FLASH

http://www.reverbnation.com/flashbennettcarter

FLASH VIDEO'S

http://www.youtube.com/user/sherrynoland http://www.youtube.com/user/flashtroubadour?feature=mhum

FLASH

They've got guts, they are musicians with the chops and they've got enough insight into the mechanics of music-making to be able to offer more in the way of intelligent, innovative musicianship than nine-tenths of their contemporaries. Gordon Fletcher - ROLLING STONE

Flash was formed in London in 1971 when ex-Peter Bardens Camel singer Colin Carter met ex-Yes guitarist Peter Banks and soon after co-wrote the Flash hit, “Small beginnings”. Ray Bennett, who had known Banks since early Yes days, heard they were forming a band via his old friend, bandmate and Yes drummer, Bill Bruford, and was quickly recruited on bass. Flash drummer, Mike Hough was found later after an advertisement was placed in the London weekly music paper, The Melody Maker. Tony Kaye, then the first ex-Yes keyboard player, was a session player on the first album “FLASH” and not a permanent member of the band, as is often reported.

• The single “Small Beginnings” from debut album, “FLASH”, reached #28 on Billboard. The song can be found on CD hit compilations from the era and is still widely available. Other Flash ‘radio hits’ were “Children Of The Universe”and “Lifetime”.

• Flash toured the USA, UK, and Europe extensively in the early 70’s. One of progressive rock’s originators, the band played to audiences of over 150,000 at some US outdoor festivals. A complete list of venues and the acts Flash played with can be found in Peter Banks’ book “Beyond and Before” (Golden Treasures Publishing).

• TV appearances include NBC’s “Midnight Special” and Metromedia’s “Superstars Of Rock” (with The Who) in the USA , T.V. performances in Europe (Holland, Belgium and Germany), and numerous live radio shows in the U.S.A and on the BBC in Britain.

* After two and a half years of successful touring and three studio albums, Flash disbanded. All four members later reunited in various combinations during the 70's to early 80's and some of the recorded output appears on Ray Bennett’s 2001 archive CD “Angels & Ghosts”. By 1982 the Flash members went their separate ways.

• Flash forward: In 2002 all four original members make contact again and are initially enthusiastic about a Flash reunion. Now spread out across the globe, plans to get together are discussed over several months but in the end, Banks and Hough fail to commit. In late 2004 it is Flash songwriters, Ray Bennett and Colin Carter, who begin work.

Bennett (having long since made the shift from bass to lead guitar) and Carter initially launch "The Bennett/Carter Band", a loose-format jam band with a varying cast of bass players and drummers, re-establishing their musical partnership playing Flash songs, new originals and covers. They play small venues from 2005 to 2006, both Bennett and Carter playing guitar, sharing lead vocals and exercising their trademark vocal harmony work. They also perform as a duo.

• 2005 Bennett and Carter officially re-launch their musical partnership as FLASH, bravely playing the classic Flash repertoire as a duo at the invitation of The Baja International ProgRock Festival. This gives impetus to their desire to carry on as Flash, and since that time they have been reworking old Flash tunes and writing and recording new material.

• 2009 Flash previews new songs on myspace and youtube with new line-up.
Colin Carter, lead vocals
Ray Bennett, guitar, bass, vocals, and keyboards
Mark Pardy, drums
Wayne Carver, bass
Rick Daugherty, keysboards

• 2010 Flash reunion debuts headlining in Sept. at the International ProgDay Festival.

• A new CD is scheduled for release Jan. 2011

Flash Discography

Singles
• "Small Beginnings"/"Morning Haze" 1972 - Sovereign Records distributed by EMI/Capitol
• "Children Of The Universe"/"Lifetime" 1972 -Sovereign Records distributed by EMI/Capitol
• "Watch Your Step"/"Lifetime" 1973 - Sovereign Records distributed by EMI (UK)

Remastered CD's
• “FLASH & OUT OF OUR HANDS” 2003 - Friday Music EMI/Capitol, a re-mastered double CD
* “FLASH”, “IN THE CAN” & “OUT OF OUR HANDS” 2008 - TAMT Co., Ltd. Disk Union (Japan) Digitally remastered mini-LP format. (Plus three-CD special box set edition featuring an alternate cover for "In The Can".

* “FLASH”, “IN THE CAN” & “OUT OF OUR HANDS” 2009/2010 Esoteric Records - http://www.cherryred.co.uk/esoteric/artists/flash.php