Inspired #264 - lostboy
Sheffield’s rising indie-poppers lostboy have just released their eagerly awaited debut EP ‘Bad News’ via Ditto Music. Having gained support from the likes of BBC Radio 1 and Radio X - this EP sees the band explore the events of the past year and our ability to carry on in the toughest of times. We spoke to Max from the band about the inspirations behind their music.
Who are your top three musical inspirations and why?
It’s a difficult one this cause I pull from so many places, but I’d say the top three would have to be The Killers, Catfish And The Bottlemen and Pulp. The Killer’s because I love how they use guitar in tracks, they keep things simple yet catchy - all their best hooks are guitar parts. Catfish because I grew up watching them rise and get to the stage they are now; was massively driving for me to see them keep rolling and growing how they did. Kinda like “I could do that I reckon”. Finally Pulp because I grew up listening to them, loved how they blend synth and guitars, spoken vocals into something so quintessentially 90s. Have so much admiration for their sound.
Is there a certain film that inspires you and why?
For the soundtrack it’d be Pulp Fiction because it is incredible, otherwise The Lost Boys. My mum made me watch that when I was a kid and somehow it suck with me - hence the name. Nice one mum!
What city do you find the most inspiring and why?
Think since being in Sheffield it’s inspired the best in our music. I love how honest it is as a city. Don’t think I’ve ever met an unpleasant person there and everyone seems so driven and up beat considering the history it’s had with regard to be disregarded by government. Real carry on attitude there, I like to try be abit more like Sheffield.
Who is the most inspiring person to you and why?
It’d probably have to be my mum and dad. Everything they have they’ve built themselves and they have always put us first as kids. If I can be half as dedicated to my craft and success then I’ll be winning.
What were your inspirations when writing your new EP?
The EP is very much inspired by the feelings myself and others have had surrounding lockdowns and this pandemic. Wasn’t initially the plan but the tracks seemed to naturally go that way. Think it would have been wrong to take inspiration from anything else anyway; not like I can pretend it didn’t happen. Mental health issues are a key theme that run through aswell, and we’ve teamed up with CALM - Campaign Against Living Miserably to donate earnings to help prevent male suicide. If I can destigmatise mental health issues through this then I’ll have achieved what I set out to do.
How would you like to inspire people?
I’d like to think that anyone feeling isolated or lost in what they’re doing could listen to the music and feel less that way. If I could inspire people, in anyway, to accept who they are and embrace themselves fully that’d be great. Inspiring a feeling of togetherness, that’s what I think lostboy is all about.