Pink Flag

Last updated

Pink Flag
Wirepinkflagcover.jpg
Studio album by
Wire
ReleasedDecember 1977 [1]
RecordedSeptember–October 1977
Studio Advision, London
Genre
Length35:37
Label Harvest
Producer Mike Thorne
Wire chronology
Pink Flag
(1977)		 Chairs Missing
(1978)

Pink Flag is the debut album by the English rock band Wire, released in November 1977. The album was critically acclaimed on release, and has since been highly influential. It is widely regarded as a landmark in the development of post-punk music.

Contents

The album consists of 21 tracks; six last less than a minute, a further nine last less than two minutes. [5] [6] Pitchfork noted its minimalist focus on sound rather than melody, while Allmusic described it as "The Ramones Go to Art School".

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [5]
Christgau's Record Guide A [7]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
The Great Rock Discography 8/10 [9]
MusicHound Rock Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [10]
Pitchfork 10/10 [11]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [12]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [13]
Sounds Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [14]
Spin Alternative Record Guide 10/10 [15]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [16]

Reviewing in 1978 for The Village Voice , Robert Christgau called Pink Flag a "punk suite", praised its "simultaneous rawness and detachment" and detected a rock-and-roll irony similar to, but "much grimmer and more frightening" than, the Ramones. [17] In a 1978 Trouser Press review, Ira Robbins said that "Wire [push] minimalism to new heights" and that the band "dredges up images of...beat poetry--short fragments of impressions set to music." He further said that the 21 tracks are "not songs...There's no easy structure or meter. Each explores or describes or electrifies or challenges. There's no easy listening." Robbins concluded, "I can't say this is an enjoyable album. Maybe it's just a stupid bit of rubbish. But you won't know unless you find out." [18]

In a retrospective review, Steve Huey of AllMusic opined that Pink Flag was "perhaps the most original debut album to come out of the first wave of British punk" and also "recognizable, yet simultaneously quite unlike anything that preceded it. Pink Flag's enduring influence pops up in hardcore, post-punk, alternative rock, and even Britpop, and it still remains a fresh, invigorating listen today: a fascinating, highly inventive rethinking of punk rock and its freedom to make up your own rules." [5] Retrospectively, Trouser Press called the album "a brilliant 21-song suite" in which the band "manipulated classic rock song structure by condensing them into brief, intense explosions of attitude and energy, coming up with a collection of unforgettable tunes". [19] Pitchfork writer Joe Tangari summarized the album as "a fractured snapshot of punk alternately collapsing in on itself and exploding into song-fragment shrapnel." [11]

Legacy

Although the album has received critical acclaim, [20] it was not a big seller. It was listed at number 412 on Rolling Stone 's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2012 [21] – jumping up to number 310 in its 2020 edition [22] – and at number 378 in NME's list of the same name in 2013. [23] Music journalist Stuart Maconie described it as "extraordinary" by the standards of the time at which it was produced. [24] Pitchfork ranked Pink Flag number 22 in its list "Top 100 Albums of the 1970s". [25] The album was included in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die .

Britpop band Elastica were influenced by Wire; they used a riff similar to that of "Three Girl Rhumba" for their song "Connection". [26] Graham Coxon of Blur cited Pink Flag as an influence on his eighth studio album A+E . [27]

Track listing

Credits adapted from the 2018 Special Edition. [28] [nb 1]

All music written by Colin Newman, except where noted. All lyrics written by Graham Lewis, except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Reuters" 3:03
2."Field Day for the Sundays" 0:28
3."Three Girl Rhumba"Newman1:23
4."Ex Lion Tamer" 2:19
5."Lowdown" 2:26
6."Start to Move" 1:13
7."Brazil" 0:41
8."It's So Obvious" 0:53
9."Surgeon's Girl"Newman1:17
10."Pink Flag" 3:47
Side two
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
11."The Commercial"(instrumental)Lewis0:49
12."Straight Line" Bruce Gilbert Gilbert, Newman0:44
13."106 Beats That"  1:12
14."Mr. Suit"Newman 1:25
15."Strange"GilbertGilbert, Newman3:58
16."Fragile"  1:18
17."Mannequin"  2:37
18."Different to Me"Annette Green 0:43
19."Champs"  1:46
20."Feeling Called Love"Newman 1:22
21."12 X U"Gilbert, Lewis 1:55

