JAMES CHRISTIAN
House of Lords vocalist
www.frontiers.it

(Summer 2005) by George Dionne

The melodic hard rock outfit House of Lords was formed out of the ashes of Giuffria back in mid-eighties. Although not originally part of the group, L.A. Rocks and Eyes vocalist James Christian was brought in to replace the departing Glen Eisley. The rest they say, is history. Under the watchful eye of Kiss' Gene Simmons, House of Lords released their debut self-titled album in 1988. That album spawned their hit single "Love Don't Lie". The group found it difficult to keep a secure line-up due to 'creative differences' and personality clashes. The inner turmoil eventually lead to the group disbanding after their third release. Christian released his first solo album shortly thereafter. House of Lords attempted two more reunions, one in 2000 and again in 2002, but sadly they failed due to some of the same reasons.

Christian didn't take these hardships laying down though. In 2004 he release his second solo album Meet the Man on Frontiers records (read CD review). The album is chock-full of catchy riffs and great vocal melodies. Apparently all hope is not lost for House of Lords either. It was recently announced that they will be reuniting this November in Nottingham, England for FireFest 2. You know what they say, the third time's the charm.

RIL: If I knew absolutely nothing about James Christian, how would you describe your music to me?
JC: I would say it is song oriented, with a very heavy melodic flavor.

RIL: I guess the big news is that House of Lords are reuniting for FireFest 2 in Nottingham, England on Saturday November 26th 2005. How did this reunion finally come to fruition?
JC: The time was right for all of us to come together on stage once again.

RIL: Will the reunited line-up consist of all original members?
JC: You'll have to wait and see, but I guarantee no one will be disappointed.

RIL: What can fans expect at the show?
JC: A little bit from each record and a rockin' band again.

RIL: I realize that this show is still months away, but if all goes well, are there plans for future dates or perhaps a new album?
JC: Oh yeah! The album is being written as we speak and I feel it will be our best ever.

RIL: Your latest album Meet the Man was released earlier this year on Italian label Frontiers Records; do you plan a U.S. release?
JC: I believe that Frontiers has that taken care of. So yes!

RIL: Why do you think that your music, and music like yours, is so popular in Europe, but not so much in the Untied States?
JC: The music in America is basically based on the ‘flavor of the month’ and there’s not much substance to it. The music comes and goes. In Europe they tend to appreciate musicianship and ability first, and then they are always loyal to the music they love.

RIL: Have you been touring or planning to tour in support of Meet the Man?
JC: Not really, but I am planning an ‘06 tour [with House of Lords] and Robin Beck will be joining us.

RIL: How does Meet the Man differ from your first solo album?
JC: They did not differ that much in style. The songs were the only thing that was different.

RIL: What songs are you most proud of?
JC: If your talking about JC then I would have to say “Hold Back the Night”, because of its intense yet sensitive feel. If you mean HOL then I would say “Pleasure Palace” for its grandiose arrangement and sheer power.

RIL: Which do you like better, doing the solo thing or being a part of a group?
JC: I prefer being part of a group because when you work with talented musicians such as HOL, great things happen. That would not happen when you are doing it alone.

RIL: House of Lords reunited briefly in 2002 and subsequently released The Power and the Myth. From what I’ve read, the album was not well received. Do you think that Gregg Guiffria’s decision to bail at the last moment had an effect on the final outcome of the album?
JC: It might have, but in all fairness Greg and I did not contribute any songs to The Power and the Myth. On the new CD we will be doing all of it, ala Demons Down.

RIL: Why did Guiffria bow out?
JC: I believe Gregg got caught up in a few business dealings that diverted his attention from the project.

RIL: House of Lords biggest hit was “Love Don’t Lie” in 1988. How did you feel performing a cover song that had been released by Stan Bush only one year earlier?
JC: Well to tell you the truth, Stan Bush's version didn't make any noise in the U.S and that was the focal point of the release. As it turned out, the song was well received by MTV America and Europe.

RIL: Gene Simmons is credited with getting the House of Lords signed; in fact they were signed to his imprint Simmons Records. How much control did Simmons have over House of Lords?
JC: In the very beginning he was totally hands on, right down to the boots we wore. After the first record, HOL developed our own style and image. When we were on our own Gene remained as executive producer.

RIL: Was this good or bad?
JC: It didn't hurt.

RIL: Any good stories about Gene?
JC: Yeah. If you can believe it, when I sang the song "Under Blue Skies" I had a visitor in the vocal booth, and that was Gene. He wanted to inspire me as it was one of his favorite songs. If he had gotten any closer, I would have had to buy him a ring.

RIL: Why isn't their a James Christian or House of Lords website?
JC: It's almost ready to be launched: www.jameschristianmusic.com. Keep your eyes peeled.

RIL: Excluding the House of Lords reunion, what does the future hold for James Christian?
JC: Music, music, music....touring...writing…producing... and spending all my free time with my incredible wife and our little angel Olivia. See you out there...

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