Keith Bradshaw Leads an Artful Life After PlaneJane

Charleston-based musician Keith Bradshaw (a native of Hartsville) has spent the better part of the last 25 years playing and recording music and shooting photos and video. He’s a versatile multi-instrumentalist and a skillful freelance photographer.

Some locals remember Bradshaw as the drummer with late-’80s party group the Hollywood Squares or early ’90s college rock band the Archetypes. Some recall his days with power trio the Groovy Cools, or the bar bands Live Bait and Moviestar. In recent years, Bradshaw became known as the lead guitarist with award-winning cover band PlaneJane. After a 10-year run with the band in which he continually played five nights a week, Bradshaw retired from PlaneJane this summer and started a new job as a videographer with local production company PDA.

PlaneJane has pushed ahead with a new guitarist. Bradshaw has embraced photography and video work, but he plans to play and record music indefinitely. Metronome spoke with Bradshaw this week.

Keith Bradshaw, 2012 (provided)

Metronome: How long were you officially in PlaneJane?

Keith Bradshaw: I started in 2001. Initially hired as a lead guitarist before working my way up to shaker and tambourine.

Metronome: What made you decide to leave the band?

Keith Bradshaw: There are many reasons. There was not much time for anything outside the band. Living the opposite schedule of most people can get old, especially for people you want to keep in your life.

Metronome: What are you doing now, vocationally? What does the new job entail?

Keith Bradshaw: I started with PDA as a full-time job. It’s a real job with incentives. We produce commercial videos. I’ve had a lot of fun freelancing for them the last couple of years. With photography and video, there’s a world of different options — from shooting, sound, lighting, and editing. Every job is completely different than the previous one.

Metronome: How do you feel about the change? Are you glad you did it?

Keith Bradshaw: It’s been great having nights and weekends off.

Metronome: What do you miss most about your former rock ‘n’ roll life?

Keith Bradshaw: Lugging the gear and setting up.

Metronome: What was the craziest thing you witnessed when you were in the band?

Keith Bradshaw: One night, a guy sat in and started singing. People from all over the bar came closer and started taking pictures with phones and cameras. We were playing a Steppenwolf song. Bassist Jimmy Mac looked at me at mouthed the words “Who is that?” I responded, “I don’t know.” After the song, someone told us it was Rodger Clemens. At that point, you just have to act like you know who that is. Definitely not a famous singer.

Metronome: What was your most embarrassing moment on stage?

Keith Bradshaw: It was at a wedding where the stepdad had the microphone one hand and his fifth scotch in the other.

Keith Bradshaw with PlaneJane (provided)

Metronome: Musically, what are some things you learned while in the band?

Keith Bradshaw: To be a really good cover band, it helps to be consistent. Everything needs to flow exactly the same way from night to night — the exact opposite of doing something artistic. There is a level of discipline that makes everything sound great if you can play simple parts over and over a thousand times.

Metronome: Personally, what are some things you learned?

Keith Bradshaw: I’m not a sports person. Alcohol makes us all stupid.

Metronome: Think you’ll ever be in a band ever again?

Keith Bradshaw: Sure. I’ll play some gigs, drums and guitar, but I’m not thinking about getting in a van on the way to my next gig.

Metronome: What are some popular misconceptions about being in a band?

Keith Bradshaw: That we live together like the Partridge family.

Metronome: What inspires you these days?

Keith Bradshaw: Everything from a TV commercial to a pop song.

Metronome: What advice would you have for a young musician or artist?

Keith Bradshaw: It pays off on almost any level, whatever you choose to do. It can be a job or a hobby. It’s whatever you make of it.

Metronome: On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you?

Keith Bradshaw: Eleven. My scale goes to eleven.

Metronome: What’s your favorite chord?

Keith Bradshaw: I always like F. On Tuesdays my favorite chord is Dm. On Saturdays and Sundays, my favorite chord drops to E. On Mondays, I lean on Cm7.

Metronome: What one album would you take with you to a deserted island?

Keith Bradshaw: The Stooges. Just kidding.

Visit keithbradshaw.net for more on Keith Bradshaw.

Below: Footage of the Percussion Tool Group (Jeff Mangan, Lorna Roberts, Tommy Hamer, Doug Walters, Daniel Bennett, Julian Volpe), produced and directed by Keith Bradshaw with audio by Bruce Roberts and camera work by David Keller and Daniella Allen.