Music-Survival-Guide

Almost exactly a year ago, Lord Of The Lost came to America for about 2 and a half weeks from Germany to experience playing in the states. The bands popularity had grown so much back home that we here had the chance to see them in very small venues as opposed to the large places they played back in Germany. They literally brought the basics here to the USA leaving behind their bigger show and most every helping hand, leaving really, just the band here…with a van. I had the opportunity to see them in DE and Brooklyn, at two very small venues, in which they turned into larger than life experiences. After the show in Delaware, in the freezing Spring cold, I had the opportunity to interview Chris (The Lord) and Bo Six and well, after just about a year the interview was finally published in an issue of Vellum Magazine (see link for hard copy) (http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/870896)
and I figured to kind of “commemorate” that time I would publish it for M-S-G as well, (I know it’s been kinda quiet here.) There is also a video that I will try to upload soon too. Anyway, better late then never. The content is somewhat dated now, but here it is. Enjoy!

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A freezing March moment with LORD OF THE LOST—An interview with Chris “The Lord” Harms with Bo Six

(ORIGINALLY INTERVIEWED MARCH 2014)

Happy I was around 2011 that I discovered these sexy badass Germans, Lord Of The Lost via YouTube. The video for “Sex on Legs” from their second album, Antagony cinched the deal with me about half way through. Shortly after, I ordered the record along with the first, Fears. Listen after listen I thought how great would it be to see this band in the USA. Great, yes. Likely? Probably not. As I watched their popularity grow overseas I thought, hmmm…maybe? Then maybe turned to yes when a friend of mine, Mama Trash and her company Mama Trash Promotions decided to start a Kickstarter campaign and raise the money to get them here. She worked hard, and it happened. They came, they saw…and well, they kicked ass. The following interview is from my time spent with them in Delaware, March 2014 behind the unlikely sports bar they just tore apart on a bitter, bitter March night.

So, how did the Concept/Name for Lord Of The Lost come about?
“Basically I wanted to make music for people who, well, felt lost, like I sometimes have. I didn’t want to be above them or on top of them. I wanted to be one of them. It’s really about being some sort of spokesperson for those kinds of people. When you get to the core of Lord Of The Lost, you get some pretty serious topics”

I originally found out about you guys through YouTube, the “Sex on Legs” video to be exact. You have some really killer videos; I know you play a big role in putting them together. Do you have any sort of background in film or anything of that nature?
“I don’t really have a background in film I just love to make videos. But as the band is growing I cannot keep up the quality so we look for pros because we want to evolve and make better videos”.

After spending 2 weeks in America on the road, was it what you hoped it would be? Is it something you can see yourself doing again in the future?
“We tried to not expect anything. It has been great and really cool and a great experience although some nights have been tough but it is healthy for us.”

I know you have a new record coming out this year (2014). How do you feel about it? I watched the video for the new single “AfterLife” it seems to be expanding on the vibe that you guys created with your last record, Die Tomorrow.
(Chris) “The ‘Afterlife’ single is more of a simple song and that’s why we picked it ultimately, it’s more of a pop song. The rest of the album will be much harder and faster, some of the hardest we have done.”
(Bo) “Remember the name ‘La Bomba’ hahahaha…”

You seem to keep real busy; putting a record out a year is a pretty impressive feat, what’s your secret?
(Bo) “No sleeping!”
(Chris) “There are so many bands out there that misunderstand the term Rock and Roll. Except for beer and cigarettes we are drug free. We like to work hard and I don’t sleep much. We just have one life and I don’t want to waste it.”
(Bo) “It’s fun, but a different kind of fun because with this band we are really doing something.”
(Chris) “And on this tour I already wrote like 4 songs for the next record after this coming one.”

Aside from the LOTL records, you have a pretty big discography in your pocket from previous projects too. What of these side or past projects are your favorite?
“I actually started LOTL 12 some odd years ago because of the place I was in; I had some very hard times. I wanted to start something else to take myself out of that, which is why I also started a Glam Rock project (The Pleasures), but I did return to where I belong with this band.”

Speaking of other ventures, your most recent is the Harms & Kapelle project. It’s a big departure from LOTL, almost kind of dark rockabilly. How did you put this together?
“Tobias Mertens (drummer) is also in this project. So, I’ve done music for other German artists but never myself in German so one day I decided I wanted to sing one of these songs and I’m a sucker for that older stuff like Johnny Cash and there is no band in Germany that does this kind of music. The lyrical content still remains pretty dark.”

I was super excited to see you play; LOTL is a fairly big production all across the board. Was it difficult to bring this to America from Germany?
“Totally, we had to downsize everything including the crew; with us here it’s just the core band.”
(Soda) “Kickstarter was how you got over here headed by Mama Trash raising over $12,000.00 dollars, pretty amazing.”

I know you have a new drummer in the band, Tobias, he also plays with you in Harms & Kapelle (mentioned above). These guys that you have in your band are incredibly talented. Tell us a bit about your little army. Let’s start with Class as he’s been with you the longest. Then Gared, Bo, and finally Tobias.
“Class worked in a guitar store in Hamburg where I was always buying my strings. We were always saying that we would play together one day because we had always liked each other. And Bo, Gared and Tobias have all been my students. As soon as spots in the band became free I grabbed them.”
(Soda) “Gared is amazing.”
“Yes, he is just about the best musician between us all. He is actually a classically educated drummer, piano is just his hobby, haha.”

When you are not doing music is tattooing something else you do as a job? I know you`re former guitarist Sebsta has his own shop back home. How long have you been doing that?
“I do Tattooing for fun, I can only do simple stuff. I can draw some lines but I’m really not a tattoo artist. Yes, Sebsta is a tattoo artist and very impressive.”

And finally, LOTL seems to be gaining more momentum with each record you do. What’s you next big move?
“The next record (From the Flame into the Fire) I wrote with like 7 or 8 different songwriters. I wanted to get inspired, I don’t have an ego problem where ‘I have to do everything’ it helps me to not do the same thing over and over. Next move is to do more tours and festivals in Germany and Europe. What I would really like to do is a classical album. I’d like to put that out in between this and the next record.”

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Chris “The Lord” Harms is also a teacher in his off time at a private University called SAE Institute for Audio Production and Engineering.

Bo also studies Audio Engineering

The latest Lord Of The Lost album is entitled From the Flame into the Fire which was referenced in this interview before its release.

(ORIGINALLY INTERVIEWED MARCH 2014)