Spray Paint the Walls: The Story of Black Flag

by Stevie Chick

Black Flag were the pioneers of American Hardcore, and this is their blood-spattered story. Formed in Hermosa Beach, California, in 1978, for eight brutal years they made and played brilliant, ugly, no-holds-barred music on a self-appointed touring circuit of America’s clubs, squats, and community halls. They fought with the police, the record industry and even their own fans. They toured overseas on pennies a day and did it in beat-up trucks and vans. Spray Paint the Walls tells Black Flag’s story from the inside, drawing on exclusive interviews with the group’s members, their contemporaries, and the bands they inspired. It’s the story of Henry Rollins, and his journey from fan to iconic frontman. And it’s the story of Greg Ginn, who turned his electronics company into one of the world’s most influential independent record labels while leading Black Flag from punk’s three-chord frenzy into heavy metal and free-jazz. Featuring over 30 photos of the band from Glen E. Friedman, Edward Colver, and others.

Genres: Music, Punk, Nonfiction, History, Biography

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Gabrielle (Reading Rampage) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, Black Flag… I don’t even know where to begin to describe how much I love them and what their music means to me. My husband and I love Black Flag so much that we actually had an “Everything Went Black”-themed wedding cake, hedge-trimmer as a cake topper and all. We were lucky to find a baker who didn’t think we were insane.

This book is supposed to be the definite history of the iconic hardcore band. Given how meticulously researched and detailed a narrative Chick wrote, that label would be hard to dispute. Backstories are fastidiously detailed and we get heaps of juicy stories about this highly dysfunctional yet enduring band’s saga. I loved learning about how the band members met, how they scrambled to get gear together, record songs, book shows and eventually tours… Having been in a band, I know how much hard work and dedication it takes to keep things going and these guys clearly gave it their all despite being shockingly young, having precious little resources and massive ego clashes.

Stevie Chick tries to remain professional, but you can feel through the journalistic writing style that he is actually fanboy-ing all over the place (his hyperbolic use of adjective actually gets hilarious on occasion). I get it; I’d be hysterical too if my favorite band had agreed to dish out all their dirt to me. And boy, is there ever a lot of dirt in the story of Black Flag… But unlike more personal, insider accounts (like Rollins’ super intense tour diary “Get in the Van”), this book feels very clinical and disconnected. Of course, it isn’t meant as a testimony or oral history transcription, so I can’t really hold that against it. It might have been an overcompensation on Chick’s part, to try and camouflage his hero-worshipping. But it does make it a less engaging read. I would go through one lengthy chapter, then put the book down for a few days before chipping away at it again. I couldn’t read it if I was tired, or it would put me right to sleep. And this is a book about one of my all-time favorite bands!

It also feels a bit strange to write a history of Black Flag without contribution from Henry Rollins and Greg Ginn, who have very important roles in this story. Rollins doesn’t talk about his Black Flag days anymore, and Ginn is infamously reclusive, but their conspicuous absence does make the book feel a little incomplete… Speaking of Mr. Rollins, when I got to the halfway point of the book and he still hadn’t shown up, I understood what the real problem with this book is: lack of a rigorous editor. Seriously: the adjective "spidery" is used like 30 times to describe Ginn's guitar playing...

That being said, we hear from nearly everyone else ever involved with Black Flag: Keith Morris, Bill Stevenson, Kira Roessler and co. tell their stories, which adds a bit of personality and colour to the narrative. I was especially interested in reading Roessler’s stories, as her perspective as one of the few women involved in that specific hardcore scene is something I’ve been curious about for a long time.

So 3 stars, because while it is incredibly interesting, “Spray Paint the Walls” is also a very dry read. For Black Flag maniacs and punk nerds.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did not even know about this book until a friend clued me in. As a huge Black Flag fan, I had to read it.

Author Steve Chick does a fine job of getting the as-complete-as-can-be BF story from most of the band members, road crew, SST label mates and peers. Oddly, there is no primary source information from BF's two most recognizable figures, Gregg Ginn and Henry Rollins, for reasons never stated. I guess they just did not want to cooperate with the project. However Chick does a good job filling in these gaps with secondary source material from old fanzines, radio interviews and Rollins' own excellent Get In The Van Book.

Keith Morris, Ron Reyes, Dez Cadena, Chuck Dukowski and Kira are all interviewed extensively. It is interesting to hear their sides of the stories that BF fans such as myself have wondered about for years.

What I really like about this book is how it is mostly in chronological order, with several of the early chapters focusing on how the members of Black Flag met each other, discovered punk and eventually decided to give it their best shot. Their early enthusiasm and energy is inspiring.

