Lo Moon are a Los Angeles-based band - comprised of Matt Lowell (vocals/guitar), Crisanta Baker (bass/keyboards), and Sam Stewart (guitar) - whose sound meets at the intersection of artists like the xx and Talk Talk among others.  The band is already becoming one of the most talked-about new artists to emerge from Los Angeles's burgeoning indie scene. 

We caught up with Matt Lowell to chat about the upcoming European tour with London Grammar, iconic British venues and what life would be like if he lived with a singing dog, read on to find out more....

We know you're called Lo Moon and you're from Los Angeles, please tell us something that not many people would know about each of the band members....

Matt grew up playing ice hockey.

Santa is an amazing fine artist.

Sam cracks his knuckles in his sleep.

You're heading to the UK to support the mighty London Grammar on their European tour, have you been a fan of the band for long?

Yes! We actually saw them in LA at the Wiltern on their last LA run.

You're going to be playing some pretty iconic UK venues (Brixton Academy, Olympia Theatre in Dublin), are there any on the list that your particularly excited about?

I’m really excited for the Brixton Academy show. I’ve seen a few great shows there, and hoped we would get a chance to play.

What is it about London Grammar's music that you enjoy?

I think they’ve found such a beautiful way to complement and support an amazing voice like Hannahs. They are a real band in that way!

You're also touring around the rest of Europe after the UK leg of the tour, I see that you've been to Europe before as a band, how was your music received there?

Seemed like we were well received!

Just a word of warning for when you're in the UK - "Pants" in the UK are underwear, "Chips" are what you guys call "French Fries" and you won't find a "Twinkie" in any store over here (at least I don't think you will - maybe in Poundland!).... What will you be bringing with you on the tour to remind you of home? 

I think we fully try to embrace the culture wherever we are. We love that about touring. I know the only thing I NEED to bring from America is my pillow lol.

You've received some lovely comments about your music from some industry heavyweights (The New York Times, NPR Music, KCRW & The Los Angeles Times), how does it make you feel when you read them?

We are just excited that the music seems to be finding its way. We don’t get too hung up on what people are saying, although the support and belief in the band has been incredible. We just try and keep the focus on the live show and developing as a band.

Tell me about your approach to songwriting, is there a 'magic formula'?

There’s absolutely zero magic formula! I’ve been writing songs for a long time, and to be honest, it’s just about writing as much as possible. For every good song I write, there’s definitely 20 bad ones! I’m pretty self critical of my writing, but being in this band has taught me to really trust the people around me. We all work so hard to bring a unique spirit to each song, and it’s great when everything clicks!

Tell me about the thinking that went into the track "Loveless", was it influenced in any way by the band My Bloody Valentine?

No that track didn’t have anything to do with MBV. I had the lyric “loveless in our shelter time will pass”, and I thought it was a great line to base the title off of. That track took a long time to get over the finish line, five years at least, so a lot of different influences made there way into the feeling of that song. 

I read that your sound spans from the tones of Talk Talk, Radiohead and Sigur Ros, would you class any of these as major influences on your music? (fascinating fact - I know Tim Friese Greene from Talk Talk, his kids live in a nearby town in Devon!)

Those are all influences! All great bands in their own way, and all in their own lanes. That’s amazing you know Tim Friese Green!

What is the music scene like in Los Angeles right now? 

A lot of bands are out in LA right now. It seems a ton of them have moved from Brooklyn to LA. It’s a weird one because we try not to get caught up in the scene itself, but it’s inspiring to be in a place where creatives are trying to make a difference. 

Are there many live music venues around the area or do you have to travel in order to see live acts?

There’s a ton of venues on the east side of LA where we live.

Would you say that there are places in America where you always receive a warmer welcome?

NY and Philadelphia have always been great to us! Weirdly, we’re starting a love affair with New Haven, CT and Kansas City.

Question for Sam - I see that your mother (Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama) is touring in November, if you weren't in Europe at the time, would you have been attending one of their shows? 

I’m sure I would!

Lastly, would you prefer to live with a dog that can sing or a koala bear that can play the sitar?

A dog that can sing would be pretty amazing! 

Interview by Steve Muscutt

We'd like to extend our thanks to Matt for chatting to us and we wish the band every success for both the upcoming live dates with London Grammar and whatever the future holds in store for them.

Keep up to date with the bands whereabouts by following/liking/stalking them on social media, they're all listed below, simply point and click!

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