Flatmates

Biography

Bristol, Britain indie pop symbols the Flatmates were formed in mid-1985 by vocalist/guitarist Martin Whitehead — also the creator from the famed Subway Company label — and drummer Rocker, whose roommate Kath Seaside soon signed to play bass. By adding another roommate, vocalist Deb Haynes, Whitehead relinquished vocal tasks, as well as the group go about documenting its first demos, comprised mainly of addresses of favorites with the Ramones, the Stooges, as well as the Velvet Underground. Asked by way of a local journalist who was simply within the still-unnamed group, Rocker responded, “Oh, me and my flatmates”; the name trapped, and in early 1986, they performed their first formal gig to get Half Man Fifty percent Biscuit. Though not really showing up on NME’s popular now-famous C-86 cassette, the Flatmates however emerged through the same anorak pop picture which also spawned famous brands the Store Assistants, the BMX Bandits, as well as the Soup Dragons — not merely do the band’s debut solitary “I POSSIBLY COULD Maintain Heaven” show up that fall, however they also frequently opened for the countless C-86 bands carrying out in the Bristol golf club the Bunker, which Whitehead and Rocker jointly handled. After eight gigs Seaside remaining the Flatmates, and was changed by bassist Sarah Fletcher; although their second solitary, 1987’s “Content On a regular basis,” damaged the U.K. indie Best Five, professional commitments pressured Rocker (a training dental cosmetic surgeon) to give up the group in middle-1987, with drummer Joel O’Beirne putting your signature on to record their third solitary, “You’re Gonna Cry.” The follow-up, “Shimmer,” topped the indie graphs within the springtime of 1988, and after adding second guitarist Tim Rippington, the Flatmates toured Germany; by the end from the tour Fletcher exited the lineup, with Whitehead doubling on bass to record “Heaven Has learned,” which despite a solid promotional push didn’t match the achievement of “Shimmer,” along the way spelling Subway’s end. Bassist Jackie Carrera was added with time to tour Britain within the fall; Rippington was dismissed in the roster after turning up drunk for the Flatmates’ gig on the School of London, nevertheless, and with the next departure of Haynes, the group was completed, with the rest of the members briefly carrying on on because the Special Young Stuff. 1989’s Appreciate and Death set up the Flatmates’ singles in addition to material documented for a well planned LP for London Information.

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