It is also interesting to see how the band transformed musically and personally as the years went on and as the lineups changed.

If you are a BF fan, you are probably familiar with the general story of the hardest working band in the world, their fights with the authorities, the media, lawsuits, their own fans and each other. But here Chick offers greater depth. Even the most die hard Flag fan may learn a thing or two.

My only criticisms of the book, preventing it from a hallowed 5 star rating, are a few glaring fact errors that left me thinking, "What else did this guy get wrong?" For example, Chick once refers to the BF song, "Three Nights" as DUH -- "Three Days" and late in the books states that The Misfits were from California which we all know is wrong-o. Like I said, this makes me wonder if he dropped the ball anywhere else. Also, to be truly complete, there should have been first hand interviews with Ginn and Rollins, but I do understand that that may not have been possible.

Also included are many pages of great photographs, some you've probably seen before, such as the iconic cover shot, and some you probably have not, such as the early live and practice photos. I found my copy on Amazon for about $12 and found it well worth the price. This is going on my punk rock bookshelf, right next to Get In The Van. If you read this far, you probably need a copy.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

An in-depth story through each of the Black Flag line-ups. Rollins does not become a member of the band until about page 220, which means there are a lot of new (to me) stories and information.

My favorite part about the product description for this book on Amazon is that it says, "They were the pioneers of American hardcore, forming in California in 1878." Like, literal American pioneers, dude. Little known fact: the original creepy crawls were in covered wagons.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the definitive book that will ever be written about this iconic, singularly influential and important Punk group (who did more than any other band to establish a U.S. touring circuit still in use by Rock, Metal, and Punk acts to this day, not to mention their stylistic innovations as a musical concern), but still flawed enough to be frustrating fairly often; part of that comes down to Greg Ginn's refusal to participate in the project, as well as Henry Rollins' reluctance to say any more on the subject than he said in his tour journals of the era (collected in the sadly out of print Get in the Van), resulting in a lack of information about the dynamics within the band after Chuck Dukowski's exit and the later expulsions of Kira Roessler and Bill Stevenson. So while we have a lot about the touring schedule, the business of Black Flag (and Ginn's massively influential label SST), we have considerably less about the actual day to day workings of the group, its artistic ambitions, etc. That can be somewhat ameliorated by reading the aforementioned Rollins journals, but that's still only one perspective and a perspective from the trenches of the era-- the sort of objectivity and clarity offered by 25 years of hindsight would be much appreciated. Nonetheless, a really good book and certainly one of the better Punk books out there.

[Jimmy Foy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very detailed book about black flag , highlighting all the key points in their journey. Sadly I feel the author spends far too many pages talking about the early flag prior to Rollins , it takes over 200 pages before Rollins even joins the band ! Then the next 5/6 years are subsequently a bit rushed, though still detailed. I feel like this may just be my bias towards the later sludgier BF which I prefer. I didn’t need such details about Ron Reyes and most frustratingly the constant tangents about other bands like the germs. In other words , good book, but I would start reading from the middle.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though it doesn't unseat Henry Rollins' "Get In The Van" as the definitive work regarding Black Flag, Stevie Chick deserves considerable credit for swinging for the fences nonetheless. Clocking in at a whopping 403 pages, Chick doesn't leave many stones unturned documenting the wild and dysfunctional ride of Ginn & Co.

Ultimately, though, the sheer breadth of the book adheres to some tried-and-true rock journalism stereotypes. Backstories and histories are heaped on, even for very ancillary characters in the Black Flag story. Certain chapters read like a history of the beginnings of SoCal punk, which at times holds appeal but at other times makes the reader pine for more aggressive editing. Many accounts of albums and performances are bogged down by Chick straining to find new adjectives for a Ginn guitar riff or a Rollins growl. One particular description of Ginn's "spidery" guitar work is particularly cringe-inducing.

That said, in the style of the band itself, this book doesn't let up. Chick gathered everyone possibly willing to talk and dug up relevant sources for those who weren't. Without a heavy hand, Chick paints the dismissal of founding bassist Chuck Dukowski as the beginning of the end, and the first of many moves driven by Greg Ginn's escalating paranoia.

Chick also gives a fair and clear-eyed look at Rollins, portraying him as a charismatic but at times cartoonish presence. He also charts the subplot of many of the Flag's SST label-mates, particularly tour partners The Minutemen. Though short, former Flag bassist Kira Roessler's account of Mike Watt's depression following the sudden death of his friend and band-mate D. Boon sticks with the reader long after closing the cover.

