Unsigned Spotlight: Keeper
Keeper sticks to his post-hardcore roots with guitar-driven riffs, whilst also mixing pop and emo-rap elements to create a varied and modern sound.
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
This is a Solo project. My name's Emanuel, I go by Keeper :) I play guitar on all the tracks and do vocals live and in the studio. Prior to Keeper, I was part of a post-hardcore band called Jack The Envious.
I joined the band when I was 19 and it was a fantastic experience that allowed me to make valuable contacts, play great shows, and form strong bonds. Without this prior experience, Keeper wouldn't have been possible. Keeper started during the lockdown period, with the first song created in April 2020 and the first release in January 2021. So, in terms of releases, were looking at around the 2-year mark, but if we factor in all the preparation time before the release of any material, it's been around for three years.
What's the origin of that name and have you changed the band's name before?
So, Keeper comes from a video game. To be honest, the entire Keeper history is from video games. I only started this project by playing Minecraft with my mates. But the name Keeper came from my playable character in the Monster Hunter Series. Monster Hunter is set in a world where enormous creatures roam the earth.
In these games, players battle these monsters and gather resources to craft better armor and weapons in order to take on even deadlier foes. The character of Keeper allows me to live out these fantastical adventures, exploring new planets, fighting monsters, building towns, and exploring the world with my friends. It's a form of escapism that allows me to become a better version of myself and do things that I could only dream of doing in real life.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
Keeper is pretty collaborative. I love working with people. It's so cool to bounce ideas off one another and get different viewpoints or melodies you wouldn't have thought of, it really makes the experience for me. Songs tend to start with a riff or idea I develop in my bedroom. What happens is, while I'm watching TV or waiting for a game to load, I'll normally have a guitar out.
I'll be noodling away, playing nothing intentionally, not even paying attention. then all of a sudden, randomly, what Im playing would grab my attention. For whatever reason, the riff or melody would jump out. So I pause my TV, open up a DAW or the camera app on my phone, and I'll record it.
From here, ill either expand my idea, properly flesh it out, or ill just click play, and go right back to noodling. It completely depends on both how good the idea is, and how good the show is lol.
I'll then book a sesh with my producer buddy Jon Cass. We'll talk crap for the first 20mins, but after ill show him all the weird little ideas I've been working on. We'd have to sit through about 20 nonsensical videos or audio bites.
Some sound absolutely awful, while others would leave you almost instantly hearing a song. Sometimes a riff won't make it that sesh, but turn up again in a future one, (Here We Go), but all will get tested by Cass.
He'll pick one with promise, and then we get to it! After we get our beat, ill go off, write some vocals, and try to book a follow-up sesh to record vocals. Even with lyrics, I try to make it collaborative, ill get my sister or maybe my mum in on it. Let them assess what I've written, and maybe come up with a better melody.
It helps refine it, I might write an identical chorus from another song, and I wouldn't have known without feedback. Lately, my buddy Cherryrizzla has been helping me with lyrics. She has been a great help, highly recommend checking out her music. In terms of themes. It varies.
Either from my own personal experiences or thoughts to those of friends and relatives, or maybe even films. For instance, I've got one about a vampire to come out in October. that came about from watching too much BBS Young Dracula and Buffy.
But honestly, it's whatever strong emotion or story that hits at the time. ignoring one or two, most of the recent tracks have actually been positive. Picking yourself up and dusting yourself off.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you're making?
I'm currently going through a bit of a 2000s emo phase. I think it's because of the "When We Were Young" festival a few months ago, which had all those original bands on one lineup. Spotify has been creating playlists around it, which hasn't helped...
It's taken hold of me and I haven't been able to let it go for the past week. I often find myself screaming along to tracks like "Feel Good Drag" by Anberlin or "The Kill" by 30 Seconds to Mars while driving to my 9-5 job. It's my way of living my best life in the 20 minutes it takes me to get to work, screaming all the lyrics like an angsty teenager
I know I'm not the only one who does this, so I don't feel too bad about admitting it. I don't have Spotify Premium, so I try not to spend money when I don't have to, especially during the current living crisis. As a result, I'm unable to select songs and have to let the shuffle gods decide my fate.
But thanks to that damn festival, they have been kind to me. No doubt it'll go back to the usual four tracks soon, but for now, I'm living the dream!
