Anyone who stumbled across a dance floor during the late ’80s is probably familiar with the English-sounding new wave tune “Russian Radio” (“there is a sound / it’s underground/ moving out for miles around”).

It wouldn’t surprise most fans of that song to learn that the group responsible—Red Flag—specialized in electronic-industrial pop and techno. The eyebrow-raiser is that Red Flag, which sounds as British as Depeche Mode, is from San Diego.

Well, OK—not originally. Brothers Mark and Chris Reynolds were born in Liverpool, England. Soon after their umbilical gleaning, their family headed to the U.S. and, after a few stops, settled in San Diego. As teenagers, the brothers developed a love for the electronic dance sound best exemplified by the likes of Depeche Mode and OMD, and hit local stages under the name Shades of May.

In 1984 the duo scored an early coup when their song “Distant Memories” was included on 91X’s local music compilation, Local Heroes. More importantly, a few years later they were discovered at a Pacific Beach club date and signed a deal with Synthicide Records, an offshoot of Enigma Records (Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks).

Re-christening themselves Red Flag, the duo scored a minor turntable hit in 1988 with their debut single, “Broken Heart.” But it was “Russian Radio,” released a few months later, that really scored, landing the band in the Top 10 of the Billboard charts. They released their first album, Naïve Art, in 1989, which scored another Top 10 with the single, “If I Ever.” The duo were now huge favorites at dance clubs worldwide, and that same year MTV’s underground specialty show, 120 Minutes, added “Russian Radio” to its rotation.

Already proven as a live act, the brothers toured extensively, moving to larger halls and opening for heroes of the day, from Devo to Thomas Dolby. They chatted it up with Dick Clark after they performed “Russian Radio” on his legendary hit-making TV show, American Bandstand.

Sadly, in a tale all too common, Red Flag’s record label folded just as the band’s star was rising. It would be three years (1992) before the duo released another album, Machines, on IRS Records. It managed to reach No. 44 on the Billboard charts, but the momentum was gone. In 1994, the band decided to go the DIY route, setting up their own label called Plan B.

Since the label’s inception, Red Flag has been incredibly prolific, releasing 10 albums, 14 CD singles, two box sets and numerous compilation album appearances. Because of their lavish packaging, their releases have become bounty for collectors.

Even recently, they’ve been asked to headline huge international dance events, timed to promote various releases. They took a European jaunt in 2000 to support The Crypt and were booked in Canada and Mexico while promoting The Bitter End (as well as shows in Lima, Peru, which the pair have described as a career highlight).

Things were going very well for the band in 2003, with MTV recently using their music for the Road Rules series. They released a new album entitled Codebreaker T133 while 2002’s Who Are The Skulls (a compilation of remixes of their music) and an inspired take on Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” were still garnering attention.

They undoubtedly would have continued their prolific pace, but as information was being gathered for this article, Mark Reynolds passed away.

You often here the term “underrated” used for musicians, but in the case of Red Flag (and this is not posthumous ass-kissing) it really was true. Even many local music fanatics remain unaware of their San Diego connection. With 10 chart hits and a huge discography spanning a 20-year history, Red Flag remain one of the most successful dance acts to ever emerge from San Diego.