It's a no-brainer that this is a must-read for dyed-in-the-wool Black Flag afficianados, but those with a more cursory interest remain better suited with Rollins' tour journal or Michael Azzerad's superb "Our Band Could Be Your Life."

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, this has been sitting in the dock for a while (among a multitude of things/other books that I have indeed read but haven't reviewed)--but I actually read this in two days like four months ago. I took a personal day off from work to read it straight through. Here's the deal: I honestly was a little suspicious of a Limey writing about the history of one of Southern California's most important bands, but it makes sense in the fact that someone who lived here/lived through it might bring to it a multitude of biases, and that's that (plus Stevie Chick has written some killer stuff on crucial contemporary bands such as Comets on Fire and more). A bulk of the text is straight testimony from Flag members, other bands that played with them/people who were there, and it's prime juice for anyone who abused themselves on an old Santa Cruz Jesse or Grosso thrashing to 'Jealous Again' or shaved their head while listening to 'Damaged' or had some fucked late night mental breakdown while spinning 'Loose Nut' or 'Slip it In' wanting to kill themselves over a girl (or boy)--for any of us whose blood was unbelievably stirred by the Flag will devour the book. Now, that said, and my heart goes out to Chick on this one: there are typos on--literally--almost every single page, and some other heavy duty editing issues (the same metaphor used over and over to describe contradicting things, stuff like that--things the editor at Omnibus should have caught!). Somewhat to the point of distraction. Though not enough to make this a killer way to destroy your weekend!

[East Bay J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had said that I wished someone would do a proper Black Flag bio about two weeks before I found out one already existed. Ask and ye shall receive. Rollin’s Get In The Van and the chapter in Azzerad’s Our Band Could Be Your Life don’t quite cut it, as fun as both were to read, as far as telling the Flag story. Chick’s Spray Paint The Walls is a full on bio with lots of gory details.

Black Flag were absolute monsters. Their music and accomplishments made nearly every “hardcore” band that came after them look like complacent sissies and simpletons. The Flag were the best of the best and Chick has really put in the time and energy to make sure he did this right. While I felt some parts of the Flag story were glossed over or not covered in as much detail as others, it was such a treat to get so much of the story in a single well written package. It’s pretty thorough. He does a fine job discussing the music Flag made and gives the reader a good sense of the musicians who came and went over the years, who they were and what they brought to the fold. Chick interviewed a whole mess of the key players and lets them tell the story in their words. The only thing I would have asked for is more, because I’m a Flag geek.

There are some cool pics, including one with Keith Morris at the famous food fight show. I love pictures and this book’s got ‘em.

Spray Paint The Walls is the stuff. Flag fans and folks interested in punk, hardcore or the establishment of the indie touring circuit will love this one.

[Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit some bias because I worked for SST from 85-88. I loved this book and found much inspiration in his telling of the early Black Flag years which I did not know in such detail. I also appreciate both the candor and reserve of the subjects in providing just enough information.
Ginn doesn't participate in this stuff anymore and Rollins covered it in his own books.
I think Greg's brother, Raymond Pettibon should write his version of the Black Flag or SST stories. My educated guess is that it would be one of the following. 1- short 2- written in poetic form so that it could be recited like rap 3- incorrect but really funny. And definitive. The last one written.

[Candis · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I loved about this book is that it provided a rich geography alongside many of the stories I had read (and many I had not!) about the band over the years. Chick also masterfully wrote in a web of race and class relations that played a large role in the making of Black Flag before Rollins came to stand in for the band in its entirely. It could have used an edit (some quotes were repeated twice in the book), but overall, great stuff.

[Jeremy Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fair, unadulterated chronicle of one of the most mis-understood bands that shaped American Hardcore. If you give a fuck, read it.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Punk rock changed our lives," sang D. Boon once. A member of San Pedro's quintessential punk outfit Minutemen, and friend of Black Flag, he was part of a movement in music so abrasive, so violent and suburban, it led to countless influences leading from indie rock to superstardom. The American hardcore movement of the early-80s has been chronicled well enough before, and its aftermath has been dabbled with as best is its representation can currently be chronicled, however, an entire book on one of the bands that started it all should be a welcome addition to the mythologized hardcore D.I.Y. god. What better place to start with L.A.'s Black Flag?

Author Stevie Chick doesn't mince words. From the very get go he lays it out plain and simple: "Black Flag pretty much got the hardcore ball rolling, and here is why." In Spray Paint the Walls, Chick dives into Los Angeles' punk culture from the 60s until Black Flag's demise in 1986, chronicling the band's rock influences, the members' family lives, each member's personal history with the group, and the scene which surrounded them. He goes into vivid detail throughout, but this is the ultimate shortcoming of this book. More on that later...