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the 2018 Special Edition. [28]

Wire

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wire (band)</span> English rock band

Wire are an English rock band, formed in London in October 1976 by Colin Newman, Graham Lewis, Bruce Gilbert (guitar), George Gill and Robert Grey. They were originally associated with the punk rock scene, appearing on The Roxy London WC2 album, and were instrumental to the development of post-punk, while their debut album Pink Flag was influential for hardcore punk.

<i>Damaged</i> (Black Flag album) 1981 studio album by Black Flag

Damaged is the debut studio album by the American hardcore punk band Black Flag. It was released by SST Records in November 1981.

<i>The Stooges</i> (album) 1969 debut album by the Stooges

The Stooges is the debut studio album by American rock band the Stooges, released on August 5, 1969 by Elektra Records. Considered a landmark proto-punk release, the album peaked at number 106 on the US Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. The tracks "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and "1969" were released as singles; "1969" was featured on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Songs" at number 35. In 2020, it was ranked number 488 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

<i>A Bell Is a Cup</i> 1988 studio album by Wire

A Bell Is a Cup... Until It Is Struck is the fifth studio album by the British post-punk group Wire.

<i>The Ideal Copy</i> 1987 studio album by Wire

The Ideal Copy is the fourth studio album by the English rock group Wire, released in April 1987 by Mute Records. It was the first full-length recording following the band's hiatus of 1980–1985. The Ideal Copy peaked at number 87 in the UK albums chart.

<i>154</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Wire

154 is the third album by the English post-punk band Wire, released in 1979 on EMI imprint Harvest Records in the UK and Europe and Warner Bros. Records in America.

<i>Chairs Missing</i> 1978 studio album by Wire

Chairs Missing is the second studio album by English rock band Wire. It was released on 8 September 1978 by Harvest Records. The album peaked at number 48 in the UK Albums Chart.

<i>Its Beginning To And Back Again</i> 1989 studio album by Wire

It's Beginning To And Back Again, also known by its acronym IBTABA, is the sixth studio album by the British post-punk group Wire, released in May 1989 by Mute Records.

<i>Manscape</i> 1990 studio album by Wire

Manscape is the seventh studio album by the British post-punk group Wire, released in May 1990 by Mute Records. It was produced by David M. Allen, mostly recorded and mixed at RAK Studios, engineered by Roy Spong, and published by Dying Art Ltd.

<i>The Modern Lovers</i> (album) 1976 studio album by the Modern Lovers

The Modern Lovers is the debut studio album by American rock band the Modern Lovers. It was released on Beserkley Records in 1976, though the original tracks had been recorded in 1971 and 1972. Six of the original tracks were produced by John Cale. The album pointed towards alternative music genres such as punk rock, new wave and indie rock.

<i>The First Letter</i> 1991 studio album by Wir

The First Letter is the ninth studio album and the last album released by Wire before their second extended hiatus. It was released in October 1991 by Mute Records. It was one of only three releases credited to "Wir", the others being the "So and Slow It Grows" single, and a limited edition two-song EP entitled Vien. The band changed their name to "Wir" after drummer Robert Gotobed's departure; he quit the band because the musical direction increasingly relied on drum machines and loops. Other than an Erasure remix in 1995, the band would not reform until 1999, and not release any new material until 2002's Read & Burn 01 and Read & Burn 02 EPs and 2003's subsequent Send album. The First Letter produced the single "So and Slow It Grows."

