Black Flag is an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. Initially called Panic, the band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter, and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band. They are widely considered to be one of the first hardcore punk bands as well as one of the pioneers of post-hardcore.
Over the course of the 1980s, Black Flag's sound, as well as their notoriety, evolved in ways that both embraced and alienated much of their early audience. As well as being central to the creation of hardcore punk, they were innovators in the first wave of American West Coast punk rock and are considered a key influence on punk subculture in the United States and abroad.
Along with being among the earliest punk rock groups to incorporate elements and the influence of heavy metal melodies and rhythm, 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.
Damaged is the debut studio album by the American hardcore punk band Black Flag. SST Records released it on December 5, 1981.
Perhaps the best album to emerge from the quagmire that was early-'80s California hardcore punk, the visceral, intensely physical presence of Damaged has yet to be equaled, although many bands have tried. Although Black Flag had been recording for three years prior to this release, the fact that Henry Rollins was now their lead singer made all the difference. His furious bellow and barely contained ferocity was the missing piece the band needed to become great.
Also, guitarist/mastermind Greg Ginn wrote a slew of great songs for this record that, while suffused with the usual punk conceits (alienation, boredom, disenfranchisement), were capable of making one laugh out loud, especially the protoslacker satire "TV Party." Extremely controversial when it was released, Damaged endured the slings and arrows of outrageous criticism (some reacted as though this record alone would cause the fall of America's youth) to become and remain an important document of its time.
Early in 1981, Black Flag signed a record contract with Unicorn Records, a subsidiary of MCA. The band delivered their first full-length album, Damaged, to Unicorn; the label refused to release the record, citing the content of the music as too dangerous and vulgar. Undaunted, Ginn released the album on his own SST Records. Upon its release, the album received considerable critical acclaim. Soon after it appeared on the shelves, Unicorn sued Black Flag and SST over the release of Damaged.
For the next two years, the band was prevented from using the name Black Flag or their logo on any records. During that time, the group continued to tour, and surreptitiously released Everything Went Black, a double-album retrospective that contained no mention of the band, although it listed the names of the members on the front cover. The dispute ended in 1983, when Unicorn went bankrupt and the rights to the Black Flag name and logo reverted back to the band (by this time, Cadena had left to form his own group).
Over the years since the album's original release it has been recognized as a classic and one of the most influential punk rock records ever made, appearing on a number of "best of" lists by fans and critics alike. In 2003, the album was ranked number 340 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Pitchfork also ranked it number 25 on its list of the Top 100 Albums of the 1980s.
Label: Unicorn Records ?– 9502, SST Records ?– 9502
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Rock
Style: Hardcore, Punk
Personnel
Henry Rollins – lead vocals
Greg Ginn – lead guitar, backing vocals
Dez Cadena – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Chuck Dukowski – bass, backing vocals
Robo – drums, backing vocals
TRAXS
01. Rise Above 2:26
02. Spray Paint (Chuck Dukowski, Ginn) 0:34
03. Six Pack 2:20
04. What I See (Dukowski) 1:56
05. TV Party 3:31
06. Thirsty and Miserable (Dez Cadena, Rosa Medea, Robo) 2:06
07. Police Story 1:30
08. Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie 1:47
09. Depression 2:28
10. Room 13 (Ginn, Medea) 2:04
11. Damaged II 3:23
12. No More (Dukowski) 2:25
13. Padded Cell (Dukowski, Ginn) 1:47
14. Life of Pain 2:50
15. Damaged I (Ginn, Rollins) 3:50
Total length: 34:58
"Police Story" Lyrics
This fucking city
Is run by pigs
They take the rights
Away from all the kids
Understand
We're fighting a war
We can't win
They hate us
We hate them
We can't win, no way!
Walk down the street
I flip them off
They hit me across the head
With a billy club
Understand
We're fighting a war
We can't win
They hate us
We hate them
We can't win, no way!
Nothing I do,
Nothing I say
I tell them to go get fucked
They put me away
Understand
We're fighting a war
We can't win
They hate us
We hate them
We can't win, no way!
I go to court,
For my crime,
Stand in line pay bail,
I waste my time
Understand
We're fighting a war
We can't win
They hate us
We hate them
We can't win, no way!
"Damaged I" Lyrics
My name's Henry.
And you're here with me now
RRRAGHH
My life
It's a song daaahh
It's so you won't even let it happen
You won't
You won't let
DAMAGED!
By attacks
I'm evil attacking my mind
But you don't mind
Cause this scheduled 13
You just sit, down
Buy the ticket
Wait your turn
Waaaaahhhhahahahahahaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!
Can't feel another day
Can't get past you
I can't see nothin'
I'm blind
I'm blind
I'm blind
Hold out your hand to me
Give me your hand
Aagh!
..And I'll bite it off!!
"No More" Lyrics
No, I won't believe that this is all
I'm not happy, I'm not free
Pay check to pay check,
Living for what
Every night I get drunk to ger sunk
I need action, won't take no more,
No more, no more, no more
It won't work, won't work
No more
I knew what I had when I grew up
I know that it really sucked
Now I'm a slave to the same lies
If I don't get out I'm gonna die
I need action, won't take no more,
No more, no more, no more
It won't work, won't work
No more
Control, control for who,
For what?
I'm no robot, they can get fucked
Reaction's masochism this can't last
I need to live, I need it now
I need action, won't take no more,
No more, no more, no more
It won't work, won't work
Thank you. Is this a vinyl rip?
ReplyDeleteYes it is.
DeleteThanks, huge thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you,
ReplyDeleteQueertone
Which pressing is this rip from? Trying to get an idea of the sound between the various pressings. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteDo you mean the label? It is Unicorn Records ?– 9502, SST Records ?– 9502
DeleteThe easiest way to determine the pressing is in the runout grooves.
ReplyDeleteFirst Pressing (1981):
Side 1: UNI 4-9502-A-RE L7485 IIII COMIN AT YA
Side 2: UNI 4-9502-B THE WHOLE GELATINOUS THING L-7485-X
Side 1, variant 2: UNI/4-9502-A-RE JcS L-7485 IIII COMIN AT YA
Side 2, variant 2: UNI 4/9502-B JcS THE WHOLE GELATINOUS THING ʘ L-7485-X
First Version recut/reissue (1982):
Side 1: IIII COMIN AT YA - THE REAL GELATINOUS THING L-8248 SST, YALL! UNI/4•9502 A JS•KENDUN
Side 2: SIZZLED THE PANTS RIGHT OFFA ME - HOWIE AAAH, WHAT THE HELL - HAROLD L-8248-X SST, YALL! UNI/4•9502 B JS•KENDUN
Second Version recut/reissue (1982):
Side 1: COMIN' AT YA - THE NEO-REAL GELATINOUS THING SST, YALL UNI · 4 · 9502A S-9375
Side 2: SIZZLED THE PANTS RIGHT OFFA ME - HOWIE AAAH! WHAT THE HELL · HAROLD SST, YALL UNI · 4 · 9502B S-9376
If you don't wanna dig it out for some internet rando like me, I totally get it. I'm just curious, so if you have the time/motivation, then cool!
Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete