Hugo talks about the recording and release of his new solo album Fire In The Night and a little of the other things in his life.

G'Day Hugo, let's get straight to the new album - Fire In The Night.
Where did the title come from?
It's basically the idea of keeping that dream alive! Whatever it may be, it is a very powerful thing having a vision. Often, it's the one thing that keeps you positive and motivated. For me, it was having music. When I was growing up and I had a shitty day at school or work, I always knew that there was practice or a gig that weekend to keep me going!! It's something we all have and can never let go of!!!!!

You had better let everyone know where it will be available from and how they can pay/purchase it.....
You can get it by going to www.hugothisway.com and please specify if you would like it autographed or personalized. I will be signing all copies that leave my hands!!
It's my way of saying thanks for hanging in there while I figure out a way to get my band over to play for you!!!! And I have a feeling with these guys, that won't be a problem!!!! We love a good road trip!!!!

It's been just over 3 years since the release of the last album - at what stage did you decide now was a good time to start a new album?
Honestly Andrew, my mom had just died at the time and I was so down. Anyone reading this out there who has lost someone close knows exactly what I mean! It's an incredible journey of self-realization and rehabilitation of sorts! What's amazing is that shortly after that I met my wife, Donna. She is so supportive of my music so it wasn't very long after that she said "time for you to do what you do again, baby". Sometimes you know when it's time, sometimes you need someone to tell you it's time. She is definitely smarter than I!

And how long has the whole process been underway for?
It's coming up on a year now! It's been a little crazy with scheduling. I'm glad to be finished!

Why the delay in releasing the album? What did you spend the extra time
doing and why did you think that was important?
This album was created a little differently than any of my past work. The mixing process was basically John Mennen and myself bouncing mixes off each other. We would hear things and make suggestions to bring the mixes closer to where we wanted them to be. John has a quote "...you never really finish a mix, you abandon it...". It's pretty funny because you can mix a song for a month and end up in the same place you started. I think we achieved what we set out to. A melodic album with a contemporary, in you face production.

The album is undeniably smooth - I think a highlight of that is the layered vocals and harmonies. How do you set about recording those and making them work?
John Mennen is very particular about how he records harmonies. Many, many layers!!!!
I had these parts written out, but honestly each harmony was recorded maybe 10 or 12 times to create this texture.

You have Eddie Jelley featured as guitarist on the new album - which is being produced by John Mennen as you mentioned.
How did you team up with each of these guys - and why did they appeal to you as people you would like to work with?
Eddie has been in the NY music scene for longer then me!! We had been in different area bands at the same time but never played together. All along, mutual friends who knew us both tried to get us to play/write together but it just never happened. When I was thinking about the Evolution thing [the Journey cover band], I had gotten Eddie's phone number and got in touch with him.
He was a little freaked out that I was thinking about doing Journey stuff. After I explained that I was going crazy not singing in front of people, he agreed it could be cool. After playing live with Ed, he was the man that would play guitar on this album!!!!!
John Mennen was actually working in the studio that I was recording Time On Earth in. He engineered a lot of the tracks before leaving to start Whiteworth Digita, his production house. I was amazed at how the production moved so smoothly when John was there and how it started to fall to shit when he left!!! We kept in contact and did some demo work but when the time came for a record, he said it was something that he'd be interested in doing.

Who else is involved on the new album - and have you worked with any of them before?
Gus Carras plays guitar on it as well!! He's a great player that John has known for awhile. He played on some demo stuff that I did a while ago and blew me away!!
When John and I had the idea for 2 guitar players, we looked at each other and were like "Guuuusssss".
Gerard Zappa - my great friend from Valentine played some bass as well as Joe Cumia and Lance Millard from Evolution. My brother Chuck played drums on this one. He taught me how to play 30 yrs ago so it's been a long time coming for that one!!!

How many songs were written for the album and how many were recorded?
There were about 8 new ones that I had written in the time between concept and pre-production, including those, there were 14 recorded. "Forever In My Heart" was happily given to the MelodicRock.com CD. 11 will make it onto the record.

Did the song writing process for this album differ from other albums?
Not really for me. I have a certain way of creating when it comes to writing.
While I play and write on guitar and piano, I can play them ok so I make the chorus first and everything else usually falls into place after. I have guitar player friends that start with a riff and work it into a song. I promise, I'm not that cool!!
In terms of these songs, I basically made sure that each one had something a little special to compliment the voice or certain vocal lines!!

You have already made a few comments that the sound of the new album will be more in the vein of the more uptempo and powerful - and highly rated! - debut album. Does that mean you were unhappy with Time On Earth, or just recognize what you would prefer or what the fans want?
I'm definitely proud of Time On Earth. It was a bit of a change in terms of production and again my head was definitely down!! My mom just got sick so I wasn't in the greatest place. I do think that album has some great stuff on it. I really love "Last One More Time" and "Blues For You". I'm such a huge Journey fan that it's almost like for me Raise On Radio is great but it's not Escape. However, ROR has the song "Happy To Give" which is probably my fav Jrny song!!!
I wanted this album to have more of a guitar rockin sound, more in line with the debut album.

What steps have you worked on in the studio to get that sound?
We've done some interesting things like change mics for certain songs. We had access to NEUMANN and AKG mics so that was very cool. Also Eddie plays a Marshall and Gus went through a Boogie amp so being two very different amps, it sounds great when blended together - kind of a wall of cool guitars. We have really made an effort to keep the recording a little drier than what I am used to - less reverbs to wash things out, but better mic tone so you can hear the voice more upfront. I think it gives this album a more contemporary sound without sacrificing the integrity of the type of music - AOR/melodic!!!

Where do the songs come from - are they all new compositions - or are some a few years old and have been dusted off?
Carefully dusted off, bro! Seriously, some are older and reworked. Some are exactly as were on the demoed version and some are brand new like "Hand in Hand" and "Fire In The Night."

