Following our recent Streaming For Vengeance show with the Ron Keel Band, BraveWords spoke with the long-running frontman of his namesake Keel, who kicked off his career with Yngwie Malmsteen on the lone Steeler album. Before Keel released their debut album, Lay Down the Law, in late 1984, the singer had signed a contract with Black Sabbath to take the reigns from Ian Gillan after the classic Born Again album and tour. As Ron Keel explains in this BraveWords feature preview, this isn’t an urban metal myth!

“Well it's true,” he confirms. “It's been 36 years and I realize they never actually called or fired me or anything, but it's just a joke. I was a member of the band, I had a signed contract, I had extensive meetings with Tony (Iommi) and Geezer (Butler), and Don Arden who was their Manager at the time. I was really wrapped up in that world and that experience in March of 1984, and just to be a small, tiny thread in the huge, massive tapestry that is Black Sabbath - the original heavy metal band - it's a huge honour. It gave me the chance to record and release a Sabbath tribute album earlier this year called ‘Emerald Sabbath’ where I was able to do three songs on that record, and cover three different vocalists. I got to do an Ozzy (Osbourne) song, ‘Hole In The Sky’, I got to do an Ian Gillan song ‘Trashed’ from the ‘Born Again’ album, and I got to cover Ronnie James Dio with ‘Die Young’ which was a very successful music video that we released a couple of months back. And Rudy Sarzo did the bass track, Vinnie Appice on drums - I mean Vinnie was THE guy, he was on Mob Rules. To be able to do that session with Vinne Appice and Rudy Sarzo, and my guitar player DC (Dave Cothern) it was a dream come true. It's the closest I'm ever going to get to singing on a Sabbath record but I'll take it and I'm very proud of the results.”

BraveWords: But you were really in the eye of a hurricane. Obviously we're Ozzy fans, and huge Dio fans, but I tell you, ‘Born Again’ is one of my favourite records. I love ‘Seventh Star’ and the demos that Ray Gillan put on there. And you're part of that fantastic mix before they finally got their shit together with Tony Martin, at least for consistent singers. Man, that must make your heart pulse.

Keel: “It's nice to look back on what might have been, but I feel privileged that even my small interaction with Tony and Geezer and the Sabbath camp has made me, by default, an extended member of the family. I'm able to do projects like Emerald Sabbath, include a Black Sabbath song or two and the Ron Keel Band show as well.”

Stay tuned for the entire BraveWords chat soon! 🤘