TESLA:  MAKING "SIGNS" OF A COMEBACK

by Ernie Thomas


    Thanks to the diligent efforts of a radio DJ in their hometown of
Sacramento, the original line-up of the hard rock quintet Tesla learned  they
could put petty differences behind them and forge ahead in the name of rock
‘n’ roll.

     “For the past couple of years, Pat Martin, a radio DJ back home had been
after us to get back together, at least for one of his station’s hometown
summer shows,” recalled guitarist Tommy Skeoch. 

     Summer came and went twice before Martin wore down the stubborn rockers
enough for them to agree to dust off hits like “Edison’s Medicine,” “Love
Song,” “Heaven’s Trail (No Way Out)” and their take on the classic rock
epic, “Signs.” 
 
     “We wound up doing their big Halloween show last October and we had a
ball,” said Skeoch. “ That reunion show really felt good and we all admitted
that we had a lot of fun playing those old songs together again, so we
decided to do a couple more shows to see if the magic really was still there
and to see what the reception to Tesla might be outside of our home town.”

      When the magic returned again in San Diego, Las Vegas and Fresno as the
band performed before sold out audiences, they knew that it was time to
relaunch the promising group which drugs and personality clashes had torn
apart.

     “We still aren’t angels”  reflected the string bender,  “but we all
did a lot of growing up a lot in the time we were apart.  Before the band
broke up things were nothing like they had been when we first started.  We
had lost the group mentality and focus.  We had turned into five individual
that just drifted apart from each other.  After five years apart, there’s a
lot more appreciation for each other and more acceptance of each other that
wasn’t there when we pulled the plug in 1995.”

      The five starry-eyed rock star hopefuls borrowed their band name from
Nikola Tesla, an electrical engineer and inventor overshadowed in the scheme
of things and in history books by Thomas Edison, because they too felt like
an underdog.

      “Rock ‘n’ roll is all about electricity and we looked at Nikola Tesla
as kind of a kindred spirit when we started,” explained Skeoch.  “It seemed
like a way to give him proper recognition for his work while giving us a
pretty cool name at the same time.”
      In the wake of the current Tesla hub-bub, Skeoch and vocalist Jeff
Keith have aside any work and touring with their band, Bar 7, who had just
recorded a rock solid Tesla-esque album titled, "The World Is A Freak." 
 
     “I think Bar 7 is a really good band there and we made some really good
music, but I don’t know if we will go back and do more stuff with Bar 7 or
not,” said Skeoch.  “I guess it depends on how things go on this tour.  It’s
not fair to the guys in that band to keep them hanging, but right now Jeff
and I are not sure want will happen with Tesla.”

     The guitarist said that he and Keith are both firmly committed to making
their reunion with guitarist Frank Hannon, bassist Brian Wheat and drummer
Troy Luccketta work.  “Tesla will be out on the road through the end of
March,” he said.  “Because things have been going along so well, we are now
talking about doing more dates after that and even doing some possible
recording.”

      Skeoch said that Tesla will have to record and push some new songs back
up the charts if they are to be a long vested project.  “Sure we can go out
and play for a while like we are and people are gonna enjoy it and we’re
enjoying it, but that can only go on for so long before it gets old to
everyone,”  he said.  “A band has to continue to grow to keep things
interesting to themselves and their fans.”

      Two possible projects are already being bantered about.  The first is a
live CD and/or video release culled from there Sacramento reunion concert. 
The second notion is for a studio album of cover songs that reflect the
influences and tastes of the band.

   “Those are just two ideas we have to get something new out there to the
fans,” said Skeoch, “until we have time to actually sit down together and
write new originals and put together a proper new studio album.”  

    In their down time when their tour ends, the band hopes to kick around
some ideas and roll some tape at Wheat’s home studio.  “Maybe when we get
back to Sacramento we can do some recording and maybe write some stuff during
that time,” said the guitarist. “We’ve never been a band that could write
very well on the road.  We may toss around some ideas during a sound check or
on the bus, but nothing too serious happens until we get home and sit down
together with the ideas.”

      In the meantime, the band is both shocked and thrilled to find that
fans are coming out in hordes to welcome them back.  The demand for Tesla
tickets in Chicago when they  came to play the Vic Theatre in late February
was so strong that a second show was added and also sold out.  Tickets are
said to already be selling briskly for the July 21 Star Plaza Theatre show
here in N.W. Indiana.  There is already rumors of a possible second show
being added. 

     The band also just released a new greatest hits anthology collection via
Universal Records that has fuled the buzz about their return further.

     “Man, I can’t tell you how surprised I am to find all these people who
still care so much about the band and our songs,” said Skeoch.  “We’re
playing to full houses everywhere we go.  It’s really pretty awesome.”

     For more on the Tesla, log on their official web site at:
www.teslatheband.com
(Tesla perform @ 8:00 p.m. on July 21 @ Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville,
IN)



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