CHRIS LANEY
Questions asked by Jon Wilde, added to Rock Realms 2nd April 2009.
Chris Laney is a well respected Swedish songwriter and producer who has, over the years, worked with artists such as Europe, Candlemass and Bruce Kulick. He has just released his first solo album, Pure, on Metal Heaven.
Hi Chris, thanks for taking a moment to answer these questions for the Rock Realms Interrogation section. Hope you are well?
Chris: Hi Jon!! Everything is cool here...still a little tired after our release party the other day, but fine!”
I have read that you were playing and touring in bands from the age of 13. Did you know you’d make a living from music, even at that age?
Chris: I wanted to be a rock star from the day I first got to hear KISS Destroyer...to be honest...I was looking at the cover for a year until I finally had the guts to listen to it hahaha.
I got in a band at the age of 12, I have an older sister who knew some guys who had a band and was looking for a keyboard-player. She literally talked me into that band...the guys didn't really want a kid in the band, but I proved ‘em wrong. I was in the band for 4-5 years.
What have been the most enjoyable projects you have worked on during your career?
Chris: Every project has its charm, but making the first Zan Clan record was a blast, getting Zinny Zan into the studio.
And I will never forget our first show at the Hard Rock Café in Stockholm, it was just so much fun, we all were so pumped to do it.
This is your first solo album, yet you’ve been in the music industry for a number of years. Why was the time suddenly right to follow the solo path?
Chris: It just was, I guess? I have had Zan Clan and Randy Piper's Animal to write songs for and I didn't really think anyone would care for a Laney Solo album.
But, one night at the studio, I played a couple of tracks for Lennart Östlund, and he told me he thought I should make a solo effort...Later that evening I emailed a few tracks to Metal Heaven. The CEO at that label, Georg Siegl, called me up that very night and the day after I had an offer in my inbox...It all just went in light-speed. I am glad I jumped on the offer and did this, it’s so much fun and a great label !!
Who were the main influences for your sound? The album seems quite varied... in a good way :)
Chris: Thanx! Well, I really only went in and wrote songs that I'd like to hear, an album to drink beer to was my main goal.....
Of coz you can hear my roots, KISS, Def Leppard, Shotgun Messiah and stuff like that…..I had to be true to myself.
Was it a release to write and produce material for yourself, rather than others?
Chris: It was lots of fun to produce it, that’s for sure…..now I could go the whole nine yards, I didn't have to keep back, just go full on. If I wanted a synth bass, I just added it...no questions asked.. Damn, I wanna make a new one now! Hahaha
What is your favourite song from the new album... or are they all brilliant?
Chris: It is a new one day by day, every day really, but... Live I must say Get U Down and Last Man Standing... They’re cool stuff to do live and they kind of get more balls live too.. I have a great band.
How did you go about putting together the main players, and the ‘contributors’ for the project?
Chris: I took the easy way out... I called Koleberg and Nalle whom I also played in Animal and Zan Clan with... we know each other inside out which makes recording so much easier.
When it came to guests (on the album), it was more like...hmm? I didn’t have any more solo ideas...and time was flying, so I called in some friends and asked if they would do it and to my satisfaction they all delivered some amazing stuff.
Doing this hasn't put you off solo albums forever?
Chris: No, I wanna do plenty more albums... there are tons of songs in this jukebox heart of mine!!!
Who else in the music industry would you really love to work with?
Chris: Paul Stanley, KISS, Def Leppard, Jellyfish, that’s my dream!
Are you planning to take the songs on the road and do some live dates?
Chris: Well, we had our first show at the release party the other night, and man, it was a blast to play these songs live. The crowd was great and I can't wait for the next show.
We have a few shows set up but are booking more... I wanna play everywhere, all the time!!
If you were trapped on a desert island with a solar powered CD player, what five albums would you want there with you?
Chris:
1. Kiss - Unmasked
2. Shotgun Messiah - s/t
3. Jellyfish - Spilt Milk
4. The Beatles- For Sale
5. Def Leppard - Pyromania
Do you live the rock ‘n’ roll dream?
Chris: No, I wouldn’t say that... I am a family man transforming into a rock star at night time...but you should see me at the studio where I work all the time….I look pretty goofy off stage, and I love the fact that I can have two different lives.
But if you ask my old band mates, they say I am living the dream. I can make a living by doing what I love the most, Rock N Roll…!!
What are your thoughts on the present state of the record industry, both in Sweden and worldwide?
Chris: It is a crazy time right now but interesting too. The good part is that the bands release stuff themselves and own their own masters, meaning, they have full say in where and with who they wanna work… That is cool.
The bad thing is the download issue... there is no budget anymore which means the albums sound worse than before... And, that is a shame.
Do you have any other projects on the go at present (or past and present such as Zan Clan / Randy Piper’s Animal which I think you just quit?)...that you think the Rock Realms readers might be interested in?
Chris: I have just left Animal, right, and Zan Clan is put on hold right now...
I have one cool thing coming soon though which is definitely a project (my solo stuff is for real, no project!!) It is something me and Lennart Östlund have worked on for a year called 1 Louder…..It’s a story based album with cartoon and stuff...wicked shit!!!!
Anything else you want to plug?
Chris: Go get my album!!!! I wanna come and play too, so go to your local pub and ask them to book me!!LOL!!
What are you up to once you’ve finished answering these questions?
Chris: I am watching Dancing With The Stars with my daughter;…Rock & Roll life huh?! I’m doing some interviews while she is hooked on that.
Anything else you would like to mention in the footnote, like release dates etc?
Chris: I think the record just came out over there, no? I hope everyone checks it out!!
Thank you for your time, you are free to go...
Chris: Jon.... Thanx man!!!!
Chris Laney's new album is indeed out now, so go out and buy it or he'll come round your house and make you watch Dancing With The Stars!
