Wire – Pink Flag (1977)
[Album 770/1001]
What does a Pink Flag symbolize?
From Roger Neilson’s towel waving in the 1982 Campbell Conference Finals, I know the White Flag indicates the intention to surrender (mockingly, in Neilson’s case).
I know Blag Flag is a punk rock band featuring Henry Rollins. Or as my friend Aaron @ the KMA would say, ROLLINS!
But a Pink Flag?
I’m beginning to think it indicates ‘efficient and effective music to be influenced by: found here’
.
.
I don’t believe I had heard any of these songs prior to this week.
Yet they felt so familiar.
Lowdown‘s opening chord (and guitar tone) instantly transported me to the opening chord (and guitar tone) of Drive-By Truckers‘ Days of Graduation.
If no royalties ended up exchanging hands, hopefully Elastica at least sent a nice hand-written thank you note to Wire for the riff inspiration.
Speaking of Connections, there’s probably a link between Start to Move & early 2000s tracks like Fell in Love With a Girl…and I suppose just about every band with unruly hair & restrictive trousers could probably trace some of their sound & energy back to Wire.
None of which offends me; early in this project, I started to learn that everything sounds a bit like everything, just enjoy the ride.
The only problem I’m still trying to solve: do I prefer the influencer (Wire) or the influencees?
As far as problems go, that isn’t a bad one to have!
…..
Verbalize the Positive
“On their walls, he left nothing but hooks and some Wire”
– Dr. Seuss, How The Grinch Stole Christmas
I’ve had this line in my head today & it feels like it might be an appropriate way to describe the last 40+ years of what might be classified as ‘post-punk.’
Strip a good ‘post-punk’ song down to its core & what do you have left?
Nothing but hooks and some Wire (influence)!
1001albumsin10years 
I heard a lot about these guys before I ever listened to them. What finally inspired me to check them out was their inclusion on the soundtrack to the 2010 miniseries “Carlos”. The film was incredible but I was over the moon with the soundtrack.
Just checked out the soundtrack list – looks like a keeper!
I remember that Roger white flag waving scenario. That was crazy as it garnered a lot of press coverage thats for sure.
Those early 80s Canucks jerseys were not pretty!
I love the green background with the hockey stick
I was a fan of the Pavel Bure-era jerseys – anything but the giant V!
That post-punk sound made a comeback in the early 2000s with stuff like Franz Ferdinand too.
Likely my favourite window of the 21st century thus far!
Your favourite Window? The patriotic choice would have been CRJ’s new pop banger released yesterday:
By window, I mean small period of time (a few years) or musical movement – the early 2000s ‘the’ groups era would likely be mine thus far.
But if these strong tunes continue, maybe that’ll change!
I thought you misspelled “Single”, but I get what you mean now.