ron ive been listening to your old stuff (keel).
man your saying you learnt to sing lately
shit ron your lacking the voice you used to have
you still have a wonderfull voice but ron wheres the old skool keel voice
no disrepect!
can you still get the notes up
or are you singing an octave down
[Edited on 6-3-2005 by depp]
[Edited on 6-3-2005 by depp]
[Edited on 6-9-2005 by depp]
Ronnie's Voice
Pinktiger27 - 6-2-2005 at 02:40 AM
Man I think that Ronnie has an awesome voice and think that he has kicking sound .I my be to predjudice but I sure think that Iron Horse is going to
go far . Ronnie you can sing for me any time xxoo TraceySexyLeo75 - 6-2-2005 at 03:28 AM
I so have to agree with what you have said Pinktiger27. Ronnie has an even better voice now then he ever has had in his career. Yes, Ronnie you
definitely can sing for me anytime u want (LOL!!)
Sheldon - 6-2-2005 at 04:34 AM
Depp take a deeper listen to "Three Sheets to the Wind" and "American Thunder" Ron still has it, He's just saving it up for the KEEL reunion
tourAceZappa - 6-2-2005 at 09:55 PM
Been listening to some Keel lately myself, and I think the thing is, they're two different bands that require two different singing styles. Only Ron
can say if he can still hit those high notes or not, but he's got a maturity to his voice that he didn't have back then. It's literally like night and
day, IMO. I love both bands though. He's still the damn man!
[Edited on 6-2-2005 by AceZappa]SexyLeo75 - 6-2-2005 at 09:57 PM
Yes I definitely have to agree with you Ace!!!AceZappa - 6-2-2005 at 10:01 PM
What's weird is, it's bee na gradual progression to the voice of today. Maybe it is age, who knows, but going from Steeler to Keel to Fair Game/Saber
Tiger to Ironhorse you definitely hear a growth going on. I purposely left out any mention of the country period mostly because it's pretty obvious
the voice is different there, lol.Katie - 6-3-2005 at 01:03 AM
Anyone who really knows anything about music knows that voices change... not just that, they mature. I feel sorry for you that you haven't had the
pleasure of hearing Ron today and the GREAT band that he makes music with... you are really missing out on an AWESOME talent!!!!!!
RON VOICE IS STONGER AND BETTER THEN EVER
charliewayneM - 6-3-2005 at 03:28 PM
YES IT WAS COOL TO HEAR ALL THE METAL STUFF .. BUT HAVE YOU LISTIONED TO HIM FOR REAL AS OF LATELY ?
HIS VOICE IS STRONG AND FAT AND THE BEST YET RON KEEL KICKS ASS ALL THE TIME AND I KNOW .. HE SINGS HIS BUT OFF NIGHT AFTER NIGHT WITH OUT GIVING OUT
AT ALL !
TAKE A GOOD LISTION AND YOU WILL SEE TOO !depp - 6-3-2005 at 05:35 PM
i know and understand all what you guys have said and i fully agree with you all
rons voice now and before is amazing, personally id say he has the best voice in the world .
he is my favorite singer with the best voice in the world, keel were my favorite band now ironhorse are i was just getting into rons screaming from
his keel albums the other night and thought hmmmm he dosent do that anymore the way he used to do that and mix it with guitar is wicked!!!
eg. raised on rock......
HIS PIPES ARE BETTER THAN EVER!!
BIG_GEORGE - 6-3-2005 at 06:17 PM
"RK IS THE MAN"....<<PERIOD
HEY GEORGE ...
charliewayneM - 6-3-2005 at 10:17 PM
HEY MY BROTHER I MISS YOU !!
HELL YEA RONNIE'S THE MAN.....
HEY CHARLIE
BIG_GEORGE - 6-3-2005 at 10:50 PM
HOW YOU DOING BRO?
VISIT US SOON!mr.troy - 6-4-2005 at 02:42 AM
Ronnies' voice changes with each era of his life. Anybody that was at the PromoWest show in Columbus, Ohio knows that Ron CAN stil hit 'em HIGH, LOUD
and STRONG! I can't remember which song it was but, he was singing a note and it was like he turned it up a couple of notches on the very same note.
The crowd went nuts. NUFF SAID!!!!
