Kieran Webber
Director and Founder of CLUNK Magazine, CLUNK Events, and other CLUNK affiliate businesses. You’ll probably find me tucked away somewhere sending emails, listening to music, and creating content.
Irish artist Podge Lane chats to us about his new single ‘Left Foot Right Foot (Panic)’, dream collaborations, and more
We first caught wind of Podge Lane with his 2020 track ‘Don’t Take it From Me’, a sweeping indie track that was remisncent of Willie J Healey or Boy Azooga. Since then, he has toured across the UK and Ireland and released multiple singles and albums. Now, he returns to us with his latest cut ‘Left Foot Right Foot (Panic)’, a track that has a more psychedelic feel and one of an artist that is growing with his music.
As it had been a while we wanted to catch up and see what Podge Lane had been up to in the past few years, what his new single is all about, and much more.
Kieran: Hey mate! Great to speak to you again! How’re you feeling?
PL: Hey! I’m so happy to get to talk to you again, it’s always a pleasure! Contrary to the lyrical topics in my latest singles, I’m doing really good at the moment.
Kieran: It’s been a while since we last spoke. How have things been and what have you been up to?
PL: Yeah, so I’ve basically drank an oceans worth of coffee and been releasing as much music as possible! I released my debut album Outer Monologues in 2021, my sophomore album Common Country Misconceptions in 2023, a host of special singles, and toured extensively both headline shows and opening for some of my favourite acts from the UK and US! I’ve also nearly finished Fallout New Vegas, only took me 10 years.
Kieran: Your sound has changed a fair bit since we last spoke, you’re entering your ‘Sgt. Peppers’ era, it seems. The new single ‘Left Foot Right Foot (Panic) has psychedelic elements and even introduces the electric guitar. It sounds great! How do you feel about your progression as an artist?
PL: Oh wow, thank you for that! It comes as no shock I’m a huge Beatles fan, Magical Mystery Tour is a top 10 album for me, and sonically I’m definitely drawing from that era. I love to give myself rules and structure when recording, because when you play most of the instruments yourself it can really become a chore knowing when something’s done and when it’s overdoing it. So with my first two albums I stuck to the rule of no electric guitar, at all. And let me tell you it was hard, but it helped me hone a more unique sound, so that when I brought it back for this album, it’s felt like a new weapon in my arsenal. Plus getting to play electric slide guitar is way too fun, and if I could I would put it on every song.
Listen to ‘Left Foot Right Foot (Panic)’ here:
Kieran: Can you talk us through the new single and what it means to you?
PL: Well ‘Left Foot Right Foot (Panic)’ was the first song I wrote when coming up with the new album, it inspired the whole record thematically. It’s about aging, and that fear of never living up to your crazy goals or aspirations you may feel you have to hit by a certain age.
Kieran: What was the writing and recording process like on this one?
PL: This was a fun one to record. I wanted it to have a jaunty yet slightly off kilter vibe, so for once I started with the piano, an instrument I’m not super comfortable on. Turns out that was a blessing, because translating that bare bones riff to piano could have been complicated if I had more options, but playing on the piano I was almost thumping it out. The electric slide guitar came late but was lifted the whole song, adding an extra layer of country and blues. I recorded everything myself, and this song took the least amount of time on the album, I’m really proud with how it turned out.
Kieran: Did you take influence from any particular people or artists for this release?
PL: Like we mentioned earlier, lots of psychedelic rock or chamber pop of the 70s. The Beatles, Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson. I wanted it to feel like an artist from that time writing about modern anxieties.
Kieran: If you could collab with any producer or artist who would it be, and why?
PL: For me Taylor Goldsmith of the band Dawes. He is my favourite living songwriter, and I could gush here about any song from his catalogue and how one line can feel like an entire novel. He’s the top, the pinnacle of songwriting for me, so yeah, hey Taylor!
Kieran: Lastly, what else is in the pipeline for 2024?
PL: My third album Multiple Dead Ends will be out in late August, with an Irish and UK tour in the fall! I also have some other special projects in the work that you’ll be hearing more about very soon!
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