Q. What prompted the change from going under your own name to the 'Heaven & Earth' moniker?
SS: I've been in band situations all my life and feel happier that way.  The only reason I did the first album as a solo album was because I didn't have a band at that time.

Q. The album sees again a nice contrast in styles with hard rock [Dogs Of War, Jade, Prisoner], AOR [World's Apart], Blues [Broken Arrow] and even a medieval instrumental [Years Gone By] being covered, yet there is a connecting vibe running through all, how did you get it to sound so well suited?
SS: I think our producer Howard Leese had a lot to do with that as well as picking a good running order for the album.  Also this being the second album people are getting to know what to expect from me and realize that I always put diverse styles on the album.

Q. Any favourite tracks from the album?
SS: It changes from day to day.  When we finished the album we didn't want to hear it for a while as we recorded it at our own studio in the house where we live so it's all we heard for months.  When I started to listen to it again about a week ago I could appreciate it more.  I'm very happy with the way all the tracks turned out.

Q. What role did Kelly Keeling, Richie Onori and Arlan Schierbaum play in the writing of tracks?
SS: Arlan was very busy with a lot of sessions so he wasn't really here for the writing sessions but when he was he contributed quite a few good ideas.  Kelly really had a lot to do with the lyrics and Richie Onori helped him on that.

Q. Arlan Schierbaum is a superb find where's he been hiding?
SS: Arlan is a musician I've known from around L.A. for a long time.  He was always at these various jam sessions that I'd get up at and I was completely blown away by his playing.  He's always been more of a session player and has played in bands that were more gospel or rhythm & blues oriented but is one hell of a rock player.

Q. Obviously Ritchie Blackmore aside from being a good friend is also a huge influence, what was is like to get him to contribute to writing of 'Prisoner'?
SS: It was great.  This was a song I'd written a couple of years before Ritchie heard it.  I was playing a show in Long Island with "Mirage" and Ritchie was going to get up on stage with us.  We were sat in his kitchen deciding what we were going to play that night and he asked me to show him "Prisoner."  When it came to the bridge which I originally had he said, "It doesn't really work, does it?" and just came up with the way it is now off the top of his head.  I thought it was better for the song so I used it.

HEAVEN & EARTH
L2R: Richie Onori, Stuart Smith, Arlen Schierbaum, Kelly Keeling.

Q. Your guitar sounds superb on this album [reminding me of Blackmore's sound from 82-84ish], what amps / pedals etc were used?
SS: I used Fender Stratocaster electric guitars and Taylor acoustic guitars and for amplifiers I used my Marshall Major and the new JCM 2000 50 watt.  I heard Jeff Beck using these amps at the Universal Amphitheater when he played here and was completely blown away with the sound so I called Marshall and they sent me one out for the album.  I also used a 100 watt Marshall modified by Lee Jackson that belongs to Howard Leese and a Morley overdrive pedal.

Q. Still the same pair of Stratocaster's as used on the 'Heaven & Earth' album?
SS: Yes, but with one new one that I bought to replace one I gave to the Hard Rock Cafe.  It's a natural body with a rosewood neck.  I also used it at The Gods Festival last year.

Q. It was great to hear you throw in a couple of Jeff Beck tremolo bar flicks in a couple of tracks, I take it Beck is also an influence?
SS: Yes, Jeff is an incredible influence on me.  I loved his "Who Else" album, I think it's the best thing he's ever done.  I was introduced to Jeff years ago by Cozy Powell and when he played here in L.A. at the Universal Amphitheater he gave me a few passes to go and see him.  I took Richie Onori, Howard Leese and Richie Sambora and Jeff had given us seats dead center about 4 rows from the front.  He was so good we all just sat there with our mouths open and afterwards Jeff and I got together and had a drink or ten in Cozy's memory. We went back to his hotel and I asked him how he did a couple of his trademark tricks which was really funny as he took me aside and looked round to make sure no one was listening before telling me.

Q. What happened to Pat Regan who was originally producing the album? How did Howard Leese get to be the producer?
SS: Pat Regan was never going to produce this album, it was hard enough to get him to finish the last one.  Howard had helped me get that one done and was so great to work with that we asked him to produce "Windows to the World."  We were thinking of having Pat Regan help mix this one but as usual he was too busy with a load of different projects so we brought in Marvin Sperling who was our bass player with the "Aliens of Extraordinary Ability."

Q. Are you planning on taking this project out on the road?
SS: Yes, we're working on putting together a tour right now and hope to be out in the New Year.  The line up would be the same guys I recorded "Windows to the World" with but with a permanent bass player.

Q. Why was the 'The Gods' Festival in England cancelled earlier this year?
SS: Unfortunately we were so behind finishing "Windows to the World" which was due to be released in November 2000 so we were still recording it when The Gods was going on.  I would have loved to have been there as we had such a good time at the last one but we'll try to make up for it in 2001.

Q. There were rumours of an album with you and Joe Lynn Turner, is this project likely to happen?
SS: Yes, we're planning on doing an album together sometime in the New Year if our schedules allow it.

Q. Will there ever be a release by 'Aliens Of Extraordinary Ability'?
SS: Possibly.  We recorded a few of the live shows and Marvin Sperling is trying to make sense of them at the moment to see if we've got enough material for a live album.  I'd love to do an actual album of original material with that band one day.

Q. Where do you see your music heading next?
SS: It's very hard to know where we'll be going with the next album till the time comes.  I tend to never know what's going to come out of the guitar every time I pick it up.  Also by the time we get round to recording the next album we'll have played more together as a band so everybody will be putting in their ideas.  It will always be diverse though.

Q. Fun Time: You have the chance to form a super group of your own making, it can include alive and dead musicians - you may include yourself.  Who would you pick?
SS: I think I already have that but if not with the guys I'm playing with now I'd like it to be Me, Ian Paice, Jeff Beck, Paul McCartney, Keith Emerson and Paul Rodgers.

Q. Finally any parting messages for your fans?
SS: I hope they enjoy listening to "Windows to the World" as much as we enjoyed recording it and look forward to playing live for you all next year.

ALL QUESTIONS BY ANDY CRAVEN

KELLY KEELING INTERVIEW
HEAVEN & EARTH - WINDOWS TO THE WORLD REVIEW

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