Black Flag (band)

Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1977 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established largely as the brainchild of Greg Ginn: the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes. They are widely considered to be one of the first hardcore punk bands. Black Flag forged a unique sound early on that mixed the raw simplicity of the Ramones with atonal and microtonal guitar solos and frequent tempo shifts. The band was also known for the intense and evocative lyrics found in their songs, most of which were penned by Ginn. Like other punk bands of this era, Black Flag gave voice to an anti-authoritarian, non-conformist message, featuring songs punctuated with descriptions of isolation, neurosis, poverty, and paranoia, themes that would be explored further when Henry Rollins joined the group as lead singer in 1981. Most of the band's material was released on Ginn's independent label, SST Records. Black Flag was - and remains - well respected among their underground culture, with their influence primarily in their tireless promotion of a self-controlled DIY ethic and aesthetic. They are often regarded as pioneers in the movement of underground do-it-yourself record labels that flourished among the 1980s punk rock bands. Through seemingly constant touring throughout the United States and Canada, and occasionally Europe, Black Flag established an extremely dedicated fan base. Many other musicians would follow Black Flag's lead and book their own tours, utilizing a word-of-mouth network. Over the course of the 1980s, Black Flag's sound, as well as their notoriety, evolved in ways that alienated much of their early punk audience. As well as being central to the creation of hardcore, they were part of the first wave of American West Coast punk rock and are considered a key influence on the punk subculture. Along with being among the earliest punk rock groups to incorporate elements and the influence of heavy metal melodies and rhythm (particularly in their later records), there were often overt freestyles, free jazz, breakbeat and contemporary classical elements in their sound, especially in Ginn's guitar playing, and the band interspersed records and performances with instrumentals throughout their career. They also played longer, slower, and more complex songs at a time when many bands in their milieu stuck to a raw, fast, three-chord format. As a result, Black Flag's extensive discography is more varied than many of their punk rock contemporaries.

Loading...

Recommendations for Black Flag (band)

Like the recommendation ? Why not share it !

Share |

Dos (band)

[ Why are they related ? | More about Dos (band) ]

Dos is an American punk group composed of Mike Watt and Kira Roessler, who both sing and play bass guitar. Both performers have substantial experience in pioneering punk groups: Watt has been a member of The Reactionaries, Minutemen, fIREHOSE, Banyan and the reunited The Stooges, while Roessler was in Black Flag for about two years.

Rollins Band

[ Why are they related ? | More about Rollins Band ]
depiction

Rollins Band was an American rock group, led by singer and songwriter, Henry Rollins. They are best-known for the songs "Low Self Opinion" and "Liar", which both earned heavy airplay on MTV in the early 1990s. Critic Steve Huey describes their music as "uncompromising, intense, cathartic fusions of hard rock, funk, post-punk noise, and jazz experimentalism, with Rollins shouting angry, biting self-examinations and accusations over the grind."

Circle Jerks

[ Why are they related ? | More about Circle Jerks ]
depiction

The Circle Jerks are an American punk band, formed circa 1979 in Hermosa Beach, California. It was formed by Black Flag's original singer, Keith Morris, and future Bad Religion guitarist Greg Hetson. They were among the preeminent hardcore punk bands of the L.A. scene in the early 1980s. The band broke up and reformed twice, sometimes with different bass players and/or drummers. They disbanded for the first time after the release of their fifth album, 1987's VI, as Hetson decided to continue touring and releasing a number of albums with Bad Religion. However, they reunited around 1994 and recorded a reunion album, Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities, in the following year, then a tour followed. After that, the Circle Jerks once again parted ways as Hetson was still involved in Bad Religion, but reunited again around 2001. The band has continued touring ever since. To date, the Circle Jerks have released six full-length studio albums, one compilation, live album and live DVD. Their last studio release, Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities, came out in 1995 and is the only reunion album the band has released to date. Rumor has it that the Circle Jerks are supposedly gearing up for a new studio album, but nothing has surfaced and little is known whether they have begun work on it. If it is released, this will be their first album of new material in 14 years. Many of today's punk groups cite the Circle Jerks as an influence, including Anti-Flag, Dropkick Murphys, The Offspring and Pennywise.

