Red Flag (band)
Encyclopedia
Red Flag is a synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...

 band founded in 1984 in San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

 by brothers Chris and Mark Reynolds.

History

After growing up in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...

, the brothers, following their father's itinerant job, moved to locations such as Montreal and Seattle; in 1979, the family settled in California, arriving first in Los Angeles, then San Diego. The brothers first started playing electronic music in 1982, when Mark Reynolds bought a Roland Juno-60
Roland Juno-60
The Roland Juno-60 is a popular analogue 61-key polyphonic synthesizer produced by Roland Corporation in the early 1980s and a successor to the slightly earlier Juno-6. Like its predecessor, the Juno-60 has some digital enhancements, used only for clocking the oscillators and for saving and loading...

 synthesizer over a guitar on a trip to a music store. The first song they recorded, "Distant Memories", under the name Shades of May, was selected for a compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...

, Local Heroes, by San Diego radio station 91X
XETRA-FM
XETRA-FM — branded 91X, and sometimes identified as XTRA-FM — is an English language, Mexican-owned modern rock music station broadcasting from Tijuana, Baja California on 91.1 MHz. The studios are located in the Mira Mesa area of San Diego...

 in 1984. Shades of May subsequently received offers to play live, and the brothers began to study music and computer technology seriously in turn. In this interim, the band also changed its name to Red Flag; later, the name would frequently be associated with the red flag
Red flag
In politics, a red flag is a symbol of Socialism, or Communism, or sometimes left-wing politics in general. It has been associated with left-wing politics since the French Revolution. Socialists adopted the symbol during the Revolutions of 1848 and it became a symbol of communism as a result of its...

 iconography of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

, though the band insisted that it was taken from a warning signal used in surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...

.

Later, in March 1988, they performed at a party for Resource Record Pool, a record pool based in Southern California, at the Mannikin club in Pacific Beach
Pacific Beach, San Diego, California
Pacific Beach is a neighborhood of San Diego, bounded by La Jolla to the north, Mission Beach and Mission Bay to the south, Interstate 5 to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. While largely populated by young people, surfers, and college students, the population is becoming older, more...

. There, the band was noticed by Synthicide Records (a subsidiary of Enigma Records
Enigma Records
Enigma Records was a popular rock and alternative American record label in the 1980s. It was initially a division of Greenworld Distribution, an independent music importer/distributor, which it split-off from in 1985 to become its own company...

) head and producer Jon St. James
Jon St. James
Jon St. James is an American guitarist, songwriter–composer, producer and engineer whose Casbah Recording Studio was a part of Orange County, California's new music scene in the late 1970s and early to mid 1980s. St. James' first album was as leader–frontman–songwriter of the progressive rock group...

; after their demo tapes were reviewed the following day, the band recorded their first single, "Broken Heart" (as well as its B-side, "Control") at St. James's recording studio, Formula One, a week later. St. James, best known for his work with singer Stacey Q
Stacey Q
Stacey Q is a pop singer, dancer and actress. She is best known for her 1985 hit single "Two of Hearts".-Early life:Stacey Swain was born on November 30, 1958 in Fullerton, California. She is the youngest of three children...

, co-produced the record with her; she also provided backing vocals and coached Mark on his singing.

"Broken Heart" was released in July 1988; the single was printed on 12" clear red vinyl
Unusual types of gramophone records
The overwhelming majority of records manufactured have been of certain sizes , playback speeds , and appearance...

, and received airplay on both 91X and the influential KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...

. That month also saw the band play at larger venues, such as Videopolis
Videopolis (Disneyland)
Videopolis was the name of a outdoor amphitheater that operated from 1985 to 1995 at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Located in Fantasyland, it functioned as a venue for various shows and, in the evenings, as an all-ages dance club. As of 2009, the location was renamed to Fantasyland...

 at Disneyland. Their first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...

, Naïve Art
Naïve Art (album)
Naïve Art is the debut album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released in 1989.-Track listing:# "If I Ever" # "Pretty in Pity" # "Russian Radio" # "Give Me Your Hand" # "All Roads Lead to You"...

, was released in 1989 under label Enigma. Released at the time of seminal synth pop group Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...

's greatest success, it drew comparisons as being stylistically similar to that group's recordings, featuring extensive use of synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...

s and dance
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...

 beats
Beat (music)
The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...

, and vocals that were generally deep and gloomy in mood. Several singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

 from the album charted highly on the US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....

, such as "Russian Radio" (#11) and "If I Ever" (#12). Red Flag went on to appear on American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...

, and the video for "Russian Radio" was played by MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

's 120 Minutes
120 Minutes
120 Minutes is a television show in the United States dedicated to alternative music, originally airing on MTV from 1986 to 2000, and then on MTV's sister channel MTV2 from 2001 to 2003....