Peace,
TroySexyLeo75 - 6-4-2005 at 01:32 PM
Yes I so agree with you Troy!!! Ronnie's voice is awesome and there is no doubt about it!!mr.troy - 6-4-2005 at 03:08 PM
Thanx, Kathy
What ya been up too?depp - 6-4-2005 at 10:00 PM
im surre ronnies producer tells him what to sing and (how to sing)
im just pointing out the obvious if you lot dont agree [Censored] you ronnie is still the best singer n my world
my world is coming to see ya.......mr.troy - 6-5-2005 at 01:15 AM
I don't know if he's THE BEST singer...Justin Timberlake rocks!depp - 6-5-2005 at 11:33 AM
lmfaocharliewayneM - 6-5-2005 at 02:11 PM
we do what we can to sing the best we can...and rons voice as well as mine comes from the soul and when you hear ron keel you can hear that thats the
truth ! hey depp hows the uk these daysdepp - 6-5-2005 at 02:50 PM
hey charlie hows it going
the uk is raining and depressing for a changeSexyLeo75 - 6-5-2005 at 11:36 PM
Hey Mr Troy what's been going on?? Nothing much here lately. I've just been very busy with work and school. Just waiting for the guys to come back
to town (hopefully it will be real soon) LOL Oh by the way, how is the wife doing??
By the way, it seems that Ronnie is finally back and ready to rock and roll with his buddies!!!!!! Talk to ya soon!!!
[Edited on 6-7-2005 by Kathy291975]JR - 6-8-2005 at 02:15 AM
A man's voice is a very interesting thing. Depp, you're not wrong--the voice you hear coming out of Ron Keel today is not the voice you heard twenty
years ago. The question you have to ask yourself is--is the voice I hear now the voice I'd prefer to hear over what I heard in 1985?, and I think the
answer to that is most clearly a resounding "YES". Like Charlie said, Ron's voice NOW is fat, full of tone, and most importantly, never misses. He's
like Thor in concert. Unstoppable.
The bottom line is that a male voice is just not physically built to continually absorb the stress that that kind of screaming and all-out belting
puts on the vocal chords--especially when it was done night after night back before the days of in-ear monitors. Look at any of the main
men--****inson, Tate, Dio, even Halford--they've all still got great pipes (to varying degrees), but even they themselves will readily admit
that they don't have the same voice they had twenty years ago. It's just physically impossible. Halford is a true freak of nature to even be able to
come close. There's no way to reverse the clock when it comes to wear and tear on the vocal chords. Ron's heard me belt like he did back in the day
plenty of times---for about two minutes. Then the gas tank goes empty. It's hard work. Few can do it for long. Try it sometime. And I don't mean homo
falsetto like that guy in The Darkness--I mean really pushing air to get the note.
Meanwhile, there are three things a singer needs to excel: Pitch, Timing, and Tone. Some great singers have gotten by on Tone alone (Bon Scott), but
they are rare. Ron has all three in spades. I'm sure even he would admit that there's two or three times a night that he wouldn't mind having access
to a couple of the insane highs he made his bones with but whatever he may have lost most people never had to begin with. Back in the Keel days, he
was a powerful metal vocalist. Now, he a great SINGER. Big difference.
Also, as time goes by I think what is important to us musically changes and as a result so does the kind of music we produce. I'm not the same player
I was when I was younger for a variety of reasons but the main one is desire--my priorities lay in different areas than they once did so I concentrate
less on some areas (how fast my fingers move) and more on others (intensity and sounding good). I'm sure the changes in Ron's approach to what he's
trying to accomplish vocally and musically have plenty to do with this.
I think that this (among other reasons) is why the Saber Tiger album is my favorite of Ron's work: You can hear him trying to come to grips with the
evolution of his voice in a brutally uncompromising setting, and in true willful Ron Keel fashion, he comes thru with flying colors. He no longer had
his old tricks or flash to hide behind--he had to attack the notes and really sing every one in full voice, with great tone and attitude. As far as
I'm concerned, it was his finest hour.
[Edited on 6-8-2005 by JR]SexyLeo75 - 6-8-2005 at 12:04 PM
Now that is what I am talking about JR. Everything you have just said about Ron's voice is ever so true!!skynyrdmh - 6-8-2005 at 04:22 PM
Right on Jay!! with 1 exception..... ST may be Ronnies finest hour to date......I think we are all still in for a big surprise when everything cames
together and Ronnie belts it out like never before and IH knocks the music industry on its ass!! THAT will be the finest hour RK - 6-9-2005 at 04:59 PM
Interesting discussion. In a way, I'm glad I was out of the loop for over a week to let this thread develop on its own, without me putting my 2 cents
worth in earlier.
