Lion's Share

Q: How long has Lion's Share been together?
LC: Since 1993. Kay and I actually had an early version of the band in Sundsvall (our hometown in the North of Sweden) for a couple of years during the late 80's, but that was a different band so....

Q: Where are you guys based out of ?
LC: All members are originally from different parts of Sweden, but the band is now based in Stockholm (capitol of Sweden and biggest city).

Q: What can you tell me about other albums / recordings ? how much success with previous release[s] ? any hits or stand out tracks, covers... ?
LC: We released our debut "Lion's Share" in 1995 and our second album "Two" in 1997. In 1996 we were featured on "A Tribute To Judas Priest Vol. 1" (covering "A Touch Of Evil"), with a bunch of cool bands like Saxon, Fates Warning, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Testament etc. Our latest release is "Fall From Grace" (includes a cover version of "The Day The Earth Caught Fire" - City Boy), and right now we are hard at work writing and demoing material for our next album which we hope to release in March/April 2001. Our European label Massacre Records will release a double CD (for the price of one), called "Perspective" featuring our first two albums remastered with several bonus tracks in November. We have also toured a lot with bands like DIO, Manowar, Motörhead, Saxon, UDO/Accept, Dee Snider, Iced Earth etc.

Q: How were these received by fans and press? [anything that stands out? - review, charts...]
LC: The debut got some killer reviews worldwide and established the band especially in Sweden and Japan (where it also entered the charts). The fact that we got 4K in KERRANG meant a lot to us as well since this was THE magazine when we grew up in the 80's. We had some major trouble with the label that released "Two", so that one didn't do as good unfortunately (hopefully more people will discover it now with the "Perspective" double album release). Anyway, both albums got us some great tours and found memories and I'm very proud of all our records in different ways.

Q: Can you give me a few words about each of the bandmembers, such as contributions to the band, personal influences, etc.. ?
LC: Kay Backlund-keyboards: Formed the band with me and has been my major song writing partner on the first three albums. Influences are bands like Black Sabbath, Phenomena, Magnum, Journey, ELP, soundtrack music to films etc. and keyboard players like Keith Emerson, Don Airey etc. Pontus Egberg-bass: Joined after the first album and is our newest member. His contribution to the new album will be a lot bigger than before, especially lyric-wise. Influences are Kings X, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Alcatrazz etc. He has studied bass at Musicians Institute in LA and has also taken bass lessons from ex-Yngwie Malmsteen bassist Svante Henrysson. Andy Engberg-vocals: Besides a few melody lines here and there his biggest contribution to the first three albums is that he wrote all the lyrics. Influences are singers like Ronnie James Dio, Tony Martin, Glenn Hughes, Geoff Tate etc. and bands like Black Sabbath, Queensryche, Dokken, Van Halen, Manowar, Saxon, Judas Priest etc. Johan Koleberg-drums: Our amazing drummer that always manage to play whatever crazy stuff we program while writing the songs. Influences are drummers like Steve Smith, Rod Morgenstein, Neil Peart, Portnoy etc. and bands like KISS, Rush, Journey, City Boy, Judas Priest, Queensryche, Def Leppard etc.

Q: Who are your own personal influences ? favorite guitar players, bands, songwriters, etc. .. ??
LC: My favorite bands are KISS and Black Sabbath (especially R.J. Dio era), but I also like Rainbow, Megadeth, Judas Priest, Saxon, Accept, Deep Purple, Queensryche, Def Leppard and many others. My favorite guitar players are Gary Moore, George Lynch, Michael Schenker, John Norum and Marty Friedman. My all time favorite composer is Benny Andersson (ABBA, Chess etc.)

Q: "Fall From Grace" seems to incorporate influences of classic and modern HR & HM. Would you say this is accurate? How would you like to think of your sound as ? What bands have you been compared to in the past ?
LC: All members grew up with the Hard Rock/Heavy Metal thing and were teenagers during the hey days of the 80's, so I both hope and think we know this genre very well. Hopefully we have managed to incorporate the best from the 70's, 80's and 90's into our sound. We are all fans of strong and catchy melodies so obviously the 90's were a pretty dark chapter for us with the grunge and rap/hip-hop movement. We are usually labeled 80's sounding with a modern touch and that's fine with me since most of my favorite records were made during that decade. We often get compared to Black Sabbath (DIO/Tony Martin-era), Queensryche and Dream Theater which I think is fair.

Q: Why the cover of the City Boy song? How did you know this one?
LC: Johan played me this song and I immediately felt it would fit our style perfectly. We wanted to do it for the first album, but Andy refused. Same scenario with the second album before we finally convinced him to do it on FFG.

