(lead vocalist/guitar)
(right to left: Robby Scott, Brad Magers, Terry Campbell, Brandon Bondehagen)
My Subjective View (apologies for anything skewed or left out):
Christiansen was formed in 1998. It began as a side project. I was playing in Flight Nineteen at the time and desired to try something different. I was writing my own music on the side and had accumulated several songs that I wanted to try out with a band. A mutual high school friend introduced me to Brad Magers and Terry Campbell. For the next seven years, we would play music together.
Our first recording was released on cassette tape. It consisted of five love songs that would make me cringe uncontrollably if I heard them now.
Shortly following that, we recorded our first full length "Above Lunar Emissions" in the fall of 1999. Released on Rock Star records in 2000, this record was an blatant emotional opus inspired by some female succubus who, like the rest of them, needs to be institutionalized.
Above Lunar Emissions
2000
It was difficult finding a guitarist that met our standards so Drew Sellers(from Flight Nineteen) filled in. He played guitar on Above Lunar Emissions and performed with us in local shows and on small weekend tours.
Terry owned a mini van that would take us on said tours throughout the midwest. We got as far as Madison, WI before it blew up.
We noticed that Drew wasn't taking the band seriously: he would lay down on stage during the entire set, pantomime sexual acts with his guitar, and appeared to be generally disinterested. (In hindsight, his stage presence was hilarious. But during this stage in our career, Christiansen was supposed to convey "sensitivity." I feel stupid writing this but we considered ourselves "Emo"(shoot me) and Drew, well he belonged in an 80's hair metal outfit.
Months later Drew was fired. (he may have quit. nevertheless, it was amicable.)
Praveen Arla became our next guitarist. The Louisville music scene at that time was incestuous and everybody knew everyone else from the bands they played in. Praveen faired best in the tryouts and was given the position.
Taking a loan from Brad's mother, we purchased a dodge conversion van and began touring. Our first national tour took us across the country from east to west. Stopping in most major cities, (even if we didn't have a show there) the tour was more like a vacation. Average show attendance: 10 people.
A small floridian independent record label called Eulogy Recordings caught wind of us and offered us a record deal. In December 2000, during our college christmas vacation, we drove down to Studio 13 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and recorded our second full length "Emphasizing Function Over Design."
Empasizing Function Over Design
2001
(click image for record reviews)
This record began to define us. Linear song structures, with seldom refrains.
Tight drum and bass rhythms beneath aggressive guitars and intensified vocals.
Listen to"Ill-matic fills the Urn"
"Emphasizing.." came out in 2001. On weekends and college holidays we would tour. I can vividly remember studying for exams in the van on our way home from out of town shows. The last thing your expect to see on the dashboard of a tour van are notes from french class lectures.
As music became the front runner in our lives, it required more time and investment. Praveen had plans to study medicine and was having conflictions with tours and recording sessions. It was in our best interest to find someone who would be able to tour and record at any given time.
We began our search once again for a guitarist and soon found Robby Scott. Robby wasn't in school, had a flexible work schedule, and wanted to tour.
In 2002, we returned to Studio 13 and recorded what was supposed to be our second release for Eulogy Recordings. The ep, "Forensics, Brothers and Sisters!" was rejected by Eulogy. The music was different and we think they were looking for something similar to our previous release. There was an upside though. Eulogy let us take our record and walk. We had a mixed and mastered record. All we needed was a label.
A Revelation Records representative came and saw us play a show in Austin,TX during the 2002 SXSW musical festival.
Shortly thereafter, we signed a three record contract with the label.
"Forensics, Brothers and Sisters!" was a great success for us. For the first time in our career we had a strong independent label that possessed national/international distribution and promotional resources supporting us.
We sent the record to various booking agencies looking for representation, meanwhile touring on our own, playing shows here and there.
Eventually a partnership with The Agency Group was formed and we were offered opening slots on legitimate tours across the country with popular acts. Then the big decision came: In order for the band to develop a larger fan base and sell more records, we needed to tour extensively. Weekends and holidays wouldn't be sufficient anymore.
So.......College or Music?
Forensics, Brothers and Sisters!
2002
(click image for record reviews)
Evolving experimental sounds.
Nontraditional song structures.
Poignant instrumentation.
Boomshanked behaviors.
Listen to
Our first van was driven into the ground. She served us well. We went through a great deal with her:
-One of her rear tires flew off while we were driving;
-Broke down on the side of an interstate hwy when somebody poured transmission fluid where the motor oil goes;
-Running through toll booths because if the van stopped the engine would die.
Eventually, The head gasket blew and she was sold for parts.
Taking a loan from Brad's mother, we purchased a white fifteen passenger Dodge Ram and set out looking very professional.
But that didn't last long. Several months later, we totalled the van.
Taking yet another loan from Brad's mother, we purchased a Ford Motor Home/RV. Weeks after the van accident we headed back out to fufill our touring commitments.On the first day of tour, in the new RV, on our way to Denver, CO, the transmission died. Brad's mother bailed us out of that one too.
With a new automobile transmission and new opportunites awaiting, we toured constantly until it was time to record our first full length for Revelation.
We were given the opportunity to record with producer Sal Villanueva at the professional recording house Big Blue Meenie. There we created our magnum opus "Stylish Nihilists."
The apex of our career.
Stylish Nihilists
2003
(click image for reviews)
Listen to
Watch the
"Under Things Killed"
Video
directed by Anthony Scarpa
After the release of "Stylish.." we headed back out onto the road to promote the record. At this point we were full time musicians. We had a label, booking agent, manager, publicist, radio airplay, street team, etc.
In March 2004 we toured Europe playing Holland, England, Scotland, France, Belgium, and Germany.
Several major labels took interest and their representatives would periodically show up at our shows in large cities.
Then things unwound. We became unhappy with everything that was securely surrounding us. Our booking agent was offering us tours with bands that we didn't respect musically. The label wasn't able to meet our demands. Management was cowardly.
Our musical career began to inexplicably falter. It might've been Fate; or Karma.
Around this time our music began to change. It was morphing into classical rock sounds with less hardcore influences. Our attitudes towards music were also changing. It was time to rub off the categorization and impressions of who or what we were to others. Could we remove ourselves from all prior perceptions and begin anew? Sever the relationship with the label and move forward?
That's what we did; we started over.
In January of 2005 we changed our name to Your Highness Electric. We found new management, legal representation, and began recording new music to shop to record labels.
Thanks to everyone who helped us along the way.
Especially Brad Mager's mother Connie.
Thanks to everyone who believed in us even when we didn't believe in them.
Thanks for buying our records.
gabe, vique, and anyone else.....sorry.
Music Career Home Your Highness Electric
