Interview
Cru cru Podge Lane, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
I was asked to sing Ho Hey by The Lumineers with a good friend of mine in school when I was about 17. That coupled with the fact I was terrible at sports, led my Mom to suggest guitar lessons. I always loved music, every genre, but didn’t realise until I wrote my first song that music was everything to me, and still is.
What is "Down" and why is it so quirky?
Down is a wild song about all those negativities in your life that bring you Down. I made it in my home studio, played all of the instruments and tried to create this controlled chaos that felt like a band breaking Down in front of you. It was inspired by everything from MJ Lendermen to Wilco, Buffy Sainte Marie to Joanna Newson, to the Blue Man Group to Clipping. It’s broken, it’s weird, it’s me, so I guess that might be quirky.
What memorable responses have you had to your work so far?
For me the response that was most memorable was when a quite famous artist on the American blues/folk scene, who I admired for years, said “Thank you for making this album”. I’ve had bigger responses, but that’s my most memorable.
Do you see yourself as music - nerd?
Absolutely. I think about music all the time. Writing it, reading about it, anything I can do that involves music. I played a show recently where I had to travel 12 hours to the show, played for 2 and a half hours until I was drenched and then did three interviews on the train back to the hotel. At that point I should have been sick of music right? I stayed up for 2 hours in the hotel watching videos of Jeff Tweedy, Colin Hay and Jack White performing and being interviewed. I am a music nerd through and through.
What’s your favorite artist from the Irish scene?
Mick Flannery, he was a big influence when I started making music, and I Own You is one of my top albums.
Can you tell us a cringe memory of yours?
I got bit by a turkey as a kid. I think about it every time I smell turkey.
How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
I can’t lie and say “oh it devalued music, people can get music for free and that’s horrible”, because without the internet, I wouldn’t have found my music. I was a kid growing up in a pretty rural village, how was I supposed to find Johnny Flynn or Bahamas without it? However, once I got older I would go on to buy vinyls and shirts from these acts, to pay back the music I had found on YouTube. So I think it didn’t necessarily destroy the music ecosystem, but rather created a larger divide between those who pay for music and those who don’t feel they have to. There are more people with large record collections, but also more people who just use streaming, whereas two decades ago everyone had a few cd’s and a radio. So yeah it’s complicated. I am but a humble bread man with no answer….
How would you describe your perfect day?
Playing music, hanging with my partner, seeing my family and then watching a movie.
What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Rocky IV
Do you sing in the shower? If yes, what songs?
No, I don’t have the confidence for it ironically.
Do you agree with the Pigeon?
Of course, pigeons are like streetwise crows.
Review
Podge Lane's "Down" features riffs that gain more and more power in order to build up tension that is released by intense drums and charismatic lyrics about loves and dislikes that emerge from behind the microphone. The bridge of "Down" is also quite playful and the sarcastic lyrics that deal with a second rejection couldn't fall closer to my nest... The structure of "Down" seems to take its cues from Pavement's legendary indie rock by featuring super catchy riffs and an exquisite atmosphere. Last but not least, "Down" ends by dismantling itself in a playful way, similar to the cathartic way I used to dismantle my LEGOs.
Discovered via http://musosoup.com
This coverage was created via Musosoup