We met up with front-man of the Lost Boys, Daniel Ash to talk Music, Weller and Clothes....DP: How did you start the band?
DA: I met the guys over the years, I was studying music at both College and University. It was a relief because I spent YEARS looking for like minded people but it was the year of the Emo and try as I might I couldn't really push my 'All Mod Cons' record onto people.
DP: Who are your musical inspirations?
DA: My first two loves were Bowie and The Beatles. My very first memory was seeing the Bowie display at the Rock Circus in Madame Tussaud's. I was four. I then got onto my parents to get me some Bowie albums for Christmas, I got into The Beatles around the same time too. The next ten years were spent obsessing over everything Bowie and Beatles. I was totally out of sync with everyone at school. I got into some other questionable stuff too, as everyone does but when I got to fifteen I discovered The Jam and that changed everything. It took me on a whole chain of musical discoveries. I have too many inspirations but Bowie, The Beatles and Weller will always be the big three!
DP: Who made you want to play guitar?
DA: That would be the first time I heard the intro to, 'John, I'm only dancing'. I was only young but I remember getting a beaten up 3/4 size that I could just strum tunelessly. I think soon after my parents got me an electric guitar because I could plug headphones in.
DP: Do you feel image is important when you're a musician?
DA: It can help- image is something that really came to me with getting into The Jam. I learnt a lot from obsessing over those records. I've always loved dressing smart anyway, I used to go to school disco's in shirts and ties. Music is obviously the most important element- you don't just listen to somebody for the clothes, but it's like- you go to a job interview wearing a suit, don't you?- because it makes you look the part. It's a bit like that.
DP: What was it like working with Weller?
DA: Unreal- it still hasn't sunk in. That whole thing about never meet your heroes- maybe true unless your hero is Paul Weller. He has been one of the kindest, helpful and generous people to our little band. Most importantly, he always listens. I can't thank him enough for giving us his time let alone anything else. I wish I could go back and tell my fifteen year old self that one day we'd be supporting him at Hammersmith. I'd probably have a heart attack!
DP: What was the easiest tune to write?
DA: I try to write daily, if I can- so there's always so many tunes bubbling over here and there, sound snippets on my phone, lyrics written on napkins. The easiest ones are the ones that come to you without a guitar or piano in front of you though. I'll be eating dinner out and suddenly this melody will pop into my head and I have to run to the bathroom to record it into my phone so I don't forget. One of those is our next single 'A Better Life' - it wrote itself.
DP: What can we expect from yourself and The Lost Boys in 2014?
DA: Our brand new single. We're just putting everything into place for it's release. I'm really happy with it. It's got a pair of balls which is something we're probably guilty of lacking so far. I'll always remember a producer we used to work with used to describe our music as 'polite' - ever since then I've been on a mission to write tougher music that your Grandparents won't like!
DP: What musicians and artists are you feeling at the moment?
DA: Seeing as I couldn't get a ticket I've been having something of a Kate Bush renaissance at the moment. 'The Dreaming' is my favourite album of hers - I think she called it her 'Breakdown Album'. There's so much going on there. Nick Drake too, 'Pink Moon' , that album is heartbreaking. What else? Been going through all my old Pulp records again - 'This is Hardcore' - all sorts.
DP: Musical highlight of the year so far?
DA: From another artist, there's a neat little track on the new Morrissey album called 'Staircase at the University' that's really stuck with me. And there's also a track called 'Kick the bride down the Aisle' which may just be the best song title in the world. For myself, supporting Weller at the sold out 100 Club this year.
DP: What can we expect from The Lost Boys sound in 2014?
DA: A single that we all believe in 110% and plenty of shows up and down the country to show ourselves off!
