Severna Park based rock band originated in 1978 when friends Kurt Keydel (bass, violin), Stefan Keydel (guitar), and Jim Shepherd (guitar) got together to play guitars and harmonize vocally. Needing a lead guitarist, Jim brought in Tom Morgan from his school guitar class. Their song selections ranged from the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Who, to the Grateful Dead.
After many rehearsals at the Severna Park YMCA, the band was ready to begin performing publicly. A drummer was needed, so in March 1979 Jim recruited long-time friend Joel McGuire. More songs were added to their repertoire, including tunes by the Cars, Doobie Brothers, and Led Zeppelin. After two months of rehearsals, the quintet was performing live, first at private parties in and around Severna Park, and then landing a regular gig at Buzzy’s II Pizza in Millersville from July-November 1979.
Another early successful performance was at the Severn School Talent Show in May 1979. Although the band did not win the contest, they were well-received by the audience. By this time, each band member was writing their own songs, and many were performed at their shows. During the fall 1980, Martin Spaulding High School and Severn River Middle School students danced to their music. Later that year, the band performed a benefit show at the Crownsville Hospital.
As time went on, the Spies enjoyed practices in Tom’s basement, and hosted occasional house parties in-between gigs.
In 1980 Kurt entered the Merchant Marines. The band continued as a quartet, even making a return appearance at the 1980 Severn Talent Show. In December 1980, for the holidays, the five original Spies played together for the last time at Tom’s house.
Jim was next to leave, going to college. Stefan, Tom, and Joel continued as a trio through the summer of 1981. In the spring, they were featured in a live WACC-FM concert broadcast. Then they played Maude’s in Annapolis, and performed at an Anne Arundel County farm party using a generator in the middle of a field. Occasionally, group members would meet up at Joel’s to experiment with his new multi-track recording system.
By the fall of 1981, the Spies as a group had run its course. Kurt joined another local band that played around Anne Arundel County. He eventually relocated to Seattle, Washington area, where he played in a group called the Art Thieves. Tom played in a number of other local groups before finding success in the bay area of San Francisco, co-founding the group Transcender. With a well-received CD release, it seemed the band was destined for national exposure, but tragically, Tom and his girlfriend died unexpectedly in 2005 due to carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty heater.
Joel went on to join Free Flight (1985-03). He later performed as a solo act in and around Maryland for several years, and released a solo CD “Ghosts,” available on iTunes and many other music download sites. In addition to solo work, he was a member of the duo “Wonderview” with Russ Steele (ex-Streetheart Band, Rudy Norman Band…).
