Black Flag in 1984

My brother is eight years older than me, and in Junior High and early High School, I used to go into his room and borrow hardcore and metal tapes. His room was pretty much a library, but home-style. Anyhow, it was crucial to my early music obsessiveness that still consumes me. One tape he had that had a strong impact on me was Black Flag's classic "My War". I remember being impressed with how fucked up and weird it was back then, and just recently I felt a need to hear it again. The verdict? Still fucked. In particular, the last 3 tracks (or side 2 on the tape) is some devastating sludge punk that must have been a huge influence on bands like Eyehategod. About a year ago, I'd read in that American Hardcore book that they'd been listening to a lot of Dio's "Holy Diver" and Black Sabbath's love it or hate it opus "Born Again" (that cover of the demon baby used to freak me out when I was a kid.), as well as labelmates Saint Vitus. Mix those influences in with Greg Ginn's Grateful Dead obsession, and Henry Rollins obvious Nick Cave-ish rants, and you've got an album that I would rank as an eighties classic.

Although I'd never listened to their other two lp's from 1984, I decided that I might as well check them out as well. "Slip It In" is a continuation of the sound on "My War", though less rants, and less sludge. Still, fucking good even in my old age. In particular, "Black Coffee" (which captures the irritation of insomnia, especially during the chorus: "drinking black coffee/black coffee/ drinking black coffee/stare at the wall") and "Wound Up" burn with unrest and frustration.

"Family Man" is of less interest, and the first half is Henry Rollins' doing his best to imitate his beat poet heroes. The side ends with more poetry, but with the rest of the band backing him up for ten minutes of yawns. The second half is better but it's all instrumental. It does allow Greg Ginn to wank off a little bit more in his loose free jazz/punk sort of way, however, I'd say "Family Man" is only for completists.

1984 was Black Flag's moment after all the legal trouble they had endured prior to it. The material was more original and unique than "Damaged" or anything they did the following year, but it is also their most challenging. Submit to its power; unleash the hate.
http://rapidshare.com/files/14201950/Black_Flag_My_War_07_Nothing_Left_Inside.mp3
http://rapidshare.com/files/14202571/Black_Flag_Slip_It_In_02_Black_Coffee.mp3