The Keepers - ROCK & ROLL FROM THE LAGAN DELTA
The band first got together in Belfast around March 2000. Brothers Hugh (vocals, rhythm) & Norm (drums) had previously played in a mod rock band called the Cinnamon Firm which had recently broke up after several line up changes. The Firm were a popular live act in Ireland and had enjoyed a few local tv appearances and attracted interest from a couple of major record labels. At the same time Norm was also playing drums for a loud dirty garage rock & roll band called Thee Dreggs. Thee Dreggs vocalist & rhythm guitarist had recently left the band to set up home in Belgium . The members of the Cinnamon Firm and Thee Dreggs had been friends for years so it seemed like a natural solution to invite Hugh to get together with remaining Dreggs - Bobby (lead guitar), Will (Bass, Vocals) & Norm to form a new band. The merger brought Hugh's mod songwriting sensibilities together with raw rootsy garage band ethics. The new band was called THE KEEPERS. They managed to retain the essence and power of their old bands but with an added dynamic that gives them their own distinct brand of Belfast beat.
it wasn't long before they had written a handful of songs. They recorded the tracks straight away while they were still fresh and vibrant to their ears, a philosophy they have continued through all their recordings. On May 24th of that year, the band played their first gig to a great response in front of 200 people at Belfast 's Limelight club and have since been playing regularly around Northern Ireland and other places such as England , Rep of Ireland, Isle of Man , Holland , Belgium & Germany .
Their sound is ingrained with elements of garage rock, R&B, mod and punk but refuses to be pigeon-holed into any of these genres. The music is like a hit from an injected drug - instant, colourful, direct, loud, highly addictive rock 'n' roll that will mainline straight to your soul. Sick & tired of an endless slew of pop and shoe-gazing indie bands the Keepers are hitting back with raw ballsy rockin' tunes, Big ol' hairy monkey balls baby! But this is not protest music. These boys don't waste time protesting, this is DIRECT ACTION!
The Keepers' set is comprised mostly of well-crafted original material with a helping of cool covers of some of their favourite songs. Their hair-raising live reputation helped them land a weekly residency and their own club night (Balloon Farm) in Belfast 's Duke of York bar, a savvy mixture of live rock 'n' roll and hip vinyl sounds which they ran for several months.
Their first single - 'Stop Pretending' was released in early 2001 and is available on seven inch vinyl from Barcelona 's Butterfly Records label. The band have also released a five track CD on Italy 's AUA Records as well as two self-released CD albums. Tracks by the Keepers are also available on compilation albums from labels such As El Torro & No Action.
So there you have it, good 'ol rock 'n' roll is alive and well in Belfast and these boys are the keepers of the faith. So, seek ye The Keepers and prepare for heaven!!
Main influences?
OUR MAIN INFLUENCES WOULD COME FROM OUR SIXTIES HEROES LIKE "THE WHO , THE SMALL FACES , THE CREATION, THE YARDBIRDS , THE BIRDS ,THE ARTWOODS ,THE ACTION , TERRY REID , THEM , THE BELFAST GYPSIES ,THE SONICS , THE SEEDS, 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS , THE STANDELLS , WOOL , THE RUGBYS " ETC , GARAGE ,RNB ,PSYCH MOSTLY !
A LOT OF BLUES AND SOUL , IKE AND TINA TURNER , JOHN LEE HOOKER , BOOKER T AND THE MGS , R.L. BURNSIDE , THE LIST IS ENDLESS !
A LOT OF 80S / 90S STUFF TOO INCLUDING - THE JAM , THE CHORDS , THE PRISONERS , THE STONE ROSES , PRIMAL SCREAM ,THE CHARLATANS, KULASHAKER ETC .
WE ALSO TAKE A LOT OF INFLUENCE FROM TODAYS BANDS THAT ARE STILL MAKING COOL RECORDS ,LIKE THE BABY WOODROSE , THE DIRTBOMBS , THE GREENHORNS , MOONEY SUZUKI , ETC AND MY OWN PERSONAL FAVOURITE PAUL WELLER .
‘Rock ‘N ‘ Roll From The Lagan Delta' is a superb stomping mod/garage album with R&B rave ups aplenty, big chords and its all washed down with strong melodies and mayhem. In regards of this variability, I just wondered are what your opinions and approaches to song writing
OUR APPROACH TO SONG WRITING VARIES , I MOSTLY WRITE THE MAJORITY OF SONGS , BRING THEM TO THE BAND AND MOSTLY LET THEM DO THEIR OWN THING ON IT , AND WILL IS THE SAME , HE WOULD WRITE A SONG AND BRING IT TO THE BAND , AND THEN THERE ARE TUNES THAT JUST HAPPEN WHEN WE ARE JAMMING IN REHEARSAL AND I WOULD GET A MELODY AND TAKE IT HOME AND WORK ON THE LYRICS , AND THEN THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE LYRICS JUST COME ON THE SPOT , FOR EXAMPLE WHEN WE WROTE "HARDCASE" WE WERE JAMMING ON THE RIFF FOR A WHILE AND I HAD THE MELODY IN MY HEAD BUT I NEEDED INSPIRATION , SO I WAS STARING AT NAPALMS SNARE DRUM CASE ON THE FLOOR , IT'S A HARDCASE AND THAT WAS MY INSPIRATION FOR THE SONG RIGHT THERE ! SOMETIMES SONGS JUST APPEAR OUT OF THIN AIR AND OTHER TIMES YOU HAVE GOT TO GO SEARCHING FOR THEM , EITHER WAY WORKS . 
