Things Will Never Be The Same (Chris Harms)

When I was a kid, my class mate Melanie gave me my first vinyl LP. I don’t remember if it was a present for my birthday or if she gave it to me without any particular reason - or maybe just because she did not like that record. But the day I received this record, listeing to it for the first time, something changed inside of me. And above all the bands that I learned to love form that day on, there were always two shining stars, that showed me and also paved my way to become a musician myself: Marie Fredrikkson & Per Gessle. This music, these songs, these voices and the allover intensity of unknown feelings that I were able to feel, listening to their music, watching their videos or just seeing their pictures was incomparable. And this phenomenon did not only affect me in the way I was writing my first songs or the way I am still writing songs, it also made want to dye my hair platinum blonde and wear eyeliner and black nail polish in school. And before I experienced the original artists of the glam rock era from the 70’s, I fell in love with sequin stage outfits just because of some tiny CD booklet pictures of Marie. The last thing I saw before turning out the lights and the first thing I saw waking up was a Roxette poster, for many many years. On October 24th 1994 I saw my first Roxette concert, and my first ever concert in general, at the „Sporthalle“ in Hamburg, alongside my first girlfriend Anna. We loved it so much that we’ve spent all our savings to participate at the additional concert the next day. And since this was my first concert and Roxette were using two drummers on that tour, I accepted the two-drummer-setup as standard and decided, that one day, when I’m a rockstar, my band will have also two people swinging the sticks. And look, what happened… Not to speak about the soundtrack for my first kiss or other significant events. In 1995 I met Marie & Per at a signing session at „Radio Hamburg“ and I had the chance to get my first ever fan photo. (Sadly I cannot find it anymore. So let my fan letter of 1994 make your day.) In late 2019 one of these two shining stars in my life left for good to go to a better place. But its light will shine on and inspire me and millions forever. Thank you Marie, for showing me my way. Thank you Per, for making me a songwriter (and getting to the chorus!). Chris Harms LORD OF THE LOST #roxette