Manchester has a rich history of producing culturally influential musicians, from The Smiths to Oasis, and Chris Flynn may well be next to follow in the footsteps as such greats.
The Salford singer-songwriter is currently celebrating the release of his new video, featuring Bolton actress, Maxine Peake.
His new single, Pandora, which was recorded at the legendary Blueprint Studios, has been met with much acclaim, and Chris hopes this will lead to even greater success in 2014.
Chris told MM: “The single is doing really well and my music is continues to enter new territories which is great – and I am loving every minute.
“This year I hope to play a lot of festivals. Also the album is on the way and will hopefully be finished by summer.
“So the rest of the year will be really exciting and will include a lot of gigging.”
The video for Pandora was released earlier this month and Chris praised Maxine Peak’s contribution.
“Recording the video was a fantastic day out, we had a such a blast. Getting Maxine on board was great as she is a great professional,” Chris added.
“When we were brainstorming ideas for the video Maxine was instantly the person we thought of to play Pandora. She agreed to do the part and has been a great supporter ever since.”
Chris draws inspiration from his northern roots and has been influenced by kitchen sink playwrights and musicians such as Tom Waits, Elvis Costello and The Smiths.
He told MM: “I have been influenced at an entry level by The Smiths and obviously as a songwriter I have been influenced by his [Morrissey’s] song writing.
“I think there is definitely an element of Morrissey’s kitchen sink playwright style in my own music.”
The songwriter claimed that Manchester plays a vital role in producing top quality music.
“I couldn’t judge the current music scene in Manchester because there is always an exciting micro-scene,” he told MM.
“The city and its musicians definitely benefit from the vast musical heritage. Musicians use Manchester musical background and feed off each other.”
Chris is also preparing for a standout out date on his calendar when he will take to the stage at the Lowry, on April 18.
He said: “The gig at the Lowry is going to be amazing. It is a great venue and will allow me to break out and hopefully I can reach a bigger audience.
“I have done theatres before but this will be a great show as it will allow people that don’t normally come to the pubs and clubs see me play.
“My music is quite intimate and will hopefully have the same impact on a big stage.”
The single has so far been well received and Chris hopes that its success will allow him to perform in front of more people.
He told MM: “I started writing when I was young – it is a cathartic way of expressing myself. I love writing and I love playing the guitar.”
Following a successful summer last year Chris is also looking forward to the upcoming festival season where he expects to be fully booked.
He said: “Last year was fantastic – playing big festivals is great as they are always a blast. I am always excited by the opportunity.
“I am trying to expand and reach out to new people and branch out as much as possible.”
Image courtesy of Chris Flynn, via YouTube, with thanks.
