House of Lords was formed in 1987 by former Angel member and keyboardist Gregg Giuffria following his solo project Giuffria.[3] After listening to demos – originally intended for Giuffria's third record – a record deal with Gene Simmons' company Simmons Records was agreed upon, on two conditions: to change the band's name (to House of Lords) and to recruit a new lead singer (firing David Glen Eisley in the process).[4]James Christian replaced Eisley. Christian was suggested by ex-Giuffria and Quiet Riot bassist Chuck Wright,[5] after having worked together in L.A. Rocks.
House of Lords' eponymous debut was released in 1988,[3] featuring a heavier sound than Giuffria’s and less prominent keyboards. The album received critical acclaim,[3] and the band toured with Cheap Trick, Ozzy Osbourne and the Scorpions in 1989.[3]
The album featured one minor hit, "I Wanna Be Loved" (Hot 100 No.58). The Stan Bush penned "Love Don't Lie" was the second single but despite MTV airplay, failed to chart. After touring, original guitarist Lanny Cordola left in 1990, replaced by ex Shark Island's Michael Guy.[3]
Their next effort was 1990s Sahara,[3] and featured a list of guest musicians. Other notable contributions to the album came from Doug Aldrich, Rick Nielsen, Chris Impellitteri, Mandy Meyer, David Glen Eisley, Robin Zander, Mike Tramp, Steve Plunkett and Ron Keel. Deliberately more guitar-oriented than the debut, the album hit No.120 on the charts and in the wake of the successful single "Can't Find My Way Home" (a Blind Faith cover). The single and video also did well on Album Rock radio peaking at No.10. The second single "Remember My Name" was a bigger hit hitting No.72 on the Hot 100 and a Top 5 regular on DIAL MTV. Soon after, bassist Chuck Wright and drummer Ken Mary left the band.
For 1992's release Demons Down, House of Lords had left BMG.[6] Christian says of Demon's Down: "This album turned out fabulous. We had a great budget and turned in a beautifully crafted album with great songs, no fillers. I was totally happy with the record and hoped we could really take this album right to the top of the charts."[citation needed] Alongside Christian and Giuffria, line-up changes for Demons Down consisted of a new drummer Tommy Aldridge, a new bass player in Sean McNabb (ex Quiet Riot), and a new guitar player in Dennis Chick (ex-V.V.S.I.).[6] The album spawned two singles, the title track and the ballad "What's Forever For".
The arrival of Grunge would impact on the airplay and overall success of Demons Down.[6] The band broke up in 1993 despite recording demos to shop for a new label. After the band broke up, guitarist Dennis Chick joined Freak of Nature, the band formed by Mike Tramp after the break-up of White Lion. Chick played on both of their studio albums, released in 1993 and 1994.[7] James Christian recorded and released Rude Awakening,[3] and spent a short time in the line-up of Manic Eden.[6]
After legal delays over the rights to the band name, the group reformed in 2000, featuring an extended line-up of Christian, Giuffria, Cordola, Guy, Mary, and Wright, although Guy soon departed.
Two years later The Power and the Myth was finished but it was 2004 before it was released by Frontiers Records. The album marked the return of Chuck Wright, Lanny Cordola and Ken Mary, but is the first not to feature Giuffria, who had left the project with keyboard work done by guests Derek Sherinian, Allan Okuye, Sven Martin and Ricky Phillips. Directly after The Power and the Myth was released, Christian released his second solo CD, Meet The Man. House of Lords contacted Jeff Kent to take over the writing of lyrics and melodies due to the band's lowest scores since its inception. After Jeff Kent was finished, the band scored 96% on the 2006 CD World Upside Down with 10 of Kent's lyrical and melodic compositions, and 97% of the 2008 CD Come to My Kingdom with 13 of Kent's lyrical and melodic compositions.
After a further reunion in 2005 for the Firefest festival in the UK, House of Lords released a new album, World Upside Down, adding songwriter Jeff Kent/melody & lyric writer and keyboardist, guitarist Jimi Bell, bassist Chris McCarvill, and drummer B.J. Zampa. Kent also played all the keyboard parts on the 2005 Frontier Record release.
McCarvill performing with House of Lords at Lorca Rock Festival in 2006
A live album Live in the UK was released in January 2007.
In 2008, the band released their sixth studio album Come to My Kingdom. The album featured the same line-up as World Upside Down, and was produced by frontman James Christian and frequent collaborator Jeff Kent (who played bass prior to McCarvill's joining), who also co-wrote most all of the album's vocal melodies and lyrics. Bassist Chris McCarvill left the band just before the CTMK release due to prior touring commitments with Dokken. He was replaced by Matt McKenna who recorded bass for the band's next album Cartesian Dreams and performed on all the Come to My Kingdom tour dates. The group embarked on a world tour of 39 cities throughout Europe, Brazil, and the United States, commencing between March–July 2008, including main stage performances at Hard in Rio, Rocklahoma and the South Texas Rockfest festivals.
On September 18, 2009, the band's seventh studio album Cartesian Dreams was released. Although bass was recorded by Matt McKenna, Chris McCarvill had rejoined the band following the recording and played bass on the supporting tour for the album in September–November 2009. Jeff Kent produced the album along with Christian, although this time around he did not contribute any songwriting to the album.
