June 2025 Whiskey Network cover image and key photo image photo credit: Mark Weiss
Keith Roth is ensconced in his super-secret sanctuary somewhere in the New York tri-state area. He is delivering yet another music sermon to millions of listeners during his usual broadcast times on Sirius XM radio (catch him on Ozzy’s Boneyard and Hair Nation).
The whiskey-soaked timbre of Keith’s voice is unmistakable, and he’s bound by a higher power to spread the gospel about the sacred three chords of rock and roll. You can also catch Keith on the road as the lead singer and guitarist of the Dictators and Frankenstein 3000. His other credits include pivotal roles on over 50 records in the hallowed halls of music.
In March of 2025, Keith’s debut solo record, The Law of Diminished Returns, hit the airwaves through Deko Entertainment. It’s a straight up jaunt into the heart of rock and roll that gives a nod to best of his influences and a life lived in the music business. The first single, “I Don’t Feel Like Thinking Today,” is the kind of music that emanates from the small clubs that are the heart and soul of music. The music is larger than life and floods the universe with good vibes.
Keith’s 30 years in the business as a frontman, interviewer, producer, and songwriter have been a fantastic journey. All roads have led to this moment, and he presides over the congregation as the Righteous Reverend of Rock. Whiskey Network was able to catch up with Keith between gigs and sips. He personifies the legendary connection between music and whiskey.
Whiskey Then and Now
Like many other whiskey enthusiasts, Keith’s familiarity began by watching his parents. He recalls his father and uncles not really having much to say to one another most of the time. However, when the Chivas Regal kicked in, they would be playing cards and laughing like crazy men.
He recalls a joke that the late, great David Johansen (the New York Dolls and Buster Poindexter) told him, “Two Irish brothers walk into a bar, and they sit down. One brother says, ‘How are you doing?,’ and the other brother says, ‘Are we here to drink, or bullshit?’” Keith worked with David for many years, and that recent loss still stings. Still, it’s a great memory between friends with whiskey as the binding agent.
Being a massive Rolling Stones fan, Keith also recalls the classic Ethan Russell photograph of Keith Richards from their Rolling Stones American Tour 1972. Keith, in all his glory, is sporting a generous coif of hair, a silky flowing shirt, and a bottle of Jack Daniels on his amp (along with two cans of Coors Banquet and a Coke (the soda, not the other kind)). As has been said, the Rolling Stones guitarist embodied the excess and debauchery of rock and roll – and it was not advised to try an imitate him. There is no denying that there is more than a simple temptation to taste rock and whiskey in all its glory.
So, Keith’s journey began, and he invested time into exploring flavors during those roaring evenings living life at the intersection of music and whiskey. At a certain point, everyone has a friend who loves whiskey, and they are instrumental in expanding the horizons of taste. Keith’s good friend Mark Regan (Main Main record label) treated him to a taste of Pappy Van Winkle 23-Year-Old Bourbon. This left a lasting impression on Keith, and he hasn’t forgotten. In fact, he recalls that he needs to go check on the status of that rather expensive bottle… and see if there’s anything left. Not a bad idea!
These days, when Keith wants to enjoy some whiskey, he likes to set the mood right. Picture a warm summer day on the patio, where a short glass gets filled with Maker’s Mark. Simple, tried, and true. The stereo completes the scene with required listening from the likes of old school rock and roll, or maybe even something like Curits Mayfield or Miles Davis. Sounds like an epic afternoon.
Whiskey Stories
Being from New York and having been involved with bands who are the bedrock of rock and roll, it would be impossible not to have stories of misadventures that involve whiskey. Keith knows that there are too many to cover in our short time together, but delivers a couple of gems.
Keith was good friends with the late Erik Ferro who played drums in the band T.T. Quick (also featuring a young Mark Tornillo, now with Accept, on vocals). Together, Keith and Erik were working the parking lot at one of the local clubs in the New York area. Erik always had a bottle of Southern Comfort hidden away. Keith recalls, “I have some scars on me from those early years drinking with a guy like Erik (who resembled John Bonham). Those were the glory days of my misspent youth. We also partied with Scotty Hill (Skid Row), and the guys from Pantera. That involved a lot of Crown Royal.”
Of course, all roads in whiskey and music lead to Pantera and Dimebag Darrell.
Thinking back to a night with Pantera, Keith says, “One time, they took me on the tour bus, and we were doing shots of Crown Royal while singing along with ‘Jackie Blue’ from the Ozark Mountain Daredevils at the top of our lungs. Then, we were watching the movie Lerprechaun with Vinnie Paul and everyone else.” All in all, it sounds like a magical, memorable evening.
