Biography

A seasoned American hard rock troupe with roots in AOR and glam metal, America's House of Lords convened in 1987 after the dissolution of keyboardist Gregg Giuffria's previous ensemble, Giuffria. The band saw success with their 1988 eponymous debut, which was released by Kiss bassist Gene Simmons' RCA imprint, and again with 1990's Sahara and 1992's Demons Down, but the onset of grunge dulled the group's commercial momentum, and they spent the remainder of the decade on hiatus. House of Lords reconvened in the mid-2000s sans Giuffria with vocalist/guitarist James Christian at the fore and went on to issue a string of dynamic melodic rock efforts like Come to My Kingdom (2008), Indestructible (2015), and Saints and Sinners (2022), all of which have been released on Frontiers Records. House of Lords' foundations lay in Giuffria, a melodic rock band led by titular keyboardist Gregg Giuffria and best known for their Top 30 hit "Call to the Heart." After being dropped by MCA following the failure of their second album, Silk and Steel, the band started demo'ing songs for a tentative third album. While shopping for a new deal, they caught the attention of Gene Simmons, who happened to be starting his own label at the time, Simmons Records. The famous bassist enjoyed what he heard, but would only sign them on the condition that they drop lead singer David Glen Eisley, as Simmons didn't like his voice. Connecticut-born James Christian was then brought in at the suggestion of bassist (and previous companion in L.A. Rocks) Chuck Wright. The band's eponymous debut album, which featured a heavier, less-keyboard-driven sound than Giuffria, was released in 1988. The record sold respectably, hitting number 78, while lead single "I Wanna Be Loved" managed to hit number 58. Following the completion of the album's tour, guitarist Lanny Cordola was replaced by Michael Guy. House of Lords released their second album, Sahara, in 1990, which boasted such top guests as Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander (Cheap Trick) and Mike Tramp (White Lion). Despite a cover of Blind Faith's classic "Can't Find My Way Home" doing well on AOR stations, and "Remember My Name" getting some MTV airplay, Sahara only managed to reach number 121, prompting Simmons to drop them. Wright, Guy, and drummer Ken Mary all departed, replaced by Sean McNabb, Dennis Chick, and Tommy Aldridge, respectively. Amidst all these changes, grunge was also looming, essentially leaving their third album, 1992's Demons Down, completely in the cold, leading to an almost inevitable breakup. But the story didn't end there, as the original lineup reconvened for some concerts in 2002, with plans for a new album. The Power and the Myth finally arrived in 2004, by which time Giuffria had stepped down, with the keyboard work from various session musicians. Two years later, all but James Christian had once again left, with Christian assembling what was essentially a new version of House of Lords. This incarnation proved unstoppable, releasing numerous albums including World Upside Down in 2006, Come to My Kingdom in 2008, Big Money in 2011, and Indestructible in 2015. In 2017, the band released Saint of the Lost Souls with nearly the same lineup, sans bassist Chris McCarvill, who was replaced by Chris Tristram, and three years later they issued New World - New Eyes. In 2022, House of Lords released their 11th long-player, the sleek and melodic Saints and Sinners. ~ Ricardo Rainho & James Christopher Monger, Rovi