Why didn't you want to sign a label deal for the album?
I have been dealing with record company people for as long as I can remember.
People promising tour support, videos...you name it. From Sony on down to the little guys and you know what, it's basically the same thing.
I just want to be able to reach my fans on a personal level for a change. There are plans to make a DVD after the CD is released as well as any tour ops that come my way, God knows my band mates would love to play this stuff live!!
So yes it all costs money, but at least I won't have to hear from some dude in a suit that the label is concentrating on rap this month!!!!!
Please understand that there are some good people in the business who love melodic music, but for me right now I feel the need to reach my fans one on one!!!!

How have you found recording/producing/releasing the album yourself? Tell us about the challenges of undergoing such a huge task and the advantages and disadvantages....
The biggest advantage for me is that there is no-one telling you what and how you should be playing or looking like! Record companies are known for following trends and leading bands into places they do not want to be in!!
I experienced this with Open Skyz. We were excited to go and record another Valentine album and keep that energy. Some asshole in a suit thought otherwise!! While I am proud of the album, I really think we'd have done better on our own. Melodic rock has become the underground scene at this point!! There are not many record stores keeping this stuff in stock so it seems that you have to reach the people who want it! It is a very challenging time for record companies and artists as well. By selling this disc online, I will be able to correspond with anyone who wants to check it out. It really makes things personal for the first time and that's the best part for me!!!

How about the album artwork - who is doing that for you?
I've had a couple of things on the table. I did some incredible photos on wild locations with photographer Andrew Blatz. Ron Smith is a graphic artist who will probably handle the artwork-we are finalizing all of it now!!!!

Any plans to tour as a solo artist on the back of this album?
Andrew, I think we need to put together the MelodicRock tour package - I would love to support this album - play some old Valentine stuff - solo stuff, special guests.
I just want this album done and then we can try to put some dates out there and see if the interest is there!!

Let's take a look at some other things you are involved in - namely the Journey cover band Evolution. What prompted you to start that?
I hadn't been singing as much as I needed to be and I knew that I would be recording soon enough. I just thought that it would be good idea for me to condition my voice, get back in front of people and have fun with good friends. Some people criticized me for doing it because I have music out there on an international level (I guess that must mean I can't have fun anymore)??!!
I never really cared how big or small it became, it's just that I could sing the stuff and the band sounds great and there are no egos! And finally, we are all such big Journey fans, why not? Besides, it beats the hell out of seeing me do Michael Jackson covers!!? Right?

And the reaction has been superb - any plans to take the band outside the local NY area for gigs? Or even overseas?
Well, I'm not to sure about that!. We'd love to play as much as possible and have gone into other states over here -and the response has been wild!!! People go nuts sometimes when they see and hear us - it's pretty funny!!
But we all have a lot going on with life and started this up to have a great time and blow people away - I think we've done that and are happy the way things are.

Do you still plan to do that live DVD release?
I think right now it's really important to have a great record and support that as best possible. I want to follow up with a DVD of some of these songs or a live gig with this stuff, some older stuff!!!!

Any plans to record with Street Talk again? Your 2 tracks on their last album were very well received.
I just spoke with Fred 2 days ago. He's doing great and gearing up for the next Street Talk. We talked about co-writing again and possibly singing a couple of tunes as well -He's a great guy and an incredible talent - I would do that again!!!!

How did you hook up with Frederik in the first place?
Fred had gotten in touch with me and sent me the first Street Talk album. I really loved it and learned the tunes. I thought "I'd love to sing this stuff" - real melodic songs. Fred is pretty good with a computer too. He sent me tracks to sing and write. It worked out quite well!
I would have loved to have Fred play on this one but the distance played a big part - I keep telling him to move to N.Y. but he's just not listening!!

Back a few years now - looking back - what's the best moments on Time On Earth?
I played some drums and acoustic guitar - it was fun to do it and hear it come together. It's cool because we would set up to record one night and if no-one was available to play drums for instance, I would get back there and jam. It was a lot of fun!!

There were a couple of great ballads on that album - and a couple of fine pop songs too.
Thanks man! There were a couple that I really loved too!!

How about your debut solo album - did you enjoy working with Gary Hughes and the guys?
Gary is one of the most talented and greatest guys I've ever worked with!!
Every day was an event at the studio but he made it look so easy!! The guys in the band as well just banged it out as though they had known the stuff for ages. I enjoyed working with the guys very much.

Any chance - future talk here - that you might work with them again?
It's difficult to say. From the first day of production, Gary and I were on the same page - hearing the Ten stuff was enough for me to realize what he could make. We even talked about taking part in Gary's recent Once And Future King rock opera.
Unfortunately, I wasn't sure if Gary was still affiliated with the same record person and didn't want to go backwards!!
We are very far apart but I would love to work with him again

Favourites from that album?
I love "Walk away" and "A Tear in LA" - there are some really good ones on that CD!!!!

Back again - right to the start this time - Valentine. The album is another that is still highly regarded and remains the heaviest album you recorded. What went wrong - why wasn't the band massive?
We had gotten signed to Columbia records - in between then and finishing, Producer Neil Kernon hurt his back really bad and that put us back about 6 months. During that time, Warrant (who was on Columbia) just exploded and after that the suits decided enough long haired rock bands!!
We ended up on a shit label called Giant records with no support, no balls and that was it!!

Do you hear from any of the guys in the band still?
All of the time - we just had a barbeque last week at soundman Vinnys place - surf and turf, unbelievable!!! We all live in N.Y. except old drummer Neil, he's down in FL with his family and doing well.

The band recorded a second - softer - album, which was released on a new label under the Open Skyz name. Why the name change - what prompted that decision?
That was the record company!
We were on RCA and some suit decides that the name is kinda old!!!
Yeah, except we had a shitload of people who knew us and knew we rocked! So you have this record contract from a major company waving in front of you - maybe the thing to do is deal with outside writers, name changes…etc - we were really at a crossroad!! Scary!!

