WASHINGTON 鈥� Tommy Keene, whose 1984 hit 鈥淧laces That Are Gone鈥� established the Bethesda-born singer-songwriter as one of new wave鈥檚 most promising stars, has died at 59.
Keene died in his sleep, according to a post on his website.
鈥淗e had the perfect name to be a superstar, and the talent to back it up,鈥� said Skip Groff, owner of Yesterday & Today Records. 鈥淲hen I was growing up, the word 鈥榢een鈥� was analogous to boss and groovy, and I thought that had to be a fake name.鈥�
With movie star looks and a quiet demeanor, Keene graduated from Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda.
鈥淎ll of his records sold a ton at Yesterday & Today,鈥� said Groff.
Keene was a mainstay of the D.C. new wave scene in the early 1980s before gaining acclaim as a consistent singer and songwriter.
鈥淚 remember Tommy from The Rage, with Richard X. Heyman, and what a great pop tour de force they were,鈥� said Abaad Behram, guitarist in The Razz. 鈥淩azz was excited to have them on the bill with us at the Varsity Grille,鈥� in College Park.
When Behram and his Rolling Stone stylings left Razz, he was replaced by Keene.
鈥淎fter I left Razz, I went to see them with Tommy, and was blown away with the new songs which were now being driven by Tommy鈥檚 pop sensibilities,鈥� Behram said. 鈥淭ommy and I were always a mutual fan club till the end.鈥�
鈥淲hen Tommy came in, we certainly became a lot more popular,鈥� said Ted Niceley, who played bass in Razz, and Keene鈥檚 solo efforts. 鈥淭he songs were more commercial.鈥�
After Razz ended, Keene, along with Niceley and Razz drummer Doug Tull recorded what became Keene鈥檚 first album release, 鈥淪trange Alliance.鈥�
鈥淭hat got a lot of airplay on WHFS,鈥� recalled Niceley.
Keene鈥檚 鈥淧laces That Are Gone鈥� EP got a 4-star review in Rolling Stone, and was hailed by music fans for its bittersweet, melodic sound.
鈥淗is sound was exactly the right fit for musicians we liked to champion on WHFS,鈥� said Cerphe Colwell. 鈥淗e had the gift of writing unforgettable, beautiful songs that became a huge component of the late 70s and 80s D.C. music scene.鈥�
Poised on the brink of stardom, Niceley, Tull, and guitarist Billy Connelly formed the Tommy Keene Band.
鈥淚t was really exciting,鈥� said Niceley. 鈥淲e had something going.鈥�
Keene and company were signed to Geffen Records, and released 鈥淪ongs from the Film”聽in 1986.
The album, produced by Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, got to #148 on the Billboard 200 chart.
鈥淎ll of us at WHFS loved his music 鈥� for me, it was pure rock 鈥榥鈥� roll,鈥� said Colwell, who can now be heard on Music Planet Radio. 鈥淗e was very under-publicized and underrated, but he was a superb songwriter and the stuff of legend.鈥�
Niceley recalled hearing, 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have a hit, you don鈥檛 have a hit, you don鈥檛 have a hit,鈥� from Geffen Records and described the experience with the major label as 鈥渇rustrating, disappointing, all of the above.鈥�
However, Keene continued playing and recording his music, and working with other bands.
鈥淚t was his passion,鈥� said Groff. 鈥淵ou can tell by the number of artists he played with, including Gin Blossoms and Paul Westerberg.鈥�
Keene recorded 11 full-length albums, four EPs, three compilations, and a live album.
Recently, Keene had been playing with Matthew Sweet, and done a tour with Ivan Julian, guitarist in seminal New York punk band Richard Hell and the Voidoids.
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鈥淭his was his life 鈥� he never complained about anything,鈥� said Niceley. 鈥淗e loved going on tour.鈥�
鈥淗e liked what he was doing and he was going to do it as long as he could 鈥� and that鈥檚 exactly what he did.鈥�
