We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Daniel Flynn. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Daniel below.

Daniel, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I remember attending a concert with our (Act Casual) keyboard player Ryan Stafford not too long after graduating high school. It was at the Majestic Theatre in Detroit, a beautiful building currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The band was local and sounded good. There were vendors, cool lights, and a healthy crowd of 20-somethings dancing to the music. While the band was good I remember honestly thinking to myself “we could be doing this.” As if reading my mind, Ryan leaned over to me and said something to similar effect.

I’ve heard Steven King has been quoted as saying “The first step in becoming an author is reading something by someone else and having the thought that ‘I could have written that.'” Whether or not that is a true quote I’m not sure, but the idea has always resonated with me. Even if you are wrong and cannot reach the level of the artist you are comparing yourself to, just having the thought that you possibly could is the first step on the path to success.

Daniel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was born and raised in southeast Michigan. My love of music started in my early teens and led to me playing saxophone with my high school symphonic band. I took several music courses in college working towards a music degree, before changing majors and graduating from Wayne State with a bachelor’s in finance in 2018. I started playing guitar in high school and later started to focus on bass, eventually helping form The Great Googly Mooglies in 2009. We played bars in the Detroit area for a few years before disbanding, and in 2016 two members of my former group and I helped to create Act Casual.

I currently perform with and manage Act Casual. We play a unique blend of funk and improvisation in the Midwest region with the goal of continuing to grow our fanbase and spreading our tentacles across the country. I am most proud of some of the progress we have shown this summer, bringing us to festival stages like Summer Camp Music Festival and Weekend at the Cave, while also to new states for the band like Pennsylvania and Virginia. We want potential clients and fans to know that we give an unforgettable live performance at every show, big or small, and always focus on professionalism, all while “Keeping it Casual”.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

There is a great website called indieonthemove.com which is a database for local venues all across the country including booking contact, venue capacity, and even reviews from other musicians who have played there before. You do need a paid subscription to access venue detail, but it is affordable and well worth the price.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect for me is when a complete stranger comes up to us after a performance and tells us how much they enjoy our music. Artists and performers can often be very hard on themselves, and while it sounds cliché, it really helps remind me that I am on the right path and that I have something worth sharing when people genuinely enjoy what I have to offer.    

Contact Info:

• Website: www.actcasual.org
• Instagram: instagram.com/actcasual_music
• Facebook: facebook.com/actcasualmusic
• Youtube: youtube.com/c/actcasual
• Other: linktr.ee/actcasual