I still remember some great details from the first Steeler show my friends and I saw with the third lineup at the County Club in Reseda, California. The curtains were down and we waited in anticipation to see this heavy metal band we had read so much about in BAM magazine. The intro music was "Abduction", and when the curtains lifted, there was fog from dry ice all over the stage, as the band played the opening riff to "On the Rox". Our position was directly in front of Rik Fox playing his blue Aria bass. Destroyer from Warlord was standing next to us, and I remember my friends and I "oohing and aaahing" or a real LA musician in the crowd with us. Destroyer wore an "W" earring in the Warlord logo style, which we all thouht was cool. We thought if Destroyer was here to see Steeler, too, Steeler definitely had to be a stud heavy metal band.

A big, red curtain sporting the classic Steeler logo was behind Mark Edwards, and I remember wishing how I could meet Ron Keel and ask him for that curtain to sport on my bedroom wall at home.

I remember RK taking the stage with all his energy and singing the opening verse to On The Rox. He looked so metal with his leather, studs, and long hair as he came out of the fog. He later retrieved his black/white charvel flying v to play the opening riff to Cold Day in Hell, and then the opening solo. I remember him bringing out his Ovation acoustic roundback to play the song Serenade. Ron's voice was so powerful, he definitely had the best voice of all the up and coming LA bands. The show was so awesome, my friends and I talked about it for a long time on our return trip to San Diego.

I remember seeing the fourth and final lineup and remember them opening up with Tonite Your Mine. The thunder of the song's opening drums was so cool to hear, and the pace of the song really set the tone for the evening. I met Bobby Marks at the San Diego show Steeler did and SDSU. I met him before the show began, and I swear it was like meeting a big time celebrity. Steeler was THE BAND for me.

I saw Ron Keel one time attending a Krokus, Blackfoot, Twister Sister show at the Palladium in LA. He was in the balcony and was coming down from the balcony to use the restroom. My friends and I saw him and oohed and aahed to see him. We wanted to talk to him, but were too nervous to approach him.

My friends and I had a garage band at the time, and after we recorded Metal Generation and Last Chance to Rock from KLOS Local Music Show, we spent time learning them and playing them together. It was fun playing songs that only we knew who the artist was, as opposed to playing a popular cover song. I remember trying to learn Serenade, and would try to focus on how Ron played it so i could copy it.

Ron, again, thank you for all these Steeler memories. I will always play your Steeler music on my Ipod during my morning jogs and in my car. Your music rocks!!