Despite their relative youth and inexperience, Lost Puppy have already harnessed this emotive composition into an enthralling and high-energy live show, bringing a dynamic and highly accessible performance on record and on stage. Today, we’re premiering their new music video for "Satellite’s Way.”

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Steve Cherkassky - Vocals, Guitarist

Philip Nielsen - Bass

Carlo Ribaux - Drums

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Lost Puppy? How long has the band been around?

Carlo: I’ve joined LP as soon as Steve moved to Los Angeles. We had initially met when we both lived in Boston but only started playing together when Steve moved here in 2016. I’m an absolute band whore and am playing with a variety of other bands like Victory Kid, MARY and Beaux as well as touring artists like Heffron Drive, Coucheron and Gingger Shankar.

Steve: I played with a few local bands out of Philly and Boston here and there, but Lost Puppy has been my personal songwriting project since forever.

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

Steve: It was a term of endearment throughout college that just stuck. Some close friends would call me Lost Puppy based on the wide-eyed look of worry and bewilderment on my face whenever I’d enter a room. Everything was fresh, exciting and kinda scary back then. Not much has changed. The world is still pretty confusing. I don’t think I could ever change it now. The band name I mean. Not the world. 

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

Steve: Guilty! The themes are often poetic narratives of personal events, and intense emotional experiences. I love any sort of EPIC imagery that tugs at those heart strings. I definitely see my songs evolving into something more straightforward lyrically. Not as much metaphor. As for the music itself, I never want to feel shackled by genre or subject matter. It’s always such an incredible feeling to discover a new creative element within oneself.

Carlo: Steve usually has a very precise vision of what the drums should do in a song. It’s my task to match that vision with my own voice as a musician as well as bringing in my own ideas.

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

Phil: 70’s pop and rock , proto punk jams. MC5 , Lou reed velvet underground , TREX

Love the musicianship of a lot of the MOTOWN cats.

Carlo: It sounds cliché, but I listen to everything. And I actively make myself listen to a lot of different stuff, so I don’t rust. There are so many musical concepts and ideas. I like to get inspired by them and apply them in a rock context! 

Steve: I truly admire the music that’s coming out of the LA music scene these days. There are some amazing fellow songwriters and contemporary music acts that inspire me to really step my game up or be left in the dust. 

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

Phil: BLINK 182 , the clash , Rancid, Fleshies and a load of UK 2 tone bands have been a huge influence on sound and message of what I have been wanting to create.

Steve: I love a bunch of big name acts and they played their part in influencing the decision to start a band, but nothing will ever top growing up back in Pennsylvania. Nursing a love of jamming and improvised musical shenanigans in the basement of a friend’s house with a few other punk kids always made playing in a unit with other crazy, artistic types all the more rewarding.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, etc …

Steve: some pre-show dance-offs to stay limber, and maybe a little liquid courage to settle the nerves.

Carlo: I usually scope the grounds and get a feel for the acoustics in the room. I keep my warm-ups relatively brief and sometimes even do them in the car ride to the venue, but they are necessary. I focus on fingers and wrists and often times do them without sticks, just stretching my joints. 

Phil: Stay to myself to preserve energy so I can blast the venue. Ballistic boxer warmups I think it’s called. Where you hit yourself on the areas of the body you want to warm up. You should try it.

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

Carlo: A highlight for me is to see how we have grown together as a musical unit in the short time that we have been a band. Some of our best, most rock and roll performances were in dive bars around LA and I will never forget them!

Steve: Also, playing two sets at Echo Park Rising 2018 was pretty amazing. There were tons of people that could walk up and hear us play since we were right next door to The Echo and a local gallery which was publicized by LA Weekly because of their efforts to raise money for charity. It was a chance to be heard by music lovers and play alongside a bunch of up-and-coming LA acts.

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

Steve: I think Remo Drive, Pine Grove, Jeff Rosenstock, and Paramore would be super fun to jump on a tour with since I really admire their music and I feel like I could learn some things watching them kill it on stage. 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Steve: Just that we’re super thankful for this spotlight and can’t wait for y’all to hear our new stuff!