<i>Eternally Yours</i> (album) 1978 studio album by the Saints

Eternally Yours is the second album by Australian punk rock band the Saints, released in 1978. Produced by band members Chris Bailey and Ed Kuepper, the album saw the band pursue a bigger, more R&B-driven sound, augmented by a horn section. The album also saw the introduction of bass guitarist Algy Ward, who replaced the band's previous bass player, Kym Bradshaw in mid-1977.

<i>Fire of Love</i> (album) 1981 studio album by the Gun Club

Fire of Love is the debut album of the American rock band the Gun Club, released in 1981 on Ruby Records.

<i>Send</i> (album) 2003 studio album by Wire

Send is the tenth studio album by the English rock group Wire, released in May 2003 through their own Pinkflag label. It was their first recording as a four-piece since Manscape (1990) and the first full-length release by any incarnation of the group since 1991. The album contains seven songs previously released in 2002 on the EPs Read & Burn 01 and Read & Burn 02, and four songs exclusive to this release.

<i>The Drill</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Wire

The Drill is the eighth studio album by the British post-punk group Wire, released in April 1991 by Mute Records. The album comprises rerecorded and remixed versions of the same song, "Drill", with some versions featuring new lyrics. It is officially listed as an EP rather than an album despite its length of almost one hour.

<i>A–Z</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Colin Newman

A–Z is the debut studio album by Colin Newman, lead singer of post-punk band Wire. It was released in October 1980, through record label Beggars Banquet. "A-Z was planned as the fourth Wire album, but EMI [Wire's label] cancelled studio time in the wake of failed negotiations with the band."

<i>Red Barked Tree</i> 2010 studio album by Wire

Red Barked Tree is the twelfth studio album by the English post-punk band Wire--digitally released on 20 December 2010, and as a CD on 10 January 2011 on the Pinkflag label. Featuring eleven tracks covering a diverse range of musical styles, the record was well received by critics, who found the record "representing the essence of their best work" and covering "virtually all aspects of Wire's varied history to create a stylistic best-of new material".

<i>Read & Burn 01</i> 2002 EP by Wire

Read & Burn 01 is an EP by the English rock band Wire. It is the first in a series of three Read & Burn EPs. It was released on 25 June 2002.

<i>Provisionally Entitled the Singing Fish</i> 1981 album by Colin Newman

Provisionally Entitled the Singing Fish is the second studio album by Colin Newman, lead singer of post-punk band Wire. It was released in 1981, through record labels Beggars Banquet and 4AD.

<i>Not To</i> 1982 album by Colin Newman

Not To is the third studio album by Colin Newman, lead singer of post-punk band Wire. It was released in 1982, through record labels Beggars Banquet and 4AD.