Were there any other recordings after that?
Nothing after that!!!

I am wondering what you did during the period 1993-1997?
I gave singing lessons and a lot of thinking…

Outside music, you run a very busy company - a family business is it not? Can you tell us about that?
It's a business that my father started years ago - when I was younger, he was good enough to let me search for whatever it was that I needed to do! After a while, it was clear that music alone would be a very difficult road to travel. It's a Long Island based service providing business. I eventually bought the business from him and it's doing well!!

Is it possible in 2004 for a melodic rock artist to make a living off melodic rock, or is it just too small a scene to do so?
I don't think so really! I do believe that if you love it and it's in your blood - then you just do it!! Something that always kept me going and I've always said it, "if it was that easy, everybody would be a rockstar".

What's your take on the music business today?
I see labels closing and it blows me away - the whole boy band thing freaks me out and I've always thought that rap just sucked!!
It is a blessing in disguise that we are in these times - it's unfortunate that it takes such extreme to finally level it all out!!!!!

How do you see the music trend evolving in general over the next 5 years?
I would have to guess that things just have to get more melodic-bring in the good singers!!! We need a new Boston or a Bon Jovi to break the scene wide open again - I'd love to be part of something like that!!!

Is there anything else you would like to do in music that you haven't yet?
Whenever I've had an album released, people would always write and say that they've used "You'll Always Have Me" or "The Answer" as a wedding song - that is a great feeling. I'm good with things at this point!!

And what's next after this album for Hugo? Anything that you have a definite plan for yet?
Not yet, I just wanna enjoy this one for awhile. I'd love to record some of my favourite song with acoustic guitar/vocals only - sort of an unplugged favourites CD!!
Or maybe live with the guys!!

Anything you would like to add Hugo?
I'm just happy to be able to do it all again - to the old fans, it is once again my pleasure to play for you - I know you will dig it!!
For new ones, thanks for checking in and I hope to get to play live for you - till then, I will definitely get something together for a DVD/video.

Thanks for your time mate.
Talk to ya soon!

Shiva's duo of Mats and Anette talk about their new harder rocking release and life as Sweden's Shiva.


Hi guys, Congratulations on the new album. It's a slightly heavier affair than the debut - what thoughts did you have in mind when starting to write and record this new album?
Mats: Thanks a lot! We wanted to do a heavier album than “SHIVA”, but still very melodic. It felt more exciting to do something different on Desert Dreams comparing to our debut and it felt naturally in a way to take this step.
Anette: Yes, it s a little bit heavier and harder than the first album but it s still very melodic and, in fact, Desert Dreams has more ballads than the first so it has a soft side as well.

I think the album is partly in the style of the debut and partly heavier, and little more contemporary. Are there are any bands that have influenced your style in this manner?
Mats: I listen to all kinds of music, everything from hard rock, heavy- , trash- metal to classic- and pop-music and I can t particularly mention new bands that I m influenced by. But I know that my old influences still means a lot to me.

There is only two of you, yet the sound is very full. How do you arrange things in the studio to ensure the full band sound?
Mats: well, on “Desert Dreams” I play all the instruments myself except Losing my Child were Niclas Olson plays the piano. I always have an idea how it should sound before recording, so the instrument part takes very little time that includes the guitar-solo too. We mostly lay down our time to get the right feeling on the vocals and of course the in the mix-down process, that s what means most in the end.

Do you think fans of the debut will accept the heavier sound and have you had much feedback from them yet?
Mats: Some of the old fans have reacted a little negative to our heavier sound at first, but after a several listening they become more positive. Especially when the have understand the lyrics. There are always people that don't want changes from a band but we must follow our heart, otherwise it becomes boring, so the album.

You had a two album deal with Z Records - what prompted the move to MTM Music?
Mats: Well, we didn't want to be in that messy sinking ship. And we understood very early that this label didn't work professional. In fact we haven't seen a single penny from that stinking label (shame on you!) Oh yes, we did get 25 copies of SHIVA s.t. that was more than generous! So you can imagine how much this has cost us.

And how have you found working with your new label?
Mats: They work very professional and they are very easy to work with. No problem there, thank God! I've been in contact with Mario at MTM since one month after signing with Z Records 2002. We have also got paid by our new label :-), we aren't use to that (ehh..)

There are a lot of great Swedish bands out there - do you hang out with or are good friends with any in particular?
Mats; The only one I can think of is my very dear friend Niclas Olsson (Alyson Avenue). It was thanks to him we began play again after many years of silence. Then of course I had help from Tommy Dennader and Tony (Seven Wishes) when we left Z Records, so we stay in touch.

Who do you take advice from when working on a new record?
Mats: Until now we have done what feels right for us. We can t make an album asking people around or people telling us what to play. First of all it must be fun and by heart. Both Anette and I have day-time works and families and that little time that s left we want to enjoy doing music. And I think you can hear at both SHIVA-s.t and Desert Dreams that we have fun doing it. The main thing for us is not to make the most beautiful melodies and harmonies. A good song for us is when you can feel a lot of passion hearing it.

I admire the lyrical depth of some of your tunes - they have a clear message and are very passionate. Who writes the music and the lyrics and where does the lyrical inspiration come from?
Anette: I m very glad to hear that you think so. We have come to realize how important a lyric is to a song and we want to get better in that. Mats usually come up with an idea, a theme, when he works with a song. Sometimes he has a chorus or a verse finished when we meet to try out new ideas and sometimes just keywords. From that we discuss what kind of feeling or sense we want for the song and then I usually finish the lyric at home. I think we have a good teamwork around the lyrics and we are getting better at it. The inspiration comes from life it selves.

