The Flex (formerly known as Rick Flex) are an English
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...
band from
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
,
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
. In an article by NoEcho, they were cited as one of the progenitors of the
New Wave of British Hardcore.
History
The band formed in 2012 under the name Rick Flex from members of other UK hardcore bands (including
Arms Race and
Violent Reaction), playing different instruments to those that they were used to,
for the original guitarist Rick Savage's birthday party, however due to in-band tensions, he was eventually replaced by then-drummer Liam Fox and Tom Pimlott of
No Tolerance was recruited to play drums.
On 10 May, they released their debut demo. In February 2013, they opened for
Rotting Out
Rotting Out is an American hardcore punk band from the San Pedro community of Los Angeles in California.
History Formation (2007–2011)
Rotting Out began in 2007 after disbanding from their original band Dogpile. The following year they releas ...
on their UK tour.
On 23 March 2013 they released their debut EP ''Scum On The Run'' through Video Disease and Milk Run Records. In May 2014, they toured the U.S. with Violent Reaction. On 19 March 2015, they released their second EP "Flexual Healing Vol.5: Do Ya Think I'm Flexi?"
and 23 March released their third EP ''Don't Bother with the Outside World''.
Between April and May of the same year, they toured the U.S. supporting Red Death,
followed by a European Headline tour in June and August.
On 1 June 2016, the band opened for
Power Trip at the Boston Music Room in London. In April 2018, they played Damaged City festival in
Washington D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
, followed by releasing their EP ''Flexual Healing Vol 7: Perhaps the War is Over? Perhaps it's Peace?'' on the 19th of the same month.
In June 2019, they opened for
Have Heart at their matinee Leeds reunion show.
Musical style
The band have been described as
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...
and
heavy hardcore
Beatdown hardcore (also known as heavy hardcore, brutal hardcore, toughguy, moshcore, or simply beatdown) is a subgenre of hardcore punk with prominent elements of heavy metal. Beatdown hardcore features aggressive vocals, down-tuned electric ...
.
Their music is influenced by the sound of '80s
New York and
Boston hardcore
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier pun ...
like
Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front is an American hardcore punk band from New York City. Founded in 1980, the band is considered an important influence on the New York hardcore scene, as well as a pioneer of the crossover thrash genre.
History First era (1980–1 ...
and
SSD.
Max Cussons of
Contactmusic
Contactmusic.com is an online magazine of cultural criticism based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, and ...
described their sound as "clobbering two-stepping punk".
Gav Russell of
CVLT Nation described them as "a band who trim away all the fat to leave a no-frills, 80’s infused hardcore battering of the finest order".
Members
;Current
*Sam Laycock – lead vocals
(2012–present)
*Liam Fox – guitar
(2013–present), drums
(2012)
*
Dave Egan – guitar
(2012–present)
*Andy Jones – bass
(2012–present)
*
Tom Pimlott – drums
(2013–present)
;Former
*Rick Savage – guitar
(2012)
Discography
;Studio album
*''Wild Stabs in the Dark'' (2014)
*''Chewing Gum for the Ears'' (2022)
;EPs
*''Scum on the Run'' (2013)
*''Flexual Healing Vol.5: Do Ya Think I'm Flexi?'' (2015)
*''Don't Bother with the Outside World'' (2015)
*''Flexual Healing Vol:7: Perhaps the War is Over? Perhaps it's Peace? (2018)
;Demos
*''Demo'' (2012)
*''Flexual Healing Vol.1'' (2013)
*''Flexual Healing Vol.3: T.H.E. F.L.E.X.'' (2014)
;Live
*''Flexual Healing Vol.2: in the Doghouse'' (2013)
*''Flexual Healing Vol.4: Live in the Flex House'' (2015)
*''Flexual Healing Vol.6: Live from the Pain Cave'' (2016)
Accolades
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flex
Hardcore punk groups from Leeds
Musical groups established in 2012
Musical quintets
2012 establishments in England
Underground punk scene in the United Kingdom