Published on Aug 27, 2000
If punk rock was seen as the kind of music which gave the finger
to society, then Black Flag had to be the group which gave the
finger not only to society, but to punk rock’s forefathers.
One of the earliest leaders of the Southern California punk
scene, Henry Rollins and company merged punk with the roots of
heavy metal – and, dare we say it, a little bit of humor. Their
1981 release
Damaged remains a high-water mark for the band.
As subtle as a car crash at times, Rollins knew he packed power
in his delivery that would capture the listener. So, he knew when
to turn on the intensity — tracks such as “What I See” (which
dares to suggest the spoken-word angle that Rollins would
occasionally take later in the band’s history), “Police Story” and
“Depression” all demonstrate this well. And “Spray Paint” is a
minute’s worth of pure intensity that even suggested that Black
Flag knew the days of thrash metal were just around the corner.
This being said, even Rollins could occasionally turn up the
intensity a little too far. Case in point: the album closer
“Damaged I,” a track which still frightens me today, 15 years after
I bought the record (and nearly 20 years since it came out). Like
John Lennon before him, this was Rollins’s primal scream therapy –
and it’s uncomfortable to listen to. (It could also be I’m more
accustomed to a version of “Damaged I”, featuring then-lead singer
Dez Cadena, on the 45 of “Louie Louie”.)
Yet there was a side of Black Flag which showed they knew how to
smile as well. “Six Pack” is one prime example of this, daring to
suggest that Rollins would rather have his favorite brew than his
girlfriend. You kind of have to have a twisted sense of humor to
appreciate this. Then, there’s “TV Party,” which may make no sense
unless you remember what television in the early ’80s was like.
It’s all good fun, especially when you reach the unexpected
climax.
Sure, the production isn’t the cleanest, but Spot’s work behind
the board seems to fit the style of music that Black Flag was
churning out. Guitarist Greg Ginn pulls out some cool riffs from
his six-string, while bassist Charles Dukowski and drummer Robo lay
down a powerful, if slightly inconsistent, rhythmic backbone.
(Cadena was still with the group at this time, serving as guitarist
and vocalist.)
Damaged is the kind of record your parents warned you about
— and the kind of record that anyone who enjoys the pure adrenalin
of punk will absolutely fall in love with. This is one meant to be
played at full volume, so the neighbors can experience it as
well.