Entrevista / Interview - Tom Keifer

Mas não essa que vocês estão pensando. Ele deu uma entrevista para o Vallejo Times-Herald, de Vallejo, CA. E é sobre um assunto delicado, do qual eu evito falar: os problemas com suas cordas vocais. Não falo  muito sobre isso pois tenho a impressão de que isso faz o cara sofrer, e não quero falar sobre o sofrimento dele, quero falar sobre as coisas boas do Cinderella. O intuito do meu blog é promover o trabalho, e não explorar as desgraças. Porém, como nessa entrevista ele finalmente quebrou o silêncio e falou sobre a depressão que o problema causou nele, acho justo que eu aborde o tema aqui.
Acrescento que o que aconteceu com o Tom foi tão triste quanto um cirurgião que perdeu os movimentos da mão ou um corredor que perdeu uma das pernas. E tudo nessa vida é superação, ele é um grande exemplo, tanto quanto Rick Allen, do Def Leppard. Fico muito feliz que ele tenha superado!
Adiciono também um vídeo no qual ele fala sobre o cara que salvou sua voz. Espero que vocês se emocionem o mesmo tanto que eu me emocionei!

Abaixo a transcrição da entrevista, que pode ser lida também diretamente no link: http://www.timesheraldonline.com/entertainment/ci_21756925/wicked-vocal-chord-ailment-doesnt-stop-cinderella-front
E depois o vídeo.

But it's not what you are thinking. He was interviewed by Vallejo Times-Herald, from Vallejo, CA. And it's about a complicated subject, which I use to avoid talk about: his issues with the vocal chords. I don't talk too much about it because I makes me think that hurts him, and I don't wanna talk about his suffering, wanna talk about good things of Cinderella. The goal of my blog is promote the work, not exploit the sorrow. However, as on this interview he finally broke the silence and spoke about the depression that issue caused to him, I think it's fair put it here.
I add that what happened to Tom was as sad as a surgeon that lost his hands moves or a runner that lost one of his legs. And everything in this life is overcoming, he is a great example of it, as Def Leppard's Rick Allen. I'm so happy that he overcame!
And I also add a video, in which he speaks about the man who save his voice. I hope it touchs all of you as it did to me!

Below the transcription of the interview, that can be read alson on http://www.timesheraldonline.com/entertainment/ci_21756925/wicked-vocal-chord-ailment-doesnt-stop-cinderella-front
And then, the video

"

Wicked vocal chord ailment doesn't stop Cinderella front man

By Rich Freedman/

Posted:   10/12/2012 01:05:54 AM PDT

Gig to gig, tour to tour, recording to recording. Tom Keifer's voice was always there. Like a hunting dog that never left his side. Or a car that always started in the cold.
"I was able to sing night after night," Keifer said. "And never had a problem."

But, like a pitcher who never thought his fastball would vanish, Keifer took his growling, screaming vocals for
 granted.

"I was guilty of that," he said.

When you're the front man for Cinderella -- a hard rock band discovered by Jon Bon Jovi -- it's not a good thing
to do.

"I had no formal training on the voice. If I did five nights in a row or something, I'd maybe be a little hoarse," 
Keifer said. "I never thought of my voice not
being there."

What vocalist ever thinks their pipes will go south? It's like Einstein forgetting how to add. But, in 1991, it happened. Keifer's vocal chords were basically paralyzed from a virus. He could talk fine. But his voice couldn't hit certain
registers.

And Keifer's career went from hard rock to on the rocks.

"If someone who didn't sing got this, they may not even notice," he said. "It started a long trail of trying
 to find answers. It was pretty weird."

How bad was it?

"A doctor told me I would never sing again," Keifer said
His performing was shelved for three years "between trying to figure out what was wrong and going to 
different doctors."

Six surgeries later, Keifer finally found a vocal coach with some answers who taught him how to keep 
pressure off his chords. He retrained his voice.

And now, with Cinderella still touring, Keifer's out with a solo album and stopped into the Bay Area
 recently for some quick promotion work. And yes, again answering questions about his freak ailment.

"It's not my favorite subject," Keifer said. "It was a traumatic thing to go through. I still go through it every day."

Cinderella's toured three straight years and Keifer's maintained his acclaimed vocals.

"Each year I've felt stronger and stronger," he said.

No, Keifer said, he's not been tempted to tell the doctor off who said he would never sing again.

"I'm not like that," he said. "He was right, in retrospect, because the condition is devastating and there's no cure. There was a denial period. I still struggle to keep it in shape."

Keifer said that fans and band mates may be OK with his voice, he knows it's not as it was.

"Here I am almost 19 years and it's never been the same," he said. "I think about that almost
every day."

Still, he quickly added, "I'm better than I've ever been since the problem," he said. "It (the problem) 
still rears its ugly head, but I'm getting more consistent."

The psychological part of the illness "is huge," Keifer said. "It effects every part of your personality. 
It made me reclusive. I never wanted to play music or socialize. I was in serious depression

for years." Keifer "went through a gamut of emotions. Still do. I'm getting better. There's a little more confidence  walking up on stage." The solo album -- still untitled -- has been a great experience, Keifer said. "The idea was to make a record I was really proud of and do what I wanted to do," he said. The recording started in 2003 and final master complete Spring, 2011. It's due for release in early 2013. "I thought it would be done in a year," he said, laughing that it took so long, three recording systems  came and went via technology. "It was fun to make in terms of creating it," said Keifer, writing some of the tunes in his Nashville home  with his wife, Savanna. It's always about the music, he said. "I didn't pick up a guitar when I was 8 because I wanted to be famous," Keifer said. "That was  something that comes in the territory when music is accepted on a massive scale. I set out to  be a real good musician. It felt good to pick up a guitar and play something well." Never, said Keifer, will he take the fans for granted. "If I'm able to talk to a fan or sign an autograph, I don't try to avoid it," he said. "I'm very grateful and aware of the fact they've fueled the life I've been able to have. " Keifer no longer overlooks his vocal or performing talents. "I love performing and touring. There's nothing else I want to do," he said. "I want to sing.  That's what keeps me going." And, in 2013, it's been 30 years since Cinderella began as the band joins some of metal's  noted bands in the the Monsters of Rock Cruise in March. "It's crazy," Keifer said. "Sometimes it seems that long. Sometimes it seems it's  gone by in a blink of an eye "