Hi Podge Lane, thanks for joining us today, Introduce us to you and your musical history.
Well, my name is Padraig Lane, I perform under my childhood nickname of Podge Lane. I started playing music around 17, so coming up on 10 years this March. I was always a huge music fan, but never learned until later when
What was life like for you before music?
Lots of sports. Lots of sports are played badly.
What was the first song you heard that steered you into a music path?
I remember when I was young hearing Johnny Cash Live at San Quentin, specifically ‘Boy Named Sue Live’. It was unlike anything I’d ever heard. I loved the chaos, I loved the energy, I loved that he talked so much between songs, and would laugh or joke or sing out of tune. It was pure magic, and even though I wouldn’t play music for another 10 or so years, it’s definitely my starting point.
Where do you feel you currently sit within the music industry?
Well, next year I’ll be releasing my third album, along with having released a slew of live albums and EP’s. I’m happy to see myself as an artist with a hefty back catalogue, a pretty damn good live show, and a great life that lets me travel and play my songs, hopefully making some people’s days a little less lonely.
What’s the biggest thing you have learned from someone else in the industry?
A US Folk artist that I hugely admire once said ‘Make your music’. I just thought that was such a lovely sentiment, simple and to the point, stop worrying about what anyone else is doing and make your music.
They also told me my second favourite bit of advice, put your socks in the sound hole of your guitar when traveling, so you have more room in your bag.
Tell us two truths and a lie about you.
I own 2 separate Nintendo Wii’s set up in different rooms in my house, I can knit a whole scarf in 4 hours, and I have never seen James Bond, Indiana Jones or Back to The Future.
If you could wish for one thing to aid your career what would it be?
More time to write in the day.
Do you ever worry about people taking things the wrong way or cancel culture? Discuss….
No, I think you should always try to be kind, and if you’ve done something that has hurt someone you should be held accountable. No one deserves to be hurt. Music, and everything else in life, is about finding joy in each day, so why try to use it to hurt someone else?
Do you sign up to any conspiracy theories? If not why not?
The reason people can’t believe it’s not butter is because it is butter. Dun, Dun, Dunnnn.
What was the worst experience on stage?
I once played a show where at the very start my cable broke, I lost my picks, my strap broke and within the second song my guitar string broke and I forgot to bring a spare. I played the entire show on a stool, my thumb bleeding, and with 5 strings.
Tell us something about you that you think people would be surprised about.
I hate talking in public. Unless I’m playing music, I don’t really like attention. Give me a room of people asking for Podge Lane. I can fill 2 hours without a breath. Ask me to call someone I don’t know. No, thank you.
What makes you stand out as an artist?
I guess that I like to be brutally honest in my music. I don’t need people to think I’m cool, I am well aware I am an awkward guy, so I write songs about the dumb stuff I’ve said or done. I hope it allows other people who feel that way to see themselves in my music and realize they are normal and it’s ok. That, and my live shows, are my two favourite parts of my artistry. If I am playing live, whether it’s for 4 or 400 people, I am going to give it 100%. No repeated setlists, all energy, all jokes, even if I’m floundering on stage, you’re getting 100% of me.
I hear you have a new music, what can you tell us about it.
I have a new double single coming out, all about the beauty and worry of winter. “Snow” is about that beautiful moment when all your worries disappear and you see it’s snowing, like when you were a kid, everything just kind of stops. The second song “Hailstone” is about the idea of worry, and how it manifests as you get older in the same way a hailstorm would, starts slow, then all of a sudden you’re worried it’s damaging the house, you’re looking for towels and trying anything to stop it, only for it to leave again before your aware it’s gone.
What was the recording process like?
When I write a song I usually hear most of the mix in my head already. I wrote ‘Snow’ and recorded the entire instrumental in about 3 hours, and then wrote and recorded ‘Hailstone’ in about two. I record all instruments myself, one after another, as If I am every member of a live session band, leaving the mistakes or odd timing in unless I feel it truly needs another take. At that point I was almost done, the only thing that took a while was truly getting the lyrics of ‘Snow’ perfect. I think I took 3 days just walking and writing page after page, I cut the best part from each and then recorded on day 4.
What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes?
Stopping myself from worrying about what others think. Sometimes I stop myself when recording and save one version as “Podge’s Mix” and one as “Everyone else’s.” “Podge’s Mix” is when I know I would listen to this song, and “Everyone else’s Mix” is when I painstakes over things that I feel other people care about. I always make sure to get to the end of both, and I always tend to prefer “Podge’s mix”.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
Oh for sure like 8000 things probably, and that’s why it’s perfect.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
My third album, which does not include these new songs, will be out summer of 2024, along with a string of Irish and EU dates. Also, did you know the filling in Kit Kats is made from damaged Kit Kats? Just found that out this week, that’s pretty cool.
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