All (band)

[ Why are they related ? | More about All (band) ]

All is an American punk band from Fort Collins, Colorado, formed by Descendents members Bill Stevenson, Karl Alvarez, and Stephen Egerton.

State of Alert

[ Why are they related ? | More about State of Alert ]

State of Alert (or S.O.A.) was an American hardcore punk group formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980, and disbanded in 1981.

Only Crime

[ Why are they related ? | More about Only Crime ]

Only Crime is a melodic hardcore supergroup formed by Good Riddance singer Russ Rankin and Bane guitarist Aaron Dalbec in 2003. The band plays melodic but hard-hitting punk rock that borrows heavily from early-1980s hardcore bands such as Black Flag.

Misfits (band)

[ Why are they related ? | More about Misfits (band) ]
depiction

The Misfits are an American rock band often recognized as the progenitors of the horror punk subgenre, blending punk rock and other musical influences with horror film themes and imagery. Founded in 1977 in Lodi, New Jersey by singer and songwriter Glenn Danzig, the group had a fluctuating lineup during its first six years with Danzig and bassist Jerry Only as the only consistent members. During this time they released several EPs and singles and, with Only's brother Doyle as guitarist, the albums Walk Among Us and Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood, both considered touchstones of the early-1980s hardcore punk movement. The Misfits disbanded in 1983 and Danzig went on to form Samhain and then Danzig. Several albums of reissued and previously unreleased material were issued after the group's dissolution, and their music became influential to punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock music of the late 1990s and early 2000s. After a series of legal battles with Danzig, Only and Doyle regained the rights to record and perform as the Misfits. They formed a new version of the band in 1995 with singer Michale Graves and drummer Dr. Chud. This incarnation of the Misfits had a sound much more rooted in heavy metal and released the albums American Psycho and Famous Monsters before dissolving in 2000. Only then took over lead vocals and recruited former Black Flag guitarist Dez Cadena and former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone for a Misfits 25th Anniversary tour. This lineup released an album of cover songs entitled Project 1950 and toured for several years. In 2005 Ramone was replaced by Robo, who had played with Black Flag in the early 1980s and had also previously been the Misfits' drummer from 1982 to 1983. The current lineup of Only, Cadena, and Robo continues to tour and has announced plans to record an album of new material.

Minutemen (band)

[ Why are they related ? | More about Minutemen (band) ]

The Minutemen were an American punk rock band formed in San Pedro, California in 1980. Comprising guitarist D. Boon, bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley, the Minutemen recorded four albums and eight EPs before Boon's unexpected death in December 1985. They were noted in the Californian punk rock community for a philosophy of "jamming econo": a sense of thriftiness reflected in their touring and presentation.

Dez Cadena

[ Why are they related ? | More about Dez Cadena ]

Dez Paul Cadena (born June 2, 1961 in Newark, New Jersey) is an American singer and guitarist. He was the third vocalist and later rhythm guitarist for hardcore punk band Black Flag. Since 2001 Cadena has played guitar with the Misfits. He currently resides in The Ironbound section of Newark, New Jersey with his wife.

Mojack

[ Why are they related ? | More about Mojack ]

Mojack is an instrumental rock band, formed by ex-Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn. The music of Mojack is similar to another one of Ginn's instrumental projects, Gone, however, it is much more jazz-oriented. Besides Ginn on guitar, the band includes ex-member of Bazooka Tony Atherton playing saxophone and clarinet, Steve Sharp on bass guitar, Andy Batwinas on percussion, and Richie West on drums.

Chuck Dukowski

[ Why are they related ? | More about Chuck Dukowski ]

Chuck Dukowski (b. Gary McDaniel, February 1, 1954) is an American punk rock musician, best known as a founding member and original bass player for Black Flag. Dukowski wrote some of Black Flag's most popular songs, including "My War," "What I See," "I've Heard It Before" and "Spray Paint." He left the band before the release of My War, and afterward served as Black Flag's manager instead. Dukowski was also the co-owner of SST Records until 1990, after which he served as "Head of Sales" until leaving the label in the late 1990s. After Black Flag, Dukowski continued to play in Wurm, SST "supergroup" October Faction, and formed his own band SWA in 1985 with Merrill Ward of Overkill. Dukowski has a new band with artist and musician (and his wife) Lora Norton called The Chuck Dukowski Sextet. They released an album, Eat My Life, on Dukowski's own Nice & Friendly Records in 2006.He appeared in the documentaries The Decline of Western Civilization and We Jam Econo.

