Upbringing: Son Lux • DIY Magazine

Founded by Ryan Lott, Son Lux has expanded into a three-piece project for new record ‘Bones’. Lott’s collaborated with everyone from Lorde, to Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti on joint project Sisyphus, and so its no surprise that he grew up on a wide-ranging musical diet. From Beethoven cassette tapes to Bon Jovi power ballads (yep, really) Ryan Lott tells us about his early musical obsessions, with bandmates Rafiq and Ian chipping in with some extra nuggets of favourite advice. Read on to find out about Son Lux’s upbringing.

What was the first gig you ever went to?

Van Halen, with Sammy Hagar! I believe Poison opened up for them.

Were there a good supply of venues in your hometown?

No idea, I moved from my hometown when I was two. I spent most of my childhood in an apple farm town with no live music venues.

What was the first song you developed an obsession for?

‘Shot Through The Heart’ by Bon Jovi. I’m really dating myself with this, jeez.

What’s the story behind your first instrument?

It was a family rule that we kids had to take piano lessons. My two siblings and I didn’t have a choice, and we all hated it. At some point, though, I got the urge to write my own music. That’s when music came alive.

What is the first song you ever bought with your own money, and why?

Well, back in the day, one bought albums, not individual songs. The first record I ever purchased with my own cash was a recording of Beethoven Piano Concerto on cassette.

What’s your worst musical habit?

Self-doubt.

What inspirations outside of music have an impact on your songwriting?

Dance.

If you could be in a band from the last two decades, which would you pick, and why?

Radiohead or Portishead. These bands are impervious to trends, and yet they both draw from established idioms and advance them. Theirs is music with the kind of sonic integrity and unexpected qualities that I’m always aspiring to.

Best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?

We all answered this one…
Rafiq: Lock yourself in a room and just play.
Ryan: There’s nothing you can’t do.
Ian: Pay attention to what you love, and work to understand why you love it.

Son Lux’s new album ‘Bones’ is out now.

Tags: Son Lux, Upbringing, Features