Darren Keeling will likely be looked at as a journeyman bassist in the annals of Texas music history. Beginning in the early 1980's and continuing to this day, a thirty year history in the musical trenches is something few can claim. The styles may have taken some twists and turns along the way, but most worthwhile journeys are like that. In our exclusive interview Keeling relates his experiences of being part of the early Austin metal scene, the fans that still revere it twenty five years later, and the enduring legacy of Texas metal.

After dabbling in Southern Rock for a brief period, a chance meeting with Mike Soliz (Militia, Assalant) redirected Keeling's focus onto the burgeoning metal scene that was sweeping the city of Austin and the state of Texas. In early 1985, with his first foray into the metal underground, Keeling helped form Matrix by teaming up with Austin High School classmates guitarist Phillip Patterson and drummer Pete Moreno. Notable for their musical proficiency and inventive songwriting, Matrix soon found themselves opening for such local Austin heavyweights as Militia and WatchTower.  Musical differences soon led to the removal of Moreno, and Mike Botello from local death metallers Vicious Distortion was promptly brought on board. An aborted attempt to record a demo at Austin's Cedar Creek Studios, coupled with internal band friction, caused the band to split in early 1986. Phillip Patterson joined up with Militia and Keeling and Botello eventually went on to help launch Assalant. 

Formed in mid 1986, Assalant was an Austin metal 'supergroup' of sorts consisting of former members of Militia, Matrix, FirstStrike, and Vicious Distortion. Frustrated by their lack of progress in finding a permanent singer, the band conscripted WatchTower's Jason McMaster to lay down guest vocals on a demo being recorded at Cedar Creek Studios where WatchTower had previously recorded its debut LP Energetic Disassembly. Though still firmly ensconced in the WatchTower camp, Jason obliged and asked Mike Soliz to come along and do backup melodies. At the same time, Soliz was beginning to question the direction and potential of his long-time band Militia which had recently gone through some line-up changes. In September of 1986, unsure about what Militia still had to offer, Soliz joined Assalant as their permanent lead singer. Lead vocal tracks were promptly re-recorded and the highly praised demo 'The Damage Is Done' received its official release in January 1987. Though only active for little over a year, the band gigged regularly with headlined several shows in Austin and San Antonio as well as providing opening support for numerous touring acts including Metal Church and Impaler.

In the late 80's the same pull that led McMaster to become a Dangerous Toy grabbed Keeling by the crotch and dragged him across town to the Backroom Bar, Austin's own mini-version of LA's famed Sunset Strip. The Backroom would become infamous for not only it's wealth of quality bands, but also for the level of debauchery and mayhem displayed on a nightly basis. Keeling did time in scene faves Dancyr and Gypsy Rogue before settling down in Blind Date, another 'supergroup' band, this time featuring ex-Assalant guitarist JB Slimp and former Wyzard vocalist Buster Grant. On the strength of a great sounding demo and rabid local following, record labels were sniffing around the Blind Date camp for the next band to break out of Austin and follow Dangerous Toys footsteps all the way to Hollywood. On the brink of a major record deal, Nirvana came crashing through the door and all traces of fun, partying, and metal were quietly swept under the rug.

After a few years of Grunge-fueled discouragement in the 90's Keeling returned to his southern roots and original instrument, playing drums in local country bands until the early 2000's. Now back with his trusted 4 string, Darren plays over 200 gigs a year in the central Texas area with the Mike Clifford Band.

Texas Metal Underground:  What originally drew you to heavy metal? Were there any bands in particular that you would consider favorites or influences?

Darren Keeling:  The first time I heard real metal was Accept’s 'Fast As a Shark'. I knew this was what I wanted to play. In your face, knuckles though the teeth metal. I was somewhat of a late bloomer in the metal scene. It was Mike Soliz and Jason McMaster who introduced me to it.

TMU:  When did you first pick up an instrument and decide you wanted to play in a band? Do you play any other instruments besides bass guitar?

Darren Keeling:  My Dad had  an acoustic guitar around all the time, but he only knew four chords and taught them to me. I kinda ran with the ball after that. I didn’t get too much into it until I was about 14 and my folks bought me some drums for my birthday. So I beat on those for awhile and hooked up with the youth choir at church and got my start playin’ in front of the bible thumpers. When I was a senior in high school, a friend of mine, who was a drummer too, and I were going to do a dueling drum thing for the talent show at school. As we were practicing it up, he asked if I just wanted to play a bass or something like a band instead. So I bought my first bass at a pawn shop, striped it with electrical tape like Eddie Van Halen’s guitar, and my bass career began there. I was exposed to a piano a lot at my grandmother’s house, too.

