Investigate this hideous din.

We welcome Ian Lynch as our first Rebel Matters guest of 2021! Many listeners will know Ian from the acclaimed folk group Lankum, and more recently from his podcast Fire Draw Near, a monthly show which investigates Irish traditional music and song in all of its myriad forms.

Try on the boots.

Ian opens up about an unseen aspect of being in a regularly gigging band, giving us a sense of the havoc that a heavy touring schedule can wreak on the body and mind. Just what has he been doing with all this free time, now that gigging is off the cards for the foreseeable future?

Check the wall for secret passages.

We went down a pretty unconventional path with this episode, discussing the fantastical world of Fighting Fantasy role-playing gamebooks that Ian has been a fan of since he was eight years old. We even played a bit of one of them during the episode! We talk about the role that mythologies play in helping people make sense of the world and their place in it. Listen in to hear more about the sub-underground genre of music that Ian has recently been exploring in a solo guise!

Check the tools more carefully.

Ian also speaks about the stark difference for artists between music streaming platforms such as Spotify and Bandcamp, and we share our experiences of making connections with others through Patreon.

You'll need stamina, luck and skill to make it through this episode. Good luck!