Pet Names

"Lost Boys" is an anthem and a rallying cry initially written for my hometown of Sunderland, UK. The scars of the early 1980s still linger, when the UK government rapidly shut down the national shipbuilding and mining industries, tearing away the very essence of the city's identity and pride. These industries were not only sources of income for the men of Sunderland; they represented a centre of gravity for the community, their sense of belonging, and their pride. The jobs lost weren't replaced for decades and the community suffered greatly. 

The consequences of that jolting loss continue to reverberate today. Addiction-related deaths in the area are a staggering 50% higher than the national average, and the suicide rates soar over 40% above the rest of the nation. Yet, amidst this pain, I have encountered some of the warmest, most resilient people in my hometown. They deserve so much more than the decades of neglect and mistreatment by successive governments. With "Lost Boys," we aim to contribute to the rising wave of revitalisation for a city and its people. 

Hear the industrial sounds of the percussion elements in the production - like hammers on steel - and listen to the lyrics to be transported back. We hope this can become an uplifting anthem for a renewed togetherness, countering the hate that disillusionment can lead to when capitalised on by negative actors. We could be, we can be more.

- Matt Belmont


LYRICS

My town was meant to build the boys 
We fell asleep to all the hammering, a lullaby of noise and 
these boats are build to face the waves 
And if no one’s gonna build ‘em how the hell we ever gonna prove our names 
On the river…….
There’s a toll on the river

Lost boys what we gonna do now 
who do we look to to lead us all out
And can an old town ever get bold 
when they took it’s soul
will we ever be, ever be more 
than our fathers ghosts 
We could be
We could be more

We hold the air ‘til Friday night 
Then too much oxygen at once can cause a fire start a fight and…
So we drink ‘til we forget
That we can’t sleep without the noise
This sound was meant to build the boys

But there’s a toll on the river
There’s a soul to deliver

Lost boys what we gonna do now 
who do we look to, to lead us all out 
And can an old town ever get bold 
when they took it’s soul
will we ever be ever be more 
Than our fathers ghosts 
We could be 
We could be more 

Making noise on the river
Cutting your hands in the dirt
Endless smoke in the air
breathe it in ‘til it hurts
But there’s a lie that we
That we don’t have to believe
When we could be
We could be free

Lost boys what we gonna do now 
who do we look to, to lead us all out 
And can an old town ever get bold 
when they took it’s soul
will we ever be, ever be more 
Than our fathers ghosts 

We could be more 
We could be more.

Lost Boys

“Aeroplane Park” – a nostalgic fever dream about love, longing and youthful innocence, set at the turn of the millennium.

For the radio edit, please email us at info@emergermusic.com 

Download the press release: https://emergermusic.com/aeroplane-park-press-release

Written by Emma de Goede & Gerry Matthee
Recorded at SoundBorough Studios
Produced and mixed by Gerry Matthee 
Mixing assistance by Dave Langemann
Mastered by Mike Zietsman

Vocals | Emma de Goede
Synths, guitars, piano, drums | Gerry Matthee

Cover artwork by Jonathan Leppan & Chané Maritz (StackShot)

Lost Boys

Belle Mt.

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