. Notable producers who worked on Naïve Art include Paul Robb of synthpop band Information Society
Information society
The aim of the information society is to gain competitive advantage internationally through using IT in a creative and productive way. An information society is a society in which the creation, distribution, diffusion, use, integration and manipulation of information is a significant economic,...

 and Joseph Watt of remix service Razormaid. Naïve Art remains the only full album Razormaid ever produced.

Red Flag toured frequently, playing at first as opening act to New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...

 and synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...

 artists such as Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...

, Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s...

, Book of Love and Real Life
Real Life (band)
Real Life are a Melbourne-based Australian New Wave/Synthpop band that had hits with their debut single, "Send Me an Angel" and with "Catch Me I'm Falling" , both of which were featured on the band's debut album Heartland .-Biography:...

.

In 1991, Enigma Records closed, and the duo signed on with I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...

 and released "Machines
Machines (single)
Machines is a song by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released as a single in 1992.-12" maxi-single:Catalog#: V-13863Side A# Machines # Machines # Machines...

" in 1992 before leaving the label in 1993. The brothers then founded an independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...

, Plan B Records, from which they have released all their subsequent recordings. Red Flag tracks have appeared on numerous compilations, including several put out by Razormaid.

By 2000 and the release of the highly acclaimed dark album, The Crypt, the brothers were performing with European electropop and futurepop bands like Dance or Die
Dance or Die (band)
Dance or Die is an electronic band, formed in 1988 by Andreas Goldacker and Gary Wagner in Berlin. Falgalas joined the band in 1993, first for live touring, later as full member. Chris L...

, Melotron
Melotron
Melotron is a futurepop and synthpop band from Germany. In 1996 Andy Krueger, Edgar Slatnow and Kay Hildebrandt left their former band, The Vermin, to form Melotron. The band found success with their first single, "Dein Meister," in 1998....

, Mesh
Mesh (band)
-Background:In 1991, Mark Hockings and Richard Silverthorn met at a gig where Silverthorn's band was playing...

, T.O.Y.
T.O.Y.
T.O.Y. is a German Futurepop/Synthpop band. The project was formerly known as Evils Toy, which was closer to electro-industrial in sound.-as Evils Toy:...

, and De/Vision
De/Vision
De/Vision is a German synthpop musical group. The band started as a quartet consisting of Thomas Adam, Steffen Keth, Stefan Blender, and Markus Ganssert. They formed the band in 1988. The name De/Vision is a play on words. The majority of the band's lyrics are in English, but they have had some...

.

On May 17, 2002, Red Flag performed for an audience of nearly one thousand at a concert at the Museum of the Nation
Museum of the Nation
The Museum of the Nation ' is one of two major museums of Peruvian history in Lima, Peru. It is much larger than the other main museum in Lima, the Peruvian National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology, and History....

 in Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...

, Peru.
Mark Reynolds committed suicide on April 7, 2003.

In 2007, Chris Reynolds relaunched the band's official website, announcing plans to record a new Red Flag album solo. The newly released album, titled Born Again, which marks Chris Reynolds debut as vocalist, has captivated fans in the dark industrial and goth genres. Chris Reynolds also revealed plans for a winter 2007 release Christmas-themed album and possibly a best of album in the coming year. Red Flag's comeback tour will be kicked off by shows in Chicago and will include festival performances at Dark Arts Festival 07 and Gothicfest 07 and Gothic Cruise 08. Paul Fredric of Asmodeus X
Asmodeus X
Asmodeus X is an American electro-industrial band whose music is frequently characterized as a mixture of EBM and darkwave and typically includes the use of environmental sampling. Their style is said to be influenced by the music of Laibach, Kraftwerk, Death in June, and Front 242, among others...

 and Phase Theory currently fills in on electronic percussion.

Music

Naïve Art, Red Flag's first album, was acclaimed by critics as a mixture of classically oriented melodies, driving dance beats and, industrial sounding samples and fills.
The successful album was even sold as an unreleased Depeche Mode album by European bootleggers.

The 1994 album The Lighthouse stood out as being stylistically unlike any of the band's prior or subsequent recordings, with highly ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...

, tranquil melodies.

The 2000 release of the highly acclaimed and dark album, The Crypt, marked a new darker and more industrial style for Red Flag. Though often compared at the time to some of the music hailing from Europe's futurepop movement, Red Flag's music has been characterized by a unique style set apart from any other electronic music; distinguishing Red Flag in terms of melodies, vocals, and an expertly crafted electronic style all their own.

