Even When It Makes No Sense – The Broken Flag Story
Steve Underwood
(Korm Plastics)
To state that Broken Flag was legendary may be overstating
the case a bit, but it certainly gained itself a reputation, both at the
time and retrospectively, as a label that was truly underground, off the radar,
and instrumental in creating and nurturing what is now called Noise and Power
Electronics. In those murky and far off
pre-internet days of the early 80s, musical scenes and genres could form in
dark corners, away from what would now be the harsh spotlight of the internet,
and attract like minds, free from interference or the need to be ‘liked’ or
garner followers and multiply posts. The
channels were limited, cassettes being the choice for anyone on a budget, and
communication was largely by or in person. That spawned a network of niche labels, distributors
and mail order outlets forming across the world in a way that was genuinely off
the grid and operating from flats, squats and bedrooms, existing outside of the
established music and rock circles, which gave it both mystique and an air of exclusivity. Broken Flag ticked all of those boxes. 
Taking its name from a Patti Smith track, Broken Flag was the brainchild of Ramleh’s Gary Munday. Initially intended as a vehicle for releasing firstly his post-punk act , A Cruel Memory, then his experimental and extreme electronic acts inspired by Whitehouse. Formed in 1982, Broken Flag never formally ceased, although its most prolific output was early on. It released both cassettes and vinyl by Gary’s solo project, Kleistwahr and group, Ramleh (both of whom are still active entities to this day), as well as a plethora of electronic and noise artists with names like Satori, Irritant, Putrefier, and Swastika Command. Accompanied by the often gruesome imagery beloved of the early UK industrial scene and a distinctive house design aesthetic, usually a black box containing a single monochrome image and stark lettering, Broken Flag quickly developed a discrete and recognisable ‘brand’. This inspired fan Steve Underwood to start his own ‘Noise Culture’ magazine, As Loud As Possible, which took years to put together, yet lasted for only one issue. Part of the reason for that was that Steve saw no point in merely paying lip service to acts he featured in the fanzine. To do justice to its subjects, every feature had to be as comprehensive and in-depth as humanly possible, and form the definitive statement on the topic. That meant it took three and a half years just to create that one issue, 18 months of which was writing and researching a Broken Flag article. Its just as well they did all that work at the time (2010), as that article now forms the basis for this book, along with additional interviews and updates of the original material, and reprints of both issues of the Broken Flag fanzine (from which the book takes it’s name). Those fanzines also contained the same mix of imagery, Art Brut and broken poetry that made Broken Flag so distinctive.
The majority of the 80 odd Broken Flag releases are covered through interviews with the artists concerned and in depth analysis, along with a fair few conversations with Gary himself on the way. Its an impressive work, and certainly meets the brief of being the definitive statement on Broken Flag as a phenomena, label, and instigator of a unique musical genre that has both persisted and grown over the years. Many Broken Flag releases have since been re-issued on a variety of labels, which attests to their lasting appeal to their specific, and hugely dedicated, audience. Broken Flag’s output won’t be for everyone. In fact, I would go further and say that it won’t appeal to most, as it often pushes against the boundaries of what music is and isn’t, and operates in the zone where art confronts entertainment. There are no winners and losers in that battle, but it does mean that acts like Ramleh and Skullflower can both exist and flourish. Without the ability to develop underground, away from the music industry glare, and having outlets like Broken Flag to support them at a pivotal time in music, it is doubtful that would have happened as effectively. In the 190 pages of this book, you can really get under the skin of what that scene was about, and how, home grown and, making no sense though it was, why it still matters now.
Essential Information: You can purchase ‘Even When It Makes No Sense’
for just 12.50 Euros (plus postage) direct from Korm Plastics via their online
shop here.
