Today we’d like to introduce you to Keith Douglas
Hi KEITH, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a born and raised Memphian and have lived in most parts of the city at one time or another. It’s hard to be from this region and not be influenced by it’s music, rich history and complete authenticity of the Delta blues players on and around Beale Street during my formative years.. After graduating from Germantown High School in 1985, I went through a couple of original metal bands which was super-fun but really more of a learning experience than anything. Soon after, I was able to bring together friend groups from a couple of different schools together and emerge with a new band called Tora Tora (a friend suggested the name borrowed from a Van Halen song title). The band was myself on guitar, Patrick Francis on bass, John Patterson on drums, and singer/songwriter Anthony Corder. After a very short stint as a (terrible) cover band, we decided to try our hand at our own songs. At the time (Late 1980’s) The New Daisy Theater at the East end of Beale St was home to a vivacious and burgeoning original rock scene that Tora Tora quickly became a part of. Shortly after, the band was able to convert a warehouse space into an after hours rock-n-roll party hangout and as there was really nothing for underage kids to do in those days, word spread pretty quickly and next thing we knew we were packing the place out. The band also played every “battle of the bands” contest they could find and won several including the Cotton Carnival contest in 1987. That prize was $1000 plus a day of recording at legendary Ardent Studios, where they caught the attention of staff engineers as well as the front office who were looking for developmental artists to be shopped to major labels for record deals. The band was courted by several labels but ultimately signed with A&M Records to release their first album “Surprise Attack” in 1989. With a major presence on MTV, radio and touring with big name acts, the album climbed to #47 on Billboard’s Top 200 Charts and repped Memphis Music on an international level. The band recorded two more albums on A&M, “Wild America” in 1992 and “Revolution Day” in 1994. The latter was shelved by the label who, along with most other major labels at the time, had moved on to focus on the new grunge movement of the 90’s and the band called it a day…. After 14 yrs, the band reunited after being invited to perform at the 2008 Rocklahoma festival. Following that performance, the band remained open to continued one-offs throughout the next decade and eventually reconvened in the studio for 2019’s “Bastards Of Beale” on Italian label, Frontiers Records. The band continues to perform occasionally on festivals, cruises, and other private fly-out dates. “The Best Of the Rest” is the bands latest release which consists of four new tracks recorded in 2023 as well as a collection of the bands favorite unreleased tunes from the 90’s. Please visit ToraToraMusic.com for more info.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
After the band called it quits in 1994, I found myself as a new father and returned to the work force where I spent the next 21 years as production manager of a manufacturing plant. While I certainly missed the music scene, I was also incredibly grateful to be making a good living and spending more time with my wife and kids (as opposed to constant travel). I went on from there in 2016 to a career in real estate/real estate investing. During the pandemic, I spent more time rediscovering my love for guitar and learning home recording techniques from my son, who is Chicago-based and on his own musical journey. I have always been fascinated by the recording process and the advances in home recording technology have now made it possible for me to complete musical ideas all the way through to the mastering phase at home entirely as I hear them so making my own album was a no-brainer!!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
While I am best known as the guitarist of Tora Tora, I am incredibly proud of my first guitar-based instrumental album titled “Remnants Of Euphoria”. I engineered, performed guitars, bass, keyboards, percussion, mixed and mastered while relying on Apple Logic Pro’s drummer (something I plan to play myself eventually as well). While there are certainly plenty of blazing guitar tones, memorable riffs & melodies, the songs are intended as a contextual musical journey which highlights the vibes, moods and grooves of my ideas as a whole. Now that all my systems are in place, I feel like I have the confidence to move forward toward a fruitful and meaningful catalogue of music.
What are your plans for the future?
My album “Remnants Of Euphoria” is out now and is available for digital download and/or vinyl pre-order (due to ship mid to late November 2024). Moving forward I plan to focus on more independent music releases, building out my website KeithDouglasAmplifed.com, and my YouTube channel of the same name: “Keith Douglas Amplified”. While mainstream success would be welcomed of course, it is not the driving factor by a longshot. What does continue to be that driving factor for me is my lifelong love affair with electric guitars, rock-n-roll music and untethered creativity.
Pricing:
- Digital Download – $14.99
- Standard Vinyl – $20
- Signed Vinyl – $30
Contact Info:
- Website: https://keithdouglasamplified.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/keithdouglasamplified
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KeithDouglasAmplified
- Other: https://toratoramusic.com
