Question: What does Jem of Jem and the Holograms and Marilyn Manson have in common?
If you said “both are addicted to absinth and are criminally abusive in their relationships”… You are CORRECT! However, if you said “they both have Keytarists in their bands”… you are also correct. So lets focus on that: The all amazing KEY-TAR!!!
Let us take a quick journey through the evolution of the Keytar, shall we?
Now weather you call it a shoulder keyboard, a keyboard guitar, a synth-axe, or even a belly-synth (Yes: these are all alternative names for the keytar), the first “keytar” introduced to the public was the Moog Liberation, created by jazz guitarist Steve Masakowski in 1980. Which goes to show… Guitarist are more innovative than keyboardists – BOOM! Take that, Yanni!
Lets go on a journey with some of my favorite bands and artists that use the keytar as a regular. And this journey begins in the late 70’s/early 80’s with the godfathers of geek: DEVO.
Our EVOlution of Keytar begins as a DEVOlution! (*chuckles to himself quietly) 😔
Devo was one of the first bands credited for using the keytar live and on recording albums. And why not?! The keytar looks like it was created specifically for Devo.
Although Devo was the first to use it in their performances, it is said that the song “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood used the keytar heavily, and was responsible for popularizing the Keytar into the spotlight. So give credit where it’s due.
Next up, from the paupers to Prince. Yes, even Prince joined the keytar revolution. In fact he even even patented a signature keytar design and he called it… wait for it… The Purpleaxxe! 🤯
Obviously Prince doesn’t play keytar on every song, but when you listen to 1999 and imagine him dancing around while playing a keytar, it makes the experience just that much better.
Side note: “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you, I only want you to have some fun” – The only time that line isn’t creepy is when it’s in a Prince song.
Sure there were plenty of 80’s hair-metal bands that used keytars, in fact when I think of a keytar the sounds of the Final Countdown, Separate Ways by Journey and Bon Jovi’s Runaway fill my head. But sadly, other than Dream Theater there just wasn’t very many keytar staples in the hair-metal scene.
Wait! What am I talking about? No good 80’s hair bands that use keytar? How could I forget… Howard the Duck!
To continue on into the 90’s, this was probably the saddest time for the keytar. Not only did Kurt Cobain and Nirvana come to town and snuff out the hair-band scene, they also snuffed out the keytar in doing so… at least temporarily.
After a long hiatus, the keytar made it back on the mainstage thanks to Mr. Marilyn Manson.
The industrial metal scene was a great place to bring our trusty keytar back out of retirement. With a darker, noisier, bloodier look, it didn’t have any irony tied to using it in this band. It was just cool again!
Sadly, no one had the notes to carry that torch from Marilyn Manson and another 10 years went by as the Keytar laid dormant and unplayed.
But luckily a new wave of great music, including Imogen Heap and Chromeo, was right around the corner holding their keytars high in their hands.
And the fun didn’t stop there! More and more bands were seen on stage rocking a keytar like Matt Bellamy of Muse, Damon Albarn of Gorillaz, as well as Extreme Power Metalist Vadim Pruzhanov of Dragonforce! Did someone say Keytar Hero?
A decade passed before one of my favorite metal bands wrote an album that incorrporated our dear friend, the Keytar. That band is Ghost and the album is Meloria.
They must’ve taken quite a liking to having the keytar as a band staple because every album prior has used the keytar on many of their songs.
Check out the wicked keytar solo on the song Mummy Dust!
Even though it came out in 2008, around this time I personally discovered Tim and Eric‘s hit single Sports! If you haven’t seen the video for that song, then you’re in for a treat.
But also around this time, Régine Chassagne of Arcade Fire began bringing up her keytar on stage.
As if we needed any more reason to want to see Arcade Fire live 😖
So what’s next?
It seems that as time goes on there is only more keytars in the music scene. Regardless of genre, I think it is safe to say that Keytars are HERE TO STAY!
So… maybe it’s time to hurry up and get a keytar emoji made. Just sayin’.
Don’t believe me that keytar is here to stay? Just check out synth-wave keytar rocker Street Cleaner. The future is bright for the Keytar… So bright, he has to wear shades 😎 …and laser beams.
Here is a playlist I made highlighting all of my favorite songs from Keytar playing bands, ordered in the history and evolution discussed here – Enjoy!