References

  1. ↑ Pinkflag.com (the official Wire website) - Us
  2. ↑ Stegall, Tim (3 October 2019). "Top 15 punk LPs of 1977 that undeniably defined the year". Alternative Press . Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  3. ↑ Hart, Ron (21 June 2018). "Wire Looks Back on Its Pioneering Art Punk Trilogy". Billboard . Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  4. ↑ Neate, Wilson (2009). Wire's Pink Flag. 33⅓. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p.  23. ISBN   978-1-4411-1001-5.
  5. 1 2 3 Huey, Steve. "Pink Flag – Wire". AllMusic . Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  6. ↑ Tangari, Joe. "[https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11866-pink-flag-chairs-missing-154/ Pink Flag / Chairs Missing / 154 Wire]". Pirchfork , 5 May 2006. Retrieved 31 March 2024
  7. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1981). "W". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Boston: Ticknor and Fields. ISBN   0-89919-026-X . Retrieved 22 March 2019– via robertchristgau.com.
  8. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2011). "Wire". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). London: Omnibus Press. ISBN   978-0-85712-595-8.
  9. ↑ Martin C. Strong (1998). The Great Rock Discography (1st ed.). Canongate Books. ISBN   978-0-86241-827-4.
  10. ↑ Gary Graff, ed. (1996). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide (1st ed.). London: Visible Ink Press. ISBN   978-0-7876-1037-1.
  11. 1 2 Tangari, Joe (5 May 2006). "Wire: Pink Flag / Chairs Missing / 154". Pitchfork . Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  12. ↑ Harris, John (July 2018). "Dawning of a New Era". Q . No. 386. pp. 120–21.
  13. ↑ Gross, Joe (2004). "Wire". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster. pp.  883–84. ISBN   0-743-20169-8.
  14. ↑ Fudger, Dave (12 November 1977). "Bleak, morbid, but mesmerising". Sounds . p. 34.
  15. ↑ Weisbard, Eric (1995). "Wire". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. New York: Vintage Books. pp. 435–37. ISBN   0-679-75574-8.
  16. ↑ "Wire: Pink Flag". Uncut . No. 106. March 2006. p. 106.
  17. ↑ Christgau, Robert (27 March 1978). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  18. ↑ Robbins, Ira (April 1978). "Wire: Pink Flag". Trouser Press . Vol. 5, no. 3. New York. p. 40. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  19. ↑ DeRogatis, Jim; Neate, Wilson. "Wire". Trouser Press . Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  20. ↑ - Larkin, Colin (1994). All Time Top 1000 Albums . Guinness World Records. p. 236. ISBN   978-0-851-12786-6. Abrasive and disjointed, these 21 tracks exude a fury impossible to ignore and one enhanced by their very brevity.
    - Heatley, Michael; Lester, Paul; Roberts, Chris (1998). Du Noyer, Paul (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Albums. Bristol: Dempsey Parr. ISBN   978-1-840-84031-5. The artily unintelligible lyrics and dense production marked Wire out as a sort of New Wave Roxy Music" (p. 170){{cite book}}: External link in |quote= (help)
    - Dimery, Robert, ed. (2011) [2005]. 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . London: Hachette UK. ISBN   978-1-84403714-8. The most original album of punk's first wave....The resulting sound was far colder and more brutal than anything else around at the time. {{cite book}}: External link in |quote= (help)
    - NME (January 2006). 100 Greatest British Albums Ever!. Pink Flag was placed no. 83. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  21. ↑ Rolling Stone staff (31 May 2012). "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. 412: Pink Flag – Wire. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  22. ↑ Rolling Stone staff (22 September 2020). "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 21 December 2020. This first-generation U.K. punk band made sparse tunes that erupted in combustible snippets on its 21-track debut album. America never got it, but Pink Flag — as revolutionary discs tend to do — influenced some important bands, including Sonic Youth and the Minutemen. It also might be one of the most-covered punk LPs ever: Minor Threat did "12XU," R.E.M. did "Strange," the New Bomb Turks did "Mr. Suit," Spoon did "Lowdown," the Lemonheads did "Fragile," and on and on.
  23. ↑ Barker, Emily (23 October 2013). "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time: 400–301". NME. 378: Pink Flag – Wire. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  24. ↑ Maconie, Stuart (2004). Cider with Roadies . London: Ebury Publishing. p.  108. ISBN   978-0-091-89745-1.
  25. ↑ Pitchfork staff (23 June 2004). "The 100 Best Albums of the 1970s". Pitchfork. p. 8. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  26. ↑ Dimery, Robert, ed. (2011) [2005]. Elastica's borrowing from "Three Girl Rhumba" for 1994's "Connection".
  27. ↑ "The Soundtrack of My Life: Graham Coxon". Q. No. 309. April 2012.
  28. 1 2 "Pink Flag (2018 Special Edition)". Discogs.com. Retrieved on 5 May 2019.
  29. ↑ Neate, Wilson (2013). Read & Burn: A Book About Wire. London: Jawbone Press. p. 81. ISBN   978-1-90827-933-0.

Informational notes

  1. ↑ The songwriting credits for Pink Flag have been modified on all reissues since 2006. [29] All tracks were originally credited to Bruce Gilbert, Graham Lewis, Colin Newman and Robert Gotobed, except "Different To Me", which was credited to Annette Green.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.