Jammerzine Exclusive: An Interview with Bad Keys Of The Mountain

Summer is right around the corner, with its talk plants and bright sun. We’ll need songs that capture the dark side of those long, mirthy nights. And I haven’t heard a song that better captures those moods than “As It Is” by the Bad Keys of the Mountains.

Hailing from Charleston, WV, this three-piece reinvents the sounds of the 60s and 70s into something honest and modern. Guitarist, singer, and songwriter David McGuire, bassist Joey Lafferty, and drummer Jason Reese all work to craft good songs for troubled times. After playing events like the Huntington Music & Arts Festival in 2019, the band took 2020 to craft their debut record Together & Alone.

And now, they’re back with this new single “As It Is.” It’s a swampy song that’s perfect for the oncoming humidity. Conceived during the height of the pandemic, its a song about division and misinformation. McGuire sings, “Feels like things are closing in / sympathy is wearing thin.” It’s a chilling perspective on our present situation. Recalling the roots-rock of Tom Petty or Neil Young, Bad Keys of the Mountains deliver a heady, political jam that’ll have your head bobbing and your toes tapping.

About Bad Keys Of The Mountain

Based out of Charleston, WV, Bad Keys of the Mountain is a 3 piece rock and roll band who draw their influence from the bands of the 60’s and 70’s and filter that through their experience of coming of age in the Appalachia of the 90’s and early 2000’s.

Fusing together melodies and harmony with the contrast of electric and acoustic textures, guitarist/singer/songwriter David McGuire along with bassist Joey Lafferty and drummer Jason Reese keep listeners engaged at every turn.

The band played Live on the Levee in their hometown during the summer of 2019 along with the Huntington Arts and Music Festival that same year, while they spent 2020 focusing on their debut record “Together and Alone” in their hometown of Charleston, WV.

Featured image by Rafael Barker.

LINKS:
https://facebook.com/BADKEYSOFTHEMOUNTAIN
https://www.reverbnation.com/badkeysofthemountain
https://badkeysofthemounta.wixsite.com/website
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2W3MU68gEOfyzcasPA7igI
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/bad-keys-of-the-mountain/1415700379
https://badkeysofthemountain1.bandcamp.com