Happy Birthday today (Oct. 12) to Tesla frontman Jeff Keith. He's 60.
Tesla formed out of Sacramento, California in 1981. The hard rock/metal outfit released their first album Mechanical Resonance in 1986 and toured with bands like David Lee Roth, Alice Cooper, Def Leppard, and Poison. The band released their second album in 1989, The Great Radio Controversy, which produced the hit power ballad “Love Song", along with singles "Hang Tough", "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out" and "The Way It Is". In 1990, the band released the live album ‘Five Man Acoustical Jam’ and had a hit with their cover of “Signs” (a 1971 hit for Five Man Electrical Band.)
Tesla would release their third studio album Psychotic Supper in 1991, and their fourth studio album Bust a Nut in 1994 before going on hiatus. The band reunited in 2000 and have continued on ever since, releasing many other albums. Tesla's last studio album was 2014's Simplicity. A new album is due out in 2019.
I've always been a fan of Tesla. Such a great band, especially live. Got to see them many times over the years and they put on kick ass show. See a pic of me with Tesla below taken last year backstage at Times Union Center in Albany, NY. The band opened for Poison. Cheers to Jeff Keith on his 60th today!
Jeff Keith photo credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images