Year after year, Lost In Society continue to check off accomplishments on their bucket list. Recently celebrating 10 years together as a band, it’s hard to believe they are still in their early 20s. Having toured the world, opened for major artists, and maintaining a solid fanbase, they have pretty much left no stone unturned.
I recently had the time to chat with Lost In Society about their future, a new tour in Europe, and so much more. It’s crazy to see how much more I learn about them each and every time we speak. The transcription is below:
Thanks for taking the time to chat with me, guys. We have a long history of working together, so I am excited to touch base and see what you all have been up to. So, let’s get started. Happy New Year! How did you ring in the holiday?
Thanks so much for having us! Happy New Year to you as well. We actually played a cover set at The Wonder Bar here in Asbury Park. We played all of Green Day’s Dookie. It was a blast. The place was packed and everyone was having a great time and soaking in the ’90s nostalgia. Our friend Christine [Feola] at Dark City Entertainment put on the show, and she did a great job.
Now, you guys just celebrated 10 years as a band; that is pretty monumental, to say the least. Did you ever think you’d make it this long?
I feel like an old man now. I can’t say I’m surprised that we made it this long, but only because I don’t think any of us ever really considered stopping. We have been planning six months ahead for the past five years, so there’s never really a light at the end of the tunnel. I think this fall was the first time we really stepped back and realized how long we have actually been doing this for.
What would you say has changed the most within the group, other than your appearances and voices, throughout these 10 years?
As we have matured we have definitely filled out our roles in the band. We all have our own jobs in the band. I handle the main songwriting—we work out everything after I bring in a skeleton, etc.—and split the booking duties with Hector [Bonora], who also handles a lot of our marketing and networking. Nick [Ruroede] handles all of our websites, designs and merch. Jeanne [Crump], our manager, keeps everything running smoothly and in check, along with lots of business with people we may not always be in direct contact with.
If you were asked to name one accomplishment that means the most to you in your 10 years as a band, what would it be?
That’s a really tough question. I am so proud of what we have accomplished and I can honestly say that if it were to end today, I wouldn’t regret a thing. I have seen so many places and experienced so many things that I would never have had the chance to without this band. I think the growth of this band, the way we work, the songwriting, and how everything has progressed over the years is our biggest accomplishment. We never stop and say, “OK, we did good, let’s take our foot off the gas for a while.”
We always strive to get better in every aspect of the industry. So, I guess you can say our constant motivation and determination are my proudest accomplishments. It’s like any Rocky film. Everyone thinks you should retire, but you know better than that … or something. I don’t know.
A little birdie told me you guys are about to embark on an adventure in Europe. Please explain!
Yes! We are so very excited to embark on our first venture overseas. Katrin [Wipper] and Felix [Willikonsky] over at Flix Agency have been working their asses off to book the tour and they have been doing a fantastic job. We will be over there from February 26th to March 24th. Specific cities will be announced soon, but some countries that we are hitting are Germany, Austria, Belgium, France, and Czech Republic.
We can’t wait to get over there and see what Europe has to offer! I plan on exploring like crazy, probably getting lost and using a translation dictionary totally wrong and ending up in some risky situations. Wish me luck.
You guys have a really solid fanbase. Any message to the people who have stuck through it with you the past 10 years?
Just a big thank you! We have some awesome fans out there, and without you guys, shows would be super awkward. So thank you for your continued support, I hope we keep you all interested for many years to come!
New music, what can we expect and when?
We just released a split on Panic State Records with River Jumpers (UK) recently, on a digital-only format, but there will be a limited edition 12” released sometime next month, so keep an eye out for that. Also, expect us to drop a full-length sometime this year. The album is finished, just looking for a place to call it home.
Having accomplished so much, with albums, touring, awards, and so much more, is there anything on your bucket list that you have yet to achieve that you are aiming to do in 2015?
Well, Europe will be a huge check off the list, so that’s a good start. Other than that, we would love to go on a national tour with a bigger name band at some point. We have been touring on our own, or with bands at our level for a while now. We are just hoping for that chance to get in front of some bigger audiences on the road and help get our name out there.
What are your thoughts on the local punk scene, and music scene as a whole? Would you say it’s still vibrant, or needs a flame lit?
I think the local punk scene is a whole lot stronger than it was a few years ago. Bands like Hot Blood and The Vansaders came out of nowhere a little while ago and brought some new faces to the scene. Then of course there are the old standbys like The Scandals who we came up with, and The Obvious who have been one of my favorites for years now. I can only see things getting better, as long as the Asbury Lanes stays open … forever.
After Europe, what’s next?
After Europe we will be setting out on a few tours Stateside in the summer and fall. Other than that, hopefully put a record out and keep it going.
Any advice to bands just starting out who look up to Lost In Society?
Play tons of local shows when you first start and get a good buzz going. Then stop, go on a tour, weekend warriors, or anything that people can see and be like, “Oh man, that’s cool that they’re doing that, I want to be there the next time they play around here.” It’s hard to not play locally a lot, but it’s definitely worth it. You and your fans will both be happy, along with the promoters and venues. Speaking of promoters and venues—don’t pay to play. Ever.
You can learn more about Lost In Society and check out their music at LostInSociety.com. They are also all over social media, so give them a holler. Best of luck to you boys, I am your biggest supporter!
