The Lost Trades are a UK-based folk group from Wiltshire, producing some of the best folk music in the land at the moment! I’ve checked out a few of their songs recently and each one has been better than the last, so I hope you like them too!
By Jane Howkins
You recently released a song titled Keep My Feet Dry. What can you tell us about the song?
We’re three individual songwriters and usually, our songs are written by one of us and arranged by the group, but this is the first time we’ve properly collaborated on the writing of the song. It’s a new way of working for us, but it was really enjoyable, and we think the results speak for themselves. Keep My Feet Dry is our sixth single and is a sign of what’s to come on our second album, which we are currently working on.
How has the reception been so far, and where can Keep My Feet Dry be purchased?
We’ve had some lovely reviews, and been compared to some of our favourite artists (Fleet Foxes is a comparison we’re particularly proud of, as well as Crosby Stills and Nash). The song is available in all the usual places, but we’d always direct people to our Bandcamp page, because they are a great company that really looks after their artists. (https://th…dcamp.com/)
Do you plan to release any more singles in the near future?
Absolutely we do. We’ve got our next single recorded and mastered already, for release in November.
Do you plan to release an EP or an album anytime soon?
We’re working on our second album right now, for release in spring 2023. Our debut album has been a bit of a hit, spending 7 months (and counting) on the Official Folk Albums Chart. Hopefully we can do even better with the next one!
Has the pandemic hindered your work much?
Well we formed at the end of 2019, and our first ever gig was in March 2020, just before the lockdowns started so we were hindered by the pandemic right from the start! But we tried to make the best of the situation, and wrote a load of songs that would end up making up half of the debut album. We actually feel like the pandemic did us a favour in some ways, because everyone loves an underdog story, and we gained a lot of interest because of our story.
Your music has a folky, Americana sound. What/who influences you most as artists? What have you been listening to recently?
Well because there’s three songwriters, our influences vary a lot, but we share a love of the 60s/70s Laurel Canyon scene. People like Crosby Stills & Nash, The Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, etc. Most recently, we’ve all fallen in love with a band called Flyte, who we highly recommend.
What is the writing and recording process like for you?
Generally one of us will come to the others with a song that’s about 80/90% finished. We’ll then spend a few hours working on arrangements, making tweaks and then working out our trademark harmony lines. For us, the three voices working together is what takes the song from being ‘almost there’ to being complete.
You’re based in Wiltshire. What is the music scene like in your part of the world and do you find yourselves influenced by your surroundings?
There’s a great folk/Americana scene where we are (check out Fly Yeti Fly and Concrete Prairie in particular). The fact that these styles are flourishing here is probably due to it being a rural area, with a slightly slower pace of life, and surrounded by countryside. We certainly feel inspired when we’re in the great outdoors, and it’s a big part of who we are.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
We’ve got a few dates left this year (check www.thelos…trades.com) but we’ll be touring properly when the album is released in spring 2023.
Any last words for the fans?
We’re massively grateful for the love and support we’ve been given over the last few years. We love chatting to them online and at gigs, the music industry is a tough place and the engagement of listeners/followers/fans is what makes the difference. We hope we can repay your support with our next album.