FLATS RADAR FEATURE FOR NME

“People need to stop listening to Gang Of fucking Four” intones Dan Devine, rail-thin, tousled hair street urchin ring leader of the most excitingly raw and visceral mess of a band currently plying their trade in London. “Half a decade of raping the same record? Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand came out five years ago and people still think it’s acceptable to trot out an angular guitar riff and a dance-y bass line with a disco beat. It makes me fucking sick..”

Dan may be more than a little opinionated but fortunately Flats deliver the goods to back up the bluster and they formed a few short months ago intent on remedying the musical ills of the last 5 years. “We couldn’t see a single band out there that represented the things we wanted from a band so we came up with a sort of manifesto that we haven’t deviated from. The songs have to be fast, short and heavy and the vocals have to involve me screaming as loud as I can.” 

Do Flats consider what the manifesto has produced punk rock in essence? “Someone asked me if what we play is three chord punk and I said: “nah mate, it’s six chord punk”. I was taking the piss but it’s not a bad description of what we do: punk with something extra” says guitarist Luke Tristram. “Basically” continues Dan, when me and Luke lived together we bonded over Swans and Arab On Radar and these girls we lived with were always throwing parties and all these emaciated male model freaks would turn up. We’d stick on some Arab On Radar and they’d all leave. I want Flats to be the musical of equivalent of sticking Arab On Radar on the hifi and clearing the room of all the cunts so only the people who get it are left. That actually happened the other day when we supported Mark Ronson.”

Sending Mark Ronson fans running from the hills aside Flats aren’t lacking in ambition: “By the time we release an LP I want us to have 40 original  tracks. I hate bands that re-release the same track 20 times then release it again on their album. Fuck that, just get it out. For all we know this could all be over this time next year but if I’ve put out six records by that point I’ll be happy”. Considering the calibre of what they have already produced so should you.