Flag of Democracy
Encyclopedia
Flag of Democracy is an American hardcore punk
band formed in 1982 and originally from Ambler, Pennsylvania
, a suburb of Philadelphia. The group plays a mixture of melodic punk, frequently with two-part vocal lines, and noisy, dissonant hardcore, often at extreme speeds – many F.O.D. songs push past 200 beats-per-minute. The band never attained commercial success, but enjoys popularity in certain underground circuits, particularly in Europe. They were referenced in lyric by fellow Philadelphia-area rock group the Dead Milkmen
in the songs "Nutrition
" and "Milkmen Stomp."
and Agnostic Front
, and would go on to share the stage with thousands of other groups. Singer and guitarist Jim McMongale first formed the band with bassist Zeke Zagar and drummer Mike Giannone, although Zagar was replaced after a few months by Dave Rochon. Zagar would go on to form the Philadelphia skate punk
band McRad.
Flag of Democracy's debut 7" Love Songs was released in 1984 on Philadelphia's Speed Of Sound Records. It was followed two years later with the debut LP, Shatter Your Day. In this same year Giannone was replaced by Michigan
-based drummer Bob Walker, completing the group's lineup that has lasted over 25 years.
This was followed by extensive touring and the release of the 23, Down with People, Schneller! (a live record), Hate Rock and Everything Sucks albums, the latter four on the German label Bitzcore Records. Several European tours saw Rochon substituted with temporary bassists. For their 2000 album FOD World, the band worked with Philadelphia-area label Creep Records. Their most recently recorded album, Home Lobotomy Kit, had been tied up in complications and awaiting release since 2005, but finally saw the light of day on Mother Box records in 2010.
On November 30, 2007, F.O.D. played their 25th Anniversary Show in Philadelphia at the First Unitarian Church.
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band formed in 1982 and originally from Ambler, Pennsylvania
Ambler, Pennsylvania
Ambler is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in the United States, approximately 16 miles north of Philadelphia.- Village of Wissahickon:...
, a suburb of Philadelphia. The group plays a mixture of melodic punk, frequently with two-part vocal lines, and noisy, dissonant hardcore, often at extreme speeds – many F.O.D. songs push past 200 beats-per-minute. The band never attained commercial success, but enjoys popularity in certain underground circuits, particularly in Europe. They were referenced in lyric by fellow Philadelphia-area rock group the Dead Milkmen
Dead Milkmen
The Dead Milkmen is an American satirical punk rock band formed in 1983 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They consisted of vocalist and keyboardist Rodney Linderman , guitarist and vocalist Joe Genaro , bassist Dave Schulthise and drummer Dean Sabatino .Beginning within the local underground...
in the songs "Nutrition
Big Lizard in my Backyard
Big Lizard in My Backyard is the debut album by The Dead Milkmen, released by Restless Records in 1985.Although the album yielded no singles, it achieved enough notoriety to create a fan base for the band...
" and "Milkmen Stomp."
History
Formed in 1982, the band played its first show with Minor ThreatMinor Threat
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. The band was relatively short-lived, but had a strong influence on the hardcore punk music scene, both stylistically and in establishing a "do it yourself" ethic for music distribution and...
and Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front is an American hardcore band. The band began playing hardcore similar to their contemporaries, and were thrust to the forefront of the burgeoning New York hardcore scene in the mid-1980s with their widely regarded 1984 classic Victim in Pain before evolving to incorporate thrash...
, and would go on to share the stage with thousands of other groups. Singer and guitarist Jim McMongale first formed the band with bassist Zeke Zagar and drummer Mike Giannone, although Zagar was replaced after a few months by Dave Rochon. Zagar would go on to form the Philadelphia skate punk
Skate punk
Skate punk is a sub genre of punk rock, originally a derivative of the West Coast hardcore punk scene, that is named after its popularity among skateboarders and association with skateboarding culture. Skate punk most commonly describes the sound of melodic hardcore bands from the 1990s with an...
band McRad.
Flag of Democracy's debut 7" Love Songs was released in 1984 on Philadelphia's Speed Of Sound Records. It was followed two years later with the debut LP, Shatter Your Day. In this same year Giannone was replaced by Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
-based drummer Bob Walker, completing the group's lineup that has lasted over 25 years.
This was followed by extensive touring and the release of the 23, Down with People, Schneller! (a live record), Hate Rock and Everything Sucks albums, the latter four on the German label Bitzcore Records. Several European tours saw Rochon substituted with temporary bassists. For their 2000 album FOD World, the band worked with Philadelphia-area label Creep Records. Their most recently recorded album, Home Lobotomy Kit, had been tied up in complications and awaiting release since 2005, but finally saw the light of day on Mother Box records in 2010.
On November 30, 2007, F.O.D. played their 25th Anniversary Show in Philadelphia at the First Unitarian Church.
Current members
- Jim McMonagle – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
(1982–present) - Dave Rochon – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (1983–present) - Bob Walker – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1986–present)
Full-length albums
- Shatter Your Day LP (1986, Buy Our Records)
- 23 LP (1988, Buy Our Records)
- Down With People CD/LP (1990, Bitzcore Records)
- Schneller! CD/LP (1993, Bitzcore Records)
- Hate Rock CD (1994, Bitzcore Records)
- Everything Sucks CD (1996, Bitzcore Records)
- FOD World CD (2000, Creep Records)
- Home Lobotomy Kit CD/LP (2010, Motherbox Records)
Singles and EPs
- Love Songs 7" (1984 Speed Of Sound Records; re-released in 1990 as Eight Love Songs, Bitzcore Records)
- Split 7" w/ Ninefinger (1994)
Compilation appearances
- Get Off My Back compilation LP (1983, Red Music - "Murder Castle", "Suburban Cowboy")
- Flipside Vinyl Fanzine Vol. 1 compilation LP (1984, Gasatanka Records -"Madhouse")
- Another Shot For Bracken compilation LP (1986, Positive Force Records - "The Family Knows")
- Nothing Lasts 7" compilation (1991 Flex Records/Bitzcore - "Shatter Your Day")
- The Best Of Flipside Vinyl Fanzines 2xCD compilation (1993, Flipside Records - "Madhouse")
- For A Fistful Of Yen CD compilation (1994, Bitzcore Records - "Powerload")
- Fuck Loud Music CD compilation (1994, Ox Fanzine - "Gasoline Suit")
- A Joint Effort Between / Uno Sforzo Comune Fra Dynamo Magazine E Audioglobe Records Flexi 7" promo compilation (1995, Dynamo! - "Bleaurgh")
- More Kaos CD compilation (1997, Motherbox Records - "Punk Gun")
- Philly Shreds Volume 1 compilation LP (1999, Schuylkill Records - "Razor Wire")
- Tomorrow Will Be Worse Vol. 3 compilation LP (2002, Sound Pollution Records - "Umi Heto", "#1", "Majin Go")
External links
- F.O.D. MySpace
- Kill From The Heart
- Official F.O.D. website
- SRA Records (reissuing Shatter Your Day and 23)