We got the chance to speak with Peter Cole and Byron Issacs from Lost Leaders. They've played for a sold out crowd of 2,000 in The Capitol Theatre and are coming back for more, this time at Garcia's on January 13. It's a special night as they will be debuting their new EP, "Heavy Lifting

1. You’ve opened for Trigger Hippy's sold out show at The Capitol Theatre last March. What do you find different from playing for a larger crowd in comparison to a more intimate room like Garcia’s?

It's just a different kind of charge. Obviously its an awesome rush playing to 2,000 people but it can be just as great playing to 200 where you can get a more direct level of feedback and energy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q868WaBPXMc

2. Your new single “Volunteer” sounds futuristic with a lot of awesome guitar delay and vocal echoes going on. How is it that you found this type of sound and decided to pursue it in the studio?

It wasn't a deliberate process. We record the basics of each song live as a trio - bass, drums, guitar with a scratch vocal as a guide. Then when we're adding overdubs we just follow the song. Sometimes I try 6 or 10 different guitars, amps, effects for a single part until I find the one that fits. The song really tells you what it wants.

3. You guys recorded your new EP in Levon Helm’s iconic barn. Wow. Can you tell us a bit about this process? Did the environment influence any particular song on the EP?

We recorded the first Lost Leaders record at Levon's. "Heavy Lifting" was recorded at a different barn in Marlboro NY. The barn is actually made out of the parts of a church that was torn down. There is a wall made out of nothing but doors. There's stained glass and huge beams. So it has its own history like Levon's does. The vibe is pretty killer. The impact that vibe has on the sound is more about how relaxed we feel playing in that space. That comes across. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENRJ_KOSda4

4. We’re super excited for you to debut your upcoming EP Heavy Lifting for us at Garcia’s. What differentiates this specific album from your past work?

This one was done under more of a tight schedule. Byron has been touring with The Lumineers this past year and that created scheduling conflicts that we had to work around. We needed to follow up the "Lost Leaders" record with something great but couldn't wait to get more than the 6 songs on the new E.P. We were certainly more focused and deliberate with this record but we had to get something out before we could record 10 or 11 songs. If you're not appearing you're disappearing.

5. With band members being from both Westchester, New York, and Brooklyn, is there anything that makes the Westchester music scene special or different from Brooklyn?

Yeah. The Cap & Garcia's! You guys are the best game in town out here really so I think there's a more concentrated scene here. There are so many venues in NYC that it's tough for any one to stand out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i_-d9o976g