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Remember when music wasn't free, and you actually had to seek it out in record stores and listen at listening booths and then take it to the cashier and pay for it?  Remember when that was normal?  Now aside from a few purist holdouts none of us do that anymore.  Music is basically free and ubiquitous and it seems like it was always meant to end up that way.  Sure it's  that much tougher for everybody who tries to make a living creating music, but then again poets used to be like rock stars hundreds of years ago and now they teach English Comp and tend bar on weekends.

I didn't do a kickstarter for this record.  I thought about it.  People told me I should.  They said it was a good way to 'monetize' my small but loyal fan base who are eager to support me.  But the curmudgeon in me couldn't do it.  I'm still too in love with the simple proposition that I go make something like Ron Swanson in his workshop, you check out what I've made and then IF you like it and IF you can afford to, you buy it.  You don't have to take anything on faith.  I don't owe you anything.

The record I spent 18 months creating and stressing out about and obsessing over is out today.  I think it's maybe the best thing I've ever done.  You can stream the whole thing right here for free.  You can listen on Spotify or any of the other streaming services and I'll get a solid $.000000003 cents.  

My one request from you today is this:  IF you listen to it, and IF you actually like it, buy it.  

Actually buy it!  There are multiple ways to do this:  right here on this site (via Bandcamp), in iTunes, on Amazon, on Google Play... the list goes on.  Even if you do the streaming thing, even if it's been a while since you bought music...buy THIS music.  You buying this record is you supporting an independent artist and his family (who haven't had the easiest year), it's you telling me you want me to make another record after this one, and it's you showing the world that music matters so much to you that you're willing to part with a little money to prove it.  On the Bandcamp page you can even pay more than the $8 I'm asking if you're feeling especially generous.  Lots of people have already done that with their preorders and I'm extremely grateful.

My second request (yeah I lied before, there are 2 requests here) from you is this:  IF you listened to it, and IF you liked it enough to buy it, tell your friends about it.  My biggest fear is that I'm going to pour all of myself into a project I end up being incredibly proud of like this one and no one will even notice that it's come and gone.  An independent release like this depends on word of mouth.  We both know that you have that one music-loving friend who goes to house shows and is always listening to things you've never heard of.  If this record comes and goes and they never hear it that would be a gross injustice right?  And isn't there enough injustice in the world?  How heroic of you to slightly reduce the number of injustices in the world by sharing great music with them! (see what I did there? you're a HERO)

Anyway that's it.  Obvious requests 1 and 2.  Please buy the record and please share it with people you think might love it.  I spelunked down deep inside myself and made it with my eyes closed, hoping when this day came that SOMEBODY would care that it now exists.  Thanks for (hopefully) being that somebody.

Come get with this.  

Here's a great article explaining the hows and whys of this record (WHICH IS ALMOST OUT OMG)

Who knows how long MGM let's me keep this on the internet, so let's just live in the now and enjoy it.  A scene from your favorite wolf/puberty/basketball movie NOT named 'Teen Wolf Too', set to music from the new album.  Somewhere in Burbank Jason Bateman just threw a scone across the room.

Though it probably won't rake in Nintendo-sized profits, the preorder page for the new album Face in the Cloud is now live and taking your money (then sending that money to me electronically, which upon receiving I print out with my Game Boy Printer).  Click here to preorder, or you can get there by clicking the 'Nav' button in the upper right and then 'Buy'.  That'll work too.  It costs $8 but I've graciously allowed you the option to pay more than that if you consider yourself a well-to-do patron of the arts.  I certainly need all the support I can get.  Anyway preorder, get it the moment it comes out, and revel in the bacchanalian pleasure of instant electronic delivery.

If you've never bought music from Bandcamp before, please note that this preorder is for digital purchase only.  Sorry curmudgeons: we're not releasing physical CDs or vinyl for this record (at least not yet).  It'll also be available on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Spotify, Beats, all the usual online purveyors of music.  But the best deal is the link above, so preorder with confidence.

Thanks.

