The Lost Gecko are a band hailing from Cork, Ireland, formed in 2006 by Scottish-born singer-songwriter Malcolm Urquhart. Malcolm is joined by cellist Elaine Urquhart, John Burke and Nils Elders. Between Malcolm’s soaring vocals, intense lyrics, vibrant guitar playing and Elaine’s emotive cello lines, The Lost Gecko’s music is outside the box; an intricate weaving of sound, melody and rhythms with spontaneous bursts of exploratory improvisation. Let’s chat to Malcolm…
Who inspired you to make music?
Definitely Mum and Dad who always encouraged us to play and practice. So it came from those early days when I used to improvise on the piano, mum would always stick her head round the door to ask ‘What’s that Malcolm?’ I spent many hours after going to the cinema, working on the theme tunes, for example, Jurassic Park, Indian Jones, Superman, all classics. So when my dad’s best pal lent me a guitar for a week, I was hooked. I picked up the REM ‘radio song’ riff and from there I was off. I think I spent a year in my bedroom after school learning the Metallica black album. Good times! What a buzz though to finally learn those riffs that were blasting through the stereo.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
People say Indie, I say mine. I think describing music is subjective. If I can describe it then it’s lost its meaning and soul. The music that I can’t describe creates Goosebumps, that’s the music I want to create, but Goosebumps are different for everyone!
What is your creative process like?
Any piece, either piano, Ukulele or guitar, if it picks my ears up, then I pursue it. I don’t try to complicate it as if the song is meant to be, then it’ll come.
We record the basic structure in the house, vocals, guitar, cello parts, etc then send the stems on to John and Nils.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Eddie Vedder
How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
The Internet is the music business now isn’t it? It’s all really overwhelming to be honest. I do as much as I can, which will never be enough. When I’m posting or promoting a gig coming up , it always feels like wasted time that could be spent outside or singing. But on the other hand, people get to know about us and our gigs. There’s so many souls out there so determined to be liked by everyone. This makes me sad. They are wasting a lot of time instead of following the heart.
What is your favorite song to perform?
My favourite is called ‘Can you see me?’
I wrote this about the attacks on the Bataclan in Paris. There was a husband, his wife had been shot and was dying. If he stayed by her side, he would die too, and he didn’t want to leave her side. The song reflects on decision making and love in a time of complete fear and devastation. We have a lot of cellos on the song and it’s falsetto throughout, so I think it’s quite haunting.
Stream music by The Lost Gecko now here: https://songwhip.com/thelostgecko/the-fox-and-the-lie
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