Do you get the opportunity to play live at all and if so, who rounds out the band on stage?
Anette: No, not yet anyway. We have a couple of old friends that could help us out if that would be in question.
Mats: As I said before we've been delayed for some reasons (the Z Record thing), maybe up to 1,5 year. All this has cost both money and energy but we hope to be able to play live as soon we have the chance. If this all goes well, we would love to go on tour at least play at festivals. We have talk to some musicians who are willing to help us out. The only name I can give you at this moment is Niclas Olsson (Alyson Avenue) on keyboard.

What bands influenced you as young musicians and to get started in the very first place?
Anette: to be honest, I can t remember who influenced me to be a singer because I was only 5 years old when I decided that..:0). The bands I grew up with were Saxon, Halloween, Queensryche, Whitesnake and TNT just to mention a few. But I also liked Whitney Houston, Billy Idol, Aretha Franklin and of course my favourite - Freddie Mercury! I have always liked different kind of music styles but hardrock was and still is the greatest.
Mats: It's pretty much the same as Anette but to mention some others, Thin Lizzy, Gary Moore, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Motörhead, but also Abba, Beatles, Queen and many more.

And what are your favourite albums of all time and currently?
Anette: My favourite album must be Metallica the black album. I haven't found anyone who can match up to that one.
Mats: The black one

So what comes next for Shiva in 2004?
Anette: we will soon try out some ideas and begin working with album No 3. And of course continuing promoting Desert Dreams through interviews etc.

How do you envision the next album sounding like?
Mats: we begin were we ended. That means like the first 5 song on Desert Dreams but you never know! We will improve the songs, production, sounds and work a lot with the lyrics. And maybe I'll practice on the guitar before recording it. :-)

Anything you would like to add?
Mats: Many things have been said about Desert Dreams and we have got many new fans. But for the ones, who don t like the heavier stuff, listen to the lyrics! Enjoy!
Please visit our site http://www.shivahardrock.com (done by our dear friend Fred Monster, God bless you!). If you have some comments please sign our guestbook or forum.

Many thanks for taking the time to do this interview!
Mats: Thank you!
Anette: Thank you! for taking the time, and giving us an opportunity to speak our minds. We want to thank our fans out there for believing in us. We love you!

The new House Of Lords album has a lot of people talking. Everyone has an opinion on this record, especially two of the people behind the record - bassist Chuck Wright and vocalist James Christian. Here is what they had to say about the recording and release of The Power & The Myth! Both interviews make for an interesting read.

Hey Chuck, thanks for your time.
First off, let me say that I know your web site is probably the most read melodic rock site on the net - congrats on helping to keep the genre alive…ok now the questions.

The House Of Lords album is done....and it's about to be released. Did you think it would ever happen at some stages over the last year or two?
There were a couple points when we almost threw in the towel. In the beginning, we had to deal with the name usage problem which was a major hurdle. We had serious logistical issues having everyone spread all over the country, coast to coast, and scheduling problems to deal with not to mention a tug of war with the label over material and we had a problem for 6 months with funding. You also have to keep in mind, we are and were all very active in our own endeavors to make a living. Then Gregg bailed on us and the label basically took the record out of our hands. We almost called it a day at that point but there was way too much blood, sweat, tears and years put into to getting this record made so we carried on, dealt with the situation and made the best of it.
Believe, dream, will...and put it in the hands of God. That's my motto.

Let's take it right back to the mid-90's. The band entertained thoughts of a re-union then also. I believe you even had an album title and a Japanese deal. How far did you get before it fell apart?
After James, Lanny and I performed in England for the Gods Festival in 1995 we had a firm deal offer but Gene Simmons basically killed that one by wanting 90% of the deal. We recorded 3 songs on “The Power And The Myth” from that period of time.

You have always kept a close relationship with Lanny Cordola - working together on various projects. In 2000 the wheels began to turn again. What led to this moment?
Yes, Lanny is my best friend and we've covered a lot of musical territory together over the years. James is actually the reason this (original members) House Of Lords reunion came to be a reality. Frontiers contacted him, James called me, I called Ken and Lanny, Ken had been in touch with Gregg , he said yeah, and then we were off to making plans for this record.

So what were the first steps taken to get things rolling again?
We discussed the music we wanted to do stylistically and starting in on the writing process.
We were eager to cross new boundaries and I think we did to a degree. We had tightened reins on us throughout the making of the record however. All in all I do feel that this record stands up to others in the genre and has some amazing performances on it.

Why has it taken over 2 years for those recordings to be finalized?
Under normal circumstances after the songs are chosen and we're all in the same place at the same time, it would take 6 to 8 weeks to record and mix a record. Our debut only took 30 days top to bottom.

James Christian has been living away happily in Florida – did you have any first hand contact with him during the recording process?
Well, if first hand means discussing the music, exchanging ideas and sending
music back and forth, then yes.

Given the constraints of working with 2004 budgets - Is there any way the entire band could have recorded together?
Not really. Nowadays you're lucky to get 10% of the budgets bands had in the 80's and people out there still expect the records to measure up sonically. We did the best we could under the circumstances.

The band has always had Gregg Giuffria involved from the outset, how was it different this time around?
He was involved from the outset, he was supposed to be working on his own anyway and then hook up with us. He agreed to participate but unfortunately 6 weeks or so before completion, as we were still awaiting any ideas, keyboard parts, anything whatsoever from Gregg, he signed a solo deal with our label (Frontiers) and said , “now that I have my own deal, I'm not doing this House Of Lords record”.
He didn't seem that into it anyway since he didn't partake in the new compositions. He did have plenty of opportunity to contribute however - over two years should be enough time to come up with a song idea I would think. After this, the label said our deal was now diminished by what they still owed us because Gregg was not on it so we had to finish the record asap and now being under budgeted, not being able to complete it the way we originally intended. We wanted to add some bigger chorus sections on a
few songs and spend more than one day on finishing the keyboards and a couple days finishing the rest of the guitar overdubs. We were also planning on mixing at a state of the art studio.

