WHITE FLAG was formed in the small town of Sunnymead, CA in 1982. The band was created as a reaction to the complacency and status quo that had settled into the original Los Angeles punk rock scene. In 1982 the original "No Rule" ethic had become a hardcore clearly regimented set of can and can nots, and the members of WHITE FLAG simply were not going to let that happen uncontested.

Originally a five piece, fronted by the legendary "Al Bum", "the most obnoxious and untalented person we know" according to Doug Graves, the former frontman`s main attributes was his disturbingly similar appearance to one Ozzy Osbourne, then the antithesis of what "punk" stood for. Clad in trademark fringed "Ozzy" outfits, with waist length hair and crosses galore.

The band proceeded to confound both rock and punk audiences with complete genre crossover confusion. The result was as Pat Fear (Bill Bartell) puts it, "the real process of weeding out". The bands first LP 'S is for Space' was released in 1982. Several albums later the band developed a large following, including members of other groups in the L.A. area. Members of Bangles, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, Redd Kross, Germs and Adolescents to name a few, and made guest appearances on their 1984 LP "Third Strike", which sold more than 30,000 copies. The cover of which poked fun at the growing political lines being drawn between the left and right wing factions of the punk scene. As the bassist Jello B. Afro puts it, "We were in the middle", laughing at how pathetic and hypocritical both sides were. As a good example, those on the left actually believed we were fascist racists and "I'm an African American" !

The subsequent tour and 3 sides LP " Feeding Frenzy" proved to be Al Bum`s last stand with the band. The group went on to record their most popular LP "Wild Kingdom" with original drummer Pick Z. Stix on guitar and vocals. The song " Face Down" from this LP has proved to be the bands most popular song. Covered by many groups, including the Swedish band Sator. As the year passed, numerous friends and fans have drifted in and out of the band, including members of the Muffs and Redd Kross. Pat has been writing with former GO GO´S, Charlotte Caffey, as well as Ken Stringfellow of the Posies. Pat also played on the Melvins "Houdini" LP.

The band returned to Sweden in august 1994 for their first European shows since the successful 1986 tour. The band did a bigger tour in Spain in September 1997. In the past few years, the band has concentrated on releasing several albums of 'greatest hits' material and some releases of rarities and new material.

WHITE FLAG 20YEARS !!! This year White Flag celebrates their 20 year anniversary (1982-2002) with the release of the earliest recordings on Artifix Records. This CD compiles the extremely rare 1982 EP 'R is for Rocket' (which only 300 copies were pressed), studio outtakes from 'S is for Space', their first live show from 1982, and a funny interview also from 1982. This release is being put out in Moreno Valley, where it all started...