Christian was always surrounded by music, his father played guitar for The Signs, a Liverpudlian three-piece rock band that once opened for The Beatles! At age 14, Burns began learning guitar by mimicking his dad and playing by ear melodies that he heard in his head. Christian states, "I would always get these melodies when my dad would be playing guitar, and I would get melodic bits and pieces stuck in my head until I could work it out on the guitar." It was then Christian began experimenting as a writer and singer which inspired his dad and he to build a make shift 4-track studio in their back garden. "We built this out of old bricks, and once constructed I was hooked! Me and my mates would go and record music at any given moment."
It was a great training ground which lead to Christian fronting 90's pop rock band BBMak and opening for artists such as Britney Spears and N'Sync before going on to sell over 3 million records world-wide. "Performing in a band like BBMak gave me confidence and really made me learn a lot about being an artist, creating, and performing. It definitely brought me forward as an artist. It was a time where boy bands ruled and we were a band that actually played our instruments and wrote our own songs!"
After the global success of BBMak, Christian went back into the studio to work on solo material. It was then that he heard a song that made him stop in his tracks - "SOMEBODY TOLD ME" by THE KILLERS. "Hearing this song on the radio was like a breath of fresh air, it was a mish mash of all of the music I loved from the 70's and 80's." With some networking and a few lucky coincidences, Burns started producing with The Killers' producer Jeff Saltzman. Timing and the computer age was on Burns' side having posted these Saltzman/Burns creations on his personal MySpace little did he realise that it would catch the appeal of global trance sensation Tiesto. "I woke up one day and checked my MySpace mail to a very keen email asking if he could have one of my songs. Not knowing who it was I said ‘NO but let's write something together'. Now when I think back, it could have been a very wrong move." Thankfully Tiesto said yes and "IN THE DARK" was born. A Billboard Chart Topping Hit, this sensational song generated Electronic greats such as David Guetta, BT, Matt Darey, and Benny Benassi to get in touch and ask Burns to write for them. "I caught the electronic bug it really took me back to my early days of learning guitar and building a studio. It opened up the world of creating and building tracks with synths and sounds I had never used before." So with his MAC Book Pro, a Moog Voyager, Access Virus, 7 Macs and his guitar THE BLEACH WORKS project was born.
His mate, BT came in to guest as a co-writer to one of the lead tracks called "The Enemy." "It's a song about escaping with somebody, getting away from all your troubles," noted Burns. "I love the guitars in this one, BT did a brilliant job with his skills."
"As We Collide" is a curious combination of raging rock and dance that Burns wrote and performed with artist Jes, a ‘rocktronica' artist he met while working with Tiesto. Burns also went back and worked with producer, Jeff Saltzman, with the song, "Something About You" which tells the tale of a strong attraction to somebody and what that can do to your mind! The song has been mixed by Alan Moulder (Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, The Killers).
2021 update: He’s written for the likes of Tiësto, BT, Armin Van Buuren and Benny Benassi and is one of the most in demand lyricists and vocalists out there. As one third of multi-million selling Brit band BBMAK he conquered the UK Top 40 and the US Billboard Top 100.
The writing was on the wall for Christian to be involved in music in some form from an early age. Christian’s father was part of The Signs, a UK Merseybeat band “I always remember the house being engulfed with music as a child”, Christian said. “Me and my dad built a makeshift studio at the bottom of our garden with a four-track tape machine. I was always in there. I was fascinated by the whole process of making music.”
Throughout Christians illustrious career he has collaborated with the worlds biggest names in the dance scene - Christian wrote and featured on ‘In The Dark’, the lead single from Tiësto’s Grammy-nominated album ‘Elements of Life’, with electronic giant BT, Christian wrote and sang on three tracks from Grammy-nominated long player ‘These Hopeful Machines’ – ‘The Emergency’, ‘Forget Me’ and lead track ‘Suddenly’. Teaming up with Armin van Buuren on his ‘Mirage’ album, Christian wrote the #1 smash hit ‘This Light Between Us’, touring with the record-breaking five-time winner of DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJ Chart.
