limonov
Bluelighter
Now SURELY there must be a few Black Flag fans here on BL, so I'm wondering what people's take on the whole situation.
The short version of events is as follows:
Sometime in 2012 Keith Morris (original Black Flag vocalist- legendary singer of the Circle Jerks), Chuck Dukowski (first major bassist), Bill Stevenson (one of the former drummers) & Dez Cadena got together with Stephen Egerton (Descendents guitarist) under the name FLAG and announced a sort-of Black Flag reunion. The reason it is only sort-of a Black Flag reunion is because Black Flags founder & only constant member Greg Ginn wrote virtually all the guitar and bass parts as well as a large % of the lyrics has no involvement what-so-ever and he's the one who owns the name Black Flag.
Not that long later Greg Ginn makes an announcement saying that not only would there be an actual (can legally use the name) Black Flag reunion featuring Ron Reyes (the second vocalist) as well as two-ring-ins on bass & drums...but they were hard at work recording a new album! More recently Greg Ginn has decided to sue Flag for using the Black Flag '4 bars' logo I believe.
Here's the full story- http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/29/arts/music/black-flag-returns-in-two-permutations.html
From watching a few vids online I've gotta be honest and say that Flag feels like a covers band without Greg Ginn (which, in a way, it is- that's how critical Ginn was to Black Flag)...somewhere between sad old men trying to relive their glory days and trying to milk the Black Flag 'cash cow' (if Black Flag can really be called a 'cash cow'- historically, no way) for some kind of retirement money- the retirement package for punk rock legend is pretty meagre, so I can't blame them, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see them. And to put it into context: if there had been one proper reunion- say Keith Morris, Greg Ginn, Chuck Dukowski or Kira Roessler & Bill Stevenson got together I would seriously consider going from New Zealand to the USA or Europe to see them. But Flag...nah, it really does feel like a covers band- sure they play all 'the old favourites', but that's really it! Everyone loves the first four years and Damaged...but there are a lot of great tracks that they don't touch because they were on the less popular (often poorly recorded/mixed) records. Fuck that...and I really wanted to like them, I'm a big fan of the Circle Jerks so Keith Morris is great and Chuck was definitely one of their best bassists...but the guitarist is just subpar, every solo is a weak-ass-note-for-note-carbon-copy of the solo on the record- for instance.
On the other hand I really didn't want to like the Black Flag reunion- I can't help but love and respect Greg Ginn, I learnt to play guitar by listening to his playing on Damaged, more than anyone else his style/technique has influenced my playing/composition...but my GOD that guy is a fucking aspergic asshole! I mean, he's suing people for using a logo that he himself (legally, but essentially) stole from his brother! Plus it is so obviously a money grab- he has released literally hundreds of records since Black Flag broke up, all through his label and none of them have made money...for nearly 30 years! He always was so adamant that he'd never participate in any sort of non-one-off (generally for charity) reunion. He always was so adamant that he had no interest in moving back towards that style of music. Fair enough, I respected his decision and I even enjoyed some of his weird ass punky-free-jazz (Gone was pretty good)...and now 27 years later he suddenly wants to go back and write some more rocking punk songs with Ron Reyes? What the fuck?
But the new tracks...they're...actually...pretty fucking sweet in my opinion! Maybe I'm nuts?
TL;DR:
Legendary Los Angeles Hardcore Punk band BLACK FLAG have reunited not once but TWICE simultaneously (!!) with different combinations of former members-Flag with Keith Morris & Chuck Dukowski & Black Flag with Greg Ginn & Ron Reyes.
In addition to touring the US & a few dates in Europe Greg Ginn has announced that he is both suing Flag for using the iconic Black Flag Bars logo as well as recording an ALL NEW Black Flag record.
Two tracks have been put online for free:
Down In The Dirt-> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKoeHlFgbMA (I think this is a great song, love the opening/main riff...kinda lame lyrics tho)
The Chase-> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKk6uKfRzOg (Not as taken- dumb lyrics, but I love the tone/groove of the guitar work)
What is YOUR take on the whole multiple reunion thing? What's YOUR take on reunions in general? What's YOUR take on the new Black Flag Tracks?