TMU:  Matrix started to come together in early 1985.  Were you in any bands prior to joining Matrix? 

Darren Keeling:  I was in a southern rock band of sorts. I think we only played twice. Some talent show that we lost and a party. I floundered around with different players through the years. I met Mike Soliz during this time. We had a band in name only… Scythian Horde. Only we weren’t a horde…..it was more like Scythian couple!

TMU:  The earliest incarnation of Matrix started with high school classmates Phillip Patterson and Pete Moreno. How did you get hooked up with them?

Darren Keeling:  You know, I don ’t even remember. I think it was through some musician acquaintance.

TMU:  Matrix initially was an instrumental trio before Jon DePlachett joined.  How did the band find DePlachett?  Was he as 'eccentric' as some people seem to recall?

Darren Keeling:  Ol’ Jon….he was the character. This was all over 20 years ago, so bear with my Alzheimer’s. Again, I’m sure it was just being in that Austin music scene, where you meet and network, that we were hooked up with Jon. He definitely had the look, attitude, and the range. As far as eccentric…it’s all relative. Everyone has their own eccentricities. He was real free spirit though.

TMU:  Matrix opened up several times for WatchTower and Militia at the Ritz Theater in Austin, as well as headlining many shows. What was it like being in the middle of that thriving underground scene and playing to crowds of hundreds of kids?

Darren Keeling:  For me, being a newcomer to the scene, it was awesome. It was like I had actually become a real musician. We had a lot to live up to with WatchTower in the forefront of it all. We had to work pretty hard on the chops. Before Matrix, I had heard someone tell me that Jason Mcmaster thought I was cool and all, but I sucked as a bassist…which I did. So there were many long hours with Iron Maiden and SA Slayer tapes practicing my ass off so I could become credible. Thanks, Jason! Ya punk ass! Just kidding...I love that guy!

TMU:  Do you recall any particularly memorable shows with Matrix? I remember a show at the Ritz when DePlachett literally dove off the stage mid-song and beat the hell out of someone in the crowd who was talking shit. He then got back on stage to finish the set as if nothing had happened, blood dripping from his lacerated knuckles.

Darren Keeling:  Wow. That must have been the show I was stoned…or drunk...or both. Wait…I think that was most shows!

TMU:  Matrix played a gig in Ft.Worth at a place called Rascal’s in 1985. Did the band ever do any other out of town gigs?

Darren Keeling:  I’m pretty sure that was the only road trip for Matrix. That’s when I met Dimebag Darrell (at that time known as Diamond Darrell) and Pantera was doing Def Leppard covers!

TMU:  There were plans to record a demo at Cedar Creek Studio where WatchTower recorded 'Energetic Disassembly', but it never happened. Do you remember why the studio sessions fell through? Was any material put to tape before the project was halted?

Darren Keeling:  What happened? My guess is probably nobody had any money. It’s usually the way of things. Nothing went to tape except, I believe, the clips you have on the website, which were recorded at some place off of Ben White Blvd. in South Austin. I believe that’s a jambox recording.

TMU:  Matrix broke up shortly after the aborted demo sessions. Do you recall what ultimately led to the demise of the band?

Darren Keeling:  Let’s call it conflicting attitudes and creative differences.

TMU:  After Matrix, Philip Patterson joined up with Mike Soliz & the guys in Militia. Were you in any other bands before Assalant started coming together?

Darren Keeling:  As I recall, J.B. Slimp (Assalant guitarist) called me up very soon after the demise of Matrix. I don’t recall any gaps.

TMU:  How did the core of Assalant get together? Was it intentional to try to make a 'supergroup' of seasoned local metal musicians? 

Darren Keeling:  I don’t remember if Mike Botello (Assalant drummer, ex-Matrix) was with J.B. and Louie Beltran (Assalant guitarist) at the time, or if we snagged Mike right after the demise of Matrix. It’s all fuzzy. I think 'supergroup' is a little over the top…but it’s nice to hear! 

TMU:  Why did the band decide to record a demo before playing any live shows?

Darren Keeling:  As I recall, we wanted to have a product to sell at the shows. Music is a business, and we knew that.

