elcome to 'Only The Black Rose: A Keith Relf Fan Site.' This website is dedicated to Keith Relf, the lead singer, and harmonica player of The Yardbirds, Renaissance, Armaggeddon, and Illusion. Here you will find a biography on Keith, many photos, Keith's discography, and links to many other Keith-related places on the internet. If you would like to share any memories, thoughts, or other submissions, please feel free to contact me. I would be more than happy to feature them on the site. Be sure to sign my guestbook and enjoy your stay.
-A Keith Relf Fan.
Disclaimer:
I am not connected to Keith Relf nor his family. All content on this fan site is respective of its owners and does not belong to me. I only share it here to spread the news of Keith Relf's talents with other fans. And perhaps encourage a smile or two...:) :)
Keith William Relf was born on 22nd of March, 1943. In Richmond, Surrey, England. Due to very severe breathing problems he was often absent from school and it was suggested by his headmaster during his first year, that he attend an open-air school. Keith went to Gainsborough Open-Air School for four months. Keith also attended school at Richmond, Leatherhead, and then moved onto Kingston School Of Art, where he met Paul Samwell-Smith. In September of 1963, he created the Yardbirds with Paul Samwell-Smith, Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty and Anthony Topham. Soon though, in October of '63, Eric Clapton replaced Anthony Topham on guitar. The Yardbirds achieved their first hit song with 'For Your Love' but due to differences in the musical direction of the band, Eric Clapton left and was replaced by Jeff Beck. With Jeff Beck on guitar, the Yardbirds enjoyed great successes with songs such as 'Heart Full of Soul,' a cover of Bo Diddley's 'I'm A Man,' and 'Shapes Of Things' along with many others. In 1966, Paul Samwell-Smith left the band, and Jimmy Page joined as bassist. This line-up did not last long and soon Jeff Beck parted ways. With this last line-up of the Yardbirds with Keith, the band's popularity was changing and Keith along with Jim McCarty decided to part ways. In 1969, Keith and Jim formed the band 'Renaissance with John Hawken, Louis Cennamo, and Keith's sister Jane.
Renaissance's music was experimental and a drastic change from the blues and psychedelia inspired Yardbirds. Keith's version of Renaissance released their self titled debut which was produced by Paul Samwell-Smith. The band toured mainly in the UK, but also played several festivals in France and Belguim. After their US tour, Keith and Jim decided to stop performing. During this period, Keith went on to produce music for Hunter Muskett, Amber, Saturnaila, Medicine Head (Where he also played bass guitar), and a single for the singer Mandy More. Keith also took many unreleased demos of him singing songs, and experimenting on guitar. In 1974, Keith became a part of the hard rock band Armaggeddon, along with Bobby Cadwell, Martin Pugh, and Louis Cennamo. The band was dubbed as a supergroup with Keith having fronted the Yardbirds and Bobby Cadwell having been a member of the band, Captain Beyond, along with Martin Pugh having been from Steamhammer and Louis Cennamo also a member of Keith's previous band Renaissance. Armaggeddon released one self-titled album. The band formed in Los Angeles and had been full of potential, but only two live concerts had been performed, the album did not have the proper promotion and other problems caused the band to dissolve. Although Keith Relf passed away in 1976, his memory is very much alive through new fans everyday discovering his music.
Soundi is a Finnish Rock magazine. This interview was done in June or July of 1975, after the Armaggedon album had been released. This interview was submitted to me by a friend and a long time Yardbirds fan, Rick Barnes. Thank you again Rick.
Many fans of the original Renaissance must have wondered where Keith Relf, leader and founding member of the band, is. Same thoughts perhaps among the Yardbirds fans, because Keith was the vocalist and harmonica-player throughout the band`s existence.
Now I`m delighted to you tell that he is back in business with a new band. This new outfit is called Armageddon. Armageddon is a four-man band and Keith`s job is the same as in the Yardbirds: vocalist and harmonica-player. The bassist in Armageddon is ex-Renaissance Louis Cennamo whose individual style many fans have missed after the two first Renaissance albums. Guitarist Martin Pugh has played in Steamhammer. Relf, Cennamo and Pugh are all from England, while drummer Bobby Caldwell is from the USA. Caldwell has played in Johnny and Edgar Winter bands, and in Captain Beyond.
When I visited in London, I noticed that Armageddon`s debut-album had been released, and I contacted band´s record company in hope of an interview. However they told me that the whole band was in the USA, and that they will stay there for a while. However, the press attache of A&M suggested a telephone-interview with Keith Relf and I agreed. So one evening the phone rang and it was a phone call from Los Angeles. The voice behind the long line introduced himself as Keith Relf.
Time differences between Europe and the west coast of USA are considerable and when I was preparing to spend the night, Keith Relf said that the time was 10 a.m. in Los Angeles. The experience was in a way unusual as I don`t remember interviewing a rock musician early in the morning. Keith didn`t sound sleepy at all and I must express my gratitude to him that he got up so early because of me. Wishing good morning seemed strange, so after introducing ourselves we directly started the interview. Those phone calls across the continents cost reasonably, as you know. The first question was obviously about the formation of the band.
Mikko Montonen: So, how Armageddon was born, Keith?
Keith: We started to plan a new band that would play heavy music in the style of the Yardbirds. We needed a drummer and tried to find him in England, but we could not find anybody to fit in our style. The record companies can not help in these kind of things in England. We decided to go on searching in the USA and we came straight to Hollywood, which is the centre of musical world at the moment. We tested here about 30 different drummers before we met Bobby. We needed a quick drummer, but the fastest guy we met in England was really slow compared to Bobby. Then we were just jamming and A&M became interested and we made an agreement, though the music that we were then playing was pure jamming, and no rehearsed stuff was included.