The releases of both Fear of a Red Planet and The Bitter End were harshly criticized by critics in the synthpop genre, who were unaccustomed to and unaccepting of Red Flag's increasingly dark style, lamenting what they considered the gloomy and dark aspects of these albums compared to Red Flag's earlier synthpop works. Only in later years were these two albums noticed anew in the Goth and Darkwave genres, by both fans and DJs, where they are enjoying a resurgence of interest and airplay.

Codebreaker t133 fared no better in 2003, with synthpop adherents than preceding albums. The uptempo album with all songs set to a beat of 133 per minute was more danceable than some prior Red Flag works but the album failed to catch on.

Red Flag's 2002 remix album
Remix album
A remix album is an album consisting mostly of remixes or re-recorded versions of a music artists' earlier released material.One of the earliest remix albums was 1971's Aerial Pandemonium Ballet by Harry Nilsson, which was released by Nilsson after the successes of Everybody's Talkin and The Point!...

, Who are the Skulls?, featured other synthpop artists such as Information Society
Information society
The aim of the information society is to gain competitive advantage internationally through using IT in a creative and productive way. An information society is a society in which the creation, distribution, diffusion, use, integration and manipulation of information is a significant economic,...

's Paul Robb
Paul Robb
Paul Jason Robb is a synthesizer player, producer, songwriter and one of the founding members of the synthpop-freestyle band Information Society.- Biography :...

, Cosmicity, Provision
Provision (musical group)
Provision is an electronic musical group based in Houston, Texas. Provision was founded in November 2000 by Breye 7x and Leslie Hyman ....

, and Rob Rowe of Cause & Effect. The concept of the album was to organize a project in answer to the many requests from other remixers to work with the band.

In 2007, Chris Reynolds resumed recording as Red Flag and released the exceptional album Born Again to acclaim among the gothic community.

Albums

  • Naïve Art
    Naïve Art (album)
    Naïve Art is the debut album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released in 1989.-Track listing:# "If I Ever" # "Pretty in Pity" # "Russian Radio" # "Give Me Your Hand" # "All Roads Lead to You"...

    (1989)
  • The Lighthouse
    The Lighthouse (Red Flag album)
    The Lighthouse is the third album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released in 1994 by their own label, Plan B Records.-Track listing:# Inner Sea # Ambient Tier # Shame on the Moon # Cry Me a River...

    (1994)
  • Caveat Emptor
    Caveat Emptor (album)
    Caveat Emptor is the album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released in 1998 by their own label, Plan B Records.-Track listing:# "Sundown" # "The Web" # "Hollow" # "Love Lacks Gravity" # "Cliché"...

    (1998)
  • The Eagle and Child
    The Eagle and Child (album)
    The Eagle and Child is the album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released in 1999 by their own label, Plan B Records.-Track listing:# "The Eagle and Child" # "Disarray" # "Take Care Love" # "She's My Girl"...

    (2000)
  • The Crypt
    The Crypt (album)
    The Crypt is the album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released in 2000 by their own label, Plan B Records.-Track listing:# "Curtains" # "I See You" # "King of Everything" # "The Thought of You"...

    (2000)
  • Fear of a Red Planet
    Fear of a Red Planet (album)
    Fear of a Red Planet is the album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released in 2001 by their own label, Plan B Records.-Track listing:# "I Am the Wind" # "Live Fast Die Pretty" # "On the Highway"...

    (2001)
  • The Bitter End
    The Bitter End (Red Flag album)
    The Bitter End is the album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released in 2002 by their own label, Plan B Records. 11 original songs of love, life, loss and reality, all in classic Red Flag fashion.-Track listing:...

    (2002)
  • Codebreaker T133
    Codebreaker T133
    Codebreaker T133 is the album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. The uptempo album with all songs set to a beat of 133 per minute was more danceable than some prior Red Flag works but the album failed to catch on.-Track listing:# Eternal Flame...

    (2002)
  • Born Again
    Born Again (Red Flag album)
    Born Again is the album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It marks the comeback of the band by Chris Reynolds after the death of brother and band mate, Mark Reynolds, in 2003...

    (2007)
  • Time Is the Reaper (2008)
  • Remnants (2008)
  • Nemesis (2010)

Remix albums

  • Naïve Dance
    Naive Dance
    Naïve Dance is the remix album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released in 1990.-Track listing:# "Broken Heart" # "Russian Radio" # "If I Ever"...

    (1990)
  • EP
    EP (Red Flag album)
    EP is the album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It's a second album which was released by their own label, Plan B Records.-Track listing:# "Illumination" # "Deeper Shade Of Blue" # "I Remember" # "Time"...

    (1996)
  • Naïve Art - Special Edition
    Naïve Art Special Edition
    Naïve Art - Special Edition is the album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released in 2001. This is the special release of the first Red Flag's album Naïve Art , which is included some new tracks and remixes.-Track listing:...

