Flag of Convenience were a

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

group formed in 1982 by former

Buzzcocks Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton, England in 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto. They are regarded as a seminal influence on the Manchester music scene, the independen ...

members

Steve Diggle Stephen E Diggle (born 7 May 1955) is an English guitarist and vocalist in the punk band Buzzcocks. Biography Early years Diggle was born on 7 May 1955 at Saint Mary's Hospital in Manchester, and grew up in the Bradford and Rusholme areas ...

and John Maher, along with bassist Dave Farrow and keyboard player D.P.Strong, Martin C. (1999) "The Great Alternative & Indie Discography", Canongate, Through their first two line-ups they were managed by the writer and music critic Michael Gray, shortly after his personal management of

Gerry Rafferty Gerald Rafferty (16 April 1947– 4 January 2011) was a Scottish singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was a founding member of Stealers Wheel, whose biggest hit was " Stuck in the Middle with You" in 1973. His solo hits in th ...

. Hence the band's first single was produced by Rafferty's co-producer Hugh Murphy. The band continued with changing line-ups until 1989, with later incarnations releasing records under the names F.O.C. and Buzzcocks F.O.C. The final incarnation of the band included former member of

The Stone Roses The Stone Roses were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. One of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the band's classic and most prominent lineup consisted of vocalist I ...

Andy Couzens and former

Inspiral Carpets Inspiral Carpets are an English rock band, part of the late-1980s/early-1990s Madchester movement. Formed in Oldham in 1980, the band's most successful lineup featured frontman Tom Hingley, drummer Craig Gill, guitarist Graham Lambert, bassist ...

drummer Chris Goodwin, who both went on to form

The High The High are an English rock group from Manchester, whose sound combines alternative rock with a 1960s pop/ psychedelic guitar sound. History The band was formed in 1989 by former Turning Blue singer John Matthews, along with former Buzzco ...

. The band ended when Diggle joined

Pete Shelley Pete Shelley (born Peter Campbell McNeish; 17 April 1955 – 6 December 2018) was an English singer, songwriter and guitarist. He formed early punk band Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto in 1976, and became the lead singer and guitarist in 1977 whe ...

in a re-formed Buzzcocks, the reunion prompted by controversy over the use of "Buzzcocks" in the billing of Diggle's band.Jack Rabid
Flag of Convenience
, ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...

'' In a review of the 'best of' compilation ''

The Secret Public Years 1981-1989 ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'', ''

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

'' described the later F.O.C. work as proof that Diggle was "one of the most important and overlooked artists in all of Britain during the '80s".Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover " ''The Secret Public Years: 1981-1989'' Review, ''

'', Macrovision Corporation

Discography

Singles

*"Life on the Telephone" (1982) Sire *"Change" (1984) Weird Systems *"New House" (1986) M.C.M. *"Last Train to Safety" (1987) Flag of Convenience *"Should I Ever Go Deaf" (1987) M.C.M. (as F.O.C.) *"Exiles" (1988) M.C.M. (as F.O.C.) *"Tomorrow's Sunset" (1989) Thin Line (as Buzzcocks F.O.C.) *"Heated and Rising" (1993) 3:30 (as Steve Diggle & the Flag of Convenience)

Albums

*''Northwest Skyline'' (1987) M.C.M. *''War on the Wireless Set'' (1988) MCM America *''Here's One I Made Earlier'' (1995) Ax-s (as Steve Diggle & the Flag of Convenience) *''

The Best of Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience - The Secret Public Years 1981-1989 ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' (2000)

Anagram An anagram is a word or phrase formed by rearranging the letters of a different word or phrase, typically using all the original letters exactly once. For example, the word ''anagram'' itself can be rearranged into ''nag a ram'', also the word ...

References

{{Authority control Musical groups from Manchester Musical groups established in 1982 Musical groups disestablished in 1989 English alternative rock groups English new wave musical groups 1982 establishments in England