01Profile
A Adrian Flanagan Photo
Adrian Flanagan
Musician — Sheffield
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Adrian Flanagan, Organ Grinder from mythical troubadours The Moonlandingz. Born in Salford, Lancashire and lives in Sheffield, South Yorkshire... for my sins!
Describe your style in three words?
A smooth criminal!
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
That's a difficult one as I've been to so many, so I'll start with my first ever gig which was Adam & the Ants on their Prince Charming Revue tour at the Apollo Theatre in Manchester, my Mum took me when I was a small child and it blew my tiny mind!
If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
I'd say the German group, CAN and The Carpenters, both groups are kind of a universe apart but the musicianship in both groups is incredible... I can't tell you how much I love The Carpenters, I love a good old-fashioned heartfelt ballad and Karen Carpenter is easily my favourite voice in popular music.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
I was too young to ever be a punk, but the first musical subculture that stirred me in any way as a child would have been the two-tone movement, specifically - The Specials & Madness. There's nothing better than a sharply dressed crew of dudes standing for equality and standing against the government. Men & women in cool suits versus Men & women in bad suits!
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Would have liked to have spent an hour having a brew and maybe shooting paint cans with the writer /artist William S Burroughs... I could listen to his voice all day!
Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
Although we've played some pretty big venues in our own right this year and played to some massive festival crowds across Europe, the ones that I've always enjoyed the most have been in dark basements, places with a low stage and the crowd right up in your face & falling over the stage, somewhere like the Broadcast in Glasgow... The 100 Club in London was great last week too. We need to be protecting these smaller venues - they are the places where the magic happens, not some stinking sticky carpet 02 hell hole!
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
There's a lady in Manchester called Ruth Daniel who runs a project called In Place of War, basically she and her team go out to war & crime-ravaged places across the world, bringing musicians and instruments with her and they go in to some pretty dangerous places and engage with the local kids, some of whom are in opposing gangs by getting them doing music together and putting on events, she tirelessly does this kind of thing all year round.. She recently got a load of recording equipment out into Palestine... Most musicians aren't heroic, they're pretty pathetic to be honest, Ruth's a real heroine. Unifying people at a grassroots level is how real change comes!
Adrian Flanagan is a central member of International Teachers Of Pop, Moonlandingz and Eccentronic Research Council.
International Teachers Of Pop's latest single, 'After Dark' is out now and you can catch their stunning live show at Nottingham's new Metronome venue on 26th October.
Buy tickets at metronome.uk.com/events/international-teachers-of-pop
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
My uncle Eamon was a big Elvis fan, he had a bust of Elvis's head in his bedroom and posters all over his walls and kept loads of Elvis scrapbooks. When I was a kid I'd sit in his room listening to the 'Elvis at Sun' album, the track I'd play over and over again was 'Mystery Train', simultaneously doing the dance from Jailhouse Rock.
A song that defines the teenage you?
When I was 13 an elder school friend played me 'Eat Y'Self Fitter' by The Fall, it simultaneously petrified me and made me laugh. It was music and vocals like nothing I'd ever heard before, both cerebral, primal and against the grain. If there is one man on or off the planet who has opened my eyes and ears to a different way of seeing things, culturally introduced me to a wealth of other music and literature, that person would be Mark E Smith. The greatest poet of our generation, a man amongst musicians, the real angel of the North.
One record you would keep forever?
'Come On Let's Go' by Broadcast. I walked down the aisle to it when I married my wife.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
'Everything's Okay' by Hank Williams.
Whatever s**t life throws at you, just remember everything will be okay, eventually... hopefully!"
A song you wished you had written?
It was originally written by Jackson Brown but I've always been incredibly fond of Nico's version of 'These Days' from her album 'Chelsea Girl'.
"Please don't confront me with my failings / I have not forgotten them."
Such a beautiful line, such a beautiful song!
Best song to turn up loud?
'A Change Is Going To Come' by Baby Huey & The Babysitters.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Though my friends might see me as a nerdy crate digger, I'm not really a music snob, I love pop music, I love music full stop. Often you can find me air thrugging in the kitchen to 'Power' by Little Mix!
Best song to end an all-nighter on?
Whenever I want to get people out of my house at the end of a house party I always put on 'Goodnight Ladies' by Lou Reed.
Any new bands you are listening to right now?
From Australia, a real fun pop group called Confidence Man. The very brilliant lounge pop of Insecure Men, a new group in Sheffield called Mysteron and a new project I'm working on called Electric Lolita. All very different, all very good!