Were you disappointed that Gregg chose not to be involved in the end and at the last minute?
Yes, I was shocked, disappointed, stressed and really surprised that our label would cut a side deal with a band member before we had completed our record. Not a very wise move on their part but they don't know Gregg like we do. I would've suggested they wait. We actually recorded a song called “Havana” because Gregg was a writer on it just to involve him more.
We didn't have to do this. The label didn't even want the song but we pushed for it on his behalf. (The song now appears as a bonus track for Japan.)

How many songs were written for the album and how did you come to decide on this final 10 track line-up?
We wrote a lot of new material, actually over 30 songs. We actually covered Bjorks song “Army Of Me” and a ballad from a band called The Young Bloods from the late sixties called “Darkness, Darkness”, but of course our label would have none of that. There was a style and sound we were known for so we had to try and stay within those guide lines to a degree or we would have our material rejected by the label. We found this out in the early goings.

There's a noticeable style change in the band - what were the intentions of the band going into this record?
We tried to make a record that would sound the way we would if we stayed together for the past decade. We are hoping our fans have have grown with us and will listen to the record without expectations. It has been 12 years afterall. Personally, I can't write a song like “Looking For Strange” and take myself seriously at this point in my life experience.

House Of Lords have never recorded the same album twice - there's always been a twist in your tunes. But in this case, why such a move away from the sounds of the past?
Umm...12 years, a lot of growth, having open minds...and again, if we were able to finish the record the way we wanted to you might feel a bit differently so, you have to look at it for what it is, not for what you wanted it to be or what it could've been.

I understand your points on this - but to add mine in - I think fans are going to miss the big choruses and the big harmonies you are have always been famous for - style aside. Any comments on that?
Well, you should do some research because our two most successful songs,
”Can't Find My Way Home” and “Love Don't Lie” do not have harmony vocals
on them at all.

You know the scene in which we all work - does it frustrate you that some don't want any progression in the music at all?
I work in many scenes, in many genres and have always grown as a musician and listener. It's too bad that some people can't enjoy music for what it is, an art form, a hopefully free expression, not a cookie cutter, gotta sound like this band or that band or I'm not even going to give it a chance sound.

Let's talk about the performances. Those of you, Lanny and Ken I think are a definite highlight of the album. How have you three grown as musicians?
We are always nurturing our talents working on one music project or another. We were also able to work directly with each other and fed off of the energy in the studio together which I think comes across big time on this record.

And how did you apply yourself and the more intense and complex arrangements to this recording process?
The same way I always try to do...groove with it and feel it . It was easy really when you work with musicians at this level.

xx

We know Derek Sherinain is a class player - how did you get him involved after Gregg's departure?
Derek's been a friend of mine for a few years. I did the art work for a couple of his CD packages and have seen him live with his band Planet X and with Dream Theater. He was the perfect guy to step on....I mean into Gregg's shoes. Unfortunately Derek had to leave on tour so we only got him on the title track...I bet Gregg's mouth will be on the floor when he hears Derek's solo!!

And Sven Martin and Allan Okuye - how are these guys known to you?
Sven is a friend here in L.A. but he's from Germany. He plays with the band Tattoo and is a writer on the songs “Today” and “Man Who I Am”. It made perfect sense to bring him in on those tracks since he was so close to them. He's an awesome orchestrator. I never met Alan until the day I worked with him in the studio. The guy the label hired to take over the record brought him in. He did a good job under the circumstances of only
having hours to create parts for many songs.

No producer attached to this record - were you happy to handle it yourselves?
Lanny, Ken, James and I have all been producing records over the last decade so it made sense. I just really wish we would've been able to see it through and finish it the way we wanted to. It does sound damn good but we had some bigger plans for it.

I think the album is very well produced - nice and evenly mixed. But I do recall some instrumental basics you played me in LA had a little more life in them than the finished product. What do you think?
We didn't master it so that could be the difference. That was done in
Italy by the label.

I've already talked to you and James about the vocals on the album. I think James is a little flat - what do you think and could things have been done any better?
I'm not sure what you mean by flat. He is on pitch so if you mean dryer than our other records.. I agree, that's how it was mixed.

Where does House Of Lords go from here Chuck?
We're currently discussing doing a live DVD or possibly releasing footage from the sessions with some acoustic versions of some of our older material. I'd love to get out there and play live again with this band. We'll see how the record is received by the fans. If it goes as we'd expect it to we'll decide at that time if we can to do a tour.

Besides HOL, you are a busy guy...you recently toured with Alice Cooper - what was that like?
What can I say...The 5 month, 17 country tour I did with Alice was so fulfilling. A great band, great crowds and seeing places like Moscow, Paris, London and Barcelona, who could ask for more. I felt very blessed to have been a part of it.

What else have you been working on mate?
Besides doing all these interviews daily for this HOL release???? Is there time???? lol!
I have a new production company that is involved in a new music driven movie project and we're shopping some music projects overseas.
I've been working with a good friend of mine who's an amazing singer /song writer named David Victor. We've been developing material for a new project. Currently, I'm
working on a web site for bassist Jerry Best (Courtney Love, Lion, Dio) which will be up and on the net soon at www.jerrybest.com, and I've begun work on a CD package for radio personality "The Radio-Chick" out of New York City.
Matt Sorum (from Guns & Roses, The Cult and now in Velvet Revolver) has a solo release called "Hollywood Zen" that I played bass on, created the art work and layout for which is now available through his web site at www.mattsorum.com and will soon be at
retail.
I played bass on a couple of songs last year for a singer/songwriter out of Italy named Chris Catena, that just came out on Frontiers Records. Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer of Kiss fame join me on these tracks.
Prior to leaving last fall for the Vanilla Fudge tour , I recorded the bass tracks for French Warner Brothers recording artist Audrey Forrest . She has some amazing material and a very fine voice. Ken's drumming on this one as well. That should be out soon. I just finished a rock rap project called "The Good, The Bad and The Heavy" with Lanny and Pat Torpey. We covered a lot of classic rockers like "The Immigrant Song", "Back In Black", "Paranoid", "Hey Joe" and more with a couple original pieces thrown in for good measure. Rappers from Cypress Hill, Crazy Town and other notables do their take on the tracks.
Everyone should check out Mr. Big's / Influences & Connections that I worked on with Lanny. It's a very unique project in which Mr. Big classic songs have been revisited featuring all star vocalists and guest musicians. The guys in Mr. Big are on it too.

