Just before the New Year's holidays musicians from the German band Lord Of The Lost decided to please all their fans with a new album with a mysterious, but so appropriate to them title, "Blood & Glitter". The album is the eighth studio album of the band and has bright stylistic references to the era of the 70's-80's. Despite his very busy touring and working schedule, the band's frontman Chris Harms found time to answer our questions and solve the mystery as to how he manages to cope with everything, to be successful in businesses and creativity and at the same time not lose his human face.
So, you released your previous double album about a year ago. After that you did another EP "Heartbeat of the Devil". You also took part in other projects. Most bands take 4-5-6 years to make a good album. You don't have bad habits, you don't hang out, don't drink alcohol and you save homeless animals. And I have a question: Chris, are you even a human?
Chris: I'm not sure. At least I can't really identify with the human race. Never really felt like entirely being a part of it. But I think that was not your question. To answer your question: I don't have any super powers and I am not exceptionally good in anything, I just know how to work with a calendar and I am part of an amazing team. My productions are never, or very rarely, a one-man-show. I am working together with many great people and they all deserve the same credit as myself.
What things is incomprehensible or unfathomable to you about humanity?
Chris: Many, I guess. But in most cases I can narrow it down to the lack of empathy. This absence and therefore shameless recklessness and most stupid thoughtlessness seems to be amplified by two factors in particular: First “digital anonymity” and second “humans in crowds”. A single human being might be nice, in a crowd the same person might be able to do unspeakable things. The lack of empathy often unites with selfishness and intolerance. I am trying my best to not be part of all of this – I might not always succeed, but I am trying and I will never stop trying.
A more serious question... With your previous album, you gave your fans weeks of puzzles and innuendos. This time, you cut the promotional time as much as possible and just "threw" the album online. Tell me please, do you have a business plan built up for several years ahead or do you rely more on your intuition and change your decisions according to the situation?
Chris: More serious? I thought the last question was already very serious, to be honest. Both. We have a plan for many years ahead which is based on intuition and the most important ingredient: fun! We only do what feels like fun to us, what WE want, what WE need, what feels natural to US. WE are the ones that need to love most what we do, not the fans. If some fans do like the one or the other song or album less or more, that is okay and it is completely normal. But WE, we have to love everything that we do, at any times, no compromises. That's the only way to stay authentic. Therefore all of our business partners are pretty much chanceless when they are trying to persuade us to do... whatever. We always went our way, I always went my way. When you never lie to yourself you never need to regret your decisions.
You literally blew up the internet again with your new video and new style. The comments, as usual, were divided into 2 opposite camps: those who are delighted with you and those who are outraged and promise never to listen to your band again. Personal question: some of you have families and children, don't they face the hatred from people around because of your art? What would you do if for example at school some boys just told to your son "hey, your dad is a freak and gay!?”
Chris: Well, even if I looked like a freak in real life, whatever “freak” means, and even if I were gay: where I live, this would not cause any issues. We have gay parents in my sons class, some of these parents look kind of “freakish”, we live in Hamburg, in St. Pauli, it's like the Camden Town of Germany. These things are not an issue. When my son sometimes gets picked up by two friends of our family, a male gay couple, it never caused any issues. But I get your question. So, if a question like this came up, trying to insult him or me by using the word “gay” or “freak”, well, then I would explain to him that some people, some cultures, are still socially underdeveloped and those things are still seen as something unnatural. Therefore they do not know any better – yet. I know that might sound intolerant, but respect can only go as far as respect meets its opposite: disrespect. My son and I, we had all of these talks already, he is 11 years old. He's enjoying an open-mided and free upbringing, so all of these topics, be open, accepting and tolerant towards different religions, cultures, skin colours, sexual identifications and genders, et cetera, have been discussed very often. So, in the end, I think he would not even think that this was insulting; he'd think, “well, sad form them that they are caged within such a narrow mindset”. And I think the same. The word “gay” is not an insult.
The first video from the record was a dedication to rock star photographer Mick Rock. How long have you had his book "Blood & Glitter" and how long have you been interested in his work in general?
Chris: I didn't know about Mick Rock before this book came out. Someone gave it to me, like 15 or 20 years ago...? I don't remember exactly. I loved the feeling of this book, while going through it page by page. And of course I have seen many of these photographies way before, but I didn't know that it was by him. Being a photographer of artists is a job in the shadows somehow – everyone's looking at the artist ON the picture, nearly no one understands that there might be another artist involved who actually took the picture, designed the entire scenery, created the picture that you see, way before, in her or his creative mind.
Some time ago you released a cover of the song "Wig in a box". And, in my opinion, that song sounds like something perfectly made for you. Can you call the style of your new album also a reference or allusion to the vibe of that song and movie?
Chris: No. Of course, glam rock and travesty do overlap here and there, also the “Wig In A Box” movie consists of both elements, but I don't recall one single moment where it was part of the creative thinking or doing while conceiving or producing “Blood & Glitter”.