For those not in the know, Black Flag was a hardcore punk band which formed in the late 70s in the Los Angeles suburb of Hermosa Beach. Home to hippies and distanced from Hollywood's crusty and "glamorous" punk culture, an air of disillusionment and social pariahism, yet still in tune with the voices of rock demons like Iggy Pop and the garage-surf/rock of acts like The Kingsmen, it was only a matter of time before the caged beast was released. Throughout their many lineups, Black Flag consistently changed their sound with the evolution of each member's progress and perfection of their craft. Chick gives credit where credit is due in detailing Black Flag's origins with guitarist and founder Greg Ginn, whose reputation sadly precedes him as one of the most insufferable persona's in music history. One again, more on that later... In it's initial lifespan, the band recorded six studio albums, a handful of EPs, blew threw four vocalists, and a couple of drummers and bassists before ultimately imploding on itself. Known for his rigorous attention to detail and chaotic need for rehearsal, Black Flag are THE hardworking band that put hardcore on the map, spreading the foul punk gospel around the U.S. and ultimately the world. Chick does an amazing job at listing the grueling schedules and tense confrontations of each show. His research is well-gathered, however, his delivery suffers on a few levels.

For one, the book takes on the form of a chronicle, yet at times reads like mere rock journalism. While I am not opposed to this, it takes some of the vibrant life out of the story. Chick fails at balancing the two writing genres sometimes which leads to over-exemplifying song performances, or tracks from an album, character descriptions, and so on. A second problem, which is entirely not Chick's fault is the unfortunate lack of voice for many of Black Flag's essential members. The egos are large and sadly miss out on their own professional attempts to chronicle something they accomplished that was important. Absent are the voices of Greg Ginn, Robo, Dez Cadena, and--I list him at the top here on purpose--Henry Rollins while some of the more interesting members willingly attest to their time spent in the band such as Chuck Dukowski, Kira Roessler, Ron Reyes, and especially Keith Morris, Black Flag's first vocalist. Among other interviewed characters are roadies, members of other groups such as Mike Watt from Minutemen, Mark Arm from Mudhoney, Steve McDonald of Redd Kross, and Chris Kirkwood of Meat Puppets. The absences are filled by quoting Ginn and Rollins et al. through archival interviews and selections from Rollins' book "Get in the Van" (which Rollins deems a perfect enough account of his experience with the group). The interviews may be good enough, but it leads to my third problem with this book. Many of the interviews and quotes from willing members go on too long and give way to tedious moments of explanation and listing of things to make a small point, Keith Morris being one of the chief offenders. A funny guy, and great to listen to, his segments in this book go on and on and on to the point where the initial humor becomes lost and muddled only because Chick doesn't know where to cut the conversation short. Sure enough, talking with such an eclectic and hilarious person like Keith Morris must make it hard to give the man a smaller spectrum, but some of this book's chapters were needlessly lengthy due to the over-quoting of most players in the book. The final thing that suffers in this book is the repetition, which could also fall into the "rock journalism" category. Certain parts in this book are repeated (at least once word for word) in different chapters as if this book were published as a serial, or part of a textbook. This flaw immediately took me out of the promised action of the book (and believe me, there is plenty of action).

Where the book does deliver, however, are the elaborations on many questions one might have about the band that just haven't been answered properly in "Get in the Van," Steven Blush's "American Hardcore: A Tribal History" or Michael Azerrad's "Our Band Could Be Your Life." There is heavy emphasis on Los Angeles and the city's earlier punk culture. An interesting foray into the history of the LAPD's SWAT team and the bloody crusade they went on to suppress hardcore under the city's aggressive and racist chief Daryl Gates shines as one of the greater chapters in this book. Chick extensively talks about the crude and lewd Black Flag roadie side-project The Nig-Heist, which I thought were merely a footnote in hardcore history, but turned out to be quite important. Chick also handles the conflicts between the group and their fans really well. The aggressive behavior towards Henry Rollins upon joining the band goes into cruel detail, mirroring Henry's psychological upbringing. Coming in only halfway through the book, the Rollins era brings about the destruction of the band from within, and it all circles masterfully around Greg Ginn.

