Remastered Keel albums ‘The Final Frontier’ and ‘Keel’ via Rock Candy Records now available

Remastered Keel albums ‘The Final Frontier’ and ‘Keel’ via Rock Candy Records now available

Great news for Keel fans as the long out of print records The Final Frontier (1986) and Keel (1987) are finally available in remastered format via Rock Candy Records. Although the CDs are not apparently yet available via Rock Candy Records, they can be purchased via Ron Keel‘s website for $20.00 US each or as part of a $30.00 US bundle if you have a membership via patron.com/RonKeel.

Ron Keel‘s website indicates for the album Keel:

“Fully remastered audio – 16 page color booklet with 4000-word essay/backstory and rare photos. Originally released in 1987 and produced by Michael Wagener, available now for the first time in 30 years. Specify your preference at checkout: (1) signed by Ron Keel, (2) unsigned in shrink wrap with sticker, or (3) in shrink wrap w/ signature on the sticker.”

And for the album The Final Frontier:

“Fully remastered audio – 16-page color booklet with 4000-word essay/backstory and rare photos. Originally released in 1986 and produced by Gene Simmons, available now for the first time in 30 years. Specify your preference at checkout: (1) signed by Ron Keel, (2) unsigned in shrink wrap with sticker, or (3) in shrink wrap w/ signature on the sticker.”

Wikipedia states the following in part about Keel‘s ’80s era (with slight edits):

“Keel was formed by former Steeler vocalist Ron Keel. The original members were Ron Keel on vocals, former Icon / Schoolboys member David Michael Phillips on guitar, Marc Ferrari on lead & rhythm guitars, Bobby Marks on drums and Kenny Chaisson on bass guitar. Within months, Phillips left to join King Kobra and was replaced by ex-Sexist guitarist Bryan Jay. This was the line-up for their 1984 debut album Lay Down The Law. After the album’s release, Marks left and was replaced by Steven Riley, who subsequently left early in the recording of the band’s second album to join W.A.S.P., and was in turn replaced by Dwain Miller, forming a line-up which would remain stable for almost four years. Their debut album caught the eye of KISS‘ Gene Simmons, resulting in his production of their second album, The Right To Rock, released on March 26, 1985. Their next and also Simmons-produced third album The Final Frontier was released on April 30, 1986. It included the single “Because the Night”, a song that was co-written by Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen and had been a hit for Smith in 1978.

In 1986, Keel won the Best Band of the Year award in the 2nd annual Metal Edge magazine reader’s poll, beating such noted bands as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.

In 1987, the song “Rock & Roll Outlaw” (a cover from the 1978 self titled debut of Australian hard rock band Rose Tattoo) appeared on the soundtrack of the movie Dudes. Their fourth album, Keel, was released on June 21, 1987, recorded with producer Michael Wagener. An unreleased track from the album, Ferrari‘s “Proud To Be Loud”, would eventually wind up on Pantera‘s Power Metal album, which Ferrari produced early in 1988.

Ferrari and Jay both left in 1988, after touring in support of the Keel album. They were replaced by keyboardist Scott Warren, later in Dio, and Baton Rouge guitarist Tony Palmucci.

Their fifth album, Larger Than Live, was released in 1989 with six new studio recordings, including a cover of the 1980 Humble Pie song “Fool for a Pretty Face”. Also on the album were six live tracks recorded in March 1989. Following the shooting of the music video for the song “Dreams Are Not Enough” on that same year, Ron Keel announced the disbandment of Keel.”

Keel‘s “Because The Night” video (from The Final Frontier album):

Because The Night (KEEL 1986)

First single from “The Final Frontier”