Lost in Audio

Edinburgh’s unsigned music scene does nothing shy of surprise and delight, with great talents popping up all over the underground clubs and venues. Another great find on a trail through the city’s music scene unveiled a trio of rockers going by the name Lost in Audio. Combining pop-beats with indie-rock anthems, Lost In Audio are a band to watch out for as they propel themselves up that unsigned musical ladder. Fresh from their gig supporting The Von Bondies, music-news.com reporter Susan Ford caught up with Lost in Audio’s lead vocalist Joe Hendry to talk song-writing, ambition and golden tickets with lifetime prizes.

Who are Lost in Audio and what’s your story?

Lost in Audio are 3 young individuals hailing from Edinburgh with the dream of taking their music all over the world. L.I.A. has played with The Fratellis, The Futureheads, The Subways, The View and many more. They've sold out Cabaret Voltaire, headlined King Tuts and opened at the massive Carling Academy. This summer will be the biggest yet including a mainstage performance at Kelso's Rock At The Racecourse, a headliner in the Edinburgh Fringe and a festival show in Iceland to a 10,000 strong crowd.

Where does the name 'Lost in Audio’ come from?

Lost In Audio means to literally put on a pair of headphones and get lost in the audio. This directly represents the relationship we aspire to have with our fans. When I was a teenager growing up, the bands I listened to influenced everything about me, from my values and ideas to the way I felt emotionally. The music I listened to helped me through the bad times and made me savour the good times. I want to provide that experience for other people and that is the concept behind the entire band.

Describe your music to those who have yet to hear it

Stadium sounds, a Scottish voice and songs about you.

Where does your unique sound come from?

We are 100% a song-based band and our sound very much derives from this.
We use BIG melodies, catchy hooks and soaring harmonies. Many artists are often asked 'Are you a Lennon or a McCartney?' We are most definitely a McCartney.

Where do you draw influences, in both lyric and music style?

In terms of sound, we draw our influences from rock contemporaries such as Smashing Pumpkins, Placebo, Weezer and Queens of the Stone Age. Ewan, the drummer, is a sensational talent who has added a new dimension to the band, making the rhythm section a key asset. Not only this, Murray’s delicate voice mixes with
my deeper vocals, resulting in a interesting mix when singing together. We achieve a unique sound applying these harmonies to the hard guitars and the tight rhythm section. Pop sensibilities mixed with big guitar sounds and emotive vocals give us the mix we're looking for.

How do you go about penning lyrics and writing music?

I am the songwriter. Though I write different songs in different ways, I do subscribe to the Cobain methodology that 'music comes first and lyrics come second'. I usually like to start with a solid chord structure supported by an interesting rhythm. From there I build it layer by layer until it becomes a verse a chorus or a bridge.

For example, if I have just constructed a chorus melody I will scour my archives for a verse and bridge which fits just right. I then ask myself how the melodies make me feel before constructing the narrative towards that feeling. Other times I get really inspired and do it all at once. It's one of the beauties of song writing, you can't quantify it and everyone has there own style.

How much does place, i.e. where you come from and where you write your songs, affect your particular music style?

I think where I have come from has affected my music. Not because of setting, but because of the people around me. I truly believe that all great songs are about some kind of relationship. Family, friends, loves, enemies. People are what life is about and so is every song I've ever written and every song I ever will.

What do you aim to achieve through your music?

We really want to do something amazing with our lives. That is what brings us together and it will push us through any adversity. It is an extremely empowering feeling to know exactly what you want to achieve with your life. The group began with this sole intention, yet over the past few years we have come to appreciate the power that musicians have. Amazing song writing can change people’s lives. I have had pivotal moments in my life where I have been able to pick myself up because of the music I've been listening to. The thought that we can one day achieve this is an amazing prospect. This has really overtaken the original intention of avoiding the 9 to 5.

What is in store for the band in terms of live shows? What can fans expect when they attend a live performance?

Our intentions in the studio are completely different from what we achieve at the live shows. In the studio we aim to capture our audience through constructing and recording great songs and taking care of all the little details. In the studio if there are 6 guitar parts we play them. If it needs keys, we play them. We will never limit ourselves in the studio because it cannot be replicated live.

Our live shows are less about those little details and more about the connecting with our audience in a different way. Recording is about great songs, whereas live is about great performances. We always get the fans involved in some way or another. Ranging from as little as getting them to clap hands or all the way to actually playing a solo in the crowd or even getting them on stage. This interaction and acknowledgement that the crowd are as much a part of this as we are is what makes our shows special.

what can we expect from the band in the future in terms of single/E.P. releases and are there any plans for an album?

I've been planning the album since I was 17 (now 21). It will contain approximately 12 tracks and will simply be the best songs I have written so far. We will not release it as unsigned artists. When we have the access to market and distribute to the masses it will be released. We expect to record it in 2011 and release it in 2012.

We will be releasing 'If I Don't See You’ on Monday August the 3rd. It will be available worldwide at all good digital retailers and in physical format across U.K. Independent stores. In Iceland, it will be exclusively available at all '12 Tonar 'stores.

This is isn't just any release though. It's a limited run of 500 copies. We are saving the last batch for our show at Cabaret Voltaire. Within this batch there will contain one 'golden' ticket. This entitles the winner to a plus one entry to Lost In Audio gigs for life. This includes support slots with Major artists, so it's an amazing prize. The only way to get it is to be at our Fringe Festival headliner at Cabaret Voltaire. We'd love to see you there!

www.myspace.com/lostinaudio
www.twitter.com/lostinaudio