"We had our synths and drum machines all set up, when I looked out and saw a sea of cowboy hats..."

Synths? Drum machines? I never thought I'd hear those magic words at a writers' group! I had known this fellow to have mentioned songwriting, but because of some of his poems about jukeboxes and Leonard Cohen I pictured him sitting on a stool with an acoustic guitar. How was I to know otherwise? This story was the first mention of his choice instruments. He went on to describe how he and his bandmates fled the stage for fear of their lives. I knew I wanted to talk to this fellow synthesist, who sounded as though he felt as alienated in Saint John as I did.
I found out his name was Gary Flanagan, and pledged to talk with him the next time he showed up. A gruelling six months later, I spotted him again, but to my surprise, it was he who struck up a conversation.

"Do you know George Ingraham?"

"Ahh! Chuck! You've been talking to him, have you?" I had mentioned to Chuck how I had wanted to track Gary down, and as it turned out:

"I attend a community college French course with him. He told me you're into electronic music..."

Gary Flanagan records his own brand of catchy synthpop on an entry-level 4-track. His instruments include a Korg Poly 800, a Korg Univox, a Yamaha DX100, a Casio RapMaster, a drum machine and an echo machine, as well as a primitive sampling device called an RP50. His lyrics are telling of life experience and observation beyond his years, and an overall optimism thats suits his short, cheery melodies.
An avid music fan, he scours music stores big and small in his travels for rare titles that seem to elude mortal men. His tastes can be fairly eclectic, though he admits a leaning towards "harmless pop music". Gary is a self-confessed 80's fanatic, which goes hand-in-hand with much of his favorite music, as well as his own audio creations. He corresponds with like-minded comrades overseas, often exchanging hard-to-find music through the mail. He's almost always got a tape made up for his friends, whether it's his own material, or artists new and old that he wishes to expose them to.
His passion for music, especially that made with electronic means, led him to publish his own 'zine, Nightwaves.
As well as music, Gary is an appreciator of cinema, from the most stunning art films to the most visceral commercial movies. One of his favorites is the post-apocalyptic Australian film "The Road Warrior". When it comes to TV, he's a big fan of the "Sprockets" segments on old reruns of Saturday Night Live.

Mr. Flanagan also has a bit of a sweet tooth, as well as an appetite for Mexican food. Maybe someday he'll try my black bean soup... I'll just have to remember to go easy on the habaneros.

Gary tells me that "before I die I want to write a book, make a film, see the world, learn five languages, invent a synthetic replacement for gasoline and meet Leonard Cohen. So little time!"

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