I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned here...

It seems that hell has frozen over (or at least that 50 year old ex hardcore dudes want to get paid) but Black Flag is reforming. Greg Ginn, the founder and only member to be in the Black Flag from beginning to end did do a half-assed reunion of sorts in 2003 to benefit homeless cats or some shit but there are two Black Flag related bands reuniting to tour and/or releasing new music in 2013.

First off we have "Black Flag" featuring Ron "Chavo" Reyes and Black Flag founder Greg Ginn with "Dale Nixon" and some other dude on drums. Now this could arguably be the real Black Flag as it was always really just Ginn and whoever he felt like having in the band anyways. Plus Reyes did sing on Jealous Again and in the Decline Of Western Civilization film. Now I must admit that I love Ginn's atonal solos and think the man wrote some amazing riffs and I consider him to be one of a kind but I can't help but think this is going to be terrible. Especially the part about a new album.

Then there's "Flag" which is sort of a tribute, but there are actually more members of Black Flag in this incarnation than in Ginn's Black Flag. On vocals you have Keith Morris who was the band's first singer and on bass, Chuck Dukowski arguably the band's greatest bassist (no offence to Kira) and Bill Stevenson who played drums for Black Flag longer than anyone including Robo. Stephen Egerton from the Descendents is playing the part of Greg Ginn. If anyone has to replace Greg, I think Stephen is the one person who can actually pull it off.


I have to say, I will probably go see both as Black Flag is my favorite band of all time.... (I did get to see them in '86 on their last tour when they were a shell of their former selves), but I think that "Flag" has the edge as far as which one I think will actually be better.

What do you think?

Just throw them all in a couple vans for a mega reunion.

I guess Rollins is too busy? What's he up to these days? Something with a radio station in LA or something?

Reyes was their best frontman, so I'm glad they at least went with the right dude. Yes, I realise they most likely settled for him because he was the only one willing and/or not busy doing something more important. But still.

There's vids on YouTube of Reyes doing a couple of Black Flag songs with Greg Ginn at his 50th birthday party. Motherfucker sounds like he hasn't aged a day.

That said, I'd love to see a reunion of the Hank & Kira line-up.

He was really good, some of his versions of certain songs are my favorite, but he wasn't the "best" frontman. I don't think he would have fared well on any material from My War onwards had he been given the chance, his vocal style is too Punk Rock/Bratty for it imo.

This is a band that should've stayed broken up. Why's everyone gotta get back together? Are they gonna go do the Black Flag Vegas Power Hour? Let it go.

I really don't see either incarnation doing any post-Damaged stuff so, personally, I'm not all that jazzed.

For most, I'm sure it's a killer deal.

i'll go see either. why not?

I'm going to save my money and not bother, but will read all the reviews. This has turned into a great soap opera. If it's great I can always say "Whatevers, I seen 'em with Saint Vitus and it was mint."

THIS. I'm a really big fan of the Live '84 line-up.

Lots of different opinions out there on the web about this, mostly negative, so it's nice to see some fairly positive opinions in this thread.

As far as I am concerned, Black Flag is Greg Ginn's band, he's the guitar player, and his guitar playing was the kernel of Black Flag's sound. Regardless of what anyone says about Ginn and his past business dealings, he has not been operating as a 'cash grab' artist for the last 25 years. His musical output since Black Flag has been decidedly uncommercial. I saw him play bass with the Tyler Texas Corrugators in front of a crowd of 20 people and the guy looked happy as a clam. He could have trotted out Black Flag as a cash cow at any time before now and hasn't. He has his own reasons for doing it now and everybody else can check it or choke it.

I can relate to what Oscar Gamble said in his previous post about them not doing any post Damaged material... I love that era as much as I love the early stuff.

I want to know when the Rollins, Dez, Kira, Chuck Biscuits band is going to announce their plans. That would be the one to see... hell they should just start a band and forget the Black Flag thing altogether, I'd go see that.

I'll ultimately end up going to see each if I can but my expectations are pretty low so maybe I'll be surprised. If nothing else the "Flag" version will do a sweet set of early material.

If the '1983 Demos' lineup was assembled, I'd pretty much pay anything, no questions asked.

There was never a line up with Rollins, Dez, Kira and Chuck Biscuits together(but it would have sounded great if there was though) and the "1983 Demos" are the "1982 Demos". This is fucking rad-

My point exactly.

I thought that's what you might have been getting at, but it wasn't exactly clear from the way you worded your post. That being said as far as an ideal reunion line up without Ginn, Rollins, Dez, Kira and Anthony Martinez would be good as well.

I think they should put their time and energy into officially releasing the 82 and 83 demos plus a live show from each line up.

The demos are widely available, I don't know what an "official" release would accomplish besides generating SST revenue that won't be distributed fairly (oh snap)

I had always been under the impression that all of the demos from the Chuck Biscuits line up were recorded in 82, wasn't aware that three songs were recorded in '83(I have them all grouped together as "82 demos"). I also agree that it would be pointless at this point to "officially" release them.

The version with Keith Morris say they'll be doing "songs from all eras of Black Flag".

Forgive my unclear wording... it was late and I was half in the wrapper. I agree that your proposed lineup would also be pretty stellar.

I don't see Rollins ever doing a Black Flag reunion. I think he's aware that it would be a bit silly seeing an old-ish man on stage going through those motions.

Dez has joined the Keith/Dukowski version of BF.
in semi-related news:
OFF! was playing here in San Diego last night but, had to cancel their show "due to illness to Keith Morris, lead singer..”
Show went on just without Off.

rolling stone has the scoop on Dez and the cause of the cancelled OFF! shows

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ ... s-20130207

Just a week or so before the BF reunion thing was announced, Greg Ginn was forming a band with Mike Vallely.

(Edited to add:) I was also curious what Rollins was up to, so a quick Google says he has an animal show on National Geographic channel. Also said he had done a previous one.

Nice to see Dez involved.