Interview with The Lutras: ‘It’s more of a conversation song, it felt effortless when we did it’

Dumfries, Scotland-based rock band The Lutras will be bringing out their debut EP later this year.

They comprise Ben Clements (vocals), Ben Nash (bass), Finley Maxwell (drums), Thomas Gillan (guitar) and newly-added Michael Grant (guitar). They formed in 2013 having met at school and have been dreaming of playing to huge audiences and giving up their day jobs to concentrate on music ever since. ‘Originally, we were going be called The Otters but changed it to The Lutras, which is the latin name for ‘otter’,’ Clements said. Or, as they put it: ‘Just 14/15 year olds messing about with google translate trying to find a “cool” name!’

They are still deciding what tracks will feature on the as-of-yet unnamed EP but last month, they released their single ‘You I Need’, a beautiful, heartfelt ballad which also features fellow Scottish singer-songwriter Kate Kyle on vocals. Together, their warm voices are like a sonic hug. Kicking off with the lines “I grab your waist and pull you in and take you back to how we should have been when we were dumb…”, the song builds to a big singalong chorus that you could imagine a crowd singing back to them enthusiastically at a gig.

‘Basically, I was sat watching ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ (the 2005 film starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie) and when they started doing the tango, the line “grab your waist and pull you in” came to me,’ Clements said. ‘I wrote the rest of it as I watched it. I wanted to write something happier, it’s a song where people could grab their partner to dance, I hope people get married to it. I wrote it with Kate in mind, she supported us a few times. It’s more of a conversation song, it felt effortless when we did it. I gave her the lyrics and the melody and she just went with it, I didn’t tell her how to sing it. She was brilliant.’

‘Sometimes, I’m in work and I get a melody in my head’

‘Waiting All Night’, which they released as a single last year, is the polar opposite; it’s more melancholic, lyrically, starting off slowly but quickly building to a guitar-driven rock song. It’s ostensibly about missing someone who has moved onto someone else but trying to get them alone to talk to them: ‘It’s a bit heavier,’ Clements said. ‘I get these scenarios in my head, I picture a scene. Sometimes, I’m in work and I get a melody in my head. I get the music first, then the lyrics.’ As the track opens: “I spend all my time sitting at the bar. I’ve had enough, I’m wondering where you are.”

One of my favourite tracks is ‘Only Life’, it hooks you from the off and is a song designed to be played to a big crowd. The high-octane drumming pulls you along and the jangly guitar lines weave in and out as Clements’ vocals build to the anthemic, insanely snappy chorus. It has huge Stereophonics vibes – his voice even has some of Kelly Jones’ raspiness on this track – and when I tell him that, he seems genuinely delighted: ‘I grew up listening to them, The Eagles, Shania Twain, that’s what my mum and dad listened to. Then I found bands like Kings of Leon and The View (a Scottish indie rock band). ‘Only Life’ is one of the first songs I’d written, we just wanted a big, punchy song, that stadium vibe (laughs).’ I say that big, catchy choruses are becoming a defining part of their sound and he agrees: ‘You’ve got to have a big, catchy chorus!,’ he said enthusiastically. As the song goes: “Would you trade for another life, tend to waste what you had in mind.”

If he could go for a pint with anyone, he picks John Lennon or Elvis. ‘Or Joe Walsh (from The Eagles) in the 70’s, ‘cos he’s mental (laughs), that’s my vibe!’ He would also put The Eagles on his dream line-up. ‘I saw them a couple of weeks ago,’ he said happily. ‘And The Beatles and Shania Twain – and us to headline!’

I ask him what their funniest moment has been as a band. ‘If I can even remember, there’ve been some wild nights (laughs). We were in Birmingham a couple of years ago and got chucked out of our hotel for drinking – we had to sleep in the van!’

(Photo from left to right: Finlay, Ben Clements, Thomas (rear) and Ben Nash.)