FLAG at the Opera House (735 Queen East), Friday (June 14), midnight. NXNE wristband or $20. nxne.com.
First-wave indie bands are reuniting left and right, but Black Flag have always seemed like a long shot.
For decades it appeared the seminal DIY hardcore revolutionaries would live only in documents like Get In The Van and The Decline Of Western Civilization, but now fans have been rewarded for their patience… perhaps too much.
Not one, but two iterations of Black Flag are currently hitting the road. One is led by guitarist Greg Ginn, and the other, FLAG, play the Opera House Friday night.
“I know there are people out there who say, ‘No Henry Rollins, no Black Flag,'” admits Keith Morris, screamer for FLAG and Black Flag’s first vocalist. “The fact is, the songs are only as good as the people playing them. And frankly, we know how to play the songs because we lived the songs.”
FLAG also features second singer/guitarist Dez Cadena, drummer Bill Stevenson and guitarist Stephen Egerton (both from the Descendents). But the most important member, Morris says defiantly, is founding bassist Chuck Dukowski, who instilled the famous Black Flag work ethic.
Like in their early days, when they’d practise their mere 20 minutes of material for six hours at a time, Dukowski has them rehearsing vigorously.
“We’re that much older now, so that’s part of the challenge,” Morris admits. “The music has an athleticism to it. So the idea is to build up the oomph, the juice, the gas. To go out and play the songs the way they’re meant to be played.”
If you like FLAG, also check out Iceage at the Horseshoe, Saturday (June 15), midnight or Fucked Up at the Horseshoe, Saturday (June 15), 1 am. Both NXNE wristband or $15.
Interview Clips
Unlike some of their early hardcore peers, who fit more into the “Fuck Reagan” camp, Black Flag tended to sing about internal frustration and angst. Keith Morris argues that that’s made the songs timeless.
Morris speaks out about the animosity between the two current touring versions of Black Flag. He also reveals that he was originally part of a 2003 reunion with guitarist Greg Ginn, but was ousted before they hit the stage.
