A supremely classy Hard Rock outfit of distinction, LION'S SHARE was created in 1987 around guitarist Lars Chriss. Other formative members included keyboard player Kay Backlund, vocalist Markus Nordberg and bassist Mikael Hansson. This line-up recorded the now highly collectable 'Ghost Town Queen' single in 1988 before parting company. However, the band reformed, ostensibly as a solo project from Chriss, in order to fulfil a commitment for a track inclusion on a Belgian compilation album in 1992. The vocalist put together a studio band for the recording of 'Nothing's Free' that featured many of Sweden's better known musician's. Included were CANDLEMASS vocalist Thomas Vikström, ex-GREAT KING RAT vocalist Conny Lind, TALISMAN bassist Marcel Jacob, VENI DOMINE's keyboard player P.A. Danielsson and erstwhile TALK OF THE TOWN drummer Johan Koleberg (also known as 'Kullberg').

A temporary line-up for the band was forged in 1993 that included ex-SORCERER vocalist Andy Engberg and former GLORY bassist Andy Loos. LION'S SHARE promptly recorded their debut album, having signed to Japan's Zero Corporation label, in 1994. The record was re-issued in Europe through Local Hero, and later Long Island, in 1995. But, following the release of the album, Loos made way for ex-STEAMROLLER bassist Pontus Egberg.

LION'S SHARE contributed a fine version of JUDAS PRIEST's 'Touch Of Evil' to the 1996 Century Media tribute album 'Legends of Metal Vol.1'. Closing out the year, European touring in November and December saw LION'S SHARE acting as support to SAXON. The Spring of 1997 saw the release of LION'S SHARE's second album, aptly titled 'Two'. European road work included a three and a half week concert tour partnered with ICED EARTH and NEVERMORE before once again hooking up with SAXON for Winter dates. 1998 opened with a guest spot to U.D.O.'s Scandinavian gigs before a round of Swedish headliners. As an aside, during inactive periods LION'S SHARE were known to keep their hand in under the guise of a KISS tribute act titled KYSS.

The 1999 album 'Fall From Grace', released in Japan through the Avex Corporation, includes an ambitious cover of CITY BOY's 'The Day The Earth Caught Fire'. Live work to promote the record had the band sharing stages with DEE SNIDER upfront of a valuable appearance at the 'Sweden Rock' festival alongside DEEP PURPLE, SCORPIONS, DAVID LEE ROTH, DIO and MOTÖRHEAD amongst many others. That Autumn the band donated their interpretation of 'I Don't Believe In Love' to a QUEENSRYCHE tribute album and also covered the ELECTRIC BOYS 'Ready To Believe' for a Swedish compilation.

1999 ended with LION'S SHARE, having switched to the Playground label for Sweden and Finland and contracting a new deal for Germany with Massacre Records, undertaking a series of mammoth Scandinavian gigs as part of a heavyweight cast comprising MANOWAR, DIO and MOTÖRHEAD. The 2000 'Perspective' album is a compilation of the first two records remastered with extra material.

LION'S SHARE added former SWEDISH EROTICA vocalist Tony Niva for their fourth studio album 'Entrance'. Guests included TOMMY DENANDER and former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN band members vocalist Göran Edman and keyboard player Mats Olausson. Former CANDLEMASS singer Thomas Vikström also sessions. Once again, LION'S SHARE put in another appearance at the 'Sweden Rock' festival.

In April 2002 it was revealed that LION'S SHARE guitarist Lars Chriss had assembled a side venture billed as COSMIC SPHERE. Other participants included Antti Wirman of WARMEN and CRAYDAWN, Tapio Oksanen of CRAYDAWN and erstwhile RISING FAITH drummer Kristian Enqvist. Meantime, former LION'S SHARE singer Andy Engberg busied himself with Norwegian guitarist TORBEN ENVOLDSEN's new project band entitled SECTION A. The project also featuring ex-DREAM THEATER keyboard player DEREK SHERINEN and VANDEN PLAS drummer Andreas Lill.

During the summer Criss revealed plans to assemble a further band endeavour billed as TYKOON. Included alumini would be RAINMAKER, PRISONER and RADIOACTIVE mentor TOMMY DENANDER, vocalist Leif Sundin of MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, GREAT KING RAT and JOHN NORUM band and GLORY's bass player Andy Loos. Yet another LION'S SHARE spin off, C.R.A.N.K., would witness a union of Pontus Egberg and Johan Koleberg with CANDLEMASS guitarist Mats "Mappe" Björkman as well as singer Alex Swerdh and guitarist Ulf Larsson of the KISS cover band KYSS.

The band would shed its rhythm section of bassist Pontus Egberg and drummer Johan Koleberg during October 2002. The surviving duo of Niva and Chriss would maintain work on demoing for a fifth studio album. Chriss would also be active with another band unit entitled TEN 67, comprising staff from Stockholm's 106.7 Rockklassiker radio station, including EUROPE drummer Ian Haugland. Erstwhile LION'S SHARE personnel would also be in the spotlight, both drummer Johan Koleberg and bassist Pontus Egberg featuring on the debut IGNITION album. In mid 2003 Egberg and Koleberg united with former EASY ACTION and SHOTGUN MESSIAH frontman Zinny J. Zan and erstwhile TALISMAN and GREAT KING RAT guitarist Pontus Norgren in a new band collaboration. Andy Engberg guested on a cover version of ACCEPT's 'Balls To The Wall', included as a bonus track on the May 2004 album 'Divinity' from Finnish act ALTARIA.

LION'S SHARE would return in 2004, a new album featuring guest guitar contributions from the KISS, UNION and GRAND FUNK RAILROAD credited BRUCE KULICK. The band at this juncture featured new vocalist Nils Patrik Johansson of ASTRAL DOORS, WUTHERING HEIGHTS and SPACE ODYSSEY repute alongside drummer Mats Karlsson. Ex-singer Andy Engberg guested on the 2004 BOOK OF REFLECTIONS debut, a mainly Scandinavian "All star" symphonic, neo-classical Power Metal project assembled by former ETERNITY guitarist LARS ERIC MATTSON.

LION'S SHARE inducted former GLENN HUGHES and CRAWLEY bassist Sampo Axelsson in March 2005. Engberg also found inclusion on a Versailles Records DAVID LEE ROTH tribute album, vocalising on 'And The Cradle Will Rock'. The 5th of November of 2005 saw Axelsson participating in a quite unique event, allied with the INSANIA (STOCKHOLM) credited guitarist Peter Östros and keyboard player Dimitri Keiski, GLENN HUGHES and BRAZEN ABBOTT keyboard player Lars Pollack, drummer Jens Stenbro and the Immanuel Gospel Choir in the 'Gospel on the Rocks' at the Mondo venue in Stockholm.

LION'S SHARE returned with the 'Emotional Coma' album issued through AFM Records in July 2007. Studio guests included Glen Drover of MEGADETH on the title track and Bruce Kulick, from KISS, UNION and GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, on 'The Edge Of The Razor'. Mats Levén, of YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, THERION, AT VANCE and KRUX, aided on backing vocals. Digipack variants added the extra song 'Ring Of Stupidity' plus the promotional video for 'The Edge Of The Razor'.

In 2009 Lars Chriss and Sampo Axelsson have, in cooperation with Sidelake Media and Christian Rehn of ANGTORIA, composed the official intro song for Swedish ice hockey team Timrå Ik, the main riff for which was was based on the song 'Shadows' from LION'S SHARE's 1997 'Two' album.

Garry Sharpe-Young