The new CD features Artwork by yourself - and you have done many other packages including my very own CD release Revealed & Revisited - many thanks to you again for that. When did you get started on graphic arts and how did it expand into doing album covers?
You are welcome Andrew...I was always drawing on anything when I was a
child, my desk, the wall etc. I discovered the art programs available on computers about 9 years ago and the sky was the limit. It's been a great way of creative expression for me when I'm not out on the road or in the studio recording. Because of my many music contacts it was a natural step to get into doing CD art work. Oh... how I wish we still had that 10 inch square cover from the old days to work with. In creating the art work for the HOL cover and most of the package, I tried to keep the integrity and feel from our debut and Sahara intact. That's also part of why I came up with the title “The Power And The Myth”, it has a Lordly feel to it.

Have we missed anything Chuck? Anything you would like to add?
We all hope the rock fans out there will judge this record from a clean slate and not thinking of it as a follow up to “Sahara”. Just set aside their expectations and enjoy it for what it is. A musical adventure with thought provoking lyrics and kick ass
musicianship!

Thanks again for doing the interview. I know you were pissed with my review of the album as were the label, but you remain a cool guy. Cheers.
You are welcome.

JAMES CHRSTIAN

So James, thanks for talking to me. This is a tough interview for me, as I have the utmost respect for you as a writer and performer, but I must confess to being disappointed in the vocals on the House Of Lords album.
Let's go straight to that if you don't mind. In my review, I said I was disappointed and felt that the vocals were too laid back and not as powerful as your solo album and past HOL albums.
How were the vocals recorded for this album?
The vocals for this CD were recorded no differently than any other CD I have done in the past. I used an AKG Microphone which I love and put very little EQ and compression as I like to add that in the Mix. This particular set of songs were a bit of a challenge to sing as they were in much lower keys than I am accustomed to singing in. However the approach that Lanny & Chuck took to writing the songs displayed some very creative moments and I really liked what they were going for. I knew when I heard the tracks that the vocal approach would end up being very different from what most people were used to hearing.

You recorded all of them at your studio in Florida didn't you?
Yes I recorded all the vocals in my home studio which is a Pro-Tools set-up.

Is that an ideal situation?
It is a perfect situation for me as I like to work alone. In the majority of everything I have done, there were few people involved. I sing best when I can do a few tracks, then listen and live with what I have done. I always know what I am looking to accomplish with a vocal.

Did you miss the "band in the studio" environment?
"Band in a studio" is always inspiring when you are laying down tracks, But when the time comes for the Lead Vocal to be done, I like having just bare bones without all the overdubs so that I can have room to experiment.

What form of the tracks were you given to work with and how did you piece it together?
I was given rough mixes of everything on two tracks. Then i would lay out Five open tracks and then take the best of each of those tracks.

Recording process aside, did you approach this album differently than past albums?
The approach is always the same. I like using the same compression and Mikes that I have used in the past. I like to sing in the evening and I like to sing NAKED! (Only Kidding)

And are you personally happy with the results?
I always wish I had done something a little different on a every record I have done, but for the most part, I was happy. This record was not written to produce 5 hit singles and there are no "Commercial Songs" on the CD. The bombastic choruses are not always there but in its place are some very moving and thought provoking moments.
You just have to get past the fact that it sounds different than a typical HOL CD.
My voice is not pushed to the limit on most of the songs because quite frankly, they were more musical pieces than vocal pieces, I did not have a problem with that concept.
We all would do things differently if we had the chance. I try not to look back and keep my focus on the future.

Can you tell us of what involvement you had in the songwriting process for the tracks of The Power & The Myth?
The only song that I contributed was "Living In Silence". I had no idea it was being recorded until Lanny told me. The rest of the material is from Chuck, Lanny and a few other writers. I would have loved to contribute more.

A House Of Lords re-union has been a difficult thing to get done. What was the reasons behind the failed attempt in the mid-late 90's and why did it work out this time?
I think the Mid 90's was too soon for another HOL CD. Music has changed dramatically in the 90's and today there is little left of that type of sound. However with websites like MelodicRock keeping the style alive it seems more appropriate to get together and do a new CD now.

This album was complicated enough, but do you see another House Of Lords album in your or the other guy's plans?
God willing, if there is an opportunity for us to record again, we will.

What else have you been up to James? You have a busy job I know, can you tell us about MRA Associates and your job with them?
I own a Medical Recruiting Firm. My company finds Doctors for Hospitals, Medical Groups and Private Practices. My business allows me to do all the things that matter in my life such as, continuing to write and record songs and spend time with my family.

I hear you are working on a new solo album - can you tell us any of the details behind that and the possible style it might be in? It's been a long while also since Rude Awakening!
Yes I am currently working on the solo CD. The style is very much in the style of Rude Awakening. There are some songs I recorded for Judith & Robin Randall that I always wanted to put on CD and there is also a bonus track of a song I did with Lanny called "Mad Moon Fall" It is one of my favorite vocal performances. I just connected with the lyric and did the lead vocal in one take. So far I am loving it.