On July 26, 2011, it was announced that the band would release their eighth studio album Big Money on September 23, 2011, in Europe and September 27 in North America. The album was recorded with the same line-up as the 2008 album Come to My Kingdom, including bassist Chris McCarvill, and was promoted with a European tour in October 2011, the band's first tour since 2009.[8]
James Christian released his third solo album, Lay It All On Me in 2013.[9]
In 2014 House of Lords released their ninth studio album, Precious Metal. The album was recorded with the same line-up as the 2008 album Come to My Kingdom.[10]
In April 2015 it was announced that House of Lords tenth studio album Indestructible would be released in the EU on June 5 and 9 in North America. The album was recorded with the same line-up as the 2008 album Come to My Kingdom,[11] this line-up celebrates ten years of togetherness.
According to Christian: The name Indestructible was chosen because we all felt that we have been through a lot in our long careers and what better way to say, 'Hey, I'm still here' than by giving the CD a bold title. He adds: 'Indestructible' features eleven brand new songs... ...The album is heavier in the beginning, but we love songs that are both melodic and heavy, and the idea was to fill the best of both on one CD without sounding like two different bands. I think we have accomplished that.[12]
In addition to announcing an appearance at the Frontiers Rock Festival in Trezzo (MI), Italy on April 12, 2015, jameschristian.com stated 'a European tour in September, with a very special surprise show to be announced soon. More details soon!'[11] As part of the Indestructible Tour 2015, House of Lords performed in Japan at Loudpark 2015 on October 10, 2015. The Indestructible tours started in Helsinki, Finland on September 25 and concluded on October 19 in Pratteln, Switzerland. A U.S. date on October 23 followed.[13]
In January 2017 it was announced that House of Lords eleventh studio album Saint Of The Lost Souls would be released on March 24. According to a Frontiers press release the album was recorded with essentially the same line-up as previous albums, the only change being Chris Tristram replacing Chris McCarvill on bass guitar.[14]
Band members
Current
James Christian – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards (1988–1993, 2000–present)
Dokken is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. It split up in 1989 and reformed four years later. The band has had several hit singles which charted on the Billboard Hot 100, such as "Alone Again", "In My Dreams", and "Burning Like a Flame", and has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide. The live album Beast from the East was nominated for the inaugural Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1989.
The Pretenders are a British-American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde, James Honeyman-Scott, Pete Farndon and Martin Chambers. Following the deaths of Honeyman-Scott in 1982 and Farndon in 1983, the band experienced numerous personnel changes; Hynde has been the band's only consistent member.
Angel is an American rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in the mid-1970s by Punky Meadows, Mickey Jones, and Gregg Giuffria. They were primarily known for their flamboyant glam stage presence and white satin outfits.
Giant is an American melodic rock band that was formed in 1987. The band originally consisted of founding members Dann Huff and Alan Pasqua (keyboard), and had Dann's brother David Huff on drums and Mike Brignardello on bass. The Huff brothers were part of the founding members of the Christian rock band White Heart.
White Heart, also listed as Whiteheart, was an American contemporary Christian music and pop-rock band which formed in 1982. White Heart's discography includes thirteen albums, the most recent of which was released in 1997. Original members Billy Smiley and Mark Gersmehl worked with a continually changing cast of bandmates. In 1985, former roadie Rick Florian became the lead singer.
Giuffria was an American rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in 1981 by Gregg Giuffria after his departure from the band Angel.
White Hot is the fourth album by the rock band Angel. After the release of On Earth as It Is in Heaven, bass guitar player Mickie Jones left and was replaced by Felix Robinson.
Lanny Cordola is an American guitarist, songwriter and producer. He has been a member of bands such as Giuffria, House of Lords and Magdallan.
Silk + Steel was the second album released by American rock band Giuffria in 1986. It was produced by Pat Glasser, who was at the time also the producer of Giuffria's MCA labelmates Night Ranger. The band covered "I Must Be Dreaming", a Willy DeVille song that went to No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100. The record's peak position on The Billboard 200 was No. 60 on June 21, 1986. "Love You Forever" was released as the second single but failed to chart on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart even though they appeared on American Bandstand to promote the single.
Chuck Wright is an American bassist, best known as a member of the hard rock/heavy metal band Quiet Riot. He originally joined Quiet Riot in 1982, playing bass on the tracks "Metal Health " and "Don't Wanna Let You Go," as well as singing background vocals on all tracks from the 1983 album Metal Health.
House of Lords is the debut album by House of Lords, a Giuffria spin-off band, featuring keyboardist Gregg Giuffria. It was released in 1988 on Kiss bassist Gene Simmons' own label and distributed by RCA Records. The album reached position No. 78 in The Billboard 200 Chart on February 25, 1989.
Sahara is the second studio album by the American rock band House of Lords, released on August 21, 1990.
Demons Down is the third studio album by House of Lords, released on April 7, 1992.
The Power and the Myth is the fourth studio album and the first since the reunion, by House of Lords, released on August 3, 2004.
World Upside Down is the fifth studio album, by House of Lords, released on May 23, 2006.
Live in the UK is the first live album by House of Lords, released on 29 January 2007.
Come to My Kingdom is the sixth studio album by House of Lords, released on March 17, 2008 in Europe and October 7, 2008 in the US.
Cartesian Dreams is the seventh studio album by the rock band House of Lords. It was released on September 18, 2009 in Europe and October 13, 2009 in the US.
Christopher Lee McCarvill is an American musician best known as the touring and/or recording bass guitarist and backing vocalist with arena rock bands Dokken and House of Lords. He is well known for his energetic and technical virtuosity on the bass and his heartfelt vocal performances.
Alessandro Del Vecchio is an Italian multi-instrumentalist, singer, record producer and songwriter. He is a current member of hard and heavy bands Edge of Forever, Hardline, Jørn Lande and Vanden Plas.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
