By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
May 27, 1987
The story of Cinderella reads like a rock ‘n’ roll fairy tale.
The band’s debut album, “Night Songs,” has sold more than a million copies, and the four hard rockers are on their second major tour in two years. The Philadelphia-based quartet will be the opening act for the immensely popular Bon Jovi in concerts starting at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Rosemont Horizon.
“We’ve been having a lot of fun on the road with Jon (Bon Jovi) and the boys,” said singer Tom Keifer, founder of Cinderella.
“It’s great because he lets us do whatever we want to do,” Keifer said. “Some bands like to stifle their opening acts so that they’ll look better by comparison, but Jon isn’t concerned about that. He knows how good his band is, and he knows we can hold our own against him.”
Bon Jovi should know how good Cinderella is. He played a crucial role in helping the band get a recording contract two years ago. After seeing Cinderella perform at the Empire, a popular Philadelphia club, Bon Jovi went backstage to meet the guys.
“He said he thought we were really talented, and that our set sounded like it had some hits,” Keifer said.
“So he just hung out with us for a while and talked, and we thought that was that. Anyhow, the next day our manager tells us he heard that Jon had been to his label (Polygram Records) telling them all about us and how good he thought we were. So that really helped us, I think.”
Keifer, 26, took his music seriously from an early age. He began guitar lessons when he was 8 years old. After learning the basic chords and some rudimentary songs, he decided he wanted to rock ‘n’ roll, something his teacher didn’t really understand. By the time Keifer was in high school, he had already formed several bands.
The son of schoolteachers, Keifer almost dropped out of high school at 15 to become a professional musician.
His parents persuaded him to continue with a plum reward: a Les Paul guitar for a diploma.
“I really wanted to quit school, but a Les Paul was something I’d always wanted, too,” recalled Keifer, chuckling. He completed school, got the guitar, and kept on playing in bands.
Until Cinderella, Keifer chose to stay in the background of the groups he formed. Preferring to play guitar and write the songs, he left the singing duties to other members because he felt they were better qualified.
“Now the guys (in Cinderella) will think I’m slighting their vocal abilities,” he said, laughing.
Keifer formed Cinderella with bassist Eric Brittingham four years ago. They both decided that their band would have two requirements: Cinderella would play original material, and they would play only hard rock.
Even though that was a period when hard rock wasn’t as desirable as British synthesizer pop, Keifer and Brittingham persevered.
“There was never a question in my mind what we wanted to play and look like,” Keifer said. “Some people might not think it’s hip to have long hair and wear leather. These are the people who think our music isn’t good music. Well, music’s music, and I happen to prefer hard-rocking rock ‘n’ roll. I’ve always been a hard rocker from the beginning, even as a kid, and I’ll be one till the end.”
Fans who have seen Cinderella’s videos – full as they are with nubile girls, macho guitar-hero poses, and head-banging music – may be surprised to learn that Keifer says he doesn’t smoke, hardly drinks, and has an affinity for hot tea.
Should he bump into some overzealous fans who have followed him back to his hotel, Keifer tries to give them what they want, be it an autograph or a photograph or some advice about forming a band. But groupies should be forewarned that he is faithful to his fiancee, Emily Pember. Outside of the band, he said, she’s his only interest.
The Keifer-Pember romantic union is the culmination of a four-year courtship. But Pember, a graphic artist, has proven herself to be an integral part of the group by designing the band’s logo.
“I wish I could spend more time with her, but this is an opportunity that sometimes never happens to many bands,” said Keifer, referring to the tour. “Sometimes it takes a couple of albums to introduce a band to the whole scene, before the following builds up. But we really lucked out.”