I have to ask after Robin...when is her album going to come out?
I remember talking to you a couple of years ago when you and her were working on it and then mid-late last year there was a press release about it and a preview and album and single cover to view - but still no sign of it. When's it going to be available and how?
Robin was just on a show in Germany called Hit Giganten, She was great! Her new single is scheduled to be released in March with the full CD to follow. I produced 8 tracks and had a great time doing it. The single is called "What Is Me".
She has the best female rock voice I have ever heard. I do not say this simply because she is my wife, but because I had the opportunity the sit behind a console and hear let loose. Her range and power are limitless.

Do you have much contact with any other rocks from the "old days" down there in Florida?
I still keep in touch with my music buddies. Most of them come down here for vacations. I live in West Palm Beach which is a resort part of Florida. This is an incredible lifestyle.

How is Mark Baker? Are you still writing and working with him? It's been a while since I heard his name mentioned!
Mark is doing fine. He is working on an Internet project. It has to do with music but I am not exactly sure what it is. I have not written with him in a while.

Anything else going on that you would like to talk about or comment on James?
I would like to say to you that I respect your opinion regarding your comments about this CD. You have always been a major supporter of our music and we appreciate that. I can take criticism as long as it comes from knowledgeable people. Although I totally enjoy listening to this CD.

I still think you are one of the great rock vocalists of all time - do you have a favourite piece of work or song from your vast catalogue of work?
Yes I do. Actually "Child Of Rage" is one of my favorite performances as well as "Can't Find My Way Home & "Remember My Name"

There remain a lot of unreleased James Christian music/demos in circulation from over the years - is there any chance some of that might still see the light of day?
Yes you might hear a few on the new CD.

Thanks for your time James and take care for now.
Take care Andrew, it was a pleasure.

1. Today
After having several of our new songs rejected by our label (Frontiers) for failing to follow their strict guidelines of that “80’s corporate rock” required sound, we submitted this outside written song. There was something about the chorus that reminded me of material from out debut. This song was not intended to be the opener of the album but apparently the label president felt it represented the signature HOL sound best. I guess he didn’t want to confuse people too much. This resequencing of the songs was a BIG disappointment for us.

2. All Is Gone
This is a new song that Lanny, Pat Torpey and I put together. We used a an old Jethro Tull type harmony part for the bass and guitar riff. It has an interesting mid eastern influenced middle section. A straight ahead mid tempo rocker. Like a lot of the other material we came up with, Ken finished this song with us in the studio.

3. Am I The Only One
this one is a bit newer. Lanny had the ideas for this a few years ago. A ballad in 6/8 time. A moody track with East Indian guitar influences. There’s an outstanding, beautifully melodic guitar solo from Lanny. One of my favorites, every note counts on this one.

4. Living In Silence
This song was written by James in the mid 90’s but we changed the verse from it’s original speaking/rap style to a melody. A bit of a modern style mixed into the melodic structure with rockin’ heavier guitar riffs, and a lot of big drums ala the song “Sahara” The middle section of the song really gets outside. A good one for head phones.

.5. The Power And The Myth
This song was originally intended to start the record. It’s a short instrumental filled with majestic melodies that brings back memories of our debut, especially the amazing keyboards which are performed by Derek Sherinian (formerly of Dream Theater) coupled with a tasty Jeff Beck style melody from Lanny. I came up with the music for this in England while on tour with Alice Cooper in late 2002.

6. The Rapture
Originally written for the mid 90’s HOL release which didn’t happen. Lanny plays a lot of unusual exotic instruments like the Bazouki, Balalaika and Turkish Banjo so we tapped into that. This instrumentation was integral to getting across the musical landscape and mood of the lyrics. There’s some amazing violin playing by Charlie Bissoret (from Bob Dylans band) . All the instrumentation is real, no samples Sitar, Cello, and ethnic percussion.

7. The Man Who I Am
Another new outside song discovered with the song “Today”. Famed rock singer and James Christian’s wife, Robin Beck, shares the bridge with James on this one. This is probably our most commercial song on the record.

8. Bitter Sweet Euphoria
This song opens with an assault of slammin’ drumming from Ken Mary. It is little darker than you ‘d expect from us but has a really strong melodic chorus that brings to mind The Beatles meets Led Zepplin.

9. Mind Trip
This is a new one that has a seventies retro vibe ala Deep Purple’s “Machine Head” days. It's very raw and we really get to show off our chops.

10. Child Of Rage
This was written in the early 90’s and we kept some of the performances from those sessions. By far one of James Christians best vocal performances ever. A powerfully massive melodic ballad. It has an almost Gospel feel. A nice closer for the album.

McQueen Street was another classic American hard rock act that was swept aside by the grunge revolution. But thanks to persistent fans, good music and the Internet - they're back! I talked to frontman Derek Welsh about the road to their second CD release.

Derek, great to see a new release from the band on the market. A lot of classic hard rock bands are utilizing the Internet to reconnect with old fans and make available music and merchandise that they otherwise would have a chance in releasing.
At what point did you decide this was a good idea and how did you get started?
I've been thinking about doing this for a very long time. Actually I've been involved with the Internet and music promotion since the mid 90s. There's no doubt that the Internet is a great vehicle for music.

To someone who hasn't heard of the band - can you describe your sound and attitude - this is your chance to sell yourself :)
Hard driving, in your face, no frills hard rock.

How did the band get started? What are the origins of the band when you first hit the scene?
We got our start in Montgomery, Alabama in the late 80s. For 3 years or so we played every rock club in the Southeast and probably stayed in every flea infested hotel along the way. We played to packed houses and we played to handfuls of drunks that probably have no recollection that we were ever there. We played 5-7 nights a week. It didn't matter where we were, we were on a mission and we rocked as hard as we could.

