TESLA Has No Plans To Retire: 'We're Gonna Keep It Up And Go As Long As We Can'

September 21, 2023

Just days after KIX played its final gig, singer Jeff Keith of fellow veteran rockers TESLA was asked by Dawn Osborne of TotalRock if there are any plans for him and his bandmates to eventually retire. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Hey, as long as my voice is holding up and everybody's doing good, we're gonna keep it up and go as long as we can.

"I was sad to hear about KIX throwing in the towel or whatever you wanna call it, hanging the boots up, but TESLA, we're these boots were made for walking, and that's just what we'll do — rocking. [Laughs] Not walking, rocking."

He added: "You never know how long things are gonna go. We're just having fun making records, writing songs from the heart. And you just don't think about how long is it gonna last. And it's still working. We're still having a blast. And so we're very fortunate for that."

Asked if the songwriting process in TESLA is still the same as it was when the band first started four decades ago, Jeff said: "Yeah, it's still writing songs from the heart. For me, I think about, 'Yeah, make sure — on my vocal range, make sure it's in the right key.' Because back in the day, in the late '80s and stuff, in the early '90s, sometimes I'd get my melody up there, and then next you know, when we play live, I've gotta tune down a little bit. So I try to keep things more in my vocal range but still having fun writing from the heart."

Earlier this month, TESLA released the official music video for its cover of AEROSMITH's "S.O.S. (Too Bad)". The song is a bonus track on TESLA's live album, "Full Throttle Live!", which arrived this past May. The LP includes the band's "Time To Rock!" single, plus other songs, all recorded in August 2022 at Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, South Dakota.

In September 2021, TESLA drummer Troy Luccketta announced that he would "take a little time from the road" to spend with family and friends. He has since been replaced at TESLA's gigs by Steve Brown, the younger brother of former DOKKEN drummer Mick Brown.

Due to overwhelming demand, TESLA recently added five shows to its residency at House Of Blues at Mandalay Bay Resort And Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The new dates will begin on Friday, September 29.

TESLA 2023 is:

Frank Hannon - guitar
Brian Wheat - bass
Jeff Keith - lead vocals
Dave Rude - guitar
Steve Brown - drums

Press photo courtesy of Jeff Klein / Atomic City PR

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