Black Flag: Damaged Beyond Repair?

One of the great versions of Black Flag in the band’s heyday.

Geeta Dayal is very disappointed by the new Black Flag album and explains why in an essay that was posted at The Guardian today.

The piece begins:

In the early 1980s, Black Flag were one of the best bands in the world. Black Flag weren’t just a band – they were an art project, a movement, an ethos, a way of being. But Black Flag are no longer Black Flag. The storied hardcore punk group are now just a bitter parody. What the … is its first full-length album since the band’s break-up in 1986. Everything about it, from the lame album cover art to the pro forma lyrics to the generic riffs, screams of desperation.

Read the rest at The Guardian.

“Rise Above” from back in the day.

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About Michael Goldberg

Michael Goldberg is a distinguished pioneer in the online music space; Newsweek magazine called him an ‘Internet visionary.’ In 1994 he founded Addicted To Noise (ATN), the highly influential music web site. He was a senior vice-president and editor in chief at SonicNet from March 1997 through May 2000. In 1997, Addicted To Noise won Webby awards for best music site in 1998 and 1999, and also won Yahoo Internet Life! awards for three years running as best music site in 1998, 1999 and 2000. Prior to starting Addicted To Noise, Goldberg was an editor and senior writer at Rolling Stone magazine for 10 years. His writing has also appeared in Wired, Esquire, Vibe, Details, Downbeat, NME and numerous other publications. Michael has had three novels published that comprise the "Freak Scene Dream trilogy": "True Love Scars," "The Flowers Lied" and "Untitled" which can be ordered here. His new book, "Wicked Game: The True Story of Guitarist James Calvin Wilsey," can be pre-ordered from HoZac Books. In November Backbeat Books will publish "Addicted To Noise: The Music Writings of Michael Goldberg," which can be be pre-ordered here.

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