You signed to a major for your debut - were you happy with the way that was released and marketed?
I was very happy with the actual recording of the record. I really liked working with the producer Tom Werman and the engineers Eddie Delena and Neal Avron. However, I wasn't happy at all with some of the marketing ideas. I was VERY opposed to the album cover with the woman and the truck. I remember the day one of the marketing guys showed it to me. He asked me what I thought and I told him I hated it. It became pretty heated and it pretty much came down to what I consider to be “the my way or the highway” scenario.
Like a lot of artists, we had to give up some creative control in order to get our music out there. It just wasn't a very accurate depiction of what the music or band was all about.
I think they really tried to tie us in with that whole sex, chics and partying thing. I'm not sure what the hell they were thinking. The first three singles were My Religion, In Heaven and Time. Not a very cohesive marketing plan in my opinion. Sorry, about the rambling. I could write an entire book on the subject!

Were there any specific areas or promises that were not fulfilled by the label?
Sure, lots of them. I don't want to get off on a negative rant about the whole thing but there were more things non-fulfilled than were fulfilled. I'll spare everyone the boring list.

Any great or favourite memories of the months surrounding the release of the debut album?
Sure. I have lots of great memories around this time. When the My Religion video aired on MTV was a great moment. One that really sticks out in my memory is when we were flying in to Los Angeles - I had my headphones on when we were landing and heard McQueen Street on the radio for the first time. I think it was on KNAC and we were headed to do a big show with bands like Alice In Chains, Armored Saint, Bang Tango and a bunch of other really good bands at Sammy Hagar's place in Cabo Wabo.

So what went wrong for the band?
Things that were out of our control. It was the day that music died. As all rockers know, when Teen Spirit hit the airwaves the industry changed dramatically. Anything that looked or sounded remotely like hard rock or metal instantly became taboo. When MTV and mainstream radio refused to play all of the artists in our genre we were all doomed. There was no Internet to save the day. The bands were screwed. The fans were screwed. The band moral was depleted and so were our funds. We simply had to move on.

Tell us of the frustrations of life in 1993....
We all had the rug pulled right out from under us. Personally I was at an all time low and I had to make a decision as to whether I wanted to sink or swim.

When you split, what did you and the other guys move on to do? It's been quite some time since we heard from you all!!
I had always been into different styles of music but hard rock was and still is my passion. I decided to start writing and performing in a different vein of music. I spoke to our bass player Richard and told him I wanted to do a new project. We formed the band The Rat Race which was more of a classic, folky, trippy, sounding band. It was about as far off from McQueen Street as you can get. The Rat Race was not heavy in the McQueen Street sense. No screaming vocals, no shredding guitars. The only heaviness would be in the lyrics and the actual playing. I just wanted to move in a completely different direction. I kind of a had to bury the entire hard rock persona just to keep my own sanity. I worked for a long time writing and promoting Strange Dreams, my book of poetry and ramblings.

And was it anything specific that got you fired-up to release the second album?
It seemed that McQueen Street just wouldn't go away. We would hear about different tracks being used for commercials, sporting events, etc. As the Internet came more into play, rock was able to start resurfacing. It's my philosophy that rock fans and rock musicians never went away. With the Internet, things have been able to resurface again. When the singer from Puddle Of Mudd decided to wear a McQueen Street shirt in the She Hates Me video my phone started ringing. I'd always thought about calling the other guys at some point but my wife really pushed me to do it.

Tell us about the songs from the album - when were they written and recorded etc?
Many of the songs were written in at a beach house in Florida that I rented. I pretty much camped out for a few weeks, had no phone, a TV that had 3 channels and all of my recording gear. I didn't talk to anyone for weeks and just sort of immersed myself in the whole process. We recorded them at various times and places.

Any favourites from the tracks included?
Like most people, I have different favorites for different moods. As an aggressive rocker I'd have to say World Machine. I really like performing that one live. On the mellow/dark end of things probably The Last Breath or What About Jane.

Are there any other McQueen Street recordings that have yet to see the light of day?
I'm currently writing some new material and there are quite a few songs that we've recorded that we may be releasing in the very near future.
If all goes well we may have another CD out within the year. We're also considering adding an option on our Website where you can purchase and download individual tracks. If we get that into place it will be sooner rather than later.

What are the rest of the guys doing right now? Are there plans for a new set of recordings, a few live shows or anything else?
Everyone is busy doing the day to day things we all do. We've all got our hands in the McQueen Street thing and are definitely going to be doing some live shows, recording and appearances. We're currently working on some large rock festivals in the US and Europe.

Where in the US are you located and is there any rock scene left in that area?
We all live in different states in the South. Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Alabama. I m not sure there s an entire scene anywhere but there are some clubs that are popping up again.

What's next for Derek and McQueen Street?
Live shows, new songs and I'm nearing completion on a new book of poetry.

Are there any other bands out there you still admire - who you think are doing a great job and are there any you think should retire already? :)
I saw Cinderella a few years ago in Nashville and they are still an amazing band. One of the best live shows I've ever seen. AC/DC is still kicking hard. Sebastian Bach is one of my favorite rock singers. Some of the newer bands and artists I really like are Audioslave, Puddle of Mudd, Kid Rock and Sevendust.

And what are you currently listening to or what CDs have you recently purchased?
I listen to a pretty wide range of stuff. In my car I've got The Doors, Audioslave, UPO, Steve Earle, Sevendust, Guns N Roses, Sheryl Crow, The Rat Race, and oh yeah, McQueen Street 1 & 2. I got a really good deal on those last 2 so occasionally I feel obligated to listen to those. :-)
In my house I mainly listen to Baby Einstein and Bob The Builder discs. Our 19 month old says they really rock so I go along with it.

Anything you would like to add?
I just want to thank all of the rock and metal fans out there that continue to show their support for us and all of the other bands in our genre of music. I truly am grateful for all of the emails and letters that people have written to us. Most of all I d like to let the people know who continue to buy and play our music how much we really appreciate it.

Thanks again for doing the interview.
Thank you it was my pleasure! You've got a great Web site and it helps keep the music alive.