If you’re ever in a Wetherspoons and you see LONA sitting in there, make sure you order to their table some Buttermilk Chicken Burgers, a couple of Fosters and a Jacket Potato. You will become their number fan if you do.
LONA is the band for you if you’re ever feeling lonely. Although the boys admitted they were ‘loners’ back in university, that isn’t the case anymore with the size of the crowd that was in London on the 17th April to seem them perform. The four-piece band that consists of John Clancy, James Phillips, Sam Horvath, and Todd Blackmore is the up and coming electronic band you need to hear about. After touring through London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and more, I was lucky enough to catch up with them in a pub for an interview.
How did you form as a band and why are you called ‘LONA’?
John: We formed via the internet which is a mad way to form but it is the 21st century after all. I moved to London and was looking for a band and all of these boys were doing music at university, I found them online and we did a couple of auditions and it went from there really.
Sam: We went to the same university but didn’t know each other. All under the same roof and we still met online.
John: We just felt like ‘LONA’ was a good symbol for us because we were all on our own doing our own thing. Yeah, let’s come together and make this group, that’s what it was.
How would you describe your music to new listeners?
Todd: It’s Electronic.
John: It’s quite dark electronic, energetic, catchy, cool, the best thing you’ve ever heard.
Is there a hidden message in your music?
John: Love each other, have a nice time and don’t do anything stupid’
Sam: Most of the things our songs are about is secret stories of us being idiots.
John: There’s no hidden message really, every song is a different story.
Sam: If you play it backward it’s some devil worshipping thing like The Beatles.
James: It’s experiences that we’ve had and things we are passionate about.
Which artists or bands do you look up to?
John: We like the 1975 don’t we, I’d like to work with them because they’re cool producers, 21 Pilots too. If we could do a song with Post Malone that would be amazing. (Laughing) We’d be rich.
What do you find most challenging about being in the music industry?
Todd: Money when you are starting out, it’s tricky to be a band. You kinda have to back yourself. It’s not a cheap business but I think it’s al; about being persistent, being hungry and it’ll all work out in the end.
John: If it doesn’t we’ll all kill ourselves (laughing) I think sharing a van with these is pretty tricky as well, sharing a van with Sam is the hardest part about being in a band!
What’s next, any festivals or EP plans?
John: We have a couple of singles ready for after the tour, we are so excited about these and are letting loose. We’re doing a big build up for that and that’s going to be the main thing for us next.
If you could go back to any era of music, where would you go?
Sam: I’d go back just to go back in time, I love the 80’s though.
John: I’d wanna be like an 80’s Pop Star. I’d go to Woodstock, I’d go back then and be a nudist, that’s what they did at Woodstock right? You see all the pictures?
Sam: Performing naked, like the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, dream come true.
I see your Instagram Stories and you are always out and about in pubs. What are your go-to drinks and food?
John: We all get a Buttermilk Chicken burger and a fosters. Wetherspoons is cheap as chips. I rate it a good 7.5, imagine if this interview was sponsored by spoons!
James: I get a jacket potato, to be different.
John: If you ever need any recommendations on the Wetherspoons menu, hit us up.
One day we might see Post Malone featured on their album, their faces on a Wetherspoons advert and a naked performance – the perfect reasons to follow LONA’S journey.