`Flake' Members Own Their Label, And They Play What They Want To

Who are the members of Flake? Ken Ackerlund, bass Rob Cunningham, drums Rob Middleton, guitar, vocals

The genesis of Flake began in the early '70s. In 1970, in fact, because that's when Rob Cunningham and Rob Middleton met through Middleton's older brother. They've been playing together ever since, initially with plastic Army men and Super-8 movie cameras, but eventually with drums and guitars. Even then, they knew they wanted to rock.

But the Flake we now know has been together two years, and the past five months with drummer Ken Ackerlund. Previously a quartet, the group has pared down to a tight trio, which they feel is the perfect set-up.

"Three people in a group is great - there's always a majority," notes Ackerlund. "There's less arguing, it's easier to manage three, and there's less stuff laying around."

"And most of the songs Rob had written were for three people anyway," adds Cunningham.

Flake, like just about every band, had several different personnel and name changes before arriving at the current magic threesome. Former band members have gone on to other groups, like Softy or Job, but when personnel had dwindled to four was when the true Flake sound - and name - emerged.

"Rob, Scott (Flake's former drummer) and I were at the Comet. . ." begins Middleton.

"No, we were at our offices on Eastlake," interrupts Cunningham.

"No, we were at the Comet and bringing up band names like `Wag' and variations on that," says Ackerlund.

"Then I came up with Flake as a joke and you should have seen Scott's (former drummer) eyes light up," finishes Cunningham. "I didn't like the name but somehow it stuck."

Flake's sound isn't a shabby shard of throwaway tunes, but a solid, satisfying blend of pop-y guitar smeared with extra-chunky percussion.

"Our music is kind of hook-oriented," says Middleton. "Hook-oriented pop disguised as straight-up pop, maybe."

"We're not out to show off and show how super-good we can play to the maybe two percent of our audience that are also musicians," adds Cunningham. "Like doing extensive guitar solos."

Middleton and Cunningham also run their own record label, Y Records, which provides a release for their music plus that of several other bands like Spike, Chet, and Hell Upside Down. They like having their own label so they can do what they want, how they want.

"It's the first band I've been in where what comes out of your gut is the right thing to play," says Ackerlund. "We don't try to steer or coerce each other into a style. My style fits with theirs and it works."

"It's cool to be with a group of people who appreciate that the band is oriented around songs, as opposed to look or sound," says Middleton. "It's great to make more sound with less people."

"We fill existing spaces, rather than create spaces and then try to fill them," adds Ackerlund.

Where to catch Flake: Today at a benefit for the Northwest Women's Law Center at the Crocodile Cafe, 2200 Second Avenue, 441-5611; and July 28, at the Crocodile with 66 Saints and Churn. Flake's CD "Box" is available at area record stores.

Are you in a local band? If you'd like to be considered for Sound Check, send a cover letter telling us about your band and your upcoming gigs, the name and daytime phone number of your manager or contact person, a tape and a photo to Sound Check, c/o Marisa Lencioni, Seattle Times, PO Box 70, Seattle WA 98111.