Unsigned Spotlight: The Lunar Laugh
The Lunar Laugh is an Alternative Pop Rock band based in Oklahoma City. Their music intertwines their modern pop and rock structure with hooks under the influence of powerpop masterworks of the 60s and 70s.
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
The 3 main band members:
Jared Lekites - main singer/songwriter, guitar, multiple other instruments, founder of The Lunar Laugh
Connor Anderson - guitar, vocals, piano, mandolin, organ, co-writer of several songs, co-founder of The Lunar Laugh
Campbell Young - guitar, vocals, bass, keyboards, songwriter, sometimes engineer, joined The Lunar Laugh on 2nd album in 2017
with: Triston Lightner - new member, bass and harmony vocals
Levi Sherman - new member, drums, percussion and harmony vocals
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to The Lunar Laugh? How long has the band been around?
Jared and Campbell had solo work prior to The Lunar Laugh. Connor was in the folk duo, Southern Rift. Campbell and Triston are also in the band Don't Tell Dena. When not drumming, Levi is a bassist for singer/songwriter Sophia Massad.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
The band name is a phrase comes from an album Elektra Records put out in the 1960s called "Cosmic Sounds - The Zodiac". It was the first and only name considered for the band.
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?
Jared, Connor and Campbell all contribute to the songwriting but Jared writes the lion's share of the material. Outside songwriters and occasional covers are also thrown in to the mix. Most of the songs are about life, relationships and shared human experience. There's love songs and falling out of love songs.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
We really do take in everything we can. A lot of our friends are also in bands and we tend to pay attention to what they are doing to see what they are trending towards. But at the same time, we try not to rely too heavily on what is trending. We just make records that we would want to listen to.
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
Though it may seem like a generic answer, The Beatles are all time favorites for all of us. Jared has almost encyclopedic knowledge of their entire catalog.
Also Garth Brooks.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
Jared chugs a Red Bull. Connor tunes his guitars. Campbell juggles rubber chickens. Triston polishes his boots. Levi straightens his beanie.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
We got to go out on tour in 2019 and play our music in Reno, Nevada as well as Burbank and San Diego, California. We all piled in, gear and all, into one SUV and drove all the way and back from Oklahoma City. That's the farthest we have all traveled together so far. It was a lot of fun.
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
We are happy to tour with anyone but I think a band like Counting Crows would be a great fit. They usually make a big effort to highlight their openers and make sure they get heard.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We appreciate you taking the time to chat.
We have been keeping busy going through our archives and preparing a live album which we currently plan on having out near the end on 2020 or early next year.