In the heat of anticipation of an expected new album of Condemned?, we managed to talk to the bassist / vocalist Keith. We will disclose with him the information about the new album and something closer about the beginning of the band as well. But not only about this … 

How is the upcoming album different from the last one?

The new album is 2 disc’s! The first disc is 14 newly recorded songs, plus a 2nd disc that has music from 1983-93.  This new album has my dream band line-up with 3 original “Condemned Attitude” members (me) Keith Chatham/Bass/Throat, Slade Anderson/Drums and Rick Strahl/Guitar, plus 2 new members. Returning to a 5-piece from the original trio, we now have the 2 Guitar attack plus a lead singer!     This is an even more powerful sound, than ever before.  Plus we had a budget to record at one of the premier recording studios.

Have you considered any names yet?

Yes, the new album is called “Condemned 2 Death” C2D-2, honoring the first band I recorded with in 1983-84. Then I moved to Australia in 1985 and formed “CONDEMNED?”, while playing in “Death Sentence/Vicious Circle”.   I moved back to California met Slade Anderson/drums and joined with members of “Attitude Adjustment” to form “Condemned/Attitude” and we recorded the demo “A question not a statement”and the E.P.“Kein Schlaf Bis Deutschland”. 

What are your next plans after the release?

The next plan is to tour the U.S. and Europe to promote the new release. Then record the already written new album this summer! Then we want go to Australia and Japan during our winter. We are working on South America and India is showing interest!

What abou your guitar payer Rick Strahl? Is it true hes in India?

Yes, Rick is visiting in India for a month long spiritual quest for “Punk-Metal” and we are talking with some guys who have a magazine over there.  Rick and I found we were while living on the same island Maui, so we joined forces again and have many albums to record.

Any recent changes in the band? Members, labels, studios, music, etc... ?

Teaming up with Slade and Rick, was the first solid change and adding B.Scott Clayton /Guitar and Rotten Scotty/Lead-throat solidified the line up. The other strong point we got to return to “Prairie Sun Studio’s”, where we had recorded “Kein Schlaf” years before. The main major addition was “Billy Anderson” as Engineer/Co-Producer  who captured our raw live sound. We worked together in the 90’s when he first started and he has really made a name working with Mr.Bungle ,Sleep and Neurosis over the years and is a bass player too, so I trusted him to preserve our low end and complex sound. Of cource returning to working with Markus/Nuclear Blast is absolutely huge for us since he released our first album “Humanoid or Biomechanoid?(also on the 2nd disc) as his 2nd release ever. We both started Doing It Yourself and met back in 1987,so it’s great to work with old friends and the whole family he has built up over the years.

Can you tell our readers, in what was your journey, since the beginning of the band, special? Any memorable moments?

1st) Big memoriable thing was joining C2D at 17yrs and practicing in the same building as M.D.C., D.R.I. and The Dicks then being on the same label. Next 2nd thing) Moving to Australia and squatting at 19, recording 1st Condemned? L.P. 3rd) Touring and meeting people 4) Surviving friends dying 5) Learning humility the hard way! 

In your opinion, what are the key things to be succesful in music?

Sticking to your guns, staying true to your own sound, and enjoy the ride and see where it takes you! Personally I “Endeavor to be Severe!! Keep questioning and you’ll never stop having fuel to motivate you.

What albums are you influenced by? 

My top 5 early album influences:

1-Motorhead-Ace of Spades 2-Bad Brains-Quickness/I against I 3-Poison Idea-Pick your king/Feel the Darkness  4-Iron Maiden/Iron Maiden 5-Raw Power-Screams from the gutter   

Stay Hard to the Core, Keith, Condemned?