Shouts
Want to share your thoughts about this album? Join Last.fm or log in to leave a shout.
-
-
Replies
-
-
-
SlankyJanky
While not straight sludge, you can definitely tell the influences this had on the scene.
Actions
Replies
-
Replies
-
-
-
Replies
-
Replies
-
-
-
MisterJunior
I've pulled out my Black Flag records for the first time in about a year or so here lately. They've lost none of their power. Black Flag is another one of those bands that when you're in the right mood can seem like the only band you'll ever need -- they're that powerful much of the time. Some people have such dismissive attitudes/opinions about them: they only made one good album, they weren't any good after Damaged, they're overrated, Henry Rollins was the only guy who brought anything to the table, etc. No. They created Hardcore Punk, they did more than any other band in the country to spread Punk (as in the type of Punk that teenagers played and led to the whole "indie"/DIY scene of the era) around the US, they turned their backs on predictable fast Hardcore Punk to play fucked up Sludge and Free Jazz and grew their hair out to piss off the skinheads... they are one of the most important and greatest American bands ever. Greg Ginn was one of the most influential post-Hendrix guitar
Actions
Replies
-
MisterJunior
players. The album artwork by Raymond Pettibon was and is awesome and iconic. Many of the band members were among the best players on their instruments that the genre has ever seen. I've eagerly snapped up everything they put out for years and while they never played it safe and put out a bunch of just crazy, wild shit, I've found value in all of it and enjoy listening to every single, album, EP, compilation, etc. Definitely one of my favorite bands ever. And My Way is one of their best and most important records. The whole thing is great, but those last three songs are just fucking dense, heavy, syrupy, sludgy condensed power in audio form.
Actions
Replies
More replies-
MisterJunior
Thanks! One of my favorite activities (besides listening about music) is writing about/discussing the music I love and hopefully turning people on to some of that music,
Actions
-
Supercoolguy64
ginn is easily one of the most important musicians in rock, even if he is a dick lmao
Actions
-
-
-
PresdntOfAfrica
PUNK ROCK IS FOR REBELS AND PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO HIT SHIT AND YELL. I AM A REBEL WHO LIKES TO HIT SHIT AND YELL. I THINK BLACK FLAG IS A FUNNY PUNK ROCK BAND WHO IS VERY SMART AND WRITES SOME COOL PUNK ROCK TUNES WITH SMART LYRICS. THE ALBUM "MY WAR" IS SOME GREAT PUNK ROCK TUNES BUT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE TRADITIONAL AND DOOM METAL. THE LAST 3 SONGS SOUND LIKE BLACK SABBATH INFLUENCED THEM. SO TO HEAR A REALLY UNIQUE PUNK ROCK ALBUM THAT'S ALSO ACCESSIBLE AND CATCHY, YOU SHOULD HEAR "MY WAR" AS IT IS PROBABLY THE BEST PUNK FROM THE 1980'S. ALSO IF YOU KNOW WHO HENRY ROLLINS IS, SOMETIMES HE TALKS AT STAGES AND ON TV AND SHIT, THIS IS A BAND HE WAS IN BEFORE. HE WAS A PUNK ROCK MAN. HARDCORE PUNK ROCK!!! BLACK FLAG!!! THIS ALBUM IS 100.0000000000000% PERFECT
Actions
Replies
-
eduardoaddams
This album is from the beginning to end an absolute mental breakdown. One of my fav albums of all time.
Actions
-
-
-
-
Disvisonpunk86
Fucking amazing record and a lot different to their hardcore punk roots but I love this slowed down dirty groove sludgy rock sound but it still has the punk edge ❤️👌😎
Actions
-
MisterJunior
I think it was definitely intended to antagonize the Hardcore Punks (particularly the skinheads in the scene). The speedy Punk stuff is awesome, but for me it's the sludgy slop on the second side that really makes the record. Huge influence on the Melvins, Eyehategod, Grief, Crowbar, etc.
Actions
-
-
This shout is unavailable.
