Spotlight: lostboy

Spotlight returns with Laura Mills asking the questions for the first time. In the hot-seat is lostboy, the Sheffield indie four-piece.
 
RNRR: In three words, how would you describe ‘Lover’?

LB: Ballsy, groovy and heart-felt.

RNRR: So, what’s ‘Lover’ really about?

LB: It’s written in a way that’s sort of a difficult relationship and you feel like you’re building towards like this big breakdown in communication, a big fall out. The track aims to build tensions throughout, that feeling of uneased, it’s not right and you can’t figure out what’s gone wrong. Then it all kicks off in the middle when the lads join me and that’s kinda like the big fall out moment when everything kicks off, it puts things in perspective.
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RNRR: With ‘Lover’, how long did the song process take? Comparing with other tracks, too.

LB: So, the track started out with that sort of peddling one note guitar part that fall throughout all the verses, and then the main riff section just come about. I knew I wanted to do a breakdown there and make this moment, but the lead guitar wasn’t in there. I sat down and we wanted to make something hooky and repetitive. The main sort of line came about in the studio really, the track we had to play around with. We’d always really liked it but didn’t know how to make it a tune, I think that’s why the structure is a bit weird on it, but I kinda love it for it. It’s short but not too short, short enough in a way that’s like when people listen to it they go “f**k” and wish it had been longer.

RNRR: What would you rate ‘Lover’ out of ten?

LB: Ten. 

RNRR: Definitely a ten?

LB: Yep. I’d like to say 11 or 12, but I hate people that do that. So, ten.

RNRR: Comparing ‘Lover’ to your other tracks, how does it stand up? Would you say it’s better?

LB: I don’t like to pick amongst my children because I love them all, they’ve all got different feels. The next track we’ve got dropping, which is gunna be pretty soon, is called ‘Maple’. That’s a lot more kinda heart-felt and it’s got more of a feel of our older stuff, like 'Luna', which I know a lot of people love. We wanted to give them something like that. I dunno, the whole EP is like this natural progression from start to finish. The first track is how I used to write music when I was listening to rock bands when I was a kid, the tracks in the middle are what we’ve been doing as lostboy but a bit more advanced, sounds a bit better and a bit fresher. Then the last track on the EP is the way we are heading. We spent last weekend in Liverpool and other than going out with the guys from Bandit – we went out with them to this little Irish bar and got smashed and there was guy with a kiss mark on his bum cheek and apparently the pub was called "Kiss My Ass" in Irish – we weren’t just dossing about, we were writing new music and the new stuff we’ve written that weekend makes sense to the EP and when people hear it, we might play it on tour, it will make sense.

RNRR: If ‘Lover’ was the first lostboy song someone heard, what do you hope they would think?

LB: Hopefully, that this would sound better live and then they go to our website and buy tickets to the shows and merch. Then I’d check my bank account and wouldn’t be having a Pot Noodle for tea.

RNRR: I know the last time we chatted was after your show in Sheffield, and from the sounds of it the approach to lostboy’s music has changed. Has it changed since then?

LB: I think what happened was that we did the vast majority of writing for lostboy in Lockdown without that live element with the band. I think now we’re writing it for the stage, when I write a tune or going over a guitar set, I go “Who’s gunna kick off to this? Can I see it?”

RNRR: I know so many upcoming bands, like lostboy, used Lockdown as tool to really work on their music and song writing. Do you worry now with life seeming to be returning to normal that you’ll have the time to put into lostboy?

LB: When we were in Lockdown I was on furlough, but before that I was working a lot, and I saw that, I wanted to make sure I had the time to actually put work into the thing I love. So, I’ve actually just changed my job so I balance things outside and still do it. I’m working at home so I’ve got that time and I’m proactive with making sure I set time aside at night, even like two hours in the evening just playing guitar and see what happens. It’s not ever something I wouldn’t let myself have time for, it’s a challenge but it’s something all musicians at this level face.

RNRR: I think your dedication shines through and with you setting that time aside, it’s definitely going to pay off.

LB: Yeah, Lostboy is not going anywhere.

RNRR: As we’re still quite early in 2022, is there anything as a band that you’re hell-bent on achieving this year? Any goals you have to tick off?

LB: Yeah yeah, sell out as many dates of the tour as possible. People seem mad for gigs, especially after the few we did last year. Obviously getting the vinyls out too, getting as many people as possible listening to the EP. Breaking it with some of the gate keepers like Jack Saunders from Radio 1, he’s not touched base with us yet but yeah some of the day time stuff of Radio 1 would be great. Definitely play as many as possible in festival season too.

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