flannery
Flannery sounds like an American band transplanted into British soil. Even their name seems a bit like it should have been spawned in drizzled, green fields. But you wont find any bagpipes or kilts stashed in their roadcases this is crafted guitar rock emotive melodies with lulling and lashing guitars.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
Formed in 1998 in the unlikely home of Chattanooga, Tennessee, the foursome of Michael Hendrix (vocals, thick guitar), Brian Woodlief (shimmering/noise guitar), Greg Bagby (bass), and Jake Langston (drums) is breaking their regional mold. At times romantic, spooky and explosive, its hard to lump them into the expected 70s rehash rock and country of the area. Citing broad influences, one local journalist coined them, surf/psychedelic/brit/emo pop.
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
The Southern United States.
Your musical influences
brit-pop and 60's psychedelic rock, ie. Radiohead, Our Lady Peace, Yo La Tengo, Pixies
What equipment do you use?
fender guitars, tube amps, lots of pedals, a 6-string fretless bass & great drums
Anything else?
Although Flannery seems they were weened with pop sensibilities, theres no candy coating on their lyrics. Dusky wordplays tell stories of disgruntled patriots, betrayed spies and serial killers. A not totally unheard of theme in the South, especially if you recall a certain acclaimed novelist, Flannery O Connor, the bands namesake. But theyre not all doom and gloom. The main (lyrical) inspiration is grace in suffering, says Hendrix. If the words dont always express that, then the contrast of the music will. We gravitate toward the irony of dark themes with uplifting tunes.
This described tension is best understood live. Their show is comprised of a tight, hard-edged performance with each members personality creating a unique presence on stage. Combined with well organized set-lists, the band leads the audience through an emotional journey which they end with a sucker punch called, Squeaky (a creepy lament from one of Charles Mansons former lovers) then bleed into a low-key reinterpretation of the Beatles, Helter Skelter before exploding again into their final groove.
The band is currently promoting two singles which have extravagant choruses and tasteful bits of heaviness: How to Destroy the World and the Spanish influenced, March of the Bull. These lush tunes are only available as MP3s.