Your tunes have a load of energy and attitude, how did you evolve this vibrant style?
I THINK STYLE IS SOMETHING THAT EVOLVES WITH THE PERSONALITIES IN THE BAND , YOU CAN LEARN A STYLE BUT TO ME THATS PLASTIC ! I THINK THATS WHERE A LOT OF BANDS GO WRONG , THEY BECOME TOO "MUSO" ,AND THE ENERGY AND THE ATTITUDE THE PASSION GETS LOST , YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL STYLE CAN ONLY BE TRULY ESTABLISHED WHEN EVERYONE HAS A FREE REIGN TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST "PLAY AS A BAND ".
Your lyrics have a tough fiery quality, whether it be about everyday frustrations, or ‘live for the day' hedonism, but a sense of honesty comes through in the words. I just wondered what are your thoughts and methods when it comes writing lyrics?
LYRICS CAN BE A NIGHTMARE , BUT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME WHEN I WRITE THEM , THEY ALL COME FROM SOMETHING THAT HAS SOME SORT OF REALITY OR MEANING TO THEM OR ME , OR THEY CAN JUST WORK BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY SOUND WITH THE SONG , BUT MOSTLY THEY HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT LIFE ! FOR ME ANYHOW .
As ‘Rock ‘N ‘ Roll From The Lagan Delta' was recorded on a four track, what are your thoughts regarding recording?
RECORDING THE ALBUM WAS A REAL BACK TO BASICS LESSON FOR US , WE HAVE TRIED PUTTING OUR TRUST IN STUDIO ENGINEERS , AND ITS LIKE ASKING A TOTAL STRANGER TO LOOK AFTER YOUR KIDS FOR YOU ! I WOULD RECOMEND THAT EVERY ENGINEER SHOULD TRY TO CATCH THE BAND {lIVE} THAT THEY ARE ABOUT TO RECORD , I DONT MEAN GIVE THEM A LIVE SOUND BUT TO GO TO A GIG AND SEE WHAT THE BAND ARE LIKE LIVE AND TO TRY AND CAPTURE THEIR PERSONALITIES AND ATTITUDE OF THEIR LIVE PERFORMANCE ON RECORD , AND IF THEY CAN DO THAT THEN THAT WOULD BE HALF THE BATTLE WON .
SO WE DECIDED WE WOULD JUST RECORD OURSELVES { lIVE } REHEARSING ON AN OLD ANALOGUE 4 TRACK AT OUR PRACTICE ROOM , WE THEN DID PERCUSSSION OVERDUBS AND A BIT OF { VOX JAGUAR } KEYBOARD ON A P.C. BACK AT NAPALMS HOUSE AND THAT WAS IT FINISHED . AND IT DIDNT COST US ANY EXTRA FOR IT EITHER , JUST THE REHEARSAL FEES .
How's the reaction been to your new album?
THE REACTION TO THE ALBUM HAS BEEN GOOD , WE ARE AN UNSIGNED BAND SO WE PUT IT OUT OURSELVES ON OUR OWN VIBRATOR RECORDS .
YOU CAN BUY IT FROM OUR WEBSITE - WWW.THEKEEPERS.HERE.CO.UK OR FROM US AT OUR GIGS , SO MOSTLY THE REACTION WE RECEIVE IS THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR FROM PEOPLE AT GIGS , BUT NO-ONE IS GOING TO TELL YOU TO YOUR FACE THAT THE ALBUM IS SHIT ARE THEY !
Are there any other bands that you feel a kinship with or can recommend, signed or unsigned?
TWO OF MY FAVOURITE BANDS FROM NORTHERN IRELAND ARE - THE CHILDISH THOUGHTS , & THE MOTORSOUNDS , BOTH FROM LURGAN , THE THOUGHTS ARE FULL ON MONSTERS GARAGE ROCK , AND THE MOTORSOUNDS ARE REAL DOWN AND DIRTY GARAGE BLUES ! AND FROM DUBLIN { EIRE } THE URGES - MOD - GARAGE - PSYCH GODS !
CATCH THEM ALL ON MYSPACE !