Lost Woods are an Adelaide five-piece, indie-rock group, comprising an eclectic mix of soaring vocals, jangly guitars and a driving rhythm section.
Led by vocalist Peter White, the group is completed by twin guitarists Tom Baird and Sam Baird, and the driving rhythm section of brothers Lucas Sly and Miles Sly.Their soaring vocals and jangly guitars have earned them many plaudits and a loyal fan base. The band has shared the stage with the likes of Holy Holy, Maddy Jane, Alice Ivy, Timberwolf, Kingswood, Andy Bull and Harts.
At 2020 Adelaide Fringe, Lost Woods present their Radiohead tribute show; we have a chat with Peter about the show and what he would do if he ended up in the studio with Thom Yorke.
Is there a deeper meaning behind choosing Radiohead for a tribute show other than been general fans?
It definitely extends beyond simply being fans.
Their music has been very influential for the whole band. We've drawn inspiration from many aspects of their music from Thom Yorke's heartfelt, fragile vocals through to their eclectic, haphazard, exciting song structures.
Will the show explore specific periods of Radiohead’s career? Or is it more of a general look at their back catalogue?
We really wanted to explore their entire back catalogue as they have developed and transformed their sound so many times during their career. It's has been a steep learning curve for us putting their songs together.
How much creative licence will you take with re-imagining the RH songs?
We are hoping to remain pretty true to the songs as they are played. It has involved a fair bit of research dissecting their live performances.
Often they will stray from the original recordings to play their songs in a format to suit their five-piece line-up. We are a five-piece too, so that has suited us well.
Do you need to be a Radiohead fan to fully enjoy the show?
Firstly, without any bias, let me start with COME ONE! COME ALL TO OUR SHOW! But more seriously, I think there is something in their music for everyone.
They have taken their sound in so many directions and we will be checking all of it out. It will either be a sampler for new or sometimes fans wanting an overview of their music OR an exploration of their discography for the fans from day one. You don’t have to be a diehard fan to attend, but it will undoubtedly help.
If you somehow found yourself in Bizarro World (Seinfeld reference) and were supporting Radiohead in real life, how would each band member react to such news?
Hmmmm. . . well. . . if it were truly a bizarro world, we would probably be a bunch of pretentious jerks because in reality, Radiohead are humble, reserved, lovely music nerds.
Tom and Sam, the guitarists, would be doing whaling solos with their foot on the fold-back speakers, Miles would be flicking his long hair around as he drums, Lucas would be thrusting and licking his bass as he plays, and I would be jumping around with my shirt off. . . not that there's anything wrong with that.
Continuing the fantasy line of questioning; if you happened to find yourself in the studio with Thom Yorke what would the conversation revolve around (when you weren't jamming)?
How the hell do you come up with the lyrics you write? Where do you have to take yourself emotionally? I love his lyrics. They are beautifully poetic and at times are as eclectic as his songs twists and turns.
Favourite Radiohead album?
'In Rainbows'. It is one of those albums you come across with zero pitfalls and I have thrashed it within an inch of its life without getting sick of it. This could be argued about many of their albums, but I connected the most with the sound of this one.
What does 2020 have planned for Lost Woods in general; can we expect more shows, tours and new releases?
We are almost through recording our next EP. We are super-pumped to get new music out. Keep your eyes peeled for some single releases with accompanying tours and film clips. Hopefully we can drop the EP before the year is out. You will have to wait and see.
As locals, what does Adelaide Fringe mean to you?
Fringe time is when Adelaide is its most vibrant and exciting. It hosts a crazy amount of talent from around the world and an impressive amount of it is home grown. It's hard not to be proud that lil old Radelaide can host such an amazing festival on a global scale.
