Stubborn Romantics

"I think the term rock star is kind of stupid", ponders Pi, when the success of Lord Of The Lost comes up, which enables the implementation of projects like Swan Songs III. Of course there are cheering fans at the concerts and great experiences. To see himself as a personality that stands out from the crowd, however, seems strange to Pi. "Why should I call myself a star or act like one?" asks the man who went from guitar technician to Lord Of The Lost guitarist in 2017. "Is it worth trying to make a name for yourself with an image that you don't conform to? I think if you behave a little more quietly, the effects of the artistic work are much more positive in the end because people know that it is real. If someone tells me what one of our songs means to them and that it gave them support, then that is much more important to me than admiration, especially because I know that from myself: As a music listener, I always had songs that moved me a lot or helped me get over certain things. So, such statements are really a big compliment. " "For me, success is always a very personal thing", adds Chris. "It's about my very own satisfaction about the completion of an album, about a beautiful artwork, about great photos or a successful video, long before anyone sees it publicly. The realization of a vision. That's what makes me happy." In the second instance, of course, this also applies to the fact that one is able to make other people happy with sounds, images and live shows. "The commercial success itself, the numbers, that is something completely different", emphasizes Chris. "They don't make me happy, they make me satisfied, given they're good, because a material reward for the hard work guarantees some relaxation. And the chance to keep going."

Soulful Sawing Work

It was clear to Harms from the outset that becoming a professional musician would involve hard work also in the field of loud guitar music: "I've had classical cello training since I was 5 years old", he recalls. "You learn very quickly what it means to stay on the ball. I admit, I've had my failures in all the years since then and there were times when I saw Rock'n'Roll as a common excuse for some derailments. But that's kids’ stuff. If you're not over that kind of thing at my age, then it's either something to worry about or pretty embarrassing. Or both. There are so many negative examples in the music scene that show me every day how I do not want to be. It's also a form of motivation to work hard on myself.” However, the fun is not left behind. "We take what we do very seriously," says Pi, "but we don't take ourselves too seriously. When it comes to such a crazy, but also, as we think, very funny idea like the clip for "A One Ton Heart" where we were sawing up de facto unusable instruments, then we do it - and do it properly." The stylish wigs were terribly uncomfortable to wear, the guitarist recalls, and he can't help but laugh. It is great how unsuitable the video is for the song and how much it undermines the idea behind Swan Songs. Which, mind you, does not mean that the more fragile side of the band that is expressed here is not treated with appropriate sensitivity per se. "It's delightful to get to know the songs as well as the approach to songwriting from scratch in this context and to write new arrangements," reports Pi. "It's not like I just put on the acoustic guitar and play the chords. This campfire atmosphere works here and there, but by no means everywhere. Sometimes the trick is to find out where I shouldn't play along. Developing an understanding of this is a learning process and I think I'm on the right track. "

“If someone tells me what one of our songs

means to them, that is much more important

to me than admiration” - Pi Stoffers

Lots Of Muse Kisses

The band presents itself once more as a real unity on their third acoustic epic. "Chris knows exactly what he wants and it is also obvious that he leads Lord Of The Lost to a certain extent," explains Pi. "Nevertheless, a band is always the sum of all members and we all pull together in order to move forward. In addition, we do not make music only as business partners. Away from the stage and outside of the studio we are also something like best friends. Working together is correspondingly pleasant. Everyone can contribute their ideas and in my opinion this is more likely to keep growing. Swan Songs III proves this also. It will be even more noticeable on the upcoming album by Lord Of The Lost in 2021. We're already up to our earlobes in the work.”  New material again, when the last output is just being published? How can such a level of creativity go well? "How does creativity come about?” says Pi. "How can you force it or control it? Science has been dealing with such questions for a long time. So far we always had enough ideas and visions that drove us to write new music and helped us to reinvent ourselves to a certain extent. There is no fear that at some point the light could go out and we suddenly sit there frantically thinking about where to go. We don't hold back ideas. If everyone is fully assimilating and it is feasible, we will implement them”.

Visionary With A Sense Of Family

Chris Harms had his own mind from an early age. When asked whether the discussions at home also involved studying classical music, he reveals the importance of creativity for him: "We have talked a lot about my career and I've tried a lot. Even classical studies," the Lord Of The Lost head says. "But I just didn't want to become a subsidized cover musician. My parents always supported me, even if I am convinced that they didn't always approve of everything. I love my parents more than anything and I owe everything to them. All my good values, paving my way as a musician, empathy, gratitude and respect. Everything.” With the Lord Of The Lost Ensemble, Chris has now engaged classical musicians himself. Here, too, the diploma from a university was not decisive for the selection. "It was important to me to work with people who can feel our music," he notes, "our entire 14- men-and-women- ensemble- -team and our live crew are one big family. Apart from that, all of them there are fantastic musicians, I would rather make music with a dilettante I like, than with a virtuoso asshole. I tried the latter, it doesn't work out for long."

