Part of the mid-1980s British indie pop boom, The Flatmates were part of the Subway Organization, a Bristol record label formed by Martin Whitehead, who was also guitarist and main songwriter for the band.

Following the band's formation in 1985, singles such as I Could be in Heaven, Happy All the Time and Shimmer established the band as potentially one of the most successful indie bands of the time, but the Flatmates disbanded in early 1989 before releasing a proper studio album.

The band's core members were: Martin Whitehead (Guitar) and Debbie Haynes (Vocals). Initially, the band also included: Kath Beach (Bass guitar - replaced by Sarah Fletcher then by Jackie Carrera); Rocker (Drums - replaced by Joel O'Beirne) and Tim Rippington (Guitar).

Two collections of Flatmates material have been released on CD, Love and Death (1989) and Potpourri (Hits, Mixes and Demos '85 - '89) (2005). Love and Death has endured several pressings over the years, most recently reissued on the US label Clairecords.

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