Redd Kross

[ Why are they related ? | More about Redd Kross ]
depiction

Redd Kross, a rock band from Hawthorne, California had their roots in 1978 in a band called The Tourists begun by Jeff and Steve McDonald while the brothers were still in middle school. With the addition of friends Greg Hetson and Dave Keller on guitar and John Stielow on drums, the band's first gig was opening for Black Flag.

Greg Ginn

[ Why are they related ? | More about Greg Ginn ]

'Gregory Regis Ginn (born June 8, 1954) is a guitarist, songwriter and singer. He is best known for being the leader of and primary songwriter for the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led from 1976 to 1986. Since breaking up Black Flag, Ginn has recorded a few solo albums, and has performed with the bands HOR, Fastgato, The October Faction, Gone, Confront James, EL BAD, Mojack, The Texas Corrugators, Jambang, and he also played bass with Tom Troccoli's Dog. . He also owns the Texas-based, independent record label, SST, originally begun as an electronics company called Solid State Transmitters when he was a teenager in Long Beach, California. He remains very active in music; in a recent interview he states he still performs "about six nights a week." This is similar to how he was with Black Flag; with them he was very strict about practicing and would practice for up to 7 hours a day, 6 days a week according to Henry Rollins. Black Flag singer Henry Rollins has compared Ginn's playing style to that of free jazz saxophonists Ornette Coleman and Eric Dolphy rather than to other guitarists. Ginn is an avid jazz fan, stating he generally prefers music by saxophone or piano players. One review of Black Flag's Slip It In (1984) notes that Ginn's "playing was becoming increasingly avant-garde and exciting. Rather than simply coughing up one clichéd solo after another, he wandered harmolodically up and down the fretboard as a jazz player like Blood Ulmer would, making the material more interesting than what most Black Flag-influenced bands were playing." Ginn made it to 99th on Rolling Stones list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".

Osaka Popstar

[ Why are they related ? | More about Osaka Popstar ]

Osaka Popstar is a pop punk supergroup formed in 2006 by New Yorker John Cafiero. Cafiero wanted an outlet to express his music but also incorporate his love for Japanese anime. In 2006, Cafiero teamed up with several well known punk rock artists to create the anime based punk group, Osaka Popstar. They released their debut album/DVD on May 23, 2006. Their lyrics consist of topics such as characters in Japanese anime like Astroboy and Sailor Moon. The first single off the album was a cover of singer/song writer Daniel Johnston, entitled "Wicked World."They toured as special guests with The Misfits in Fiend Fest '06 across the United States and other dates in Europe with stops in Tijuana, Mexico and Montreal, Quebec in October and November 2006. Their album was released in Japan in June 2007.

The Lemonheads

[ Why are they related ? | More about The Lemonheads ]
depiction

The Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band, formed in 1986 by singer/guitarist Evan Dando, who has been the only constant member. Since forming, recording, and touring lineups of the band have also included co-founder Ben Deily, John Strohm, Doug Trachten, Jesse Peretz, Corey Loog Brennan, Byron Hoag, Ben Daughtry, Juliana Hatfield, Nic Dalton (Godstar, Sneeze, The Plunderers), Dave Ryan, Patrick "Murph" Murphy, Bill Gibson, Mark 'Budola' Newman, Kenny Lyon, Vess Ruhtenberg, Devon Ashley, Karl Alvarez, Bill Stevenson, P. David Hazel and various others. The Lemonheads' popularity grew in 1992 with the album It's a Shame about Ray which was produced, engineered, and mixed by The Robb Brothers, followed by a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson", which eventually became one of the band's most successful singles to date. Cited as one of the most important alternative rock groups, The Lemonheads were active until 1997 and went on hiatus, but reformed with a new lineup in 2005 and released The Lemonheads in the following year. The band has been working on their next album that should be released in late 2008/early 2009.