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Adrian Flanagan, Organ Grinder from mythical troubadours The Moonlandingz. Born in Salford, Lancashire and lives in Sheffield, South Yorkshire... for my sins!
Describe your style in three words?
A smooth criminal!
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
That's a difficult one as I've been to so many, so I'll start with my first ever gig which was Adam & the Ants on their Prince Charming Revue tour at the Apollo Theatre in Manchester, my Mum took me when I was a small child and it blew my tiny mind!
If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
I'd say the German group, CAN and The Carpenters, both groups are kind of a universe apart but the musicianship in both groups is incredible... I can't tell you how much I love The Carpenters, I love a good old-fashioned heartfelt ballad and Karen Carpenter is easily my favourite voice in popular music.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
I was too young to ever be a punk, but the first musical subculture that stirred me in any way as a child would have been the two-tone movement, specifically - The Specials & Madness. There's nothing better than a sharply dressed crew of dudes standing for equality and standing against the government. Men & women in cool suits versus Men & women in bad suits!
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Would have liked to have spent an hour having a brew and maybe shooting paint cans with the writer /artist William S Burroughs... I could listen to his voice all day!
Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
Although we've played some pretty big venues in our own right this year and played to some massive festival crowds across Europe, the ones that I've always enjoyed the most have been in dark basements, places with a low stage and the crowd right up in your face & falling over the stage, somewhere like the Broadcast in Glasgow... The 100 Club in London was great last week too. We need to be protecting these smaller venues - they are the places where the magic happens, not some stinking sticky carpet 02 hell hole!
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
There's a lady in Manchester called Ruth Daniel who runs a project called In Place of War, basically she and her team go out to war & crime-ravaged places across the world, bringing musicians and instruments with her and they go in to some pretty dangerous places and engage with the local kids, some of whom are in opposing gangs by getting them doing music together and putting on events, she tirelessly does this kind of thing all year round.. She recently got a load of recording equipment out into Palestine... Most musicians aren't heroic, they're pretty pathetic to be honest, Ruth's a real heroine. Unifying people at a grassroots level is how real change comes!
Adrian Flanagan is a central member of International Teachers Of Pop, Moonlandingz and Eccentronic Research Council.
International Teachers Of Pop's latest single, 'After Dark' is out now and you can catch their stunning live show at Nottingham's new Metronome venue on 26th October.
Buy tickets at metronome.uk.com/events/international-teachers-of-pop
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
My uncle Eamon was a big Elvis fan, he had a bust of Elvis's head in his bedroom and posters all over his walls and kept loads of Elvis scrapbooks. When I was a kid I'd sit in his room listening to the 'Elvis at Sun' album, the track I'd play over and over again was 'Mystery Train', simultaneously doing the dance from Jailhouse Rock.
A song that defines the teenage you?
When I was 13 an elder school friend played me 'Eat Y'Self Fitter' by The Fall, it simultaneously petrified me and made me laugh. It was music and vocals like nothing I'd ever heard before, both cerebral, primal and against the grain. If there is one man on or off the planet who has opened my eyes and ears to a different way of seeing things, culturally introduced me to a wealth of other music and literature, that person would be Mark E Smith. The greatest poet of our generation, a man amongst musicians, the real angel of the North.
One record you would keep forever?
'Come On Let's Go' by Broadcast. I walked down the aisle to it when I married my wife.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
'Everything's Okay' by Hank Williams.
Whatever s**t life throws at you, just remember everything will be okay, eventually... hopefully!"
A song you wished you had written?
It was originally written by Jackson Brown but I've always been incredibly fond of Nico's version of 'These Days' from her album 'Chelsea Girl'.
"Please don't confront me with my failings / I have not forgotten them."
Such a beautiful line, such a beautiful song!
Best song to turn up loud?
'A Change Is Going To Come' by Baby Huey & The Babysitters.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Though my friends might see me as a nerdy crate digger, I'm not really a music snob, I love pop music, I love music full stop. Often you can find me air thrugging in the kitchen to 'Power' by Little Mix!
Best song to end an all-nighter on?
Whenever I want to get people out of my house at the end of a house party I always put on 'Goodnight Ladies' by Lou Reed.
Any new bands you are listening to right now?
From Australia, a real fun pop group called Confidence Man. The very brilliant lounge pop of Insecure Men, a new group in Sheffield called Mysteron and a new project I'm working on called Electric Lolita. All very different, all very good!
International Teachers of Pop | After Dark (2018)
The Moonlandingz | Black Hans (2016)
Eccetronic Research Council | Welcome To Valhalla Dale (2015)