TMU:  Although Jason McMaster helped out and sang on the first version of the demo, the Assalant material seems very well-suited for Mike Soliz’s voice and style of singing.  Were the songs written with Mike in mind?  Do you remember anyone else who auditioned for the vocalist spot before Soliz joined the band full-time?

Darren Keeling:  Songs were written as they came off of the necks of our guitars. A riff, another riff, and piece it all together. A few tunes were written before we even had a vocalist. It was basically like: 'Here’s the music, Mike. Do your thing!'  Jason wrote the lyrics for, I think, two of the demo songs. I only remember one vocalist we tried out, and that was Kent Taylor (ex-Sentinel, Baron Steele). He was under serious consideration, until Mike became available. I went on to play in Gypsy Rogue with Kent after Assalant.

TMU:  The tape-trading underground was going strong when the Assalant demo was released in 1987 and lots of Texas bands were getting feedback from Europe and different fanzines around the world. Do you recall any international response to what Assalant was doing?

Darren Keeling:  Nothing really stands out from what I recall. Some Germany stuff, maybe. Mike Soliz would be the guy to ask about that.

TMU:  Where did Assalant play gigs besides Austin?  Any funny 'road stories'?

Darren Keeling:  We did some San Antonio shows with Syrus. I remember one show at a Catholic school with nuns everywhere. It was a little surreal. I figured we would all be struck by lightning before the show was over!

TMU:  Assalant was only around for a little over a year. Why was the band so short-lived? What caused the band to split?

Darren Keeling:  Hmmm…you may get varying opinions on this, but I remember it as Mike Botello quitting, and us having problem finding a replacement. Then Botello saying he’d come back, but only if his bass playing buddy from, I think, Vicious Distortion came with him. So I was...um…fired. It’s a little fuzzy after that.

TMU:  What’s the story of a brief reformation of Militia with you, Mike Soliz, Phil Patterson, and Phil Achee?  Why didn’t it happen?

Darren Keeling:  Ya know…I don ’t even remember why it fell through. I think we even did some studio stuff and a photo session. It may have been when Mike was asked to be in Watchtower? I honestly don't know.

TMU:  After Assalant, you were in a sleeze-metal band called Gypsy Rogue. Who else was in this band? Did you do a mix of originals and covers like a lot of the Austin bands of the time?  What are some of the songs you covered?

Darren Keeling:  Ah, Gypsy Rogue. That’s when the fun really began. That was Chris Didear on drums (who I stole for Blind Date later), Jay Haygood (guitar), Herb Hines (guitar), and Kent Taylor (vocals). It was then when I started to watch bands like Guns N Roses and MTV bands and putting more into the show. It became chicks first...then the music! We did a few originals. It was the song 'Gypsy Rogue' I first heard on the radio in San Antonio on 99.5 KISS-FM. I was a rock star at last! We did the standard sleeze band cover tunes like Faster Pussycat, GnR, The Cult, and some Alice Cooper.

TMU:  After a brief stint in Gypsy Rogue, you joined another 'supergroup' of sorts called Blind Date with J.B. Slimp from Assalant and Gilbert ‘Buster’ Grant from Wyzard.  How did this group initially get together?

Darren Keeling:  I hooked up with Blind Date after I was fired from Gypsy Rogue for getting thrown in jail. They had to cancel a show because I was sittin' in the slammer. How much more rock-n-roll can it get? J.B. Slimp saved me again. We got together and started making inquiries about who we could steal for our project. Buster’s name came up. I had no idea who he was so we went to San Antonio to check him out. We heard him and knew he was our guy, so we went to work on convincing him to join our group. He had a guitar player, Dieter Broxton, and a drummer, J.J. Johnson, who now plays with John Mayer (you go, J.J.!). After a few shows with them, some differences developed on the creative and goal oriented side. So I really started pressuring Chris Didear to get off his ass and come play with us because he was the only one who fit the bill with the phase the scene was in. I'm talking big hair, man! And he had it! A stick spinning, hair flyin’ mad man! We snagged Mark Ellis, a phenomenal player, and the lineup was complete. Things just flowed after that.

TMU:  This was during the heyday of the Backroom scene in Austin with bands like Onyxx , Dancyr, Near Dark, and of course Dangerous Toys. The Backroom bar would be packed beyond capacity nearly every night of the week, kind of like a miniature Sunset Strip. What are some of your memories of those crazy shows?

