The Beat Goes On: We Speak To 51-Year-Old Lost Signal

Lost Signal is an instrumental artist from Norwich in the United Kingdom. He started making music this year.

There was a time he tried learning the guitar, but soon gave up because he lacked the patience and thought he was rubbish.

Then six years ago, he had difficulties using his right hand. Upon investigation, he realized he had Parkinson's disease.

Thinking he had given up on music, he found himself exploring his creative side - a side he had been unaware of.

This saw him take up arts like photography, writing and digital audio workstations.

Listening to music has been a big part of his life, he says. And this gives him the ability to make unusual tunes.

While he says that he's not qualified to offer musical advice, he says musicians should 'keep looking for the right home' for their music and try 'not to let the knock backs get you down'. 

L. SOJINI: Can you tell us about yourself? Where you’re from and what kind of musician you are.

LOST SIGNAL: I’m a 51-year-old, solo electronic instrumental artist from Norwich, UK. I just started making music this year.

L. SOJINI: How did you get into music?

LOST SIGNAL: I tried learning to play the guitar a few years ago but I didn’t have the patience or co-ordination so I was rubbish.

Six years ago, I began really struggling to use my right hand and, after investigation, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. For a while, I felt like giving up and any thoughts of playing music were about as far from my mind as possible.

I don’t know if it is related to PD but over the past couple of years, I have started exploring a creative side of my personality that I had been previously unaware of. I took up photography, I started writing and latterly, I discovered digital audio workstations (DAWs) and started making music.

L. SOJINI: What do you think makes good music?

LOST SIGNAL: Imagination, passion and a good ear for a melody.

L. SOJINI: What are your strengths and weaknesses as a musician?

LOST SIGNAL: I am still very naive about music theory and it sometimes feels like I am only scratching the surface of what is possible in my music. Listening to music has been a big part of my life for most of my fifty-one years and I think that all that listening has given me a lot of experimental ambition to make unusual yet accessible tunes. Unfortunately my singing is another weakness.

L. SOJINI: What are you currently working on? 

LOST SIGNAL: I’m making lots of new tracks towards a second album with the working title of Are Vicars Electric?. The track that I’m concentrating on right now is inspired by a short children’s story called ‘Alma’.

I’ll try and avoid spoilers but the tune is an atmospheric spooky number called ‘Dollhouse’.

L. SOJINI: How do you approach music? As in, what’s your philosophy when it comes to making music?

LOST SIGNAL: I see where the harmonies take me and think of a title that feels apt. The rest of the tune is built around the title theme.

L. SOJINI: What are you most proud of to have achieved as a musician? 

LOST SIGNAL: Released my debut album Frequencies & Amplitudes less than six months after I started making music.

L. SOJINI: How do you promote your music?

LOST SIGNAL: Mostly replying to people who want to listen to new music on Twitter (@lostsignaltunes). People are very generous but it’s slow going!

L. SOJINI: Favourite musician? Why?

LOST SIGNAL: Nick Cave. His lyrics are absorbing and delivered with total conviction.

L. SOJINI: What’s your advice or message to fellow musicians?

LOST SIGNAL: I don’t really feel qualified to give musical advice. I suppose it would be something like ‘keep looking for the right home for your music and try not to let the knock backs get you down’.

L. SOJINI: Can you recommend one musician you’ve worked with that The Musician can interview next? You can share their Twitter handle.

LOST SIGNAL: I haven’t worked with anyone else yet I’m afraid.

L. SOJINI: Thank you for talking to The Musician. Remember this is your home. Whenever you have something new to share, hit us up anytime. You can even drop your links here.

LOST SIGNAL: My pleasure. Thanks for the opportunity.

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