Interview: The Transits Chat About Their Recent Release, ‘Lost Ones’

New Zealand/South African Punk Rock lords The Transits recently dropped their new juggernaut of a single called ‘Lost Ones’. We caught up with the band to find out more about the single and video.

Congrats on your recent single and video, ‘Lost Ones’! How did it feel to finally have it out in the world after what seems like a lot of work went into it?

Thank you. It is exciting as we actually came up with the idea for the video when we originally started up the band over a year ago but we decided to hold off on it until we could to it justice. It’s an idea that’s very close to our hearts and a combination of all the things we love- 80’s horror and skateboarding. We’re of course very excited to see the original idea we had all that time ago finally come to fruition, and out for the rest of the world to see it. A ton of work went into this one, and it’s just cool to finally put it out there.

The video for “Lost Ones” draws inspiration from 80’s classic cult films. Can you share insights into the creative process behind the video and how the aesthetics of those films influenced your visual storytelling?

Well, the original idea was basically a mashup of two particular movies that had a huge influence on all three of us when we were growing up. We are massive fans of the 80’s cult classic skate film Thrashin’ and The lost boys. Of course we took artistic license and changed a few things, but the aesthetic was directly influenced by these two movies, and similar movies of the genre. There’s no doubt that 80s horror was a huge theme for us when we were growing up, and that’s very evident in this short film. The trick for us was finding the balance between showing off the song and retaining a clear story. We also put a lot of time into little hidden moments or elements that pay an homage to the films. For instance you can spot a movie poster for Thrashin’ in the Laundromat or the soundtrack to The Lost Boys on vinyl in the record store. All the props and wardrobe were also all from the 80s. That level of detail was important for us.

How would you describe the evolution of your sound, and what elements in this single do you think distinguish it from your previous work?

I think our sound has evolved gradually and naturally from when we started and we’ll continue to fine tune what feels right for the three of us. With Lost Ones, this one was always going to be a concept song, but always being mindful of the foundational sound of the transits juxtaposed with the 80’s concept that we were trying to put out there for this song. We are always pushing ourselves and trying to approach song writing in a fresh way. For Lost Ones we actually had the video concept first so we it was more like scoring a song to our own film. As opposed to the process usually being the other way round.

The 80’s aesthetic is prominent in both the video and the single. What specific aspects of 80’s culture and music did you intentionally incorporate into “Lost Ones,” and how do you feel this era contributes to the overall identity of The Transits?

From out the gate the 80s aesthetic was always going to be the prime focus of this one. Kind of like a bit of a time capsule from our youth and the things that we were really into at the time. The two main influences that we drew from the decade were definitely the skate scene and the horror movie scene, both of which we were absolutely obsessed with. We went as detailed as we could with this film. For example the film ration is 4:3 so almost square just like in the 80s. The film grade and sound effects as well very much played in that space. There’s no doubt that shaped the art that we now make… how could it not?

The synergy between the music and visuals in the video is captivating. Can you tell us about any collaborations or specific decisions made during the production that enhanced the connection between the song and its visual representation?

As mentioned the visual concept for the video came first, and then the music was really crafted around the video. This influenced a lot of the sounds that we used in the song, and the mood that we set for the song, really trying to capture the feel of the decade and the subculture that we were trying to really pay homage to while leaving enough space for the story and have the music hit certain moments within the film.

“Lost Ones” is likely to resonate with fans of both your music and 80’s cinema. How do you anticipate this single strengthening your connection with your existing audience, and what new audience are you hoping to reach with this release?

Well, we really hope our existing fan base like the new single, and if we attract any new fans that dig what we’re putting out there, that’s even better. We’re hoping to draw in some new fans through film rather than music. Music videos are hugely important to our art and a key way for us to reach new fans. The fact that we’re based in two countries makes us really reply on music videos and content. We actually just won Best Music Video 2023 in New Zealand for our song ‘When you went away’.

I guess we’re only gonna put out stuff that we are really into, and if that connects to a wider audience, that’s great.