 |  | |||||||
|
 All news should be considered an unconfirmed report unless verified, and all information published at KISS Asylum is attributed to the source from which it was received so that readers may judge the validity of the statements for themselves. All information is confirmed where possible, and all publication is governed by common sense.
From: News Telegraph UK Chris Hardman was once an ordinary 15-year-old who went to an ordinary comprehensive school in the ordinary seaside town of Lowestoft, Suffolk. Living with his mother Karen, 43, a supermarket worker, father Ian, 43, a slaughterhouse worker and his brother and sister, his only claim to fame was that at 4ft 11in, he was the shortest boy at Kirkley High School. Then the television cameras from Channel 4's Rock School arrived, along with GENE SIMMONS, the face-paint wearing, "demon guitarist" of KISS, one of the world's most outrageously successful rock acts. The "rock legend" has notched up 43 gold discs, 30 years of touring and, he says, 4,600 female conquests. But now he faced a new challenge: teaching teenagers from Lowestoft to be rock musicians and selecting the best for the Rock School band. Increasingly, his hopes, and viewers' attention, turned to "Little Chris". He may never have had formal guitar lessons, but he towered above everyone in terms of natural talent and ambition. Last night Simmons paid tribute to "Little Chris". He said: "He could be a recording artist within three years. He's a David in a Goliath world. He has the heart of a lion, charisma and delusional self-confidence despite living in Lowestoft, which is the most depressing place I have seen." With the final episode of Rock School to be broadcast tonight, Chris talks the Sunday Telegraph through his Rock School diary, below, and reveals how developments after the cameras left could lead to a Lowestoft paper boy becoming a pop star. Week One (of Rock School): This is cool. I've always wanted to be a rock star; somebody instead of nobody, to show the bullies I'll come out top. People laugh, but you need ambitions. Look at The Darkness. I've got this shrine to them in my room. They came from Lowestoft, from Kirkley High School. They showed it could be done. Dan Hawkins from The Darkness nearly knocked me off my BMX in his Mercedes once. How great to be run over by someone from The Darkness! They're amazing. KISS are alright too. I know a few of their songs. This is my chance. Only there's a problem. I'm supposed to go on our family holiday to Florida. We've been planning it for 18 months. Hannah's going to university, so this will be our last family holiday, and we've had a tough year, with Dad made redundant twice. My parents say I'll miss the holiday of a lifetime for a pointless reality show. Friday: We're compromising: I'll go for six days, not three weeks. But I'll still be in Florida when they pick the first experimental band line-up. Week Two: In Florida, practicing guitar, thinking about Rock School. Saturday: An eight-hour flight from Orlando, a four-hour drive to Lowestoft, and Gene just tells me: "You snooze, you lose. You're not in the band." Stuck in the audience while they did their first gig, at the bowls club. Week Three: Gene puts on an act for the show, but he's nice really. I've never had to work so hard. Ray Hedges and Nigel Butler [music producers who have helped to create hits for Take That and Boyzone] help us to write our own song, Is There Anybody Out There?, about Lowestoft. The others say I'm teacher's pet. Maybe they're jealous that I have the confidence to get up and do something. Ellie [Chris's rival for the lead singer spot] says I've stolen her place, but let's face it, it's impossible for things to stay merry and nice, isn't it? Week Four: We're supporting Judas Priest in LA, in front of 20,000 people! I'm well excited. LA's bigger and better than Lowestoft - even if it doesn't have a pier. Loads of girls wearing bikinis on the beach too, which was cool. On Lowestoft beach they tend to wear woolly jumpers. Saturday - the day of the gig: We're driven to the Long Beach Arena. It's nuts! I've never seen such a big stadium! Just before curtain call they've made me and Ellie both change into our costumes, because they still won't say who's lead singer. I'm really scared. Being picked is the most important thing ever. I've wanted this for so long. But Gene still won't tell me if I'll get my chance... Week Five: Back in Lowestoft. It's Sunday. The film crew have gone, but Mum gets phoned by Ray Hedges, the music producer, saying he didn't want this to be the end of things for me... Last Week: I've recorded a demo song with Ray and Nigel in their studio and been to see a music lawyer. Tuesday: I went to see a gig in Norwich. Loads of girls were going, "Chris from Rock School!" and writing their phone numbers on my chest. That's life. Not sure I'd ever want as many women as Gene, though. I miss him. I think we all do. He became a friend, showed us what's out there. It's opened the door and I'm going to walk through it. Nothing will stand in my way. |
     | ||||||
|
 KISS Museum
News Archive
Features
Tour Dates
Photos
KISS ASYLUM © 1995-2008, all rights reserved. KISS ASYLUM is an unofficial, fan run KISS web site. KISS ASYLUM is optimized for 800x600 screen resolution or higher using Internet Explorer 6.0 and it is recommended that you have the Flash, Real Player, and Quicktime plug-ins to experience the rich audio and video media. Have KISS News to report? Email us at news@kissasylum.com | | ||||||
| | | ||||||