-
MisterJunior
@Punching_joe Wrong. The second side of this album is a blueprint for sludge metal and is heavier than anything any of those three bands ever did. Bad Brains were on the verge of turning into a shitty, pukey funk metal band and other than The Record, Fear isn't even a pimple on Black Flag's collective ass. MDC rules, though.
Actions
-
-
goldfishclowns
The production took some getting used to, but I can't imagine the album sounding any other way, and it's still my favourite Black Flag album after all these years.
Actions
-
-
PoachedWomb
Just listening to this for the first time (shame on me). Only song I recognise is "My War" because I own a Good Riddance cover. The riff in the chorus from "Can't Decide" wouldn't have sounded out of place on Nirvana's Bleach album, and other parts of this remind me of Bleach. Those slow erratic guitar solos seem to have found a new home on "In Utero" too. I'm guessing that both grunge and sludge owe alot to the second half of this album, and to the production style of the whole thing. (I can't even figure out what makes a band "grunge", it seems to be something you just know when you hear it, though that would mean that to me Pearl Jam aren't grunge. Apparently they are though? Either way, I'm holding them responsible for all that shit that came in the wake of the mid-90s, e.g. Days of the New.) Anyway, enjoying this a whole alot.
Actions
-
Punching_joe
By the way this album is not so hardcore. Compared to Bad Brains, MDC and Fear it's pop.
Actions
-
-
This shout is unavailable.
-
Chumsicles
the production on this really is shit, as well as the drumming. Most of these songs can be found in better renditions elsewhere
Actions
-
-
-
-
-
substancex
My deliberately douchey profile pic is the poop-flavored icing on the shitcake too. People who read these shouts in the future will probably want to travel wherever I am and punch me in the face. Oh well.
Actions
-
substancex
Give it time, or try listening while stoned. "My War" is one of the best examples of a grower. It takes some time for the slow dirgey pace to sink in and for the actual songs to materialize. If you're familiar with Flipper or the Melvins, it's the same sorta deal. It's like they took a bunch of amazing punk rock songs and then stretched them out. Ginn's soloing is amazing on this record too. Something like "Swingin Man" might sound random and noodly at first, but they're doing some really insane noise jazz stuff. Sorry... I'm a Black Flag dweeb with too much time on my hands. Whatever though - it's fun to talk analytically about music, even if it bugs the living fuck out of other people.
Actions
-
substancex
Also, I agree about this album being a major influence on grunge. I always got really annoyed when I heard someone parrot that trite "Neil Young was the godfather of grunge" nonsense. That shit's only valid if you consider Pearl Jam to be a real grunge band. Personally, I've always said that Greg Ginn was the godfather of grunge. Black Flag's whole aesthetic (anti-fashion punks with long hair who listened to 70s hard rock and Sabbath) was the M.O. of the late 80s Sub Pop scene.
Actions
-
substancex
Any Black Flag fan knows that "My War" is genius. I wouldn't even complain about the production values of the record, if not for the fact that the band immediately started using higher fidelity recordings right after this album came out. It's such a fucking shame. The guitar on this thing is some of the most crushing shit of all time.
Actions
-
HushSettleDown
"The production is really fucking bad" says someone with Daniel Johnson artwork for their avatar, really?! This is hardcore punk, not polished pop crap. (by the way, I adore Daniel Johnson)
Actions
-
-
substancex
It's the greatest musical tragedy of all time that Black Flag only started using good production values on the inferior "Loose Nut". Imagine "My War" if it sounded that good. It would be fucking mindboggling.
Actions
-
-
kraut-x
I love the B side. However, Allmusic don't seem second that opionon: "a pretentious mess of a record with a totally worthless second side. Featuring three tracks of slower-than-Black Sabbath muck with Henry Rollins howling like a caged animal, it was self-indulgence masquerading as inspiration and about as much fun as wading through a tar pit."
Actions
-
-
-
iliveinthewoods
So so much more than a "hardcore punk" album. This thing exceeds boundaries, probably my favorite release from them.
Actions
-