Jealous Again

Another SoCal dispatch: for some reason, I've always found Black Flag to be one of the most interesting (if not the) punk rock bands to read about** -- Henry Rollins' Get In The Van has a lot to do with it, I guess.  It's one of those rare books you're genuinely disappointed to finish -- pretty high praise.  The only other one I can think of off the top of my head would be Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban.  Maybe all of the H.P. books.  It's OK, I'm kind of a dork.

Anyway, doing some crack research into things of interest to as few people as possible, I ran across this site, which pointed me to two great Flag articles by Jay Babcock: "The First Five Years" and "A 12-Step Program in Self-Reliance: How L.A.’s hardcore pioneers made it through their early years".  Both great reads if you're interested in Flag, the birth and growth of punk rock (and indie music) in the U.S., and human drama/the struggle to create art generally.  Highly recommended.  I also dug the Black Flag coverage in American Hardcore: A Tribal History.

**And they're not really one of my favorite bands. I totally like the early stuff, and can even get into Damaged. I just don't find myself listening to much Flag these days. Mainly high school. Although... their version of "Louie Louie" might be the second best ever, behind The Sonics. Flag gets bonus points for one the great self-pity, "subvert the love song paradigm" lyrics of all time: "You know the pain/that's in my heart/It just shows/I'm not very smart".

Comments

[benjamin Hayes]

Have you seen either DIG! or FEARLESS FREAKS? The former a documentary about Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Dandy Warhols, the latter a documentary about the Flaming Lips? FF is the better of the two in my opinion, just the story about their beginnings until now...

[Evan]

I followed the links to the TWO GREAT Flag histories. So many good moments. And a Protestant work ethic that Pat Robertson could feel comfortable with. The tales of graffiti and wheatpaste are great.

I also like Greg Ginn trying to convince proprieters of VFW halls and bowling alleys (and the afternoon Pollywog Festival) to book Black Flag at their venue. Ginn: “I got real good at talking to promoters or hall owners. They’d ask, ‘What kind of music do you play?’ I’d say, ‘Oh, it’s a rock group and a little bit of jazz in there.’

[very metal]

Watt relates pulling a very similar trick with Euro border crossings -- must have learned it from Ginn:

the croatia customs officer goes right to work on the paperwork though w/out a boat search and we're clear to go in minutes. thank you very much, sir. on the slovene side, first the border guards ask me what kind of music is it we do and of course I say "jazz fusion" - I say this every time I cross a border cuz it's probably the most neutered shit that would put anyone off, like farting really big time in a small crowded elevator but in kind of backhanded way - not too overt. he waves us pass quick and we go to the customs officer. he's as quick and to the point w/the paperwork as his croatian counterpoint - neither one of them asked me any questions even, much respect to them for making it so easy for me cuz honestly I wasn't trying to do anything out of line, I never do that w/borders cuz why? I'm a guest in these folks' lands.