by Brent

How did Lost Companions International form?

In the summer of 98′ I was riding home from an annual desert trip, the band name popped in my head and I applied it to some music I was making with friend Nick Mayburry and a drum machine. Since then the band has morphed many times.

Can you describe for me and the songwriters out there your songwriting and recording process?

We aren’t the typical songwriting band, sometimes the songs start out as jams, sometimes more calculated, but always collaborative.  We don’t really have a songwriter per se, usually someone will come up w/ an initial idea and we will build and morph a song out of it.  So far for recording we have had the songs worked out before we go in and then either track it live with a few overdubs or have done drum and bass first and tracked everything else separate.

You have such a unique style of music that you do, for an indie band. And you pull of this highly technical music very well. What makes you write such music, and what makes you want to attempt to play and record it?

Thanks a lot for the compliment, to say it simply we are always trying to stretch ourselves  creatively in the process of making music.

Is there a message to your music? What is it?

As a mostly instrumental band most of the time we seek to express things that cannot be expressed with words or pictures.

What music acts do you look to for inspiration?

Bob Dylan, Lift to Experience, Radiohead, Mogwai, The Smiths, Gybe!, Appleseed Cast, The Prayer Chain, Pedro the Lion, Fugazi, Verve, Sigur Ros, Neil Young, Smashing Pumpkins, The Cardigans, Starflyer 59, The Autumns, Belle and Sebastian, the list could go on forever so maybe I’ll stop.

Have you guys been involved in other music projects?

Yes Brandon and myself where in the now defunct Holiday Minor, we released an EP about a year ago.  We have also been involved in probably a dozen or so short lived projects nothing was ever released though.

What music do you have available for the consumer to purchase, and what are your thoughts on these works?

We have a split CD w/ being with, you can order it from our site, I’m very proud of it, and very happy with how it turned out.

How did you get involved with being with?

We are close friends with them and for a while we were sharing members.

How has bringing the music of Lost Companions International to the live setting been?

We’ll we only played live shows for about 4 years before we actually ever recorded something, so it’s more of bringing live lci into the studio that’s a change.  The live situation is quite natural.

What is in the future for Lost Companions International?

We play our last 2 shows in San Diego with the full rock band lineup in March, and will record around 3 songs in that format and hopefully release it to the public in some form.  Jeremy and Scott are moving to Seattle and Nick is busy with something like Silas, so Brandon and myself are going to take a more studio approach to the band, with the limitation of 2 people.   We might take it to the live setting with a drum machine, but I’m not sure how it will work out yet.  I’m bummed about the departure of the full band setup, but also excited about the new possibilities.  But really the only thing for sure about the future of lost companions international is that we will continue to make music, in what form the band appears is always up in the air.

Do you have any suggestions for other young bands trying to make it?

Quit and promote lci instead of your band. Ok, honestly I don’t know what I would say, we are probably the best example of how not to “make it”. My best advice is if you want to “make it” don’t play instrumental music.

Any other comments?

Check out our website www.lostcompanionsinternational.com and my website www.TravisT.net, thanks for the time.