Harley Flanagan

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Harley Flanagan

| image = HF2022CroMags 4 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Flanagan performing with Cro-Mags in 2022

| image_size =

| birth_name = Harley Francis Flanagan

| birth_place = San Francisco, California, U.S.

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1967|3|8}}

| origin = New York City, New York, U.S.

| instrument = Bass, vocals

| genre = Hardcore punk, crossover thrash, punk rock

| occupation = Musician

| years_active = 1978–present

| current_member_of = Cro-Mags

| past_member_of = {{hlist|The Stimulators|Murphy's Law|White Devil|Sămsära|Harley's War}}

| website = {{URL|harleyflanagan.com}}

}}

Harley Francis Flanagan (born March 8, 1967) is an American musician. Harley Flanagan founded the hardcore punk band the Cro-Mags. He is currently the bassist, vocalist, and sole remaining founding member of the band. Flanagan began his musical career at age 11 in 1978, drumming for the New York punk band the Stimulators alongside his aunt Denise Mercedes. By the early 1980s, he was a prominent figure in the developing New York hardcore, helping to found the Cro-Mags in 1981 and Murphy's Law in 1982.

Early life

Flanagan is the son of Tex Flanagan and Rose "Rosebud" Feliu-Pettet. His father was a petty criminal and his mother was a memoirist, actress and prominent figure in Greenwich Village's bohemian culture, being featured in films such as Piero Heliczer's Dirt (1963) and Harry Everett Smith's Mahagonny (1980). Feliu-Pettet was featured in various works by Andy Warhol and was the muse for a number of the poets in the Beat Generation.{{cite web |title=Rose "Rosebud" Feliu-Pettet (1946-2015) |url=https://www.writing.upenn.edu/epc/mirrors/tomraworth.com/rosebud.pdf |website=University of Pennsylvania |access-date=29 May 2024}}

When he was nine years old, Flanagan published a book of poetry and drawings written when he was seven years old, with a foreword written by family friend Allen Ginsberg.{{cite web|url=http://vol1brooklyn.com/2009/12/07/new-york-city-hardcore-poetry/ |title=New York City Hardcore Poetry « Vol. 1 Brooklyn |website=Vol1brooklyn.com|access-date=June 4, 2010}} At age 11, Flanagan was the drummer for New York punk band the Stimulators.{{cite web|last=Bishop |first=Moe |url=https://www.vice.com/read/wasted-life---the-sensitive-family |title=The Sensitive Family | VICE | United States |publisher=VICE |date=2012-07-12 |accessdate=2016-02-13}}

Solo-ventures

Flanagan's autobiography, Hard-Core: Life of My Own, published by Feral House in 2016, contains an introduction by Steven Blush. Once published, the book spent over six months as the No. 1 seller in martial arts biographies on Amazon.{{Cite web|url=https://feralhouse.com/hard-core/|title=Hard-Core|website=Feralhouse.com|access-date=September 20, 2020}}{{cite book |title=Hard-Core: Life of My Own |isbn=978-1627310338 |last1=Flanagan |first1=Harley |date=December 12, 2023 |publisher=Feral House }}

On May 19, 2018, Flanagan's band was one of four classic punk/hardcore acts to play the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, along with Murphy's Law, Suicidal Tendencies, and the Original Misfits.{{Cite web|url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/harley-flanagan-added-to-misfits-nj-show-and-has-other-tour-dates/|title=Harley Flanagan added to Misfits NJ show (and has other tour dates)|website=Brooklynvegan.com|date=February 7, 2018 |access-date=September 20, 2020}} Flanagan also released two recordings: The Dr. Know EP, proceeds of which benefit the titular Bad Brains member, who has medical expenses; and, released on July 6, 2018, The Original Cro-Mags Demos, 1982/83, which documents Flanagan's work writing the songs, playing all instruments and singing early versions of the songs that are blueprint for the Cro-Mags sound.{{Cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/harley-flanagan-to-release-cro-mag-demos-and-hard-core-dr-know-ep/|title=HARLEY FLANAGAN To Release 'Cro-Mag Demos' And 'Hard Core Dr. Know' EP|date=May 10, 2018|website=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=September 20, 2020}} On June 28, 2019, Flanagan's Cro-Mags released their first new music in twenty years, three new songs "Don't Give In," "Drag You Under" and "No One's Victim."{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/cro-mags-new-music-853285/|title=Hear Hardcore Heroes Cro-Mags Return With First New Songs in 20 Years|last=Rollingstone.com|website=www.rollingstone.com|date=June 28, 2019|language=en|access-date=July 28, 2019}} They were the opening act for the original Misfits for four shows in 2019.

Personal life

File:Cro-Mags 2019 Maurice Nunez.jpg

Flanagan is the father of two sons and is married to Laura Lee Flanagan, who is an attorney and serves as Flanagan's business manager and also works as general counsel and CCO to investment advisory firms.{{ Cite news | access-date = April 24, 2017 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/24/nyregion/harley-flanagan-original-new-york-punker-finds-his-mellower-side.html?_r=0 | title = Harley Flanagan, Original New York Punker, Finds His Mellower Side | publication-date = August 31, 2016 | first = Charles | last = Curkin | newspaper = The New York Times |date = August 31, 2016}}

Flanagan is a black-belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and once worked as a professor for Renzo Gracie Academy in New York City. His students included the daughter of Anthony Bourdain, who coincidentally attended NYC Stimulators concerts in the early 1980s, and was a fan of the then preteen drummer.

