b. USA. Despite the Neil Young -styled delivery of his songs, Brendan Lynch’s musical education came in the series of punk bands that he joined from the age of 13. Indeed, he still cites Black Flag, X and the Blasters among his greatest influences. Based in Los Angeles, California, USA, he began recording his first album in 1995 with the hope of self-releasing it. However, while hunting for a distribution contract he met up with Steve Greenberg, head of A&R at Mercury Records, who signed him to the label and also became his manager. Through Greenberg Lynch was introduced to Glen Ballard, the producer behind Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill. Ballard and Lynch co-wrote the 11 songs on his 1997 debut, Fighting Gravity. The title track was the album’s most stirring song, its narrative concerning a man who loses his job and subsequently takes his own life. The attendant single, ‘Wonderful’, meanwhile, dealt with drug addiction.