MM: OK, that surely cleared up the background better than the record company`s information hand-out. Then, how would you describe Armageddon`s music? (This question was essential, because as of our conversation, I haven`t listened to the band`s album).
Keith: Armageddon music is music of contrasts, very heavy, but with interesting changes in rhythms. The other part is very gentle. Real contrasts, angry and gentle. It reflects the name Armageddon, which means a final judgment, an end to the established order. But it also meant a rebirth to us.
MM: Let`s talk about the first album, are you satisfied with it?
Keith: I`m partly satisfied with our album. There are always some parts with which you would like to go back to studio and make some changes. I think that a perfect album has not been made and such will never be made.
MM: What about concerts, have you had them?
Keith: We have been together for one year but we have not made a public performance yet. We have had troubles in finding a manager, and we were not satisfied with the original one. Apparently A&M is going to take care of selling the gigs. Because of lack of the gigs, we three Englishmen have had troubles in getting working permits since to get one you must know the exact places where you are going to work. I believe that when we get to a tour the band is really going to gain success in the USA. If I remember right, our album is now about number 150 in the chart and that is a good achievement for a new band with no sales campaign. The album has been played quite a lot on FM-stations, but we need now gigs. We wish to go on a tour in three weeks. Our shows are going to be concerts. A small part of them is going to be as an opening band in concerts of bigger names, but most of them are going to be concerts where we are the main attraction. The tour is going to last until the end of the summer. I myself would like to go back to England immediately, but the record company wants to make the band known in the USA and we need a tour for that. So Europe must wait for its part of our concerts.
Mikko Montonen: The selection of instruments in the band seems quite limited. Besides harmonica it includes only guitar, bass and drums. This is not much compared to most other existing bands. So I asked Keith, if they had any plans to add new instruments and I suggested keyboards.
Keith: Keyboards would be a sensible addition, if we only met the right guy. But we are fully satisfied with the existing selection of instruments. Besides I can play guitar, yes, also at the concerts.
MM: As a musician who has involved with music business for many years, you are the right person to compare today`s state of affairs to circumstances in the early days of the Yardbirds. What kind of changes do you think has happened since then?
Keith: Today, rock is very a organized industry, and global. When I was in the Yardbirds, we played everywhere in small clubs as well as at large stadiums on tours in the USA. Nowadays, rock is business, and it is taken much more seriously than ten years ago.
MM: As of now we have covered Armageddon, we can perhaps talk a little about Renaissance. What really happened to the original band?
Keith: The band broke up in 1971 or in fact we disbanded it. We were recording our second album as the band broke up because Jim McCarty had a nervous breakdown. We left the band for the pianist, John Hawken, and he was to go on with the name Renaissance II. However, John also departed soon and gradually his friends too. So there was a totally new band and they dropped "II" away from the name. I have not been in touch with Jim lately but I think he is composing nowadays. He is an excellent composer. My sister Jane is making music for commercials and growing plants. I suppose she has yet plans to form a band. As you know, John is playing with the Strawbs.
MM: What have you been doing after Renaissance and before forming Armageddon?
Keith: I have been doing studioworks mainly behind the scenes. I have produced Medicine Head as well as numerous small projects. As a result I feel to know studio thoroughly which, I think, is good. With Medicine Head I also did some gigs. It took six months.
MM: What do you expect from Armageddon?
Keith: Just now we are waiting concerts above all. We have been practicing hard. Armageddon is a group full of energy. I strongly believe in Armageddon. I believe that´s what the audience is missing for. There is a lot of laid-back music on the market, but Armageddon is nothing like that. All the guys are extremely good musicians. I think Armageddon is the best band in my life.
Hello Keith fans. For those of you living in the US, I wish you a happy and safe Independence Day. Keith's site has been very busy lately with many new surprises in store for you all. I have recieved several messages complimenting the site and that means quite a lot to me. I am glad Keith's fans are enjoying the site and can see the work I have put into it. Thank you. I have added a new interview with Keith from a Finnish magazine. I also am in the process of setting up a blog to store the site news on. Soon it won't be as crowded on this section of the site when the new blog is completed. I have lots of new things to add, so expect to see new updates very soon!
Thank you again for your kindness and support,
-A Keith Relf Fan
Hello fellow Keith fans. I apologize for my long absence away from working on this site. But I have made some updates today. I fixed Keith's biography section, the text was very hard to read on all one page, so I have split it into two. I also re-did Keith's photo gallery, and tried to make it more user friendly as well as add more photos.I hope you all will enjoy, and as always please feel free to submit anything Keith related that you would like to see included on this site.
Thanks,
19th Feb. 2011
Welcome to my new Keith Relf fansite. As you can see, this is a simple tribute to Keith. I hope all the Keith Relf fans will enjoy. I will be continuing to work on this website and adding along with arranging new media over the next weeks. Please contact me with any questions, comments, submissions, or anything else Keith Relf related that you would like to see included here.
There are many ways to remember Keith. I like to play his music and watch a video of him on youtube. Perhaps you like to do that too? Or maybe draw a picture. However you keep the memory of Keith glowing, I'd like to tell you about a special page I found. You can light virtual candles in memory of someone. It doesn't have to be about Keith. It could be for anyone. The way the site is built is very beautifully done.
If you would like to light a candle, for Keith or another loved one, I have a link to the site, please click Keith's picture.
