White Flag

White Flag is an American punk band based in Los Angeles, California (actually 70 miles east of Hollywood, a town once called Sunnymead, now the City of Moreno Valley). Its members include Pat Fear - guitar, vocals; Doug Graves - bass, vocals; Kim Crimson - guitar, organ, vocals; El Swe - guitar, vocals; Victor M. Surrounded - drums, vocals. Hailed as "The Beatles of Punk" in Europe since the early 80's, mainly due to their use of tight well arranged harmony vocals over fast aggressive but still tuneful music. Other monikers bandied about by promoters and reviewers include "The Godfathers of Pop Punk" and "The Supreme Parodists of Punk" due to their often humorous parody album covers, as well as the obvious pun on hardcore band Black Flag's name. Their musical style ranges from hardcore punk to stark psychedelic to what has become known as "pop punk" which they basically invented in the 80's hardcore scene's ashes. NOFX, Rancid and Nirvana members cut their teeth on this band in the 80's, and The Offspring's first gig was supporting White Flag. They are the ONLY band from the US ever to play in Greenland, headlining the Asiaat "Nipia Rock Festival" in 2004.