Page 16 - ISSUE 13

PAGE 16 ROCKNATION ISSUE 13

Interview with Steve Blaze - By Mark Balogh
Interview with Lars Chriss
By Brian Rademacher Mark: How did
you feel about
a new release about every year the bands
until you reached Entrance appearance(s)
(2001) and there was quite a bit at Rocklahoma?
of years before the release of You got to play
Emotional Coma (2007). What a couple shows
did the band do between those over the course
years?
Lars: We released the debut in of the weekend.
1995, “Two” in ‘97, “Fall From Steve: I was
Grace” 1999 and “Entrance” pleasantly
in 2001. We red Europe and surprised at the
Scandinavia with bands like turnout for a
Motörhead, DIO, Manowar, midnight show
Saxon, Iced Earth, Nevermore, after such a hot
U.D.O. (Accept), Dee Snider etc. and long day.
I was heavily involved in every- We were in the
thing from songwriting,producing,
negotiating record deals and middle of our tour
tours, doing all the interviews so we were well
etc so at the end of 2001 I was warmed up.
totally burnt out and needed a Mark: Was it
break. I put the band on hold HOT enough at
and let everybody go. During the Rocklahoma for
break I was hired to write, play you?
and produce an album called
Brian: Hello Lars welcome to Audiovision “The Calling” with members Steve: It was
RockNation. from KISS,Whitesnake, Thunder, Europe, scorching all day!
Lars: Thanks for having me. Jeff Scott Soto etc. When Sampo Axelsson We arrived
Brian: The band has been together joined LS in 2004 we besides writing and Saturday
almost 15 years what do you feel has demoing 23 songs for LS wrote and morning early
given the band longevity and success? recorded a side project called Road To and instead
Lars: I suppose we’ve been able to keep a Ruin. Six years sounds like a long time of resting and
high quality on the songwriting, musician- but a lot of work was done even though it saving energy
ship and production through the years so wasn’t very public at the time on purpose. we walked the
labels have felt Lion’s Share is a good band Brian: Both “Emotional Coma” and
to have on their roster. We also have a very “Dark Hours” both received good grounds all day.
loyal and great fan base that’s been with reviews worldwide can you tell us I watched every
me through several lineup changes and anything about the cover art for both band and met all the fans I could. Then we have created your niche.
all since the beginning. We’ve always releases? did press and kept walking around. Mark: What do you feel that LeFevre
stayed true to our influences and written Lars: Before the comeback with “Emotional Fortunately we played at midnight and brought to the table that past vocalists
from the heart, no matter what trends that’s Coma”, we decided we wanted a mascot things cooled a bit. Only a bit. It was still didn’t?
been going on around us and still been figure, pretty much like Iron Maiden and hotter than hell on that stage. Steve: Derrick brought fire, eagerness,
able to not repeat ourselves with our Megadeth that we could use for album Mark: You have a new record
albums. Brian: In 1988 you released artwork, on shirts and stuff. It’s possible we
Ghost Town will make new covers featuring this figure with “Sad Day On Planet
Queen on vinyl for the old albums too when we re-release Earth”. Tell us a little about
and were them. Only our last two albums have been the title of the album.
going to do a officially released in USA so we have a lot Steve: As I watched continual
follow up of catching up to do over there. depressing news about our
single in 1989 Brian: Were there any songs written for planet’s downward spiral, I
was work Emotional Coma that were used on Dark exclaimed “It’s a sad day on
being done Hours? planet earth.” It seemed
Lars: Yeah, “The Bottomless Pit”, “Behind
The Curtain”, the bigger part of “Heavy profound and stuck in my head.
Cross To Bear” and the bonus track “King Mark: Can you talk about
Of All The Kings”, were written during that the some of your favorite
six year break before “Emotional Coma”. songs on “Sad Day On
Brian: Do you have material ready for Planet Earth” maybe a little
the next release? bit about the sound and how
Lars: I haven’t written anything did some of the songs come
personally. I’m actually so pleased with the to you?
last three albums I’ve been involved with
“Emotional Coma”, Road To Ruin “Road Steve: I started writing a year
To Ruin” and “Dark Hours” so I’m not sure ago with only 3 songs having
I can top these. Right now it feels like I’ve beed written before then. I felt
said what I want to say musically. I also the most at ease and energetic
feel that my guitar playing is on a peak since the Psycho album. The sound just passion and the desire and respect to take
with “Dark Hours”. I don’t want to release evolved from the chemistry of the band. Lillian to the next level. He’s a machine.
another album just for the sake of it. There There was cogniscent effort to sound a Mark: Lillian Axe last record “Waters
are far too many artists out there that keep certain way.After nine albums, you tend to Rising” was released just about 2 years
touring and releasing albums even though ago and featured the
on that single they’re not even a shadow of their past same lineup as the
before the line- glory. That makes me sad so I’ve promised new record. Would
upchange? myself to never go down that road myself. you say the band has
Lars: Yeah, Brian: You are also part owner of found its groove with
but we decided Blistering records, with many labels
we needed a folding because of the economy and I this lineup?
better singer know Blistering were sending physi- Steve: After 2 albums
so we never cal hard copy discs. Out to press for and lots of touring and
turned it in to the review, do you feel that Blistering will playing, we are very
label. We also started to move away from start tight. Every night the
the style of the single towards the heavier digital downloads to save funds? show is so insinctually
direction of the debut album. This early Lars: We do a mix of both actually. We tight. We know each
version of the band (1987-1991), have have a great downloading system that we others every thought
very little to do with the Lion’s Share that created ourselves so it’s the full CD quality and move. We have
released all the albums. The name had that people download and can burn a CD
Image from. I’m actually able to supply a
started getting known in magazines around lot more media with our promos this way come into our groove on
Europe, so this is why we kept it for the since there’s no cost involved. all levels.
re- start in 1994. (Interview continued @
Brian: You guys were almost putting out (Interview continued @ www.rocknation.us) www.rocknation.us)