First of all, thanks for all the kind words and compliments. My voice is my primary musical weapon, and is truly an extension of my heart and soul. It
is the result of one thing: an intense desire to sing, from the time I was very young. I just wanted it so bad... hard work, determination, a lot of
practice, training, and the love of music that drives me are the things that make my voice what it is.
I certainly couldn't have said it better than my brother JR. I agree with him on damn near everything.
About the insane high screaming voice that I developed in my early years, with Steeler & KEEL: I remember the first time I hit those notes. It was
in 1980, and I was in a local Nashville metal band called Lust. This was my first metal band, and I was devouring the early Judas Priest albums like
"Sad Wings Of Destiny" and "Stained Class". Well, the guys in the band all had Marshall Stacks and Ampeg SVT bass amps, and they were loud as hell -
I, on the other hand, had a couple of little Peavey PA speakers with 1 12" speaker and a horn. I was singing as hard as I could in reharsal one day,
and still couldn't be heard...until I just impulsively went up a couple of octaves and launched into a Halford-esque high note which I hit and held as
long as I could.
Well, everybody heard THAT. I had no idea where it came from - I just knew it was cool, the guys in the band dug it, the chicks dug it, and it became
my trademark - and somewhat of a crutch, to hide the fact that I really didn't know what the hell I was doing - I had no real vocal tone, I had
horrendous pitch problems, you couldn't understand half of the lyrics I was singing. I continued trying to develop my voice in that range, sometimes
singing whole songs up in the stratosphere like that. When Steeler made the move to LA in 1981, I was really the only guy doing those kind of high
notes and it was a huge help in gaining popularity on the LA Metal scene in those days.
I studied with an amazing teacher during this time, Elizabeth Sabine, who had a brilliant method and taught me so many valuable lessons - I learned
about the physical aspects of the vocal mechanism and how it works (most people have no idea), and I learned about harnessing your inner power and
channeling it into your voice. At the time (this was before the recording of the Steeler album), I had a very difficult time adapting her training to
my 'style' - it really took a couple of years for it all to sink in and for me to be able to integrate into my work in the studio and on stage, but
now this method has become second nature, and probably the major reason that I can sing long, hard, and often and still maintain the level of quality
I demand from myself.
I did not really get a grip on that style of singing until KEEL's third album, "The Final Frontier". I know a lot of people like the Steeler album,
but I personally cannot listen to it. I have similar issues with "The Right To Rock" - many of the takes on that album were 'scratch vocals' -
basically reference takes that are used so that the musicians can know where they are in the song - that Gene [Simmons] kept because he liked their
power and attitude (I would have preferred them to be in key!). But on "The Final Frontier" I had a lot more control in the production, we had the
time, the budget, I had a lot of experience to draw upon, I had confidence, I had an excellent batch of songs, and the result was one of the signature
albums of my career. The subsequent album, the KEEL self-titled effort, is even better vocally in my opinion.
There are portions of these albums where during the bridge of the song, I wouldn't even write any lyrics - I would just perform amazing vocal
pyrotechnics, layered with multiple harmonies. "No Pain No Gain" (right before the guitar solos) and "It's A Jungle Out There" (also right before the
solo) are prime examples of this. During this time, I was adding more and more 'grit' to my tone, like Brian Johnson from AC/DC (one of my all-time
favorites) - blending this grit to the high screams sounded great but sure put the HURT on those two little folds of skin in my throat we call 'vocal
chords'.
My attitude was always "Live for today - tomorrow may never come." I sang every song, every verse, every line, every word, as if it were the last I'd
ever sing. I didn't hold back, I didn't save anything. After all the abuse I've put my throat through, it's amazing I can still even talk at all.
That style of singing is extremely damaging to the vocal chords; people harrass me for smoking cigarettes, claiming that they will damage my pipes - I
just tell 'em YOU sing "Raised On Rock" twice a day for two years straight and talk to me about damaging your pipes.
The 'Fair Game' period was another critical stage in my development - I was no longer leaning on the high screams as a crutch, but concentrating on
singing with conviction, with a strong tough tone, and pulling out the high screams for effect when I really needed them. As I've said before, this is
some of the best vocal work of my career.