In one of your interviews you said that the album would be very political. So, which songs touch on political themes?
Chris: None? All all of them? That depends on worldviews, mindsets and paradigms. This answer might be a long one... so: for instance “Blood & Glitter”; this can be a 100% non-political song. It's about believing in yourself, “carpe diem”, self-acceptance, about contrasts and similarities of extreme feelings like “we're so happy we could die”, it's about blood, our elixir of life, about glitter, so everything around us, our image, our outside look, style, fashion, and so one... It can be so much. And whatever you see in it, you might be right. If “everyone has the right to be theirself, the way they want, love who they want, be loved by who they want” is a problem for you, the same song instantly becomes a political issue.
Or maybe one of the party songs of the record, “Reset The Preset” featuring our friend Andy from Combichrist. You can understand the song as what it mostly is for me – music that moves your body, with a lyrical twist, if you want to care about the lyrics – which many people might not with this song, as it's mostly about the musical energy. But you can understand “Reset The Preset” and its lyrics as a call for a revolution – if you want to understand it that way. Same goes for “Destruction Manual”, although the party factor might be even higher in this one. If you want to twist our every word, you'll find a way. And some songs might even invite you to do so. That's is the nice thing about lyrics, and also a dangerous aspect.
One of the songs that can reflect so many current world scenarios is “Dead End”. The text in the chorus says: “What if hell is full already and heaven doesn't want me?”. It can be about the obvious: A religious person struggling with exactly this thought – this person is lost, there is no place to go after death. What a sad thought! You can also interpret many things in this topic. I instantly have to think about a friend of mine. He is bisexual, comes from the US, lives in Germany and he is black. But not dark black as one of his parents is white. He had told me about many struggles with intolerance, regarding all these three things. Not straight enough for the homophobic, not gay enough for some of the intolerant gay people, that also do exist. Being a foreigner in another country plus being black and gay. Not white enough for racists and not “a real black person” for some black people, even within his family. Three times “wow”, not the positive one. Can you imagine, how this feels? If “Dead End” reflects his story, it is a political song on many levels.
Let's take this a little further with a spotlight on Russia's war against Ukraine. Three scenarios:
1. I know families which are both Russian and Ukrainian, different parts of the family living in both countries and also somewhere else. One of my oldest friends comes from such a family. The struggle this family suffers now, on so many levels – beyond crazy.
2. I know many Ukrainians who had to escape their country, mostly women with kids, having to leave the husband behind. The try to flee from the war to a safer place. Also being offered to go to Russia, the country who is bombing their homes. So they have to go to a new “home” where they can never feel home and safe or welcomed, but at the same time they cannot live at home anymore, because it is too dangerous or their homes are bing destroyed?
3. I also know Russians that had to escape from Russia for speaking out loud against the government. So they leave the country, go to another place, where they are experiencing a lot of general hatred against Russians – being blamed for a war which they, as a single person, not being responsible for their government, have not begun. Hell is full already, you flee hell, but heaven doesn't want you. And there we go again, what we had earlier in this interview, talking about empathy, tolerance, single persons and crowds. All in all, if you reflect “Dead End” in this war, you only find victims on ALL sides. I don't say “both sides” as they are way more than just these two sides. There is so much pain involved and the lack of empathy and understanding, that this song as a symbol for these feelings, cannot be more political!
So, long answer short: Yes and no. This album is not political by default. But it can be – very much!
You did a "Small clubs only tour" for the album presentation. Why small clubs? Is it a "return to your roots"?
Chris: Exactly this. Being one with our fans. Which is not that easy in bigger venues.
Finnish musician and producer Jaani Peuhu is a co-producer on the album. Jaani is also the vocalist of the Mercury circle. Have you thought about doing a song for the album together, like you did, for example, with Marcus Bischoff from HSB? Or maybe we should wait for you as a guest on one of the tracks on the new Mercury circle album?
Chris: Nothing like this is planned thus far. Jaani and I have worked together a lot for many years, but we have never discussed a duet. Maybe we will, one day.
Tell me a secret, how many years in advance do you already have songs and ideas ready for new albums?
Chris: It's not a secret and there is not only one answer. Sometimes I find an old idea which might be 25 years old and it, or parts of it, suddenly become the ingredients for a new song. Some other songs are already written and I already know that they are for LOTL. But they don't fit to the current concept or topic, musically and lyrically. So I let them wait. “Reset The Preset” is such a song. The general idea of this song has been in my head for a long time but it did not fit “Thornstar” and “JUDAS”, so I let it wait...
One of the tracks on the new album is called "Leaving The Planet Earth". Is it a kind of hint that you sometimes want to fly away from this planet for some reason?
Chris: Yes. For obvious reasons. If they are not obvious enough, the lyrics are very self-explanatory. And sometimes i'm not sure if I belong here. But still I don't know where I belong. Maybe this is my “Dead End”. But most of the time this is a very temporary feeling – because I find the most luck and happiness in being a father and being able to have such a great job! And I am humble and grateful about it.
