Interview: Misery Lane (Written)
Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life bring you an interview with blues-tinged heavy metal and hard rock band, Misery Lane!
1. Hello! Thank you for taking the time to chat to us. First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started.
My name is Ken Keller. I’m the founding member of Misery Lane and its vocalist, lead guitarist and main song writer. I started playing back in the early 90s in heavy metal cover bands. From there I branched out to other genres of music and tried to bring all of those experiences and influences to Misery Lane.
2. Someone comes to you and asks you to sum up what kind of music you play – what do you tell them?
When people ask me my style of playing, I say its metal riffs with blues solos. If someone asks me about Misery Lane, I say we are a non-genre specific metal band. We are on the border of where hard rock meets heavy metal. I refuse to write every song in the same format or with the same emotion because each song has its own message and own feelings.
3. What’s currently going on in your camp? New releases? Tours? Etc.
We just released our second album “Red Balloon” in March of this year, and we are doing shows to promote that album. As always, we continue to write and play and are already working on music for the third album that we hope will be ready in March/April of next year.
4. What has been the most positive experience of making music to date for you?
The best thing about making music has been all the other bands I have met and how most, not all, agree that we need to help each other because holding each other back means nobody wins. There is a lot of great undiscovered music out there and I encourage everyone to go to a local show and see a band you have never heard of. At one point your favorite band was a band no one ever heard of.
5. Likewise, what has been some of the more challenging aspects and how have you overcome them?
The most challenging aspect of being a up and coming musician or band is that there are so many startups that won’t be here in a year clouding up the pool of available venues and shows. What I mean is there are a lot of bands that get together for six months, release one song and beg to play shows even if it’s for free for the sake of playing and break up soon after while bands who are more serious have to fight for the same shows because of the limited number of opportunities.
6. How do you handle the modern expectations of being in a band? Always online, having to put out content constantly, your success measured in likes and follows?
To be honest it can be rough. It is a commitment that most bands aren’t willing to make. Most think they make a Facebook page and post some pics and they should be huge. There are so many hidden costs that most don’t consider so they don’t capitalize on it but still get upset when others around them who do use and capitalize on those things gain success. Too often when we apply to a show or festival how many likes, followers and plays are some of the first questions asked. I hate that we are judged like that because if you have enough money, you can buy all the likes, follows, and plays that you want but that still doesn’t make you successful. I would rather have real lower numbers than inflated fake ones.
7. What’s something that really ‘grinds your gears’ about the industry/business these days and what would you propose is done to combat it?
I wish venue owners, labels, etc. would look at the quality of the music being produced when considering bands for a show. Too many venues offer “exposure” instead of money because they know there are so many new bands that just want to play live, they are willing to do it for free and it makes it hard to want to continue to make music. Labels are like we don’t care who you are how much money do you have? The best way to combat it is perseverance. The criteria aren’t changing anytime soon especially with all the social media and streaming so learn how to work that system to your advantage.
8. Speaking directly to listeners – what would you ask they do to help support your music?
I ask that people just go to a show, share pics and videos, download and stream music and pick up some band merch. Most people have their favorite bands they are willing to pay hundreds of dollars to go see when there are some really talented local musicians, wherever you live, that could really use your support for a fraction of the cost.
9. Outside of the music, what’s do you do to relax?
Outside of the band I am a family man. I have a beautiful supportive wife and 7 wonderful kids that I love spending time with. They are my world and music is the icing on that cake. I love to be creative. I love to draw and paint; write poetry and essays and I have a novel that has been published. It’s available on amazon for download. It’s called “Asylum”.
10. Where can people find you?
First and foremost, they can find us on our website at miserylane.com.
Or wherever you stream music.