Although slowly, artists like underscores, Brakence, Aries, and 100 Gecs have been working their way back into my playlists. Especially Brakence - their new album is insane! It's a must-have experience. Please check it out!
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
When I was young, my parents encouraged me to learn how to play musical instruments. I started with the piano and continued for a year or two, but my teacher eventually moved to Australia, and I never really picked it up again. It wasn't until a few years later that I decided to try learning another instrument, and I chose the guitar.
Unfortunately, in the beginning, it felt like a chore. My young mind saw it as homework, and I didn't really enjoy it. However, when I turned 15, my own musical tastes started to develop, and I began to see it as a potential career.
I had always thought that being a professional musician was unachievable, but then I watched a documentary about the band Paramore called "This is Riot." Their music was amazing, and they were young, having fun, and making money. They weren't some distant rock stars on a stage; they were young adults sleeping in the back of a van and doing what they loved.
Watching that documentary made me feel like becoming a musician was achievable, and since then, it's been all I can think about. My dream isn't to become rich and famous with fancy cars and cameras; I just want to play shows with my friends, write music, and not have to worry about going broke or borrowing money from my parents. I want to live off the music I create and have unforgettable adventures sleeping in the backs of cars or on university floors!
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, etc…
I have a bit of a problem with my pre-show routine. I tend to eat a lot of junk food before going on stage, which always leads to indigestion and burping while performing. This has been happening since I started playing music. I know it's not the best thing to do, but I can't resist the temptation of the fastest, greasiest burger from a corner shop chicken place.
It fills me up so much that breathing becomes difficult, and there's always the possibility of getting food poisoning, which adds to the excitement. Honestly, I should stop doing this, but I can't seem to help it. When I'm driving to the venue, waiting to load in, and sound checking, my appetite kicks in, and I end up starving by the end of it.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band's career so far?
With Keeper, my career has only just begun. Although the project has been around for three years, due to the pandemic, I've only been able to upload music for two of those years.
I feel like I haven't had enough experience yet as an artist, but if I had to choose a favorite moment, it would be those early months. It was such an exciting time for me. Writing is my favorite part of the process, and during those early months, that's all we did. It was a time of growth, and it felt like I was actually moving forward, not just waiting for something to happen. Being a solo artist is both challenging and rewarding.
All I have to convince to start moving is myself, and everything else follows. However, my recent studio experiences have been amazing as well. Each song has its own unique feel, and we've put in a lot of work to make them flow nicely together. We've made some interesting stylistic choices, and it's been a fun and experimental process that has allowed me to tap into my creative side.
For every song, we've tried to make it weirder, cooler, and more unique, by blending genres and using nostalgia to take the music in new directions. Overall, it's been a great experience, and I'm excited for everyone to hear the next few singles!
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Fever 333. Deffo them. Mostly it's because of Jason haha. Jason is absolutely insane, in the best possible way. While many bands have a wild and crazy lead singer, none of them can compare to Jason's energy and stage presence. He's a true force of nature, constantly moving, hyping up the crowd, and even jumping off stages, climbing on ceilings, and diving into drum kits.
His passion and love for what he does is palpable in his music, making listeners feel hyped up and energized. If just listening to their music at home gets you this excited, you can only imagine the incredible experience of seeing them live. Trust me, having seen them multiple times, it's an insane and unforgettable show.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I'm a bit of an idiot. So I have loads of stupid stories. From riding on top of cars going 40, to sleeping drunk in a graveyard. I manage to keep life interesting. A lot of toilet stories from camping out in the wilderness. Always a great laugh at a bar. Be careful of hills is all I'll say there. I love camping. When I was 9, on a Cubs trip, I ended up getting lost in the woods.
Like the clown I am, I decided to abandon the campsite, In favor of a solitary life. I just decided to walk. In a straight line, see how far id get. Unfortunately, I get lost. I'm stuck walking around in the middle of a dark forest, with this big huge tree as my only familiar point. At this point, I'm crying my eyes out, thinking id never see the light of day again. Lost for good.
Anyway, while wandering around this big, big, big tree; I spot a deer. I freeze, and my eyes start to adjust to what I'm looking at. It's not just any deer, it's a mother deer, and what's next to it, but a baby fawn. It felt like ages. The three of us stared at each other, not blinking. See who'd move first. It was them. But I've always remembered it. It's one of my greatest memories. Thankfully found my way out. Decided to never do that again. But I'm glad I did it.