During 'The Country Years', I sang more than I ever had - often five shows a night, five nights a week or more, year-round, in addition to songwriting
sessions, recordings, and rehearsals. This music, while it did not have the high screams, was perhaps even more demanding of the voice - singing big
thick tones, pushing a lot of air through the vocal chords, and using a lot of heart and soul to provide the conviction neccessary to make those songs
come to life. That's one thing JR left out in his commentary: to his 3 'keys', Pitch, Timing, and Tone, I would like to add a very important fourth
factor: CONVICTION. A singer's true job is to translate the emotion of the song into notes and words, to make the listener BELIEVE you mean what
you're singing about. I don't care how good you may sing, if you ain't selling the song, I ain't buying it.
Right in the middle of 'The Country Years' - I'd been singing Country music non-stop for 5 years - I got the call to go to Japan and record the Saber
Tiger project. I agree with Jay on this one, also - definitely my finest hour as far as singing Metal is concerned. I spent a couple of months
training my voice, writing the lyrics, doing demos in my home studio, preparing for these sessions, and during this process regained the ability to
hit those high screams from my earlier days. But the record was so heavy & aggressive, the growling powertone dominated those songs - to sing an
album like this, definitely my heaviest recordings of all time, right smack dab in the middle of my 'Country Years', was an accomplishment that I will
always be proud of.
With IronHorse, I was able to combine all of these elements at last - I love being able to sing the IronHorse material, the KEEL material, Saber
Tiger, and everything else during the course of an IH gig.
I am personally happy with, satisfied with, and proud of my voice - something I never felt in my younger days. People often ask me if I can still hit
those high notes and sing like I did with KEEL - and the truth is, no. I can still belt out "The Right To Rock" faithfully, but the "No Pain No
Gain"/"Speed Demon" etc high notes are no longer in my vocabulary. Like Jay said, what I've lost, most guys never had to begin with. But I enjoy
listening to my recent recordings, and I really like what I'm doing now - the "BRING IT ON" sessions are absolutely some of my favorite RK vocals of
all time. I hope that people will continue to enjoy hearing me sing for a long time to come, but first and foremost I sing for myself, for a deep love
of what I do, and if I ever reach the point where I'm not proud of how I sound, I'll walk away.mr.troy - 6-9-2005 at 05:13 PM
Hey Ron,
Thanx for takin time and tellin us in your own words, the way you feel your voice has evolved and refined to your present day sound and that you
sing because of your passion for the music not just to make records!
Get a hold of me!
Peace,
Troydepp - 6-9-2005 at 05:26 PM
yeah thanx ronnie i think youv'e answered my questions , buy the way your still the best by far!!! SexyLeo75 - 6-10-2005 at 02:07 PM
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about how your voice has evolved over the years. You trully have a gift and a very powerful voice that I enjoy
listening to over and over again!! Take care!! XOXOXO AceZappa - 6-10-2005 at 08:54 PM
That was a fantastic explanation of the evolution of Ron Keel. Very interesting stuff. I've always thought you were one of the most unique singers
ever. There's a tonal quality to your voice that sets you apart from all others. Vocally, I rank you right up there with the likes of Jeff Scott Soto,
Tony Harnell, and Danny Vaughn, for sure (the best singers of the metal/rock genre ever that get so overlooked, IMO.) I can't think of any other
singer that has ever come close to copying that vocal ability you have. You da man! depp - 6-10-2005 at 10:36 PM
who the hell are they?
i always ask the best questions to get you guys in the moodSinnr2 - 6-13-2005 at 02:45 PM
Jay, I think you defined it exactly. And as the ol' cheesy line will be placed here...sorry for the pun Ron..but a voice is like a bottle of wine it
gets better with time.
Much love to all the Rockers on this board.
I'll see some of you in PA at the Hard Rock Cafe to hear those pipes once more. AceZappa - 6-13-2005 at 09:06 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by depp
who the hell are they?
