Formula Indie Sessions – Interview with Michael Gallagher
Hailing from the seaside town of Hartlepool in the North East of England, Michael Gallagher blends anthemic indie rock with sharply observed lyrics that deliver intimate social commentary. His love affair with his hometown often comes to the forefront of his songwriting, telling stories of love, loss and togetherness.
Drawing influence from a wide range of artists, it is the guitar music boom of the 00s that sits at the heart of Gallagher’s sound. With comparisons to the likes of The Strokes, The Vaccines and Bob Dylan, his releases have already received support from Radio X, BBC 6 Music, BBC Introducing and CLASH.
Michael’s live show has grown significantly in recent years, with performances at major festivals including Glastonbury, Isle of Wight and Truck Festival, alongside sold-out headline dates in Newcastle, Manchester, London, Sunderland and Hartlepool Town Hall.
With plans in place to record his debut album with producer Alex Quinn (Royston Club, Lottery Winners), 2026 is shaping up to be a breakthrough year for Michael Gallagher.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My first memory of music is probably getting a guitar for Christmas or going to see razor light with my parents
How did your passion for creating music begin?
My Nana gave me a box of rolling stones and David Bowie CDs and after I got home and put them on my iPod classic I was hooked.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
The story behind my current project isn’t that interesting. I basically started out playing acoustic gigs in pubs around my hometown and it just kind of went from there really. Thankfully I stuck at it as ive been able to tick some stuff off of my bucket list like playing at Glastonbury and performing a live session at Radio X in London
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Indie Rock from the North East coast of the UK
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Making music has always been a learning process for me. I feel like I am constantly learning new tricks and tips and I think that is what keeps it so interesting. I feel like I still have so much to learn also
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
My acoustic guitar. I use software to create demos in my bedroom but ultimately if a song doesn’t hold up with just your voice and the acoustic then its probably not a strong enough song
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
At the moment I’m really into a band called Divorce. I cant get enough of their debut album
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
I tend to draw on personal experiences when I write so I feel that naturally impacts the music. Hopefully in a positive way!
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I like the idea that songs can mean different things to different people. Therefore when I write a song Im not adamant that it is about this or about that, Im happy for people to interpret it in whichever way they would like too.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
My dream venue is to play at Victoria Park which is the football stadium of my hometown club, Hartlepool United
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Paul McCartney
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
www.michaelgallaghermusic.co.uk or @mickyygall on all the socials
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I have just finished recording my debut album so I very much looking forward in getting that out into the world
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
I hope listeners are able to discover how much making music means to me