Christian 2nd solo artist album ‘Love Songs from Suburbia’ is out now.
https://www.facebook.com/christianburnsofficial
http://www.myspace.com/christianburns
http://www.myspace.com/thebleachworks
http://www.soundofchristianburns.net
Kick Out the Jams
Christian Burns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when I'm thinking it gets hard to breath
I never thought you'd bring me to my knees
Like a dumb disease
You know I never felt this way before
You got me caught between love and war
I can't remember what I'm fighting for
I want you to
Kick out the jams tonight
Gotta play it right
Cos I don't want to remember
Kick out the jams tonight
Everything in sight
So I can keep it together
Kick out the jams tonight
Gotta play it right
Cos I don't want to remember
Kick out the jams tonight
Everything in sight
So I can keep it together
I keep on thinking about the way it hurts
Sometimes I think it couldn't get no worse
That's when I wish you'd come on back to earth
For whatever it's worth
And I when I get this way I wish you would
I can barely walk and it feels so good
Lying to myself thinking that you would
Cos it feels so good
I want you to
Kick out the jams tonight
Gotta play it right
Cos I don't want to remember
Kick out the jams tonight
Everything in sight
So I can keep it together
Kick out the jams tonight
Gotta play it right
Cos I don't want to remember
Kick out the jams tonight
Everything in sight
So I can keep it together
I love you baby, that's who I am
That's who I am, so kick out the jams
I love you baby, that's who I am
That's who I am, so kick out the jams
I love you baby, that's who I am
That's who I am, so kick out the jams
I love you baby, that's who I am
That's who I am, so kick out the jams now
Kick out the jams tonight
Gotta play it right
Cos I don't want to remember
Kick out the jams tonight
Everything in sight
So I can keep it together
Kick out the jams tonight
Gotta play it right
Cos I don't want to remember
Kick out the jams tonight
Everything in sight
So I can keep it together
The song "Kick Out the Jams" by Christian Burns is a passionate plea to a lover who has left him feeling helpless and vulnerable. He confesses that he can't get her out of his head even though she has caused him pain, and that he is struggling to find a way to deal with his emotions. He describes feeling caught between "love and war," unsure of what he is fighting for but unable to resist the pull of his desire for her. Despite the pain she has caused him, he wants her to come back to him, to help him find a way to keep it together and overcome his feelings of heartbreak.
The repeated refrain of "kick out the jams" is a call to action, a plea for his lover to join him in finding a way to move on from the pain they have caused each other. The phrase "kick out the jams" has its roots in 1960s counterculture, when it was used as a rallying cry for rebellion and non-conformity. Here, it is repurposed as a way to break free from the constraints of heartbreak and loss.
Overall, "Kick Out the Jams" is a raw and emotional expression of the complexities of love and heartbreak, and the struggle to find a way to keep moving forward in spite of them.
Line by Line Meaning
I keep on thinking about you and me
And when I'm thinking it gets hard to breath
I never thought you'd bring me to my knees
Like a dumb disease
My thoughts are consumed with thoughts of us, and it's overwhelming me. I never imagined you could have such power over me, leaving me feeling weak and vulnerable like some kind of sickness.
You know I never felt this way before
You got me caught between love and war
I can't remember what I'm fighting for
But I'm back for more
I want you to
These feelings are new to me, and they've put me in a difficult position. I don't even remember what we're fighting about, but I know I can't stay away from you. I want you to help me sort through these emotions.
Kick out the jams tonight
Gotta play it right
Cos I don't want to remember
Kick out the jams tonight
Everything in sight
So I can keep it together
Kick out the jams tonight
Gotta play it right
Cos I don't want to remember
Kick out the jams tonight
Everything in sight
So I can keep it together
Let's let loose and forget about everything else, just for tonight. I need to keep myself composed, so let's focus our energies into the music and stay in the present moment.
I keep on thinking about the way it hurts
Sometimes I think it couldn't get no worse
That's when I wish you'd come on back to earth
For whatever it's worth
And I when I get this way I wish you would
I can't stop thinking about the pain that comes with loving you. Sometimes it feels unbearable, and I just wish you were more realistic about what's between us. But even in these moments, I still wish you were here with me.
I can barely walk and it feels so good
Lying to myself thinking that you would
Cos it feels so good
I want you to
These feelings are overwhelming me to the point of physical exhaustion, but the intensity of the situation is also thrilling me. I know I shouldn't be lying to myself about what we have, but I want you to help me keep up this facade.
I love you baby, that's who I am
That's who I am, so kick out the jams
I love you baby, that's who I am
That's who I am, so kick out the jams
I love you baby, that's who I am
That's who I am, so kick out the jams
I love you baby, that's who I am
That's who I am, so kick out the jams now
I can't deny my feelings for you. I am who I am, and I need you by my side. So let's let go and enjoy the moment by playing some music.
Contributed by Aiden L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.