Tom Keifer – The Way Life Goes

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) What have been the recent projects that you have been working on?

A) We are putting together this Deluxe set for The Way Life Goes and it’s going to be a very cool expanded edition of the original record that will include some pretty interesting components to it.

Q) How did you get the idea for the deluxe edition of The Way Life Goes?

A) The idea for it was inspired by a gift that was given to me by my tour manager. He has an artist named David Calcano, who is pretty well known. He has done some stuff for Rush and Mr. Big and he created Fantoons. The gift was a collage of illustrations that depict members of my touring band that had been with me for a few years. It also had images that kind of depicted lyrics off the record and I remember sitting on the bus and looking at it. I thought, “Life has really expanded since the release of this recording, starting with this amazing band that has come into this and has been such a huge part of building this. They have been so dedicated to this.” I don’t think David meant it to be an album cover, but I thought, “This is what the album should have been to start with.” Also, when I opened that gift sitting next to me was a friend of ours, Tammy Vega. She is a wonderfully talented photographer and videographer that has been out with the band constantly. We’d also been discussing recording this band and then making a documentary with Tammy. Then, David had come into our lives as a result of the release and he’s got this amazing artwork. So, from the band to wanting to record them to now repackaging the whole thing with David to doing a documentary with Tammy – the wheels started turning. I thought, “Why not pull all of these talented people that do all the things we have been talking about doing and do a commemorative deluxe set?” There would be some bonus tracks to it that we’re not releasing yet. They are songs that are inspired and directly came to us as a result of the release of this record. So, it kind of celebrates all of those cool things and a special time we’ve all felt we over the last few years.

Q) Who did you work with to help produce these new tracks?

A) The tracks are produced by Vance Powell. He recorded them a few weeks ago and I swore the first time I recorded with this band we were going to do it right. So, we got this award winning producer to come in and record these tracks. It came out amazing so they will also be included. When the song titles are announced it will make sense as to why they are a part of The Way Life Goes.

Q) What was it like working with him on the album?

A) It was amazing! He’s so musical. I listen to a lot of Top 40. My son loves it. You’ll hear “The Flower Song” on the album. I kind of got hooked on it and my son loves it. I have discovered a lot of artists I never would have found just listening to rock and I love Elle King. Vance mixed that record. I love the sound of that and he also worked with Jack White and Chris Stapleton. We were kind of vetting producers and when his name came up with listened to all the stuff he worked on and he was great. We booked Southern Ground Studios which is Zac Brown’s studio. We hunkered down there for about a week and it was a great experiencing recording the band. Vance was a great producer to work with.

Q) How did you decide what new songs to put on the album? I am sure you had a wide variety to choose from.

A) They were just really obvious to us what they should be. It will make a lot of sense to people who are familiar with the project. When we announce what they are and what they mean to us it will make a lot of sense. It was pretty obvious for us.

Q) How did you select the first single off the album?

A) The first single was “The Flower Song” and it got a little bit of airplay. Sirius was playing it a lot on their Top 40 channel. When we went to rock, the label just felt “Solid Ground” – we all did. It is just a great screaming rock track, simple and in your face. We had a good run with that track so I think it was a good choice.

Q) What kind of fan feedback have you been receiving to the rerelease?

A) A lot of people are really excited about it. There have been a few comments like, “Why not just make a new record?” And that process has started, which starts with the writing. That’s not a process that I rush. So, we’re writing and a full second solo album we hope to get to record and produce next year. This is a package we’re putting together to commemorate this record, touring and the few years we have had together that have felt really special as a band. We’re doing on this something we have talked about and wanted to do. I wanted to record this band and do a documentary with Tammy because she has so much footage. She had hidden cameras and a big part will be an inside look like you are right in there while we are recording tracks. It’s pulling a bunch of ideas that we have talked about doing and put together in one commemorative project. Most people are excited about it and those that are unsure yet, once they see what we are doing they will find a lot of cool features. You have to wait to see it and decide for yourself.

Q) Is there a specific aspect of the deluxe release you are most looking forward to fans seeing?

A) I think the documentary is going to be amazing and the new tracks are amazing. What we have cut for tracks doesn’t make sense to be on the new record. I can’t really say why that is, but again, it will make sense when we say what they are.

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) I’ve been asked this quite a few times and I always think big. My favorite band ever since I was a kid was The Rolling Stones. That would be the ultimate for me.

Q) What can fans do to help promote your music?

A) They do so much already! They come to the shows and they listen to the music and sing the music back to us at the shows. I just feel so blessed for thirty years of their support. They’re amazing!

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your music?

A) A big thank you! I’m really grateful to be able to walk on a stage and share that moment. Touring and playing live is my favorite aspect of the music business. I love being in the studio and creating music, but that is a little bit more of a challenge. Once it is created and you go up to play it live, it is just that moment you are sharing it with the fans and they are giving that energy back. They are singing the songs. And I feel incredibly grateful that thirty years later I can still walk on a stage and look out and see those people still singing the songs back. It still feels like the first time. They make it feel like the first time every time I sing “Shelter Me” or “Nobody’s Fool.” It’s just great.