Last year we covered ‘Lost Songs Volume 1’, an album curated by ADMAN and recorded at the world famous Metropolis Studios, in London. An album of “the best songs nobody has heard of yet”, the same team have now come back together to record ‘Lost Songs Volume 2’. We asked Alun Davies Six Quick Questions.
EP: We covered your ‘Lost Songs Vol. 1’ this time last year, now you’re back with Volume 2 – Tell us about the project. How many “lost songs” could possibly be out there, and how many volumes are you anticipating having to make?
The results of LS so far are the 2 Albums on the market. These are 32 songs that were going nowhere; now they have reached a point of public attention. As to how many more songs are waiting to be found we can only speculate, but as the net is widened both nationally and internationally then the answer is probably many many thousands.
No, I think 16 is about a maximum figure. All these songs are ” winners” as far as we’re concerned and don’t forget that the efforts of the studio don’t stop as the Album finalises. Rather Metropolis moves into publicity mode and works very hard to nationally promote the song and songwriter story. It would be a mistake to devalue the country product by quantity. The songs on the Albums are special pieces of music and rare in their numbers; so far only 32 (UK).
EP: The songs this time have come from as far and wide as Essex, Nigeria, South Africa, and Salford – do you find despite this diversity and distance, the songs and artists have anything in common? Or did you rather discover that they’re as different as you expected?
AD: Good question. I think there are differences and LS is very open to the idea that there is scope for a variety of approaches like LS Folk, LS Rock, LS C+W LS Classical etc etc and likewise internationally LS ( Eire), LS ( USA), LS ( Japan) and so on. Who knows but really LS has the potential to be a global brand and I suppose that would be the ultimate objective because the songs could be submitted closer to home. It really would be a massive buzz to discover new songs and songwriters from anywhere who have just needed one golden opportunity.
EP: Do you feel with this sort of project you can identify certain trends in music? Or are there still a lot following their own track and nonetheless making amazing music?
AD: It’s all about the songs we receive. Each of them is considered as a unique submission and assessed on that basis. There was an 800% increase in the number of songs submitted for LS2 as opposed to LS1 and so maybe in the future some deep analysis could indicate trends but I’m not so worried about that. A great song is really a great song.
EP: What’s been your greatest find on this album?
AD: That’s easy for me because the greatest find has been discovering how LS can grow. We started just trying to find a song, but we were given artists and musicians who will in the future write more and more songs. Why not sign the best of those under our own LS label and manage and promote their careers as we help them go forward. After all, it’s one thing for the next Adele or Elton John to send us a song but why stop there? Why not keep and grow the relationship? Who knows where it will all end – nationally and internationally. So the simple answer to the question is potential, that’s been the greatest find. Both for the songwriter and for LS.
EP: How does one apply to be part of ‘Lost Songs Vol. 3’?
AD: That’s all under review right now. We had the same basic process for LS1 and LS2 but with increased numbers we may need to refine matters. More especially if people want to contact us to help LS grow internationally , perhaps in their own parts of the world, then we’d hear what they have to say and react accordingly.
Lost Songs Volume 2 is out now. Visit their website for further information.