Sociology and psychology say that a person needs to be part of some kind of community. But it is also common for creative people to sometimes escapism and create their own worlds. Do you feel that you belong to a some community, and do you feel responsible for your fans or for society as a public figure? Or do you like to be in your own world most of the time?
Chris: I never felt like I could be part of only one community or scene, therefore I decided not to be part of any of those. I have accepted that I can be a different person with different tastes and feelings every day. And being part of some community always comes with some rules and dogmas. I know that some people need these to feel safe. I always only felt pressured by all of these things. When I was younger I had so much fear of missing out, so I always tried to fit into everything at the same time. But not trying to fit into anything is so much easier. And no, I don't feel responsible for other people. But I feel the responsibility to be a good role model. That's why I can't stop preaching empathy like it's a religion.
Lord of the lost were on a big tour with Iron Maiden and at the same time you were performing at festivals... I always wondered how musicians manage to still love their songs, playing them many times, night after night, without a break?
Chris: I always wondered how some musicians manage to not love their songs anymore... or how people abandon their pets. Or even children. People don't stop eating, fucking or breathing, unless they die. Maybe that's a fitting analogy?
Some fans have called your "Leave Your Hate In The Comments" video a "spit in the face" of people who disagree with you and another way to make money from anything. So the question is: Have you already found your new favorite hate comment for the new t-shirts?
Chris: Well, the people that say that clearly did not understand the video's or song's message. And they clearly did not understand that it's about them. Because saying these things is exactly this kind of hatred. It's not about people that disagree. And it's also not about people that express there disagreement in a respectful way. There you go again, empathy! But to answer your question: not yet.
I notice that none of you have a Russian social media account. Is this more to do with your fatigue with social networks and constant attention, or with your disagreement with VK policy? Some artist still see any platform as another option for advertising their creativity and raising interest in their persona...
Chris: First of all, my Russian is not good enough to be active on a social media platform that mostly consists of people writing in Russian. I can read it as quickly as German or English but I am slow in understanding and my vocabulary is very limited. If we talk about policies, well, in this case we couldn't use ANY social media platform. TikTok? Chinese, so, many political things that might be discussed. Facebook and Insta? Don't even get me started with America. Telegram and VK? Well, same issues, different point of the compass. But as I believe that, luckily, most people in this world are worth communication with, we sadly have to ignore these aspects to be part of any social network. But apart from all these things, even if VK was in German or English, I am not sure if I'd like to be there. The amount of hateful comments and interaction is the highest compared to all other networks, even worse than Youtube which is already the pinnacle. And I am not talking about respectful disagreeing, I am talking about the sort of comments that “Leave Your Hate In The Comments” is about. Some people tried to explain this to me with “well, people here might have a different mentality” - well, if this mentality causes this high amount of negativity, then I choose not to be part of it. Why should I hang around places where I am getting insulted on a daily basis? I have met wonderful people on our shows, all around the world. But there always some, that prove, that everything has a flipside. More or less. And sadly on VK I have seen more than on Instagram, for instance. So, no VK for me. And I have the highest respect to our two VK Admins (One Ukrainian, one Russian, by the way), who handle a lot of negative things for us. Thank you, you guys are angels!
As I know from social media, you sent a small package with your, let's say, merch to the Vatican. Did you get a response/message or a parcel from any of the Pope's assistants?
Chris: Well, by the DHL tracking number I could see that the parcel arrived there. And it did not come back. I am sure that it did not reach the pope himself, but at least for a while, two LOTL buttplugs have spent some time on Vatican soil. Isn't that beautiful? I wonder where they are now...
If someone look at your work in terms of anthropology, there are several eras and archetypes. The "Rebel", the "Hermit", etc. Would you say that now you've taken on the Jester archetype and so you've allowed yourself to do whatever you like?
Chris: Oh, how I dislike categories. I'd love to help but I can't answer this.
How is your project "My Voice for Your Song" doing? How many more releases and from which countries should we wait for?
Chris: I think, 5-10 from, from many different countries are still waiting to be released... But that's not on me. To be honest, I need to ask some artists when they plan to release these songs.
The bonus track on the album is a cover of Roxette's "The Look". I have to be honest, I hated that song all my life. But I liked so much the way you put some coolness, boldness, sexiness and courage into it. Weren't you scared to cover such a famous song? After all, you can always get negative feedback from the songwriters... What other Roxette songs would you like to sing?
Chris: Whenever you do something like this, or do pretty much anything, someone will hate it. In this case, Per Gessle seemed to like it, he also posted our cover on the Roxette socials. And I was not afraid, but of course I felt a huge pressure to really put everything in this production. I did 5 vocal recording sessions for this song, because with the first 4 I never thought it was good enough for the song. And I talked to more than 40 female singers before I found the perfect match for it.
Jenet Bonishi
