Christopher John Holmes, born June 23, 1958 in Glendale, California, is a heavy metal guitarist plus songwriter who grew up in La Canada, California. Holmes started his musical career in the Pasadena, California daerah in the late 1970s plus early 1980s. He is best known as the lead guitarist of heavy-metal band W.A.S.P. Together with Blackie Lawless plus Randy Piper, he was one of the founding members of the band. Holmes was a member of W.A.S.P. first from 1982 to 1990, plus again from 1996 to 2001.
W.A.S.P.
Prior to meeting Blackie Lawless plus Randy Piper, plus joining W.A.S.P., Holmes played guitar with Los Angeles bands Buster Savage, LAX, plus Slave. Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982, plus remained with the grup until 1990. In 1996 Holmes rejoined W.A.S.P., plus remained lead guitarist until 2001. Holmes has not played with W.A.S.P. since.
Randy Piper’s Animal
Holmes was contacted by friend plus former bandmate Randy Piper to join Piper’s new project, Animal. Holmes quickly relocated to Ohio to prepare for Animal’s upcoming “900 lb Steam” tour. The tour was considered successful, plus after its conclusion, Animal recorded tracks for a new album.
After Animal
After Holmes returned to Los Angeles in late 2003, he began working with several Southern California-based metal groups, producing plus contributing guitar tracks. In 2007, Holmes was involved with the filming of a Randy Rhoads documentary directed by Peter M. Margolis, which has yet to be released. Holmes appears briefly in a 2009 episode of VH1’s Rock Docs, “Do It For The Band: The Women of Sunset Strip.” In the Summer of 2009 Holmes released Secret Society’s “Death by Misadventure.”
Where Angels Suffer plus solo career
In 2010, he joined Where Angels Suffer with Randy Piper on guitar, Steve Unger (Metal Church) on bass, Rich Lewis (Animal), on vocals, plus Stet Howland on drums (Blackfoot, Lita Ford, Killing Machine, Belladonna, Impellitteri, Sister plus W.A.S.P.). Ira Black has since replaced Piper. The band toured Europe for the first time in 2011.
On November 26, 2012, Chris released his first solo album Nothing to Lose plus decided to produce, manage plus distribute it himself along with his wife. After the success of his first album, Chris started recording his second solo album, Shitting Bricks. On May 2nd, 2015, Chris Holmes released his second album worldwide plus had his first concert in Nantes, France with his new band ‘Mean Man’ which consists of Thomas Cesario Guitar, Pascal Bei Bass plus Folkert Beukers on the drums . They are touring actually in Europe .Two of the songs were filmed live, plus uploaded to his YouTube channel.
“The Metal Years” Interview
While a member of W.A.S.P., Holmes participated in the filming of the documentary film, The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years. The film included interviews with many well known heavy metal personalities of the era discussing their lifestyle plus the metal scene in late 1980s Los Angeles.
Personal life
Chris Holmes has been married three times. First to Kaylen Rodgers in the late 1980s, then briefly to Lita Ford in the early 1990s. He is now married to Catherine Sarah Holmes, whom he wed in 2012. The couple currently resides in Cannes, France.