Musical Influences The Beatles, Paul Weller, Jeff Buckley, 60s Music

Similar Artists Aimee Mann, Elastica, Blondie, The Pretenders, Bettie Serveert

Artist History "From the first time I saw Paul Weller (December 10, 1990), I knew what I wanted to do," says Aimee Lay, the striking voice behind Southern California alterna-pop trio, The Lost & Found. Mod legend Paul Weller is not the icon you would expect a Manhattan Beach, CA native, who grew up around the beach playing volleyball, to worship, but then, singer/songwriter/guitarist Aimee Lay is not what you'd expect. For starters, Lay's history in the local music scene belies her youthful appearance. Since she abandoned athletics for the world of rock & roll in the early 90's as a high school junior, Lay has served as the vocalist for ska band Out of Order, gone Christmas caroling with punk heroes the Descendents (she went on to play in two bands with original Descendents bassist Tony Lombardo), opened for legendary Firehose/Minutemen bassist Mike Watt, and played at such hallowed LA venues as the Roxy, the Whisky, and Spaceland. Lay credits the solo shows she did in recent years with giving her the confidence to fully put her songs out there. "I changed from those," she says. "I realized I just couldn't give a fuck about what anybody else thought anymore." Bandmates Lisa Dyer (bass) and Erik Herrera (drums) took her across the finish line. "I feel really comfortable with this band," Lay says. "This is the first time I feel like it's genuine and I don't have to constantly prove myself musically." The musical relationship between Lay and Herrera dates back five years, and encompasses a series of projects, including the Sirens, Crash, and Herrera's other current project, Deluca. "We really understand each other's music," Lay says. "And I can trust his sensibilities and judgment." "I enjoy playing with Aimee because when it comes down to it, I'm just a fan of her music," Herrera says simply. Dyer joined the band after the demo was recorded, but Lay knew as soon as a mutual friend told her that Dyer was also a devotee of the Jam that she had found her bass player. "There was an immediate chemistry when we met," Lay recalls. "Then when she heard the songs, I knew she understood what I was going for musically." Lay's newfound ease shines through in the infectious pop gems that make up the Lost & Found's impressive demo. Whether it be the crunching hooks of the buoyant "Home Away From Home," or the Beatle-esque psychedelic-pop guitars of "I Wanna Believe," in which Lay sings, "One's my lucky number/Even though I feel so alone," Lay deftly confronts the insecurities we all feel while crafting melodies that will bounce around your head for days. If there's a recurring theme to Lay's songs, it's the hunger to get past those insecurities. "I guess my songs are about searching for something," she says. "The songs I've always loved-'Lodi' (CCR), 'I'm One' (the Who), 'Lover, You Should've Come Over' (Jeff Buckley)-have their misery and desperation, but they look for a way out of that. I want people to hear my music and know we're on this quest together." In the sweet nostalgia of the guitar-rich "Flashes," Lay finds the positive in a failed relationship. "I know it's not the end/But it seemed so near...Honest and free/We lived to see the height of eternal mystery," she sings. In the chorus though, she declares, "For once in my life, I wasn't scared to be alive...I'll be okay/It’s alright." While the song is about a past relationship and the high Lay got from knowing that someone believed in her, the chorus could just as easily apply to the thrill she gets being on stage and having people respond to her music. "After one show I did," she recalls, "I had a young girl write an e-mail about how she wanted to be up there, playing the guitar just like me." Lay is determined to get past the stereotype of being a woman who plays a guitar and writes songs. Though it's 2002, and there have been many women before her to blaze the trail, Lay says she still feels that perception exists. "When I play people a song I've written, they're surprised it doesn't sound like Jewel." Then with a smile, she adds, "At least they're pleasantly surprised."

Group Members Aimee Lay (vocals & guitar) Lisa Dyer (bass) Erik Herrera (drums & vocals) Al Lay (guitar & vocals)

Location Los Angeles, CA - USA

Copyright notice. All material on MP3.com is protected by copyright law and by international treaties. You may download this material and make reasonable number of copies of this material only for your own personal use. You may not otherwise reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, or create derivative works of this material, unless authorized by the appropriate copyright owner(s).