Q: Why the Judas Priest cover ?
LC: We got an offer to contribute to a Priest tribute album in 1996. Many fans asked us to include it on a LS album, and since we weren't happy with the tribute version anyway, we re-recorded it for the new CD.

Q: What are the favorite [amongst bandmembers or record company people or critics] tracks from the new album ? How have the reviews been ?
LC: We've got some awesome reviews on this album. Standout songs seems to be Unholy Rites, The Edge Of Sanity, Fall From Grace, Touch Of Evil, Drowning and The Day... Personally I like Remembrance a lot.

Q: Where is most of your market, Europe ?? any plans for US release or tour over here ?
LC: Our main market is Europe and Japan since we have never released anything officially in America. The melodic metal market has been pretty dead in the US since the Grunge thing got big, so we have never cared about it up 'til now. As things are getting better (from what I've heard), we will give it a shot with the new album which will be out in the spring of 2001. Hopefully we can get a good deal over there as well and have all of our albums released officially.

Q: What have been some of the highlights for the band so far ? [ie- biggest gigs, opening slots, etc..?]
LC: The 16 dates long Ice Hall tour we did with DIO, Manowar and Motörhead last Nov/Dec. However, I really enjoyed the two tours we did with Saxon as well since I've been a big fan since 1981. We also played a big festival in 1999 with Deep Purple, DIO, Scorpions, Manowar, David Lee Roth, MSG, Gamma Ray etc. which was pretty cool.

Q: How do you like Purple with Morse on guitar? Any fave Purple tunes or LPs ?
LC: Morse is an outstanding guitar player technically but Blackmore is a far better songwriter in my opinion (and that's what counts). My favorite albums are Burn and Made In Europe. Imagine having a band with BOTH Coverdale and Hughes singing!!! I really like the Machine Head album as well and of course songs like Child In Time, Soldier Of Fortune, Perfect Strangers. My all time favorite song is probably Mistreated from Burn though.

Q: Any cool stories? Advice from old pros like Dio or Saxon ? :-)
LC: Just to be around professionally and legendary bands like these makes you learn a lot. They were all VERY supportive and made sure we got sound-checks, interviews, and DIO even offered his crew to us.

Q: Have you heard Saxon's latest album [Metalhead] ? Got a fave Saxon album or songs ?
LC: Sure, I have heard all Saxon albums and I actually think Metalhead is one of their best along with Power And The Glory, Denim & Leather and Strong Arm Of The Law. My favorite Saxon songs are Dogs Of War, The Eagle Has Landed, And The Bands Played On, Broken Heroes and 747 Strangers In The Night.

Q: What are your current touring & promo plans ?
LC: Writing and recording our fourth album and promoting the "Perspective" double album.

Q: Can you give me a 'top 10' of favorite all-time albums ?
LC:

1. BLACK SABBATH- MOB RULES
2. BLUE MURDER- BLUE MURDER
3. OZZY OSBOURNE- BARK AT THE MOON
4. PHENOMENA- PHENOMENA
5. MSG- THE MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP 1981
6. DEF LEPPARD- PYROMANIA
7. MAGNUM- ON A STORYTELLERS NIGHT
8. KISS- CREATURES OF THE NIGHT
9. BLACK SABBATH- THE ETERNAL IDOL
10. QUEENSRYCHE- OPERATION MINDCRIME

Q: What do you listen to these days?
LC: I try to listen to all kinds of stuff to keep me up to date with what's going on. Anything with a strong catchy melody is right up my alley. I really like the kind of stuff Max Martin writes for Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys as well.

Q: What's the plan for the next album? Any covers? anything [sound-wise, etc..] that you may try ?
LC: There will be no covers on the next album only original material. The sound will hopefully be a bit different with a couple of cool surprises. I don't see the point of doing the same album over and over again, so I always try to change the direction slightly with each new record. Right now I'm a bit tired of the progressive stuff, so the new album will be more "direct/to the point" and a bit more up-tempo as well. I always try to write the best melodies I can since I believe that's the essence of a good song in the long run (trends and trendy sounds come and go, but good melodies last).

Q: Any Uriah Heep fans in the band ? :-) {i ask - I'm a big fan!} - if so, got a fave Heep track, LP, etc... ?
LC: I really love Gypsy from way back, but actually only recently heard their complete back catalog and was blown away by the quality of the band and songs.

Q: Have you heard their latest releases ? :-))
LC: I borrowed all their CD's from a friend a while ago and I actually liked the Sonic Origami CD a lot. The only record I personally own is Head First (my girlfriend has Very 'Eavy, Wonderworld & Anthology), but that's hopefully about to change

Interview conducted by Kevin J. Julie, October 2000.
Copyright KJJ