Longford, lyrics and the land

Three Electric Picnic appearances? Check. Appearing on The Late, Late Show? Check. Playing half time at the 2018 All-Ireland hurling final? Check. Sea Sessions? Check. Longitude? Check. A US tour? Check. Over one million YouTube views? Check. Over one million Spotify streams? Check.

Brave Giant is a band that is destined for greatness, with an impressive CV for a group that’s together only a few years.

Podge Gill, Mark Prunty, Ross McNerney and Emmett Collum make up one of the country’s most progressive indie folk bands – all from their Co Longford base.

The band has enjoyed a meteoric rise since becoming a four-piece in 2014. Podge and Mark started out as a covers duo in 2012 before Ross and his banjo joined in 2013. Podge describes Ross as coming from the “trad version of the Von Trapp family”, while Podge’s own uncle is Kevin Crawford from Lunasa.

Emmett deferred a chance to travel to the US in order to keep time and play drums for the band. After much deliberation, the name Brave Giant was decided and off they went.

A slew of headline gigs at home and in Dublin followed their formation and with it has come the band’s position as a mainstay on the festival and media scenes.

But at what point did they feel as if they were on to something?

“We headlined our first gig at home in Longford,” Podge explains.

“There were only maybe 40 or 50 people there,” Mark adds.

“It was a nothing gig in the grand scheme of things but there was a sense among us that we were decent at this and there was excellent feedback. We decided to give it a bash from there,” Podge says.

“We felt we had to do it,” Ross adds.

There is an undoubted chemistry between the lads – Ross, Podge and Mark have known each other since before national school. One of their more successful YouTube hits is Podge and Emmett making mock advertising snippets for local businesses.

Coupled with the individual and collective talent, it is this ability to appeal to a range of ages and demographics that has been a bedrock to their success. They give people what they want but do it in their own way, toe-tapping, fresh indie-folk music – “heavy on the folk,” Mark states.

The interchangeable lead vocals of Podge and Mark are enhanced by the intricacies of Ross on the banjo or mandolin, while Emmett is a skilled sticksman.

Creating the creatives

For a group that started life as a two-piece covers band touring the pubs of the midlands, Brave Giant has developed an ability to create radio-friendly and mature songs of their own.

How does the song-writing process manifest itself for the band?

“Usually a song stems from one person,” Mark explains.

“We bring it to the group and it’s transformed or something is added to it. It’s a group effort. We all put something into a song.”

Podge adds: “In your heart of hearts, if you think you have something then you want to bring it to the next session to see what the lads think of it and what they can add to it. It’s a very exciting process. We feel we have matured as song writers – not as people!”

With a 2016 EP and four singles under their belt, the plan is to hit the studio again to produce a longer play format to come out next year. Ross says the band puts credence on the dying art of the album.

“An album is a milestone for a band. It’s a chance to close a chapter and move on to something else or go in a different direction.”

“Or not,” Emmett interjects. “We just want to produce the best work we can.”

The band puts enormous time and effort into creating visually impactful and storytelling videos.

In the era of streams and downloads, the band’s effort to invest in the visual side of music is something that goes against the grain. But, for Mark, the strategy is clear. Videos have their place to supplement the songs. The band members themselves are the main muse for the creative videos.

“The video can be an extension of the song and, vice-versa, the song can be an extension of the video.

“We come with an idea … we have a fair idea of what we want. The videos are important to us. It’s another way, another medium, for us to showcase what we are about.”

One of their most memorable videos is for the song The Time I Met the Devil, which features comedian Joe Rooney (Fr Damo from Father Ted) as a priest with little scruples. It’s worth the watch.

Men of the soil

The quartet are men of the land. Each of the four are from rural north Co Longford and are the sons of farmers. Indeed, Ross himself is the proud holder of a Green Cert and farms with his father Marty.

“It helps him get the ladies,” Podge jokes.

“There’s nothing better than your old man ringing up and asking you for a half hour to scull a few bullocks or something and then four hours later you’re still there,” Podge says, with more than a hint of reality and sarcasm.

Next for the band are two headline shows in the iconic Button Factory venue in Dublin’s Temple Bar on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 September. After that, the writing process continues with a 2019 album in the works.

Four young men making brave and giant steps in the music world.

Brave Giant’s latest single Somebody Someone is on release from this Friday.

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