Interviewed by Brian Rademacher
Date: October 2009

Brian Rademacher: Hello Kee and welcome to RockEyez.com. I’ve been a fan for a long time now and finally have a chance to talk with you.

Kee Marcello Hi Brian, thanx.

Brian Rademacher: Are you happy the way your music career is going?

Kee Marcello Yes I am! I’m right now working on a new "K2" album (The new line-up is me, Marco Mendoza and Mike Terrana), we’re doing our first tour together in November, and the album is due for release in February 2010.

Brian Rademacher: Growing up what was it like with your father being a politician?

Kee Marcello Well, I didn’t see him that much, he was traveling a lot! I still have very positive childhood memories though; when he was home he really tried to make up for it, taking me out fishing, going to Ice Hockey games and such …

I also got to meet a lot of inspiring people when I was a kid. He was friends with the prime minister of Sweden, Olof Palme, so he was our house guest a couple of times. I still remember him well. He later, one night in 1986, got shot to death on an open street in Stockholm, on the way home from the cinema, and the police never managed to catch the killer! I believe this changed Sweden fundamentally … it’s like the innocence and positivism forever got lost that cold winter night.

I remember that night clearly … I was working late in the studio (so what’s changed!) when the drummer of EASY ACTION; Freddie Von Gerber, called me. He happened to be at a club one block away from the murder scene when it happened, and the DJ had announced on the speakers that the prime minister was shot to death. I called my dad and woke him up to tell him about this. I knew that he would have wanted to know … this was before it even hit the news. I remember that it struck him hard …

Brian Rademacher: You were a fan of HEP STARS (with Benny Andersson from ABBA), what were some of the other bands you listened to as a child?

Kee Marcello The very first bands I listened to where all from my older sisters 45’s! Besides HEP STARS, there was of course THE BEATLES … and I really liked a Swedish singer named Pugh Rogefeldt. He was the first one to record a hard rock album singing in Swedish … the song "Hog Farm" had an amazing guitar riff! The very first LP I bought though was "Who Do We Think We Are" by DEEP PURPLE

Brian Rademacher: I heard you were pretty good in tennis?

Kee Marcello Oh no, who told you that?! My tennis playing SUCKS! But that’s how it all started, me and a neighbor kid were playing tennis when we started playing air guitar with the rackets!

Brian Rademacher: In your early years you want to wear make-up as part of your show, did you ever play any shows with make-up ala KISS or others?

Kee Marcello The first gig I ever did, I tried to persuade the others in the band that it would be a great idea to play in our own version of the KISS makeup, but they chickened out … I still to this day have never done it, and I’m still dreaming of doing it! Maybe I can talk Marco and Mike into doing it, if just only for one gig!

Brian Rademacher: Is it true that the first song you played was "Sveriges Riksbank"?

Kee Marcello Well, "Sveriges Riksbank" (which means "Bank Of Sweden" in Swedish) was the very first song I wrote for the band, but the first song I played with the band was probably "Fire" by Hendrix. And the first song I ever played on the guitar was probably "Smoke On The Water" (name ONE guitar player growing up in the 70’s who didn’t!)

Brian Rademacher: Was your first band called JOKER and how did you come up with that name?

Kee Marcello Yes it was! It was an outcome of my fascination for the concept of the evil jester … and that "killing joke" double nature thing …it still fascinates me! Back then I even collected playing card Jokers … and of course this all started with the Joker in Batman!

Brian Rademacher: You went thru so many music era’s. what would you say was your favorite time of music?

Kee Marcello The 70’s … all the music that shaped me was done then.

Brian Rademacher: How about the first concert you ever went to?

Kee Marcello One of the first I can remember was with Pugh Rogefeldt, whom I mentioned earlier. It was of course amazing!

Brian Rademacher: You worked with some many great friends and also worked with Zinnie Zan, do you ever talk with Zinnie anymore?

Kee Marcello Yes, pretty often!

Brian Rademacher: EASY ACTION reunited for the 2006 Sweden Rock Festival were there any thoughts of recording new material?

Kee Marcello Yes, we’re working on a new EASY ACTION album due for release during 2010. It took such a time since I’ve been tied up with my other projects, but now at last it’s happening!

Brian Rademacher: EASY ACTION became pretty popular in Europe, but never really cracked the US market before you joined EUROPE with Joey Tempest. What went through your mind replacing John Norum?

Kee Marcello I first turned the offer down, but changed my mind after thinking it over for a while. I wasn’t really a big fan of the band, and it took me some time to figure out what my place in the band would be. I don’t regret it though, I’m proud of my time in the band. In retrospective, for me the best EUROPE albums are "Out Of This World" and "Prisoners In Paradise", not only because I play on them, it’s because the songs, arrangements and the musicality is at it best there, and partly because I never really liked EUROPE with John Norum on the guitar.

Brian Rademacher: Right now you’re working on "K2" plus other projects, seems like every want Kee Marcello…do you have anything else in the works, beside I heard you are working on a new solo release for 2010, can you tell us anything about that?

Kee Marcello Well, the K2 album and my solo release are the same! K2 was firstly my solo project that now has turned into a real band.

Brian Rademacher: How is your relationship with Joey Tempest these days?

Kee Marcello Non existing.

Brian Rademacher: I am going to name a few acts tell me what your feelings toward them are, if any?

• SWEET.

Kee Marcello Amazing band! Big influence.

Brian Rademacher: SLADE.

Kee Marcello Cool band, cool singer …

Brian Rademacher: URIAH HEEP.

Kee Marcello Awesome in the 70’s! And they had the best bass player to ever walk the face of the earth; Gary Thain (RIP).

Brian Rademacher: BOWIE.

Kee Marcello Amazing singer and artist.

Brian Rademacher: ABBA.

Kee Marcello Amazing songs!

Brian Rademacher: EUROPE.

Kee Marcello Amazing between 1986-1992!

Brian Rademacher: KISS.

Kee Marcello AWESOME!

Brian Rademacher: What’s the chance of Kee Marcello making it over to the US in 2010, maybe Rocklahoma 2010?

Kee Marcello I’m hoping to come to the US after the "K2" album is released!

Brian Rademacher: My favorite music is coming out of Sweden these days. My favorite being CRASHDIET have you heard of them and what do you think of them?

Kee Marcello I haven’t heard enough to have an opinion.

Brian Rademacher: Hey Kee this was a pleasure for me and wish you only the best in the future and I can’t wait for the new release. Is there anything you want to talk about I missed?

Kee Marcello Well, check out the new K2 album; "DOG EAT DOG"! It will kick galaxy cluster ass!

Brian Rademacher: If you can sum up what Kee Marcello is like as a person what would you say?

Kee Marcello A riddle wrapped up in an enigma!

Brian Rademacher: Once again thanks so much would you like to say anything in ending?

Kee Marcello Thanks to all my fans around the World for sticking around … hope to see you all on the road with K2!