    (2001)
  • Who Are the Skulls?
    Who Are The Skulls
    Who Are The Skulls? is the remix album by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released in 2002 by their own label, Plan B Records. This remix album comes in a custom chrome jewel case with a chrome tray card...

    (2002)
  • RMXDI (2008)
  • RMXDII (2009)

Singles

  • Broken Heart
    Broken Heart (Red Flag song)
    Broken Heart is first single by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released in 1988.-Track listing:12" Maxi-SingleCatalog#: 71307-0A1 - Broken Heart A2 - Broken Heart A3 - Re-Broken...

     (1988)
  • Russian Radio
    Russian Radio
    Russian Radio is a song by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released as a single in 1988.-12" Single:Catalog#: 71310-0A1. Russian Radio 7:28B1. Russian Radio 3:30...

     (1988)
  • If I Ever (1989)
  • All Roads Lead to You (1989)
  • Count to Three (1990)
  • Machines
    Machines (song)
    "Machines" is a song by Scottish band Biffy Clyro, from their 2007 album, Puzzle. It was due to be released as the fourth physical single from Puzzle on 1 October 2007 but was pushed back 1 week and released on the 8th October 2007....

     (1992)
  • Disarray (2000)
  • The Game (2000)
  • In My Arms Again (2000)
  • Goodbye (2000)
  • Curtains (2000)
  • I See You (2000)
  • Black Christmas (2000)
  • Prelude to a Disc (Montage Fait Accompli) (2001)
  • Fear of a Red Planet
    Fear of a Red Planet
    Fear of a Red Planet is a song by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released as a single in 2001.This single is included in the "Fear Series" box set.-Track listing:#Fear of a Red Planet#Asylum#Dance of the Damned...

     (2001)
  • I Am the Wind (2001)
  • Cause & Consequence (2001)
  • On the Highway (2001)
  • So Lie with Me (2002)
  • Lullaby for a Restless Girl (2002)
  • Mathematics of Tears (2002)
  • Halo (2008)
  • Once Past Twice Future
    Once Past Twice Future
    "Once Past Twice Future" is a song by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released as a single in 2008.-Track listing:#Once Past Twice Future #Born Again #Once Past Twice Future #Satin Gown...

     (2008)
  • My Door Is Open (2008)
  • Time Is the Reaper (2008)
  • Misery Loves Company (2008)
  • Unleash All Hell
    Unleash All Hell
    "Unleash All Hell" is a song by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released as a single in 2009.-Track listing:# Unleash All Hell # Shadow Warrior 2008 # I See You # Doomsday Code...

     (2009)
  • Run
    Run (Red Flag song)
    "Run" is a song by the American synthpop band Red Flag. It was released as a single in 2009.-Track listing:CD version# Run # Run # Run # Run # Run # Run # Run...

    (2009)

Megablack series

  • "Disarray" (2000)
  • "Machines Limited" (2000)
  • "The Game" (2000)
  • "In My Arms Again" (2000)
  • "Goodbye" (2000)
  • "Curtains" (2000)
  • "I See You" (2000)

  • "Black Christmas" (2000)
  • "Black Christmas-2001" (2001)

Fear series

  • "Fear of a Red Planet" (2001)
  • "I Am the Wind" (2001)
  • "Cause & Consequence" (2001)
  • "On the Highway" (2001)
  • "So Lie with Me" (2002)
  • "Lullaby for a Restless Girl" (2002)
  • "Mathematics of Tears" (2002)

Box sets

  • Megablack (2000)
    • "Prelude to a Disc"
    • "Disarray" - CD-Single
    • "Machines" Limited Renditions - CD-Single
    • "The Game" - CD-Single
    • "In My Arms Again" - CD-Single
    • "Goodbye" - CD-Single
    • "Curtains" - CD-Single
    • "I See You" - CD-Single
    • "The Eagle and Child" - Album
    • "The Crypt" - Album

  • Fear Series (2002)
    • Lev.el 01 - "Fear of a Red Planet" Maxi-Single
    • Lev.el 02 - "I Am the Wind" - Maxi-Single
    • Lev.el 03 - "Cause & Consequence" - Maxi-Single
    • Lev.el 04 - "On the Highway" - Maxi-Single
    • Lev.el 05 - "So Lie with Me" - Maxi-Single
    • Lev.el 06 - "Lullaby for a Restless Girl" - Maxi-Single
    • Lev.el 07 - "Mathematics of Tears" - Maxi-Single
    • Lev.el 08 - "Spider and Astronaut" - A Story
    • Lev.el 09 - "Fear of a Red Planet" - Album
    • Lev.el 10 - "The End is the Beginning" - EP

External links

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