WELL known for her enchanting live performances, Miranda Lee Richards was raised in San Francisco.

The daughter of two underground comic revolutionaries; Miranda first considered playing music professionally after a chance meeting with Kirk Hammett from Metallica, who taught her to play rock songs on her guitar.

Later, she became a catwalk model and joined the band, Brian Jonestown Massacre.

She visits Manchester on Sunday following the release of her folk-rock album Existential Beast.

Your new album is a protest record, examining the issues of our times

I certainly believe a good protest song must also embody a solution, and speak of injustice from a tender, truthful and compassionate perspective.

The subject matter of Existential Beast is not solely political – many songs are spiritual in nature and refer to the angst of not being fulfilled by modern life.

These are very uncertain times indeed. But I also see it as a heightened era of manifestation, both good and bad.

That’s why it is important to look at what we are focusing on.

For example, the threat of North Korea and a stand-off between two megalomaniac madmen has me quite terrified, but at the same time I can see that more people than ever just want to lead happy, peaceful and productive lives.

Your parents, Ted and Teresa are renowned comic book artists. What was your upbringing like in that environment of constant creativity at home?

They were both liberal minded, radicals really.

They were cartoonists and their original art and content of their comic strips were a platform for self-expression that embodied social and political commentary with a rebellious spirit.

Their material was anti-war and that influenced me massively.

As a child, I remember sitting on the porch at home with dad and mum scribbling away and it was just so absorbing to watch. Many illustrations, like great songs, can express magic and wonder.

What are your memories of life in San Francisco?

I had the opposite of a sheltered upbringing, and that led to a lot of fun and some very unusual experiences.

I went to mad grown-up parties with my parents at their comic book publishers, Rip Off Press, where I was often the only kid.

But I also saw the casualties of some lifestyles – and that taking too many drugs can destroy you mentally.

But I was jealous of the Summer of Love, when 100,000 young people descended on the Bay, and some pretty amazing stories were told.

The city has changed so much since I grew up there, but just walking through the various neighbourhoods, is always an adventure.

Most of all I love the Victorian houses. They have some much beauty and history – you can almost hear the walls speaking.

Who is your favourite musical artist and why?

John Lennon – I absolutely adore his lyric writing and melodic sense, and he composed some of the most beautiful songs in the world that really touch on the human condition.

Shirley Collins is another favourite, for her work on preserving English folk music.

I find the beautiful melodies and lyrics to be very poetic.

You have enjoyed several visits to Britain. What impression has our country made on you?

I’m definitely turning into an Anglophile, at least in terms of my current taste.

Audiences in the UK love their live music. They do in America as well, but you have to be a massive artist to make money from touring because the distances are so vast.

I love to take in the rich history, culture, literature and visual beauty of the English countryside whenever I can.

The last time I visited a castle in England, an American Instagram follower asked me if I was on a film set.

Miranda Lee Richards, The Castle, Manchester, Sunday, August 27. Details from 0161 237 9485