Exclusive Interview with THE LONELY TOGETHER

From Edinburgh, Scotland, comes the all-encompassing dream rock group The Lonely Together. Based on the powerful songwriting of Mike Baillie, the group has established a high bar for an independent group, working out of some of Scotland and America’s best studios and touring with artists like Snow Patrol, Augustana, Luke Sital-Singh, Idlewild, Delays, Katie Malco, and others.

The Lonely Together from Edinburgh, Scotland, have released a snappy, direct new single called “Don’t Ask Don’t Get.” It is the first track from the band’s upcoming second album, “Endless Sunset Oblivion,” which will be released in August 2023. Not your typical love song, songwriter Mike Baillie offers some powerful life advice about unrequited love and seizing the moment.Check out the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

THE LONELY TOGETHER: I’m from Edinburgh, Scotland. Y’know, where the history is from! I grew up always looking at Glasgow though, as the indie scene back then put ours’ to shame. It used to be really exciting to me, going through there to see bands with my sister and obsessing over new ones all the time. I ended up living through there for many years, actually, and forming The Lonely Together in CaVa Studios there and the rest is y’know… history haha – I always end up returning home to Edinburgh though, both physically and conversationally, apparently…!

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

THE LONELY TOGETHER: I took some guitar lessons at school and always loved experimenting. Once I’d picked up the basics though, I veered away from lessons and somehow taught myself how to play in the bizarre way I do now haha

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘THE LONELY TOGETHER’?

THE LONELY TOGETHER: After growing up on my dad’s record collection of Neil Young, The Moody Blues and Pilot + so many more, I got into a lot of scuzzy American bands, like Tripping Daisy, The Replacements, Everclear etc. I’m a sucker for big sounds and big choruses, always have been. I think I maybe mellowed young though, as I started discovering wistful bands like Prefab Sprout and the softer leanings of James Iha and Lou Barlow etc. I just love music so much – all sorts, all the time. …and I can still rock out – please print that, haha The Lonely Together was born out of me trying to describe the music that I had written and recorded, back at Cava Studios. I had been calling the band ‘Nuclear Football’ for about two years in the studio, which I clearly thought was hilarious at the time. Instead of trying to fit something half-baked and cynical around the music, I ended up trying to think of who it might appeal to – the joy, the melancholy, the occasional darkness and the community in the songs. I landed on ‘Lonely Together’, finally adding ‘The’ on a wonderful summer phone call with one of my best friends and collaborator on that first record, Matthew Casey. Good times.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

THE LONELY TOGETHER: I ultimately write from the heart and I think that when you do that, it is easy for people to relate – whether it’s finding comfort or joy or anything that might allow them to express themselves and/or feel like they’re not alone. The world is a ridiculous place, more and more by the day – but music still wields this wonderful power and ability to unite. That’s what I’m here to do, as much as possible. A magazine once described The Lonely Together as a ‘dream rock’ band and to be honest, I’ve been running with that ever since haha – it’s certainly cooler and more accurate than ‘indie rock’ or something, y’know? Recently though, to go some way towards what I was saying a second ago, I’ve been adding the word ‘Universal’ to it. Universal Dream Rock is now a thing. And you heard it here first. We’re for everybody. And we’re coming for you. !

5. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

THE LONELY TOGETHER: My answer to this would always have been STUDIO, every time, up until that pandemic thing. At least half of the guitars and keyboard parts on this new record, ‘Endless Sunset Oblivion’ were tracked at home, in and around lockdowns and then EQ’d for the mix, at Post Electric Studios, Edinburgh. I’m in a very fortunate position at home, in terms of making noise… In all truth, I went for it. “All that sweet studio volume, in your own home!”. It all came together very naturally and actually pretty easily, which might make me a ‘best of both worlds’ guy now. But I’ll always live for the buzz of recording in a proper studio environment. Nothing beats that, in terms of making a record.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

THE LONELY TOGETHER: I think sometimes music is the only rational, gut reaction to politics and I’m really not afraid to go there, these days. We’re in a real pickle, politically at the moment, the world over and there’s at least three tracks on ‘Endless Sunset Oblivion’ that go there. I’m not The Sex Pistols or anything… but I did predict Donald Trump’s insurrection attempt in ‘Let Down’, just saying… haha As far as religion goes, I’ve definitely made mention of a god in a couple of songs – usually abandoning us – this is what you wanted, right? The cheerful stuff?! Joking aside, I don’t think any subject is off the table, these days. If something is on my mind, it tends to come out. If that happens to be in a song, so be it – I will try to put it to a killer melody and make people feel something, if I can.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

THE LONELY TOGETHER: I’m really hoping to get back to being a full band again. That pandemic thing kinda stuffed me on that front but it’s still important to me to try and represent these songs, as intended, in the live environment. As for fulfillment, the current music industry model makes this very difficult indeed, playing into the hands of the labels and top acts through their market shares. Don’t get me started on that though… haha. Ultimately, making music makes me happy. I continue to find inspiration and joy in it, so I’ll be here a while yet, doing just that.

8. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as INDIE?

THE LONELY TOGETHER: Oh, great question. Growing up, I was determined to find out EXACTLY how many of the songs I loved were played/constructed on guitar. I had an old German tape recorder and would sit for hours on end, cataloguing progress as I slowly cracked the code on many of them. I even still have those tapes somewhere. Terrifying, haha! I definitely put the hours in, back then, learning the ways of the infinitely more successful but also somehow applying and developing my own skillset as I did. In many ways I’m still learning and teaching myself new things, and actually hoping to ‘unmellow’ myself a little for album #3. We’re going full circle!

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

THE LONELY TOGETHER: The recent, sudden and cruel loss of my incredible sister, Jennifer continues to be the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to endure. I will never get over it. In music, I don’t think I have arrived at the most difficult thing yet. Invariably and sadly probably inevitably, it will be the day that I am forced on to TikTok. Still standing strong for now, though.

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

THE LONELY TOGETHER: ‘Endless Sunset Oblivion’. This new record is my proudest moment, so far. I’ve dug deeper with it than I maybe ever have before and I’m truly excited for people to hear it and let these songs do what they will do for them, individually. It also makes me excited to try and dig even deeper for the next one. Thank you for having me – MB