Flanagan has been a vegetarian since 1982.{{ cite web | access-date = April 24, 2017 | url = http://newnoisemagazine.com/harley-flanagan-reflects-the-grit-of-his-new-york-story-with-new-album-cro-mags/ | title = Harley Flanagan Reflects The Grit of His New York Story With New Album 'Cro-Mags' | publication-date = April 19, 2016 | author = Hutch | website = newnoisemagazine.com | date = April 19, 2016 }}

Flanagan cited Darryl Jenifer, Geezer Butler, and Lemmy as his biggest bass influences. He also stated that Cronos of Venom, Jaco Pastorius (Flanagan owns one of his basses), and Stanley Clarke inspired him, trying to "bring all that stuff together" in his own music, mixed with hardcore's intensity.{{cite web|access-date=September 6, 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeh7ZeTWwo8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/eeh7ZeTWwo8 |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|format=video|time=2:58|title=The New York Hardcore Chronicles 10 Questions w/ Harley Flanagan (The Stimulators / Cro-Mags)|first=Drew |last=Stone|author-link=Drew Stone|publication-date=July 13, 2015|website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

= Legal matters=

On July 6, 2012, Flanagan was arrested for allegedly stabbing two current members of Cro-Mags, and biting one of them, backstage at the Webster Hall in New York City. Allegedly, Flanagan had been attacked in the dressing room.{{cite web |title=Harley Flanagan's Revenge Stabbing |url=http://nymn.com/harley-flanagans-revenge-stabbing/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019100048/http://nymn.com/harley-flanagans-revenge-stabbing/|archive-date=October 19, 2012 |website=Nymn.com |date=July 27, 2012|url-status=live |access-date=September 13, 2013}}{{cite news |last=Moynihan|first=Colin|title=A Stabbing, and a Feud About a Band|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/nyregion/behind-stabbing-a-feud-about-a-band-called-the-cro-mags.html?_r=1|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 7, 2012|access-date=September 13, 2013}} Flanagan was stabbed in the leg.{{cite news|last=Lemoine|first=Ray|title=Former Cro-Mags Bassist Accused of Stabbing at New York Show|url=http://eastvillage.thelocal.nytimes.com/2012/07/12/harley-speaks-former-cro-mag-says-he-acted-in-self-defense-at-webster-hall/|website=The Local East Village|date=July 12, 2012|access-date=September 13, 2013}}{{cite news|last=Celona|first=Larry|title=Cro-Mags founder accused of stabbing, biting band members at Webster Hall|url=https://nypost.com/2012/07/07/cro-mags-founder-accused-of-stabbing-biting-band-members-at-webster-hall/ |newspaper=New York Post|date=July 7, 2012|access-date=September 13, 2013}}{{cite news|last=Tartar|first=Andre|title=A Knife-Wielding Former Band Member Canceled the Cro-Mags' Webster Hall Show|url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2012/07/knife-wielding-former-cro-mag-cancels-bands-set.html |newspaper=New York Magazine|date=July 7, 2012|access-date=September 13, 2013}} He stated he drew the knife to defend himself and that the wound to his leg required 30 stitches.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/former-cro-mags-bassist-defends-himself-over-webster-hall-fight-20120726 |title=Former Cro-Mags Bassist Defends Himself Over Webster Hall Fight|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=July 26, 2012|access-date=September 13, 2013}} Charges were dropped in December 2012, due to a lack of cooperating witnesses. Flanagan was later sued in a civil action over the incident, but this suit was also dropped.

In 2018, Flanagan filed a lawsuit in federal court charging former band members John McGowan and Maxwell Jayson with trademark infringement. Flanagan won the lawsuit in April 2019, giving ownership and exclusive rights to the Cro-Mags band name.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/cro-mags-harley-flanagan-wins-band-name-825896/ |title=Cro-Mags Lawsuit: Harley Flanagan Wins Band Name |magazine=Rolling Stone|date=April 23, 2019 |access-date=April 24, 2019}} In April 2019 Flanagan announced a settlement where he would own exclusive use of the name "Cro-Mags"; simultaneously, Joseph announced his recognition of the settlement, and that he and his band would instead perform as Cro-Mags "JM", beginning in August 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/69655/harley-flanagan-and-john-joseph-settle-cro-mags-lawsuit|title=Harley Flanagan and John Joseph settle Cro-Mags lawsuit|last=Punknews.org|website=www.punknews.org|date=April 22, 2019 |language=en|access-date=April 23, 2019}} This decision was reversed in September 2022 when it was decided that this violated the terms of the agreement {{Cite web|url=https://lambgoat.com/news/37185/cro-mags-trademark-solely-belongs-to-harley-flanagan-now/|title=Cro-Mags trademark solely belongs to Harley Flanagan now|last=Lambgoat.com|website=www.lambgoat.com|date=October 5, 2022 |language=en|access-date=Dec 20, 2024}}