i always ask the best questions to get you guys in the mood
Do you seriously not know who those guys are? If you're serious here's the break down, lol:
Jeff Scott Soto= Yngwie Malmsteen, Talisman, Takara, Axel Rudi Pell, Humanimal, and a couple of other bands as well as solo stuff
Tony Harnell= TNT, Westworld, Starbreaker, and Morning Wood
Danny Vaughn= Waysted, Tyketto, Vaughn, and solo
Hope that helps. If you were joking, then oh well, maybe someone else didn't
know, hehe. depp - 6-13-2005 at 10:44 PM
cheers i know yngwie but for the rest ive honestly never heard of themRK - 6-14-2005 at 12:46 AM
Soto & Harnell are two of the finest - Jeff and I go way back, and used to sing together at gigs in LA all the time. Danny Vaughn is severely
underrated and overlooked - I highly recommend Tyketto's "Don't Come Easy" & "From The Inside" by Vaughn. I think they may be available on one or
both of Danny's web sites http://www.tyketto.com and http://www.vaughn.de. I'm surprised you aren't familiar with him Andrew, he has toured extensively in England/the UK as a solo acoustic artist and
his bands Waysted & Tyketto have toured over there with the likes of Iron Maiden & Marillion.RK - 6-14-2005 at 12:49 AM
By the way, I'm not sure if the Hard Rock Cafe show in Pittsburgh is going to happen - there is a conflict with Kip's schedule, but we still may do
the date without him. I hope to announce the confirmed Acoustic Outlaws tour schedule for July & August on Wednesday.mr.troy - 6-14-2005 at 12:56 AM
Hey Bra,
I'm putting my 2 cents in for a couple of Ohio dates for the K&W & Kip Winger tour. See what ya can do for us up here.
Peace,
TroyRK - 6-14-2005 at 02:47 AM
Where did you guys even HEAR about the show in Pittsburgh?SexyLeo75 - 6-14-2005 at 03:00 AM
Ronnie, I found it on the website www.infinityartists.com and I just checked out the tour dates for the Acoustic Outlaws. If that date is not set in stone yet, then I apologize.
Take care of yourself!!!
[Edited on 6-14-2005 by Kathy291975]
[Edited on 6-14-2005 by Kathy291975]
[Edited on 6-14-2005 by Kathy291975]Sinnr2 - 6-14-2005 at 06:20 AM
Yes, Ronnie the link was on a email I got from the mailing list. I had been keeping a eye out on some show dates that I could attend. Thats when the
PA show came up. However if it isn't set in stone yet I do apologize. Please let me know when it is confirmed ...to happen or not to happen.
Take care.RK - 6-14-2005 at 02:49 PM
You guys don't have to apologize, it ain't YOUR fault! I have started another thread, entitled 'Accurate Information', to speak to you about the
'premature announcements' regarding the upcoming summer tour dates. But on a quick note, the Hard Rock Cafe in Pittsburgh was a Keel/Wayne/Winger
date, and there is a conflict with Kip's schedule, so I am under the impression that gig is not going to happen.depp - 6-14-2005 at 03:45 PM
thanks for the info ron ill look em up
have you tryed clicking on the vaughn link (ichten sneill)Sinnr2 - 6-14-2005 at 04:54 PM
Thanks Ronnie for the info...I appreciate that.AceZappa - 6-14-2005 at 11:01 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by depp
cheers i know yngwie but for the rest ive honestly never heard of them
You should check them out. Good stuff, for sure.SexyLeo75 - 6-15-2005 at 01:00 AM
Yes thank you Ronnie for all of the correct information. I do appreciate it.JR - 6-15-2005 at 03:54 AM
I didn't leave out Conviction intentionally.....when I listed my three keys I was merely speaking of traits that lie in the physical realm. Any
guitarist worth his salt also has to play with conviction or else he might as well be playing the kazoo.
Also, anyone who digs this kind of music needs to check out Jeff Scott Soto's new band SOUL CIRKUS with Neal Schon and Tony Harnell's new project
STARBREAKER. Both albums are major ass kickers and serve notice that the kind of music we all love is alive and well.
Also, if I'm not mistaken, the name of the Tyketto album was "PRETTY Don't Come Easy".
[Edited on 6-15-2005 by JR]depp - 6-15-2005 at 06:13 PM
cheers ace & jr ill check em outAceZappa - 6-18-2005 at 12:40 AM
Quote:
Also, anyone who digs this kind of music needs to check out Jeff Scott Soto's new band SOUL CIRKUS with Neal Schon and Tony Harnell's new project
STARBREAKER. Both albums are major ass kickers and serve notice that the kind of music we all love is alive and well.
You are so correct on this. Both albums have spent a great deal of time in my player!!depp - 6-18-2005 at 07:06 PM
IVE LISTENED TO TYKETTO THERE PRETTY GOOD CHEERS GUYS