The short version of events is as follows:
Sometime in 2012 Keith Morris (original Black Flag vocalist- legendary singer of the Circle Jerks), Chuck Dukowski (first major bassist), Bill Stevenson (one of the former drummers) & Dez Cadena got together with Stephen Egerton (Descendents guitarist) under the name FLAG and announced a sort-of Black Flag reunion. The reason it is only sort-of a Black Flag reunion is because Black Flags founder & only constant member Greg Ginn wrote virtually all the guitar and bass parts as well as a large % of the lyrics has no involvement what-so-ever and he's the one who owns the name Black Flag.
Not that long later Greg Ginn makes an announcement saying that not only would there be an actual (can legally use the name) Black Flag reunion featuring Ron Reyes (the second vocalist) as well as two-ring-ins on bass & drums...but they were hard at work recording a new album! More recently Greg Ginn has decided to sue Flag for using the Black Flag '4 bars' logo I believe.
Here's the full story- http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/29/arts/music/black-flag-returns-in-two-permutations.html
From watching a few vids online I've gotta be honest and say that Flag feels like a covers band without Greg Ginn (which, in a way, it is- that's how critical Ginn was to Black Flag)...somewhere between sad old men trying to relive their glory days and trying to milk the Black Flag 'cash cow' (if Black Flag can really be called a 'cash cow'- historically, no way) for some kind of retirement money- the retirement package for punk rock legend is pretty meagre, so I can't blame them, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see them. And to put it into context: if there had been one proper reunion- say Keith Morris, Greg Ginn, Chuck Dukowski or Kira Roessler & Bill Stevenson got together I would seriously consider going from New Zealand to the USA or Europe to see them. But Flag...nah, it really does feel like a covers band- sure they play all 'the old favourites', but that's really it! Everyone loves the first four years and Damaged...but there are a lot of great tracks that they don't touch because they were on the less popular (often poorly recorded/mixed) records. Fuck that...and I really wanted to like them, I'm a big fan of the Circle Jerks so Keith Morris is great and Chuck was definitely one of their best bassists...but the guitarist is just subpar, every solo is a weak-ass-note-for-note-carbon-copy of the solo on the record- for instance.
On the other hand I really didn't want to like the Black Flag reunion- I can't help but love and respect Greg Ginn, I learnt to play guitar by listening to his playing on Damaged, more than anyone else his style/technique has influenced my playing/composition...but my GOD that guy is a fucking aspergic asshole! I mean, he's suing people for using a logo that he himself (legally, but essentially) stole from his brother! Plus it is so obviously a money grab- he has released literally hundreds of records since Black Flag broke up, all through his label and none of them have made money...for nearly 30 years! He always was so adamant that he'd never participate in any sort of non-one-off (generally for charity) reunion. He always was so adamant that he had no interest in moving back towards that style of music. Fair enough, I respected his decision and I even enjoyed some of his weird ass punky-free-jazz (Gone was pretty good)...and now 27 years later he suddenly wants to go back and write some more rocking punk songs with Ron Reyes? What the fuck?
But the new tracks...they're...actually...pretty fucking sweet in my opinion! Maybe I'm nuts?
TL;DR:
Legendary Los Angeles Hardcore Punk band BLACK FLAG have reunited not once but TWICE simultaneously (!!) with different combinations of former members-Flag with Keith Morris & Chuck Dukowski & Black Flag with Greg Ginn & Ron Reyes.
In addition to touring the US & a few dates in Europe Greg Ginn has announced that he is both suing Flag for using the iconic Black Flag Bars logo as well as recording an ALL NEW Black Flag record.
Two tracks have been put online for free:
Down In The Dirt-> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKoeHlFgbMA (I think this is a great song, love the opening/main riff...kinda lame lyrics tho)
The Chase-> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKk6uKfRzOg (Not as taken- dumb lyrics, but I love the tone/groove of the guitar work)
What is YOUR take on the whole multiple reunion thing? What's YOUR take on reunions in general? What's YOUR take on the new Black Flag Tracks?
