By John Johnson
March 7th, 7pm- Bret Michaels with special guest TESLA @Baycare Sound
Tickets: https://www.rutheckerdhall.com/
In 1986, rock bands from California owned stock in Aqua-Net and wore more makeup than your sister. For Los Angeles bands that’s an extremely accurate recollection. But Sacramento, way north of the Hollywood hills, spawned a different breed of rock band. That group of course was, and is,Tesla. On a recent Monday, I was lucky enough to chat with the exceedingly energetic frontman.
Briskly wrapped sunshine was bouncing between Florida and Northern California when my phone rang and read Jeff Keith, the unmistakable voice of Tesla. I was enjoying a cooler-than-usual afternoon in Tampa; he was soaking up blooming trees just outside Sacramento, “about 30 minutes out toward Folsom Lake,” he said proudly. His chipper demeanor and chalky voice was just as I expected it would be, and he couldn’t have been cooler. Keith has always struck that balance between laid-back and fired-up. Having expressed my love for Northen Cali more than the plastic “vibe” of L.A., within minutes he was laughing about California geography, his daughter living in Santa Monica, and his preference for Northern California himself, “where the girls are warm,” tossing in a quick nod to Steve Miller, “…but I married a couple cold ones” he followed jokingly.
But relaxation mode doesn’t last long in Tesla’s world. Keith is gearing up for a busy 2026, including a March 7 stop in Clearwater opening for, the equally young at heart, Bret Michaels at the BayCare Sound. “We love Clearwater. Always a great crowd,” he said, his enthusiasm felt genuine. Later in the year, Tesla will head out with Mötley Crüe, with Extreme opening. I alluded to how dangerous it could get on a Crue tour, mostly referring to their hey day. “It’s gonna be great,” Keith said. “We live and learn, but it’s gonna be great.” After four decades in the “biz”, that optimism doesn’t sound forced, it sounds earned.
Of course, you can’t talk Tesla without talking about the band’s namesake, inventor Nikola Tesla. When I jokingly asked if Edison had ever made the shortlist as a band name, Keith didn’t miss a beat. “No. Heck no,” he laughed before launching into a quick, passionate breakdown of alternating versus direct current and Tesla’s underdog legacy against Thomas Edison. For Keith, the connection goes deeper than a cool name. “He was into his inventions like we’re into writing music,” he said. “He wasn’t out for the money. He was out because of his passion.” That philosophy still drives the self proclaimed “blue-collar” band. “We don’t need any number one hits. We just want to play songs, and we still do, 40 years later, from the heart.” I agree and confide that Nicola got screwed by Edison, he concurred “Yes, he did.” he says knowingly, “It happens in life. We gotta look out for that stuff.”
That passion recently showed up in a bluesy collaboration covering the Willie Dixon penned, Foghat staple, “I Just Want to Make Love to You” with Steelheart singer “Mili” (Miljenko Matijevic) a project Keith clearly enjoyed. The track even earned the blessing of Dixon’s family, which meant everything to Keith. “They said their dad would be so happy you guys are doing the song,” Keith shared. Moments like that, he suggested, “are the real payoff”. Not chart positions. Not industry politics. Just musicians honoring the music.
Between gig and impromptu set memories, including us trying to remember a long-demolished Bay Area arena, and stories about jumping onstage to sing “Slow Ride” with old friends including Foghat alumni Roger Earl, Keith comes across exactly the way fans hope he would: funny, thoughtful, and still completely in love with rock and roll. As our call was winding down, we were still trying to Google-in-our-head the name of the old Florida venue they frequented back in the day. “I hate Googling things,” he laughed and I agreed. “I like to think of them before Google gives me some dumb answer.” Indeed.
Forty years on, Jeff Keith doesn’t need Google to tell him who he is. He’s the voice of Tesla (the band of course), still chasing songs from the heart, still packing venues, and still sounding like a guy who’d rather talk about blooming trees, blues riffs and honoring music than platinum plaques. And on March 7 in Clearwater, he’ll do what he’s always done best, he will slinkily step to the mic and let it rip.
Moments after our call ended, he texted me “Was it the Bayfront Center?” I, having cheated with the Google-box, let him know that it was indeed that historic arena now known as the Mahaffey Theater. We texted briefly about album art, thanked each other again for our time and his last reply was simply, and cherished “Peace and Love John!!!”
Now Go Out and See, Hear and Feel Live Music!
