Memories of Patti Smith | Horses with Singer-Songwriter Iona Luke

How does an English Lit degree from Cambridge and a viral Lana Del Rey co-sign shape an artist? In this episode of The Friday Vinyl Club, Jamie sits down with rising singer-songwriter Iona Luke. Together, they chat about Iona's recent tour supporting Del Amitri at Usher Hall and the Barrowland Ballroom, growing up in a 200-record vinyl household, her viral moment with Lana Del Rey, and a deep-dive dissertation on Patti Smith’s groundbreaking 1975 album, Horses. Plus, they celebrate release day for Iona’s stunning brand new EP, From Dust. CONNECT WITH THE CLUB & IONA LUKE: • Our Official Website: ⁠https://www.thefridayvinylclub.com/ • Contact / Guest Inquiries: [email protected] • Stream Iona Luke's From Dust EP on all platforms, and look out for upcoming winter London shows and the physical vinyl release! CHAPTERS / EPISODE ROADMAP: 00:00 - Welcome to Friday Vinyl Club with Iona Luke 01:24 - Release Day! From Dust EP & Opening for Del Amitri 04:32 - Vinyl Roots: Portishead, Dylan, & Alphabetizing 200 Records 07:32 - First Record Bought & The Lana Del Rey TikTok Co-Sign 12:51 - Early Gigs: Jack White, The White Stripes, & Young Adele 19:46 - Literary Lyricism, Cambridge, & Writing a Dissertation on Patti Smith 35:58 - Patti Smith - Horses Album Deep-Dive ("Gloria", "Land", "Birdland", "Free Money") 50:54 - The Friday Spin Feature: Iona Luke’s From Dust EP & Solo Tracks PATTI SMITH - 'HORSES' TRACK HIGHLIGHTS: • "Gloria" – A defiant opening declaration merging Patti's poem "Oath" with Van Morrison’s rock classic. • "Land" – The sprawling, 10-minute cinematic centerpiece that fuses violent fiction and poetic storytelling. • "Birdland" – An avant-garde, improvisational track structured like "strange literary jazz," inspired by Peter Reich. • "Free Money" – A poignant, timeless anti-capitalist anthem addressing poverty, hope, and humanity. THE FRIDAY SPIN: IONA LUKE – 'FROM DUST' EP & SOLO SPOTLIGHT: • Gateway Track: "Can We Still Hang Out" – Balancing singer-songwriter intimate lyrics with upbeat, rocky energy. • Standout EP Tracks: "Dawn" (a haunting exploration of grief), "Bones" (written about Cambridge), and "Crashing" (about anxiety). • Fan Favorites: "Back to Ground" (both the driving original and cinematic version) and "17". • The Vibe: Emotionally raw, literary-infused storytelling with versatile production spanning atmospheric landscapes. TOPICS COVERED: Patti Smith, Horses, Iona Luke, From Dust EP, Cambridge English literature, Del Amitri tour support, Lana Del Rey viral co-sign, 1970s punk poetry, vinyl record collecting, and indie folk-pop songwriting. FOR FANS OF: If you love exploring music memories, diving into music history, and hearing the human stories behind the songs on podcasts like The Vinyl Guide, Back to NOW!, Music Is None Of Our Business, Desert Island Discs, or A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, you are going to feel right at home in the club! Leave us a review wherever you listen to help our independent community grow!