Darren Keeling:  Funny…I was actually in Dancyr, too, for awhile. Memories? Hmmm…there’s surprisingly not many show memories that I can remember. It was after the shows where the memories took place! Stories which I can’t put in here. Suffice it to say it was hedonism at it’s finest. Oh, there were definitely high points. Like a sea of 10,000 heads opening for Joan Jett in San Antonio. That was amazing.

TMU:  At its peak in 1991 Blind Date had a big following, a great sounding demo, and major label interest.  Then the grunge explosion hit and anything considered fun and/or melodic was suddenly passé.  Is that what happened to Blind Date? Did it literally feel like an overnight change? How close was Blind Date to being picked up when the musical tide changed course?

Darren Keeling:  It was a gradual spiral downward. But we kept trying. We were in contact with RCA Records, but they chopped up one of our tunes, and being cocky and stupid, we told ‘em to kiss our ass. We later reformed with another guitar player, Louie Beltran (ex-Assalant), and Mark Tracy from Outlaw Circus did the vox. We then called ourselves Catch 22. We did a few shows. The only thing different we did was our lyrics were not about chicks and the music was a bit heavier…but the look was almost the same.

TMU:  Of course, metal and its fans never really went away, they were just forced back underground in the early 90's. Were you surprised when Perris Records approached the band about reforming and recording a full-length CD in 2003? Was it hard to get everyone in the band interested again after 13 years?  Did the band ever consider playing live again after all this time?

Darren Keeling:  Hell yeah, I was shocked! And I had been on musical hiatus for about 4 years. I had to go buy a bass to bone up! And there was no hesitation on any of our parts as far as doing more tunes. We had thought about a reunion of sorts while we were recording but it hasn’t been discussed further as far as I know. None of us, aside from Buster maybe, really look the part anymore, ya know?

TMU:  The Blind Date CD (Perris Records 2003) has been widely praised among fans of melodic hard rock. The newly recorded tracks fit seamlessly with the older material.  Are the songs on the 2003 CD older songs that never got recorded back in the early days?  Are there any newly written tunes? 

Darren Keeling:  All the tunes were written back in the day. J.B. Slimp produced it and did a great job making the songs sound like they were recorded at the same time. It’s funny, the CD has vintage photos of the band in the booklet, but some reviewers that thought we still looked like that and said that we needed to step into the new millennium! Idiots!

TMU: You currently play bass in the band of Texas singer-songwriter Mike Clifford. What did you do musically from the time Blind Date broke up until now? Are you still interested in what goes on in the metal scene nowadays?

Darren Keeling:  After Blind Date, there was Catch 22. After that fizzled out, J.B., Louie Beltran, Chris Didear and I got a big house with a pool and said: 'This is it. We gotta focus and make something happen.'  We called Buster up because he had the Layne Staley/Bush/Stone Temple Pilots voice we needed. Then we tried to fit in with the more current 'Alternative' style bands. We got more topical with the lyrics. We were actually told that our lyrics were 'nebulous'. We were just fitting in words and phrases. Which is basically true. There was still that 80’s feel to the tunes we just couldn’t seem to break away from. After a couple of shows, interest waned all around. The lease was up on the house and we went our separate ways, except for Chris, Buster, and I. We tried with just the 3 of us working on the material. I wrote all the guitar and music parts. It was ok stuff. It still just didn’t seem to fit. We weren’t angry enough, I guess. So in my discouragement, I felt the need to look at other avenues. That’s when the country door opened up for me.  I played drums in a country band from 1997 to 2000. Then quit music all together because I was just burned out. I just started playing again in March 2006. 

My opinions on the metal scene now? Where are the boundary-lines? There’s so many sub-genres, I can’t keep up. There’s some good stuff out there….and there’s quite a bit of pure shit, too. I hate when singers all try to sound like Phil Anselmo. It’s been done folks. Bring back the singers!

TMU:  The mid 1980’s – early 1990’s Texas metal scene is revered worldwide to this day. I get email daily from people all over the world who are absolutely fanatical about this music. In your opinion, what made the Texas scene so different and unique?

Darren Keeling:  Well, it wasn’t so big that you got lost in the fray. It was just the right 'family' size, I guess. Austin has  always had that music sub-culture. The problem was, for a rock band, if you wanted a deal, you had to play in L.A. Or know a few people there.

TMU:  Darren, thanks so much for taking the time to answer this Q&A. 

Darren Keeling:  No problem. Thanks for keeping the old Texas scene alive.