I know what you're thinking right now-- here comes Flag Day, oh shit did I get the flags out of the attic yet, are they cooler than my neighbor's flags, etc.  Totally understandable.  Everybody talks about the wild fun of Flag Day but nobody talks about the enormous pressure and stress it brings about.  This goes back generations.  Did you know that cat suicide rates spike around Flag Day?  Or that children conceived on Flag Day are 86% more likely to commit white-collar crime?  It's true.  My advice to you, for what it's worth: take it easy, unfurl your best flag, and just enjoy the day with your family and friends.  That's what it's supposed to be about.  I mean it's all about flags, but also family.  And friends.  Mostly flags though.

Anyway if you've just returned to the earth from the International Space Station you should know that I released the first single from the record last week!  You can listen to it here.  Lots of nice folks have been spreading the news of its existence.  Wild Honey Pie likes it and asks for more 'spaced-out, haunted sanctuary slow jams'.  Duly noted!  Nooga.com dug the 'warm synths' and my 'soulful, yet oddly eerie voice'.  Music Pixie is 'loving it', despite McDonald's having trademarked that catchphrase.  The song also got featured on MarcusRimondini.com.  Thanks to everybody for giving it a chance.  Now get out there, plant a flag in your yard, and wave it like you just don't care it's FLAAAAAAAAG DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

*note that I don't know if I'm going to do other editions of the press roundup or if this is the only one.  Kind of feels weird and slightly icky.  It's really just an excuse to talk about Flag Day, in case you hadn't noticed.  #flagday

AT LAST there's a song from the album out there in the wild.  It's called 'Holy Ghost' and I know what you're thinking but no, it's not about the Silver Surfer.  Thanks to Wild Honey Pie for debuting it.  You can also listen on the 'media' page of this here website.  You know what, why don't I just put it right here in this post so you can just press play and be done with it?  Yeah.  Let's do that.

Here's me acting ridiculous in the hope that maybe it'll trick you into listening to a minute of music from the new record.  I really should have stretched out beforehand.

First, thanks to everybody who's taken the time to like/follow/befriend solo me.  In case you prefer the social network your parents can't figure out, I'm now followable on the Instagram. i'm michaelflynnmusic.  90% of the photos will likely take place in my home because my social life is reminiscent of the beast pre-belle's arrival.  

More news to come soon.  In the meantime here's a picture of my parents dancing in college.  #nofilter

all up in each others' dance space.  come on guys, let's keep it clean.

At long last, after much toiling in my top-secret hobbit bunker where I draw songs on the walls and sing to my diary, I'm finally able to announce that I've birthed a new solo record and it's coming out in just a few months!  It's called 'Face in the Cloud' and it's being released by the fine folks at Hearts and Plugs.

Face in the Cloud is 9 songs chock full of high class synthesizers, yacht-rocking slow jams, and lyrics that sound like they were carved into my arm with a pocket knife.  Lots of swell friends helped out in making it and I'm really proud of how it turned out.  I can't wait for your ears to hear it.  In fact just tell your ears to ignore all other sounds they might hear between now and release day because it's SO on between us.

There'll be more to come soon so make sure you're tuned in to all my new webzones:  this site right here that you're on, the solo mef twitter, the solo mef facebook page, the solo mef youtube channel, and, of course, the video i watch at the start of every day.  Thanks.

I created a youtube channel with which to share my intensely serious and meaningful musical performances.  Unfortunately i have no such performances to share as of yet (stay tuned on that) but I had to upload a video to test the channel or whatever so I chose this choice nugget from my youth.  It features me (being kind of a dick), my future wife, and my brother in a vintage display of his most glorious qualities.  

subscribe to the official, 100% organic grain-fed michael flynn youtube channel here.

Oh hi!  Forgive me, I didn't see you there.  I'm Michael Flynn and this is my new webzone.  No, I'm not that science fiction writer.  No, I'm not other musician Michael Flynn, who I shall surely one day fight to the death (as the prophecies foretold).  I'm a noisemaking man of mystery from Charleston SC and I've got designs on both your earholes.  Stay tuned.