One of the most exciting house producers in the world gets set for a stunning summer…
Interview : Dan Prince
Hey Tom welcome to DMC towers. Where in the world are you right now?
“Hi Dan, I’m currently in my studio putting the finishing touches to the ‘My Hut EP’ on Viva.”
Cool, we’ve been hearing rumblings about this, what else have you got swinging our way release wise?
“Where’s my manager when I need her?! Okay, well as well as the new EP and off the top of my head…I have a record coming out on Newington alongside Ejeca, then my second Mobilee EP, a track on Yousef’s Circus compilation and a remix for Carl Cox.”
Okay, let’s rewind for a second. You hail from Birmingham – where were the early clubs you were hitting and DJs that influenced you back in the day?
“It was clubs like Gods Kitchen, Miss Moneypennys and Sundissential that I grew up in. Many a lost night has been had in those! We were really lucky in those clubs as every week they had people like Danny Rampling, Francois K, Masters At Work, DJ Disciple….all these sorts of guys – and of course on the trance side of things everyone from Judge Jules to Tiesto at Gods Kitchen.”
Your love of music started before the dancefloor however, you were 12 years old when you discovered dance music. Can you remember any of the tracks that first set your world alight, hip hop played a big part right?
“Yeah it was actually Tim Westwood and his show on Radio 1 that lured me in. Turntablism used to just blow my mind when I was about 11 or 12, then I started listening to other DJ’s like Pete Tong and Danny Rampling and just moved into house that way.”
How important were those two shows?
“They were massive! I have so many recordings of Pete and Danny’s shows. I used to sit there writing down all these tracks they were playing, then go out the next day to the record shops in town and try and find them – of course nobody had them as those guys got the records promoed about 6 months early!!!”
Whilst we are on the subject of your home city, what went wrong with the Gibbs St Warehouse club. It opened in a blaze of glory last year and then…?
“I’m not sure. I played with Laurent Garnier and it was a good night. It can be hard to sustain a strong foothold in a big city sometimes, even the best ventures don’t work sometimes. It happens.”
“I write about things that influence me, people, life or other music.” I think though, sitting in a traffic jam and noticing a bird sitting on a car roof is pretty far out when it comes to song ideas! What other surreal moments have given you inspiration for a song?
“Haha yes that was one of my more crazy ideas, but those are often the best. I like how you’ve done your research Dan! Well, I went through some really bad heartache breaking up with an ex girlfriend, that influenced one song in particular. I often get inspiration from when I’m travelling or seeing new people.”
The Ibiza season is just around the corner once again, one of the places you’ll be hitting is the all new Soul Heaven pool party weekly at Ocean Beach in August and September. The daytime sessions are really taking on the allnight parties on the white isle at the moment, looking forward to this little adventure?
“I cannot wait!! I love daytime parties, they are always so much more fun!! I believe partying in the sunlight is special. Open air clubs and pool parties always carry such a great vibe.”
How will your set be different from a 3am Pacha slot?
“I’ll just play what I want to be honest…like I always do. Going off the crowd and how people are reacting.”
What is the biggest record you are playing right now?
“Such a hard question… but at the moment I got given a record the other week, there’s no name on it or contact or anything, but I kid you not – it’s a bomb!! If you’re reading this and it was you – for the love of god get in touch!”
You have a VERY fanatical following on your social medias. The guy who posted on your facebook site this week…”You are the person who makes my girlfriend cream her pants every day!!” Is that a normal post for you Mr Flynn?
“Haha – what can I say, that’s not the norm!”
What music do you listen to, to chill out?
“Anything and everything. I’ve been listening to a lot of blues lately, jazz too. I like a lot of the stuff that comes from Matthew Dears label, the more tripped out electronica. Footprintz have been sounding great too lately.”
Where have been some of the recent stand out gigs for you?
“Audio in Brighton was amazing, great crowd. Paris was great too, The Egg always goes off too, there’s something about that place…”
It might not be good for my image, but Tom Flynn really loves…
“OK, I will admit to this and my girlfriend kills me for it – but I love watching trashy American sitcoms.”
Who are the producers from around the world you are giving high fives to at the moment?
“Clarian North – an amazingly talented dude from Montreal. Tiga always does it for me too, Guy Gerber is just on another level and he’s one of my idols. Those 3 I would say.”
The figure from history you would most like to have a beer with?
“He’s not dead but Keith Richards, just to hear tales from the Stones through the years.”
Great answer. The film that you can watch time and time again…
“Blow.”
The person who has influenced you the most career wise…?
“Guy Gerber – too many reasons to say why, but musically and personally he has influenced me.”
And finally, you have had releases on the likes of Mobilee, dirtybird and Hypercolor to name but a few. What one piece of production are you most proudest of?
“I would say ‘118’ – only because Steve Lawler told me something once in the studio about how to write tracks, and that track completely personifies what he told me.”
Tom Flynn is a hot new monthly summer resident at the Soul Heaven Pool Party @ Ocean Beach, Ibiza, 2013, alongside Joey Negro, Sy Sez, Tom Crane, Luke Pompey and Andy Ward. All info: www.soul-heaven.com <http://www.soul-heaven.com> ;
Soul Heaven Line Ups & Launch Party June 8th
Saturday 8th June: Joey Negro, and Sound Blast
Saturday 15th June: Sy Sez, Tom Crane (4-10pm)
Saturday 22nd June: Luke Pompey, Sound Blast (4-10pm)
Saturday 29th June: RiskSound System (4-10pm)
Saturday 6th July: Joey Negro, Tom Crane 4-10pm
Saturday 13th July: Barb & Q, Tom Crane
(Barb & Q = Barbara Tucker jamming on the mic + DJ Q 2 hour DJ set)
Saturday 20th July: Sy Sez, Sound Blast
Saturday 27th July: Luke Pompey, Sound Blast
Saturday 3rd August: Joey Negro, Tom Crane 4-10pm
Saturday 10th August: Tom Flynn, Sound Blast 4-10pm
Saturday 17th August Barb & Q, Tom Crane
Saturday 24th August: Andy Ward (4-10)
Saturday 31st August: RiskSoundSystem
Saturday 7th September: Tom Flynn, Sound Blast
Saturday 14th September: Sy Sez, Sound Blast
Saturday 21st September: Joey Negro, Tom Crane
event: Soul Heaven Pool Party
date: Saturdays from June 8th – September 21st
at: Ocean Beach, 12-14 Carrer des Moli, 07820, Ibiza, Spain
Tel: (00 34) 971 803 260
Times: Midday-Midnight (12pm-12am)
web: www.soul-heaven.com <http://www.soul-heaven.com> ; www.oceanbeachibiza.com