Provo band Lazy Loners discusses collaboration, future goals
Lazy Loners, an indie soft-rock band from Provo, is working to break into the local music scene with their approach to recording and playing songs.
The band is made up of lead singer and guitarist Sam Soderberg, guitar player Caleb Barlow, bass player Ethan Winters and drum player Dan Phillips — all BYU students. The band got its start when Soderberg and his roommate decided to try playing guitar and bass together.
“I was pretty terrible at guitar, he was pretty terrible at bass, but together we sounded better,” Soderberg said. “We were like, dude, we should form a band.”
The two bought a cheap drum set from Facebook Marketplace, watched some YouTube videos on how to play the drums and got their roommate to try it out. Since then, Phillips has taken over the drums, Barlow started playing guitar for the band and most recently, Winters learned how to play the bass to fill the last missing spot — which they shared was the most difficult part of putting together the band.
“I’m not musically talented. I played guitar off and on a little bit,” Winters said. “The first concert, I only played a couple of the songs, and a few of the songs I just pretended like I was playing.”
The other bandmates said Winters had the look with his long hair, and was able to learn the bass surprisingly fast.
The band recently played an hour-long set at a house concert in Provo, with a crowd filling the living room and spilling into the kitchen and out the front door on March 11. Their set included covers from artists like Coldplay and Olivia Rodrigo, as well as a few original songs.
Maggie Chidester, an audience member at their Friday performance, said she admires the band’s “laid-back and approachable vibe and attitude.”
When asked what sets their band apart from other Provo artists, the members said their authenticity is what makes them unique. “We’re not super strict. If you make a mistake, you just keep playing,” Winters said. “You just play on and have fun.”
“They are completely themselves,” audience member Ana Franco said. “You know that they’re not just out there trying to please the crowd, but they’re genuinely enjoying themselves and living life to the fullest in the moment that they are performing.”
While Lazy Loners is still working on the beginnings of their musical endeavors, they have a few goals they are working toward.
“We would love to play at Battle of the Bands,” Barlow said. Velour Live Music Gallery in downtown Provo hosts Battle of the Bands twice a year, and Lazy Loners’ goal is to get a chance to play it. Popular artists, such as Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees, The Aces and The Backseat Lovers, are among past winners.
Soderberg said they still have some work to do before they can accomplish this goal. “We don’t have a huge following and we have to have more music because we only have demo tracks right now,” he said. “That’s the goal right now, to get recorded.”
With three demo tracks on Spotify, several performances under their belt — including a show at the Velour — Lazy Loners is just starting out. And, according to the band, they are not afraid of the bumpy road it might take to reach their goals.
Soderberg said they made a mistake and quit playing in the middle of one song during their set on Friday, but that did not stop them from laughing it off and continuing their show. He said moments like that add to the fun of their performances.
“Look, most bands, you go, you know they’re gonna play good. For us, you don’t know that,” Soderberg joked.
“People come for the excitement, for the mystery!” Phillips said.
Lazy Loners have an upcoming performance on Friday, March 17 at The Boardwalk. Information about future music and performances can be found on their Instagram.