The Red Flags

Cat Sullivan-Music Maehem
"Front Row w/ The Red Flags"

Friday night was one of pleasant surprise for myself. I drove down to Knuckle Down Saloon in Madison, where I was going to be interviewing Jake Olson of Midwest Mix-Up. That went well, Jake is a good interviewer and all around a cool dude who really seems to have his shit together. After, I decided to stick around for some of the music and see if I couldn’t get some good footage for the site.

I’ll be honest, when Jake invited me out to meet him at Knuckle Down for our interview, I had not checked out any of the bands on the bill that night. Sometimes, if I’m invited out to a show where I have never heard of any of the bands, I like to go in completely blind and let their performance be my absolute first impression before facebook videos, bandcamp singles, or otherwise.

I’m at the bar with a friend talking about whatever, and we hear the amps go live at the front of the room. I didn’t know who was on first right away, but they instantly caught my attention.

Simply put, The Red Flags blew. My. Mind.

The Red Flags are a three-piece rock band from Janesville, Wisconsin: Guitarist and vocalist Gabe Wilson, Jonah Wilson on drums and as well as providing some vocals, and Ally Borchardt on bass, with back up vocals also. I can’t lie, being a female musician myself, having a very talented female bassist in a musical act scores automatic bonus points with me. I think it’s pretty cool that all members in one band do vocals, that’s something I don’t think I’ve seen in our scene before.

Instantly, I could recognize a weird but incredible mixture: basically if White Stripes and Rage Against The Machine had a baby. The guitarist, Jonah, even made me think of Tom Morello, from everything including playing and performance style (even has that hopping duck walk down), all the way down to his signature baseball cap! I had to wonder if he played that part on purpose or if it was just coincidence.

The energy of this group was tangible and I could tell shot through almost every person watching the stage. I have to include that their drummer, Jonah probably beat out everyone else in terms of energy, jumping up and down in his seat and throwing himself in every direction and still miraculously able to keep a perfect beat. I thought for sure he would end up kicking one of the pieces of his drum set over, if not the whole thing. This is not to imply that the rest of the band was lacking in energy, not at all. In fact, Gabe got so into it that he did end up knocking over a mic stand (I was so busy recording, I didn’t even notice it almost hit me in the face, falling right down in front of me)!

All in all, I give this band two huge thumbs up and implore anyone that’s looking to get their groove on to catch one of their shows. Make sure to like them on facebook, they have a lot of shows posted in the coming months that you can keep track of.

I wanted to keep the video I’m including short, but I tell you it was hard to only choose a couple songs to showcase here on Music Maehem.

Catch them on Feb 19th at the High Noon Saloon in Madison

theredflagsmusic.com - Cat Sullivan of Music Maehem

Janesville natives The Red Flags are making a splash in Milwaukee. The band regularly makes the trip out to Milwaukee to play, and are finding their feet within the music scene here. That includes winning Marquette Radio’s Battle of the Bands this year, as well as an opening slot for Abby Jeanne at our next installment of “An Evening With” at The Tonic Tavern next week. Today though, the band is debuting their new video for “Basement Nasty”, a song that’s as brash and in your face as the band’s live show. The Red Flags continue to win over live audiences with their sets, and if you haven’t heard of them yet, they’ll surely win you over with this new clip. Check out “Basement Nasty” below:

https://youtu.be/QQC4E9Y0u6I - Allan Halas of Breaking and Entering

Welcome to AV Amplified! the section of Music Maehem where we review the latest in music videos from the local scene! The band filling this honored slot is none other than The Red Flags, which I am always happy to rant and rave about.

The title for this single and music video for The Red Flags is called “Basement Nasty.” Immediately, the video starts off in a flash of bright, contrasting colors that are present throughout the rest of the video. The song itself is reminiscent of a song that would have fit right in somehow in both the 60’s and still perfectly well today in 2018, and the video is a wonderful complement to that.

The video takes place in a basement, appropriately, lit by ropes of Christmas lights. Throughout the video, you can see the words “FUCK YOUR EARS” plastered on the wall in the background where the band takes turns being featured on the microphone. The phrase is also the chorus to the song, and I can’t think of a more suitable one—because this song is just a two-and-a-half minute long EAR-GASM!

I can’t get enough of the double vocals featured throughout the verses from both lead singer/guitarist Gabe and bassist Ally. Gabe’s harsh rap-esque lyrics and vocals with Ally’s melodic vocals being sang simultaneously supplement each other beautifully, creating a unique harmony to the entire song. Jonah plays his heart out on the skins in the background, and his two-beat-and-pause approach in the beginning of each verse pairs amazingly with the guitar riffs.