Speaking specifically about Dimebag Darrell, Keith recalls, “What a wonderful guy he was. He made the most of everything and I had the honor of doing shots with him. Actually, the first time I met him, I was playing in a band, and we had a gig at the Limelight. It was snowing and he was wearing shorts. He was there just enjoying the gig, but he helped us load every piece of gear into the van. We barely knew each other, but that’s how good of a guy he was.”
Music Under the Influence
To understand the music that Keith Roth makes, it’s important to delve into his influences. When asked, he adamantly cites Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Stooges, The New York Dolls, MC5, Isaac Hayes, Gil Scott-Heron, The Ramones, and The Dead Boys as the foundations of his rock and roll soul. When he moved out of the Bronx, not many people knew who bands like The Stooges and MC5 were. Meeting people outside of that sphere of influence who knew about them was an instant and unbreakable bond.
One notable influence makes complete sense in the big picture: Curits Mayfield. Keith says, “I saw the movie Super Fly when I was a kid. The Bronx was a melting pot of people, and we were all one big dysfunctional family. The soundtrack to that movie just blew me away and I began to dig into his earlier stuff.” That music set the scene for New York at the time.
The Law of Diminished Returns
When you dig into Keith’s new solo record, The Law of Diminished Returns, there are the echoes of those who made the deepest impressions on him. He assembled a crew of like-minded musicians and set out to see what they could put together. Guest appearances from Albert Bouchard (former Blue Oyster Cult), Punky Meadows (Angel), and Ross the Boss (Dictators/Manowar) helped the record take shape. Keith says, “We started messing around in the studio and weren’t too sure where it was heading. Maybe it would be a Frankenstein 3000 record or gloried demos for the Dictators.”
What emerged was a bona fide rock and roll odyssey.
The first single is “Don’t Feel Like Thinking Today” and it’s a straight up rock gem. It’s raw, energetic, and doesn’t over-complicate the formula. Then there is “Superfly”… it drips molten funk and soul from head-to-toe. Keith Roth channels a bit of Mick Jagger from the Stones classic “Undercover of the Night” on the vocals, and the band gets freaky right alongside him.
Standing tall among the tracks is “Moonglade,” which opens with the lyric, “Metropolitan girl spawned from factory seats / It all came way too easy” and rolls on from there. This is a brilliant, high flying rock jam worthy of the radio airwaves at full volume. When asked about the song, Keith says, “It’s a true story, but nobody knows but me. I hope it comes to the point where it’s like the Carly Simon song, you know?” Will we ever know who the metropolitan girl is? Maybe Keith will confess for a bottle of that Pappy Van Winkle!
The Law of Diminished Returns by Keith Roth is a raw and brilliant rock jewel in a sea of overproduced and over-hyped noise. It was a long, strange trip for Keith to finally arrive at making a solo record, but it’s straight from the core of his soul. It’s part autobiographical, and part inspired by what’s around him – but it’s all authentic. It’s the perfect soundtrack to an adventure with friends who love whiskey.
The Mashbill: Whiskey Network Wants to Know Your Recipe
Whiskey Network asks these questions to each of our guests to gain a common understanding from whiskey enthusiasts.
What was the last whiskey, bourbon, or Scotch in your glass?
I just performed on the Monsters of Rock Cruise. During the sail away celebration, I had a glorious shot of Jack Daniel’s before the mayhem began. In fact, I drank a lot of Jack Daniel’s the entire time on the boat.
Do you prefer to drink your whiskey from a specific type of glass?
I drink it straight out of the bottle.
Do you have a unicorn bottle?
It would be that elusive bottle of Pappy Van Winkle that I tasted with Mark Regan.
This is a hypothetical question: I’m looking for a gift for a friend and the budget is $50-$75. What would you suggest?
I think that you should double up with a bottle of Buffalo Trace and then Maker’s Mark. You can’t lose with those two standards.
What is your favorite toast?
I like to say, “Keep on keepin’ on!” Especially when you’re out drinking and the first bottle runs dry… but then someone shows up with a new one!
We are proud to welcome Keith Roth to the Whiskey Network Family. He’s a true whiskey enthusiast and an old soul filled with rock and roll. You can catch him on Sirius XM, and on the Rockstrap podcast with Don Jamieson.
Be sure to keep an eye out for upcoming tour dates in support of The Law of Diminished Returns and with the Dictators. Just be sure to send Keith a couple of shots of whiskey to set the tone right for the evening.
