Ron Keel Forums

RK-steeler lp question

BadSeed - 5-23-2005 at 06:35 PM

I love the steeler lp, wore out the vinyl twice in fact. When i listen to it now, it sounds to me like it isnt Yngwie playing the rhythm guitar parts. I was wondering if thats true? It sounds like strat with humbuckers, not singles that yngwie always used. Plus, the tone is alot like " lay down the law"

I remember being 14 and hanging out with my friend learning "cold day in hell" and trying to cop the solo's, which probably sounded like a drunk C.C. Deville playing upside down,lol. Verry cool memories though. Always thought your songwritting was above what was popular. Good mix of metal and pop and as a teenager, i lived vicariously through the lyrics like backseat driver, ect....

Dave

RK - 5-27-2005 at 02:39 AM

Quite Right, BadSeed...as I recall, I played many of the rhythm guitar tracks on the Steeler album. There was a hangup getting Yngwie's green card, so that he could legally work (and record) in the US, so we did as much as we could without him while waiting to slice through the red tape. I had written those songs, and played them extensively on stage and on previous demo sessions, plus I have always prided myself on being a solid rhythm guitar player. You can tell he's playing on "No Way Out", which is the only song on the album that he wrote the music for....and there are a few other spots where you can spot his distinct vibrato-type rhythms.


As for the similarity of the rhythm guitar tones to those on "Lay Down The Law", it was the same guitar - my Charvel black & white flying V.

I also have the distinction of splitting the "Cold Day In Hell" solo with Yngwie. Bet you can guess which half I played!

BadSeed - 5-27-2005 at 02:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by RK
Quite Right, BadSeed...as I recall, I played many of the rhythm guitar tracks on the Steeler album. There was a hangup getting Yngwie's green card, so that he could legally work (and record) in the US, so we did as much as we could without him while waiting to slice through the red tape. I had written those songs, and played them extensively on stage and on previous demo sessions, plus I have always prided myself on being a solid rhythm guitar player. You can tell he's playing on "No Way Out", which is the only song on the album that he wrote the music for....and there are a few other spots where you can spot his distinct vibrato-type rhythms.


As for the similarity of the rhythm guitar tones to those on "Lay Down The Law", it was the same guitar - my Charvel black & white flying V.

I also have the distinction of splitting the "Cold Day In Hell" solo with Yngwie. Bet you can guess which half I played!


I knew it! I tell ya, that lp was a huge influence in my early years of playing guitar. Me and my freind Bret would sit around for hours trying to learn those songs. When the self titled KEEL lp came out, we did the same. Kudos to your song writing. You got skills bro,lol. Good job on the solo on cold day in hell, brings me back to 1984 just thinking about it.way cool.Thanks for answering my questions.Thats tyhe one thing i can say about the KEEL gang(you, marc and bryan) YOu still treat your fans with repect and take the time to talk to them.It makes a difference i can honestly say.

AceZappa - 5-27-2005 at 09:09 PM

Quote:
Thats tyhe one thing i can say about the KEEL gang(you, marc and bryan) YOu still treat your fans with repect and take the time to talk to them.It makes a difference i can honestly say.


I can't speak for the other guys, but Ron is certainly a class act.

RikFox - 6-3-2005 at 06:34 PM

Ron/ and Dave,
And, if you don't mind my 2 cents in there, I always liked Ron's rhythym-guitar playing. Remined me a bit of what I saw, many years back, when I was one of the small group of people, privy to watching KISS form before ACE Frehley was in the band. That solid rhythym-guitar reminded me of Paul Stanley's 'kick-you-in-the-balls' rhythem playing. There was no mistaking it.
As for Ron's solo in 'Cold Day in Hell', personally, IMHO, I like that part better. It *still* raises the hairs on my arms, and gives me goose-bumps, to this day. In the military: 'I crap you negative'. (I sh*t you not)!

I was also very partial to the two, unreleased cuts, 'Victim of the City'and 'Excited'. IIRC, those two songs represented some of our first writing together as a band beyond the original songs Ron wrote before I joined the band.
I remember us in the old STEELER rehersal room in South Central L.A., working out those songs, and feeling really good about contributing to them. They were real ass-kickers too, especially live.
I've been listening to the STEELER material again recently, and it 'still' holds up strongly.
My 2 cents...
Cheers,
Rik

mr.troy - 6-5-2005 at 01:32 AM

Hey Rik,
How's things goin'?
Peace,
Troy

RikFox - 6-6-2005 at 05:55 PM

Hi Troy!
Things aren't too bad. Thanks for asking ;-)
Pretty much just doing the "Living History" thing.
Sort of like re-enacting a piece of History for educational purposes as well as others. In our case, portraying the best, most famous cavalry out of central Europe in the 17th Century. Polish winged hussars. Pretty much an unstoppable shock force at the time. Some examples can be seen here:http://www.geocities.com/rik_fox/husaria & http://photos.yahoo.com/wngdhussr (I'm the guy in the winged armor).
This is a real part of my Heritage, and I come from an old and distinguished noble bloodline from Poland. Our family ancestors fought at many famous battles such as the Battle of Vienna in 1683, where the Polish King, Jan III Sobieski saved Christendom from the ravages of the attacking Ottoman Turks, and routed them off the field.

That's pretty much what I've been up to these last several years...Still performing, but, on a 'different' kind of 'stage'.
Really into soundtracks these days too..
Hey, Take care!
Cheers,
Rik

mr.troy - 6-19-2005 at 07:03 PM

Hey Rik,
Sounds cool!
What type of soundtracks have you done/are doing?
Peace,
Troy

RikFox - 10-26-2005 at 06:22 PM

Hi Troy, Sorry for the long delay in reply...
I'm not making any soundtracks, Just collecting them.
Most Classic Action/Adventure films, Space stuff, Sci-Fi stuff, Some of that spacey new-age stuff, and Classical music, used in films, mostly. The latest for years I love listening to, is Richie Blackmore's 'Blackmore's Night" CD's collection. I have all of them!
I like some Celtic music as well, too. Stuff I can relax to when I'm working on projects here at home...Then again, I recently got a opy of the latest Judas Priest album and it's pretty good.
I do like Rammstein also...
That's it for now...
Cheers Troy!
Rik