As I said in my previous post about this band, they have a Rage Against the Machine meets White Stripes vibe, and this video is a shining example to ring true to that notion.

Long story short, this whole production gave me an ear-boner. The Red Flags kick ass and so do this song and video!

The official release date is March 28th, 2018, and the video will be live on their YouTube channel, which you can find here :





Don’t forget to like them on Facebook of course also!! https://www.facebook.com/theredflags/

Cat Sullivan - Cat Sullivan of Music Maehem

Search
Home
News
Weather
Sports
Obituaries
Announcements
Opinion
Blogs
Events Calendar
Entertainment
Videos & Photo Galleries
Special Sections
Classifieds
Homes
Jobs
WCLO
WJVL
Home
News
Sports
Obituaries
Classifieds
Homes
Jobs
Subscribe

Search...
Toggle navigation


NEXT UP

20Q: Catching up with Carousel Consignments owner Joni Bozart
The co-owner of Carousel Consignments in downtown Janesvi…

20Q: Catching up with The Red Flags drummer Jonah Wilson
Greg Little Mar 28, 2018 (0)
180329_WILSON
Jonah Wilson

Angela Major
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Print
Save
Editor’s Note: Kicks presents 20Q, a feature that introduces readers to people involved in the area’s arts and entertainment community. Compiled by kicks Editor Greg Little, each piece will include a short bio, photo and answers to questions that provide insight into not only that person’s artistic interests but also his or her unique personality.

Jonah Wilson
Jonah Wilson plays drums for The Red Flags, a Rock County-based, three-piece garage/basement rock band best known for its high-energy sound and rowdy live performances.

Along with bassist Ally Borchardt and guitarist/vocalist Gabe Wilson, who doubles as Jonah’s brother, the band has performed at stages throughout Janesville and Madison. It also maintains a standing gig as host for Open Mic Thursdays at The Back Bar, 1901 Beloit Ave., Janesville.

When they’re not on stage, Borchardt, a Waukesha native, works as a barista/haunted house staffer. Gabe Wilson, a Janesville Parker grad, is a proud Jimmy John’s associate, and Jonah, a Craig High alum, is a senior care provider. The three recognize becoming rock superstars might not be in the cards long term, but having their voices heard is enough to keep them motivated, for now.

“Independent musicians have to sacrifice hobbies and time with loved ones a lot more than the average occupation to maintain success,” Jonah Wilson said. “The easy part is the music. The difficult part is labeling it beyond a hobby and calling it a living.”

For more about The Red Flags and their latest release, visit TheRedFlags Music.com or search for “The Red Flags” on Facebook.

1. You started your band with your brother, Gabe. Have the two of you always been on the same page musically, or have your styles grown together over the years? Getting this out of the way: Gabe is a musician through and through. I’m a little less in touch with music and do things more for the sake of entertainment. We enjoy the same music but, to this day, we always have differences on how we want to get things done in a song. I think us growing apart in certain aspects of writing style spices things up.

2. Where did the name “The Red Flags” come from? The name is linked to our outlandish and unusually energetic live performances. Gabe (guitar and vocals) moves around like a maniac onstage, and we all wonder how he doesn’t collapse or puke mid-set. He just keeps moving, and the crowd is always a mix of freaked out and amazed.

3. What do you do for a living when you’re not busy being a rock star? I work as a caregiver for adults with developmental disabilities. I have a blast at my job every day! But as much as I love my job, the goal is to one day take on the career of a full-time musician, no matter how difficult it gets. And believe me, it is difficult.

4. In 2015, The Red Flags won the Janesville Rec Department’s Battle of the Bands competition. How has the band evolved in the past three years? We are no longer nervous wrecks before live performances. Speaking for myself and not Gabe, I could barely breathe before that show. It had been the second show we had ever done. We’ve also acquired a fabulous bass player named Ally Borchardt who contributes so much to the music and writing process.

5. Name some of the musical acts that have influenced The Red Flags’ style? “Rage Against The Machine” comes directly from me. I listened to them as a kid, watched their live performances online and just bowed to them. Gabe is a massive Jack White fan. We listen to tons of music, but I’d say Ally has the widest taste ranging from old and modern rap such as Webster-X all the way to mainstream metal like Korn.

