Mick Flannery in conversation with the Limerick Leader

Cracking chat with Cork musician and Choice nominated artist Mick Flannery last week, one of the most entertaining I've had in a long time. He gave some very honest answers to every question I asked him.

See below for an entertaining (I think so anyway) slice of our conversation. See Leader 2 this weekend for the full interview.

(From about five minutes into the conversation)

(Me) What do you think about talking about yourself - you weren't used to it at the start?

(Mick) Yeah, I'm starting to get used to it now and I don't know if I like that either. This is grand now because you didn't start the conversation with (adopts tone) 'Mick Flannery - your rise has been described as metoric, how does that make you feel?"

(Me) I'm buttering you up though! (he laughs)

I don't fucking talk, like. You've got me on a day when I'm not hungover as well. I'd be very quiet most of the time. I suppose it is easier for the two of us if I talk. (we both laugh)

(Me) Do you like doing this type of thing (phoners)?

I can't say I look forward to them, but I don't mind them. It's a strange thing, I don't know you like, and it's a one way conversation, I'm not asking you questions. I wouldn't know where to start, we'd have to be sitting over a few pints.

(Fast forward a few minutes)

(Me) Tell us a bit about making/recording the album (White Lies)?

The record company lads wanted me to use a producer. I had never looked into producers before, what they did or what their role was - they said it gets things moved along, gets things done quicker, it's good to have an extra pair of ears around. It turned out anyway that I didn't know who to pick - the only person I would pick was Rick Rubin, and they weren't getting me him. (laughs)

Anyway, they got me this lad and it didn't really work out - to my mind anyway, he was more pop oriented. We didn't really see eye to eye. It was uncomfortable and a big contrast to the previous time we recorded, because it was a family friend in Cork, who I used to go out to on weekends and eat dinner with his family. Up in Dublin was totally different. It felt like we were in a cave, starting at four in the evening and working till four at night - and there was often problems and tensions.

So eventually I said there's something going on here. That didn't work out that well so we had to go and re-record a couple of things with a different guy. I ended up getting a producer credit.

(Me - I see that, it says Mick Flannery on the album sleeve)

I didn't get on with that c*** at all. (laughs)

I had been fighting my corner with this other guy all the time, so it ended up with me trying to call all the shots anyway, because I wasn't a huge fan. Don't print too much of this bad shit!

Mick Flannery plays in Dolan's Warehouse this Friday night, February 21.