryche release their first Concept Record which is known as Operation: Mind Crime. The band toured with Metallica, Guns and Roses, and Def Leppard. After that successful record, the band put out in 1990 their must successful and most selling record known as Empire. Just like Mind Crime, Empire pumped out several hits and the record reached #7 on the United States music charts. The band appeared on MTV Unplugged and released Live record with Operation: Mind Crime. The band took time off but in 1994 they released the follow-up to Empire which is Promise Land. Like most Metal bands, they took a hit when the grunge scene hit the mainstream. The band put out their final record with original lead guitar player Chris DeGarmo. The record was called Hear In The Now Frontier. The record had two hits but record itself did not do good. Chris left the band and it was not made public why he left the band. He is now a full-time pilot. Chris was replaced by Kelly Gray and he produced their next release called Q2K in 1999. Just like Hear In The Now Frontier, the fans did not like the direction of the band. The band was forced to play in clubs and theaters like most of their peers. The band put out their second live record in 2001 and fired Kelly Gary for ongoing problems and personal habits. In 2003, the band enter the studio to worked on Tribe and reports that Chris DeGarmo worked with the band again. He helped co write four songs but he never rejoin or decline that he was part of the band. However Kelly Gary’s replacement was Mark Stone, which work with Tate on his first solo record, Mark Stone finished the record as the second guitar player. The band went on tour with Dream Theater to support in 2003. In 2004, Queensryche got a ton of interested from fans when they announced they are going to do a follow-up to the 1988’s release Operation: Mind Crime. Operation: Mind Crime II was released under new record label Rhino in 2006. The band put a greatest hits called Signs Of The Time with Chris DeGarmo on one new song. In 2007, the band put out a cover record that was called Take Cover. Mark Stone left the band to work on his side project called Speed-X but there was reports that he was fired from the band. Mark was forced to record both the lead and rhythm guitar parts for American Soldier, which was three concept record, that Queensryche put out. It was released in 2009. Dedicated to Chaos was the final record with Geoff Tate and it was released 2011. The band had a meeting without Tate and they decided to outsource their fan club and fire their band manager, who is Tate’s wife. The band hired Todd La Torre as the lead singer. Geoff Tate filed a lawsuit against the band on that he has the rights to the name. The judge ruled that Tate and his former band mates could use the name until the next court date which is in November of 2013. This blog is on the Tate version of the band. He has several artist and former members of the Queensryche band. Let us get into the music.

Track List

Cold

There is some strong action from the drums and an awesome guitar riff. Tate’s singing is really strong. I am not a fan of the lyrics. I can barely hear the vocals in the song. It just seems like the guitar is right by the recording mic the whole time. There is a nice guitar solo towards the end of the song.

Dare

There is some nice guitar work and drum action at the beginning. Tate is more to the front as the guitars seems like they are in the background. I am not a fan of the lyrics. It just seems like these first two songs the lyrics were rushed to get the record out to the public. I am not sure how I feel towards the middle of the song. I love the guitar build up from the break and the ending.

Give It To You

I love the acoustic guitar at the beginning of the song. I really do not like Tate’s singing in this song. Once again, I am not a fan of the lyrics. This song has a good pace to it. There is a nice guitar solo towards the end of the song. There is some great music so far on this record.

Slave

I really love the guitar work at the beginning of the song. The drums and bass are pretty solid too. I love the guitar work when Geoff Tate comes in singing. Once again, I am not fan of the lyrics and singing, however, it is better than the first few songs. I am starting to see an ongoing theme in this record to me. There is some nice drumming towards the end of the song.

In The Hands Of God

I am not sure how I feel about the beginning of the song. The guitar work is a little weird for Queensryche music. I am not a fan of lyrics but his singing is pretty good. I really do not like the back up vocals on this song. The low to high singing is not working for this song. I kind of like the guitar solo. This is a bad song from start to finish.

Running Backwards

I like the guitar work and the drums and bass are pretty strong in this song. Running Backwards has a nice start to the song. I am not a fan once again of the lyrics. It is a little better than the rest of the record. It just seems like they put Tate’s vocals in the background to the rest of the band. There is a nice guitar solo in the back half of the song.

Life Without You

Life Without You has a strong guitar and drumming work. It calms down like old Queensryche. I am not sure on how I feel about the drums and bass during the main riff. I just feel the lyrics were rushed but this is the best set of lyrics on this record. I do like the bass work towards the back half of the song.

Everything

Everything starts out with some nice piano work and almost like drum machine that Linkin Park would use in their music The music seems so far in the background. The guitar and bass are pretty good. Geoff Tate has some good singing but the lyrics I could do without. Tate sounds like he is singing in the metal box. The chorus on this song is really good along with the lyrics. I believe this is one of the better songs on the record. The guitars on this record are too much in the front over the rest of the band.

Fallen

I love the drums and the guitar work at the beginning of the song. I can hear but barely hear the second guitar solo. I do not like the lyrics on this song. The music is pretty solid on Fallen. There is a nice guitar solo towards the back half of the song. Please, do not sing over the guitar solo and it did not fit. There are some songs it fits but not here.

The Weight Of The World

I love the acoustic guitar at the beginning of the song. I can do without the reverb and delay on Tate’s vocals. I kind of do not like his singing and melody. Plus, on top of all this for being the last song the lyrics are pretty bad. This song just seems too slow for everything that is going on in the song. There is a pretty neat guitar solo towards the end of the song.

Re-record Hits

I Don’t Believe In Love

I really love this song and I get why bands re-record their hits. I have to say this a really bad version of this song. The guitar sounds too bright and Tate has too much reverb on his vocals. It just seems so empty. The back up vocals are bad.

Empire

The guitar seems different and drums are too bright. I can barely hear the bass and once again Tate has reverb on his vocals. It is not as bad as I Don’t Believe In Love. The back up vocals are a little better on this song. This is a pretty solid re recording of Queensryche classic song.

Jet City Woman

It is something with the studio where they recorded all these songs. They seems so empty and the guitar solo seems a little different than the original. Tate’s vocals are like the original but there is still too much reverb. Towards the end of the song, it seems like kids are doing the back ground vocals with Tate. This is bad version.

Silent Lucidity

It is something with the studio they are recording in because all these songs seems very empty and has a ton of holes in them. This one seems ok and better than the rest of the songs. Tate just seems like he is singing a little different in this version. It is not good but it is far from the original song. It is just another bad version.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.queensryche.com

Twitter: @queensryche @geofftate

In closing, I am a huge fan of Queensryche and I was sad to hear they broke up. I was excited to see each version come up with music. I have to say this version of Queensryche is NOT Queensryche. Sorry Tate! I love your singing and I will still support you and your former band mates. This record is Tate’s solo record and it is a shame that the Queensryche name is all over this record. This hurts the brand than helps it. I will say this is better than Tate’s first record. His second solo record was better than these two records. I have not heard the other version of Queensryche minus Tate. Who knows that might be bad too. The parts I have heard I am a little excited because the new singer sounds like a younger Tate. Plus, I love the fact they are going back to the earlier records. If this was a Tate solo record, I would have loved it and I still do to some point. I have to block the name out to maybe it will grow to like this record. There are some pretty good songs but there are too many fillers. I believe Tate needs to take a year off from lyric writing and relax. I believe he is over work and burn himself out. Please, let me know what you think of this record. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/