“I would rather make music

with a dilettante I like, than with

a virtuoso asshole” – Chris Harms

The Power Of Love

Meanwhile, Chris has tried and implemented a lot. With "Agape", a song by his former band The Pleasures, Lord Of The Lost also present a classic from the history of the frontman on Swan Songs III. "I think that was long overdue," he comments the decision. "It was time to get this song where it belongs. In the final stages of my time at The Pleasures I wrote a few tracks that actually didn't fit into the band's cosmos. That's why I don't see the song as a cover version. For me this is a Chris song that is now where it belongs.” According to the title “Agape”, it is a commitment to unconditional love. Does Chris believe in this power? "Yes, I am convinced that there can be such a thing," he explains his own thoughts behind the track. "I love my son unconditionally in every way. But that's not what the song is about. I wrote it during the phase of a temporary separation from my girlfriend at the time. And the strength that the word "agape" in the description of love inherits in its full greatness, was what I felt for her at the time of creation."

Humour VS Narcissism

An increase in media attention is also part of the artistic way into the public eye. Reviews, interviews, the first picture on a magazine cover. "I remember how cool that felt," says Chris. "But I actually forgot the name of the magazine. That was almost twenty years ago with my band Philiae. It made me extremely proud and also very conceited at the time. Now I reflect this differently. The joy of media attention is not less big, but I don't have to celebrate myself because of that.” Would the enormously versatile and active musician assume a certain vanity? “Of course. However, in most cases I don't take it that seriously. I have a lot of courage to be ugly, which, in addition to a sense of humour in dealing with myself and a healthy level of self-confidence, is essential for me to stay on the ground." Humour is a common denominator for the entire band. Great moments like the bogus announcement of the band's breakup in August 2019 on the grounds that you finally want to get rich and the included YMCA video will not be forgotten. "That's the nice thing about this band," enthuses Pi. "There are so many facets - starting with the music. Are we Gothic? Certainly not, even if there are roots there and we have many fans in the dark scene, about which we are very happy. Are we Metal or maybe Glam, because we glisten on the stage every now and then? It is ultimately open and if there is such a weird, but also very funny idea like the said Village People clip, then we go ahead and simply do it consistently: with a fully produced new song, photo shoot, behind-the-scenes video material and all the trimmings. Let’s go whole hog."

Generations Meet

Swan Songs III also has surprises in store. Last but not least, the cooperation with the Heaven Can Wait Choir on "We Were Young" should be mentioned here. The oldest member is 93. The repertoire consists of pop songs, but also arrangements of pieces from the pen of Rage Against The Machine or Nirvana. Lord Of The Lost were asked whether they would dare a kind of musical blind date with the elderly vocalists for a ZDF (German public television) documentary. "The decision was immediately clear," says Chris. "When do you have the opportunity to do something so wonderful and unique, and do it in front of the cameras and in connection with a documentary for the public broadcasters that is not scripted but accompanies real people with real feelings? And what a coincidence that I had written "We Were Young" about two years earlier, a song that just didn't make sense until the request for this collaboration came. Suddenly it fit!" Asked, if getting older is an issue for himself, or if the here and now occupies him completely, Harms ponders for a moment. "I am not negative or fearful of getting older. I can say that much. Nevertheless, I can hardly answer this question sufficiently, which at least shows that I am not actively thinking about it."

"I am not negative or fearful

of getting older” - Chris Harms 

Art & Communication

Lord Of The Lost like to use striking quotes from clever minds in their videos. Be it in the opening or closing credits of their clips. If he comes across something suitable from someone he can respect for whatever reason, then he thinks it's nice to give the words of these people a place they deserve, says Chris. He is rather sceptical of his own ability to quote: "I usually only manage stupid puns or lewd jokes in public. But let's see, maybe one day I'll say something that inspires one or the other”, he practices understatement. The "Lord Zum Sonntag" already exists. It is one of several sections on the band's Facebook page that is present on all relevant social media channels. It is interesting, that Chris by no means complains about all the lost time, that Lord Of The Lost would rather spend making music: "Of course, it depends on the mood whether you feel like doing these things or not," he says. "Sometimes it sucks because you don't feel like it, but most of the time it's fun. And what job is always fun? Everything we do on social media has, in my view, contributed considerably to the fact that we generally have time for making music. Communication is extremely important. That is why the argument of time theft does not work for me.” The content of the posts comes from the band community: "Our man for the keys, Gared Dirge, is the Social Media Minister." explains Harms.

"But that doesn't mean that he has to come up with it all by himself or that he even spreads things that clever media makers come up with outside of the band. We're not Thomas Gottschalk (former German show moderator), who lets others write the jokes. They just come by themselves. Gared is there to manage the social media activities. We plan the weekly posts together every six months in a long meeting, with lots of sushi and five laptops, where we collect or even create the content and, for example, plan abound a hundred posts on Facebook in advance for six months. Including analysis of statistics on the reach of similar posts, planning of advertising expenditure and the like. We are very meticulous about that. It’s Rock'n'Roll." That sounds self-deprecating.

The fact is, that Lord Of The Lost have always remained Rock'n'Roll despite their versatility. Sometimes brutal, sometimes gloomy, sometimes unadjusted. The ability to create soulful acoustic songs without ingratiation also bears the signature of the band's own passion. In this regard, Swan Songs III is another milestone.

Author: Christoph Kutzer

Photography: Jan Season, Franz Schepers

Translation: Margit Güttersberger