Conrad Keely (…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead)

As a teenager in Oahu, he met Jason Reece, with whom he would later form …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. The two reconnected in Olympia, Washington, attempting to break into the underground scene before relocating to Austin, Texas in 1994, where the band took shape. Before their Interscope deal, Keely worked office jobs while playing music at night.

Formed in 1994, Trail of Dead quickly gained a reputation for chaotic live shows and intense noise-rock. They played their first show in 1995 and released early material on underground cassette labels, building momentum toward their self-titled debut. Over time, the band evolved its lineup but remained creatively driven by Keely and Reece, known for their relentless work ethic and refusal to follow trends.

Keely moved to Brooklyn in 2008, then to Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 2012 after growing disillusioned with life in the U.S. Having first visited on tour, he chose to stay, drawn to the country’s chaotic energy, which he says fuels his creativity. 

In fact, music isn’t where Keely’s creativity ends: he’s also a gifted painter, working across oils, acrylics, and pen and ink on paper, canvas, and even wood, often designing and curating the band’s artwork himself.

Despite periods apart—particularly after Keely’s move to Cambodia—the partnership with Reece endured. With renewed energy, the band has continued performing, even revisiting their earlier live format with the two alternating between drums and frontman roles.

In 2014, the band released IX - big, dramatic, slightly chaotic - but with a more polished, almost cinematic edge compared to their early work.

Decades on, their collaboration still feels fresh and driven: “when Conrad moved to Cambodia, we both had time to live our lives and do different things,” Reece explains. “Coming back to the band, there was a new vigor to it. It all feels exciting still.”