Tesla: One Of America's Best Ever

When it comes to great American Rock N' Roll there is an abundance of songs and bands to talk about. But every once in awhile something happens and a band shows up that just has all the ingredients to make them great. Tesla is one of those special bands that have it all to bake the perfect rock n' roll cake. The band found vocalist Jeff Keith and then their name changed to the last name of the true inventor of the radio Nikola Tesla from that point forward it was time for the golden throated Keith to unleash his soul onto the world. The bands debut album and a fine one at that was released in 1986 called Mechanical Resonance which launched their stars. MTV picked up the video for debut single "Modern Day Cowboy" playing it in high rotation for a short while. The bands second single which was "Gettin' Better" one of the bands best highlights also garnered large amounts of MTV play along with radio play around the world.

Tesla was on their way and the bands third single "Little Suzie" which also brought the boys more success. Tesla seemed to be set up for world wide domination with their sophomore album. Frank Hannon and Tommy Skeoch had all the song writing talent any band would need as well the guitar chops to stand up in a genre that was known for stellar guitar playing. When you hear a solo as tasty as the one in "Little Suzie" you can't deny their abilities. The band toured extensively and then launched The Great Radio Controversy and album that took the band right to the top allowing them to headline arena's.

This was the album that gave us, if not the greatest power ballad of all-time its definitely in the top five. "Love Song" was the bands second single after the wickedly cool acoustic guitar slide and gritty groove of "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)" which is one of the bands most satisfying music moments. The album went to eighteen on the The Billboard 200 albums chart and included another defining career moment with the brilliant "The Way It Is" which is even a better tune than "Love Song" but didn't catch fire like the latter did. From here all Tesla needed to put them over the top was another successful radio single and boy oh boy did that happen. The band released the live album Five Man Acoustical Jam proving that they were the real deal. Not only was their studio output better than nearly all their peers of the day but the band could pull it off live just as good if not better.

The band's cover of Canadian group Five Man Electrical Band's "Signs" turned Tesla into a household name forever cementing them a place in regular rotation on classic rock radio. "Signs" became the song every drunken long haired rocker sang loud and proud or blasted from their muscle cars stereos. If your unfamiliar with Tesla go get the album and do your ears a service by listening to some of the greatest music ever created. The bands choice of cover songs were also great proving that they knew what it was they were doing all the time. The rollicking cover of "Mothers Little Helper" is almost better than "Signs" and you won't miss the Stones at all. When the band had to follow all this success with new material they didn't melt under the creative pressure they actually returned with an album of songs as good as all the stuff that made them famous.

Psychotic Supper hit the store shelves in 1991 to critical acclaim. The album opens with a gang chant of 'Put This In Your Pipe And Smoke It!' then proceeds to kick some groovy ass for 3:37 only to give way to more bluesy guitar wanking and more epic rock n' roll. This album was pure gold albeit I'm not a huge fan of "Song & Emotion" sorry Steve. When track four arrives its a needed slow down where Jeff's voice just sends shivers down ones spine with his incredible delivery. The song "Call It What You Want" another great writing effort from Brian Wheat who is one of the bands writers and bass player extraordinaire. He's shamefully good but understated and tasteful all the time and I apologize for not mentioning his creative input sooner. The albums closing number "Let's All Toke About It" shines brightly as one of the bands brightest moments on record.

By this time some serious alcohol issues had come to light with the usual drug bullshit as well but the band somehow stayed true long enough to write and record what is my favorite Tesla album of all Bust A Nut the boys put a heavier more aggressive production on the uptempo number while brightening and tightening the ballads. Listen to the opening track "The Gate/Invited" and you will hear a darker Led Zeppelin punch instantly. They never lose their sound as the song breaks away into a sweet pre-chorus then a very Tesla chorus. Track two is about as metal as Tesla has ever been on "Solution" which has over the years become my second favorite of their career. When Tesla drops a power ballad on Bust A Nut they are five star songs out classing anything the genre had produced before. I could go on in-depth about how far the band took their sound and how amazing this album is but really hearing it yourself will be the only way to understand its brilliance and what makes it one of the best albums in history. Now the best song they ever wrote "Wonderful World" and their definitive cover of Joe South's "Games People Play" are both here as well so make sure you don't miss these two especially. Not much rock music can compete with them.

After a break of six years, the Sacramento Bee reported that the band had reformed in 2000 with the help of local radio personality Pat Martin of KRXQ. The band played an emotional sold out show at The Arco Arena in Sacramento on October 25, 2000. Soon after they recorded the double live album Replugged Live In 2002 they were featured in the Rock Never Stops Tour alongside other 1980s rock bands. In 2004 Tesla returned with a new studio album akin to Nut called Into The Now which debuted at the thirty spot on the Billboard album chart. On this album they took the more metallic approach to loftier heights and instead of sounding old or out of date they were just as relevant and modern as the younger bands making kids ears bleed on modern rock radio. The bands niche of power ballad genius is ever present with "Caught In A Dream" and "Come To Me" which should have been a major single success for them.

Tesla's decision to record back to back cover albums might have been a mistake but both turned out to include some serious gems. On Reel To Reel Vol. 1 they owned "Thank You", "Stealin'" and "Day Of The Eagle" but struggled to achieve success on others like "Hand Me Down World" and "Space Truckin'". Then volume 2 arrived with a pretty similar fate hitting it right with "Shooting Star", "I Want To Take You Higher" and "Seasons Of Wither" but missing completely on "Is It My Body" and sorry Jeff but lacking vocally on "Not Fragile" but the band really showed up on the latter track.

Now with Tommy Skeoch still MIA Forever More appeared in 2008 continuing this more thunderous Tesla sound which fits perfectly in the music climate of today. The band include much more uptempo rockers on this album which might put off some of their longtime fans but I actually enjoy this new Tesla powerhouse. They still drop a power ballad or two of decent caliber and one excellent purely classic tune called "Fallin' Apart" that again can stand up to all their best material. Wheat, Hannon & Keith never disappoint and with a catalog as great as they have been a part of building you'd think they would be one of those bands that sells out arena's and headlines classic rock festivals but alas another truly talented and worthy band are unjustly relegated to theater and casino status. If you have an ear for hard rock with emotion, power and near perfect to a fault then this is your band. Tesla will forever be one of America's greatest bands even if I'm the only one who thinks so.