6. Do you have any pre-gig rituals? Well, Gabe usually forgets something at home, and I give him a lot of crap. Ally usually holds my hair back as I vomit and reassures me I’ll be OK. I also like ties. I prefer to wear a tie.

7. Do you remember the first music album/CD you ever purchased yourself? I got a copy of “Good News For People Who Love Bad News” by the group Modest Mouse, and that album is so phenomenal. I remember hearing the first track and the emotion put into it. That album has been there for me through the good times and the bad. I highly recommend it to everyone.

8. What type of music did your parents listen to when you were a child? Did it influence your future tastes? Gabe and I have been listening to Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Rush since we were babies. That’s what our father loves. Our mother likes a bit of everything, but I acquired a love for Elton John and Bob Seger because of her.

9. Which of your songs is your favorite to perform? Our original, “Basement Nasty,” is very special in many ways. Ally has a beautiful voice with some phenomenal backup vocals. Gabe has incredible delivery and lyrics written in. It also goes over so well live with our fans.

10. Name a skill you wish you had. I wish I was good at curling. I often practice in my kitchen with my Swiffer wet jet.

11. What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done? It’s a toss-up between getting pepper sprayed by my older brother and doing a back flip off of a boat. (The backflipping off of the boat wasn’t dangerous until I smacked my head on the boat.) Oh yeah ... my brothers and I used to go off of ramps in wheelchairs, too, and have bottle rocket battles on the Fourth of July. Anything that occurs on the Fourth of July is pretty much in the running for most dangerous things.

12. If I could only eat one meal for every meal every day, it would be: Chicken. If there were no chickens, I’d be a lot scrawnier than I already am. At the same time, eating only chicken might one day turn into a sad story because pizza is pretty off the hook, as well.

13. When you’re not playing music, what hobbies do you have? We enjoy building furniture in our garage. It’s never the highest quality, but it saves us a lot of money in the long run. My brothers, Sam and Gabe, just built a Batman-themed TV stand, and I have aspirations of making a coat/hat rack in the very near future.

14. Do you collect anything? Cheeseburger wrappers. I keep them in my car. I also have a sticker collection of local bands on the back of my car that is getting very respectable. Supporting the local music scene in any way possible is essential.

15. Name the one item you own that you could not live without? Me, personally, it would be my snare drum. I got a phenomenal deal on it, and it makes one of the prettiest sounds I’ve ever heard. A close second would be my car, even though it’s usually a jerk.

16. If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be? I think being in the disco era would be interesting, just to see exactly why and how people moved around to that stuff. Also the clothes from that era. I really wished we all still dressed like disco dancers.

17. When cheese has its picture taken, what does it say? I’ve had very deep connections with cheese. As a cheese man, I know for a fact it would be the nonconforming member of the picture and not say anything. I think cheese would be one of those guys that doesn’t even smile in pictures. Cheese is very anti-establishment. Don’t let it fool you.

18. Without looking in the dictionary, what would you guess “xerasia” is? It sounds like it has an endless list of side effects. Like you should consult with your doctor before taking xerasia. (Xerasia is excessive dryness of the hair).

19. Who writes the songs for The Red Flags, and what inspires the music? Gabe is an avid songwriter, and he handles the majority of the lyrics and song parts. He presents those parts to Ally and I, and we all structure and piece together said parts. If Ally or I have lyric/vocal ideas, we present them. After that comes Gabe’s lyrics. Many of them are out of humor, and a lot of them are about past experiences. He also has a lot of songs that show his perspective on society. Gabe has a lot to say, and hearing his views through the music we do is genuine and gratifying. It wouldn’t be the art that it is without Gabe’s opinions, views, positivity and humor. The biggest component, though, is the fans’ reaction to our music. The more a crowd reacts to a song, the more we practice it. We have our fans to thank for all of our success. They’re our biggest source of inspiration, hands down.

20. The Red Flags started out as a duo, but you later added a bassist. What does having a third member allow the band to do musically that it couldn’t before? Obviously, the bass is an essential part to most rock groups, but our particular bass player is one in a million. Ally has been playing music all of her life. She’s been consistently performing on stages since she turned 13, and that’s more experience than Gabe and I combined. She writes tons of music for her other project, Emerald Phantoms, so she’s no stranger to songwriting. Along with great bass work, Ally also has lyric ideas, studio efficiency and an amazing voice. She instantly became a great friend and a vital part of our operation. We owe a lot to her.

Greg Little
Kicks Editor - Greg Little of The Janesville Gazette