Mind you, this book was released in 2009, four years before the the embarrassingly forgettable (and annoying) Black Flag reunion attempt and album "What The..." and there is not one mention of the band reuniting at all, which makes the entire final chapter of this book a cruel irony. However, Greg Ginn's lack of presence in this book, his denial of many of the stories about the group, his general pompousness, and the fact that no one seems to like the guy very much really does not give him any sympathy in my eyes. Although not venomous, his former bandmates (among them his own brother) generally have ill feelings over 30+ years of dealing with an impossible man. Thankfully, Chick's book was released too early to chronicle the nightmare of "What The..." the re-kicking-out of singer Ron Reyes, the ascending of primo douchebag Mike Vallelly on vocal duties, Ginn's incessant and pedantic suing war between him and Rollins, as well as Ginn's Black Flag and the far-superior Flag (consisting of former members singing Black Flag's original catalogue). However, if one has this in mind, you will already be seeing Ginn as the villain from the start. Despite Black Flag being Ginn's band, as well as Ginn's adherence to making music only for himself and not swaying to the fans, the story is ultimately a tragic one.

For those who only want the old story, just read the Black Flag segment in "American Hardcore," if you want more of Henry's voice, check out "Our Band Could Be Your Life," but if you want an as in-depth-as-possible account of one of rock music's most important bands, give this one a try. Although, contextually I would recommend the above-mentioned books be read first.

[Woody Chandler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely want to leave a review since this book deserves one, but I know that I am already in the minority as far as my rating is concerned.

I JUST got to see Keith Morris at TLA in PHL last F, 15 July 2022 for what may be the final time. I saw the Circle Jerks as my first live punk show in early-1983 in Harrisburg when a bunch of us caravanned out. It really opened my eyes to live punk, as opposed to just listening to it on stereos.

I actually saw Black Flag in late-1983/early-1984 at the Channel Club in BOS, while a young US Navy seaman aboard a ship in nearby Quincy. The pit was as riotous as any that I had ever been in, but when my leg got wedged and nearly broken, I relegated myself to the sidelines from that point forward, with a few notable exceptions. I could therefore relate to much of what Chick wrote about, but it was precisely his writing that led to my rating.

For one, the chapters were ENTIRELY too long! Dude, if there had been a defensible reason for this, I would be more forgiving, but the titles weren't just album titles or just song titles, but an admixture of both. That being the case, you had a wide pool from which to choose and break up some of the slog. Secondly, as an ENGLit major, the syntax was often jarring and required my having to parse just what was trying to be conveyed. Third, NO index?!? Major fail, pal! I lost track of people's comings & goings. For instance, Robo got deported to Columbia, just to show up later for a reunion tour?!? What happened in the interim? How was I supposed to connect the dots without an index. OTOH, an index might have shone a light on the author's lack of cohesion. It was a slog, at times. Finally, why not a family tree to illustrate all of the lineup changes?

Hey, I'm not just spraffing out of my ass, either. I got special permission to break away two afternoons a week for a semester at Oxnard (CA) College to take "The History of Rock & Roll". I was told by the prof, directly after our first meeting, that I would be held to a MUCH higher standard than my classmates, given my knowledge of the subject. My term/research paper was entitled "The Widow Cobain: Courtney Love and Hole". I was dunned for not having a more comprehensive Discography and a better sense of a timeline. Fair dinkum, but I take the author to the same sense of task as I received.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not from Hermosa Beach but I lived in the South Bay for almost ten years and regularly skated the Strand and walked or drove by where the Church, Media Art, and the Hermosa Tackle Box once stood. It's a unique place, unlike anywhere else in L.A. Weirdly isolating. Known for its sunshine but defined by its petrochemical murk that socks in the narrow streets that slope to the sea. The first time I read Spray Paint the Walls I was struck by how the character of the place is missing from the book and mystified by how it's lumped together (and in at least one instance confused) with Huntington Beach. I don't think you have to have come through a scene to write about it, but to treat it like an interchangeable suburb does both the story and the place a disservice. But I keep coming back to this book because the stories are fantastic and having written a few books in the genre I appreciate the breadth and depth of Chick's research. Chick goes to lengths that many writers would not and I admire that about this book. Writing about music is always humbling. Words can never replace the feeling that comes from hearing the music, either performed live or in our own private headspace. We're always knocking up against our own ignorance: the things we know we don't know, and the things about which we haven't a clue. Maybe I had to leave the South Bay to appreciate Spray Paint the Walls. At the end of the day, Chick's book sheds light in a dark place. As Keith Morris says, "There was a reason for the Flag being Black."

[Stephen Hero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because I don't have TikTok, here's "Two facts Concerning Stephen Hero" available for all on the very useful goodreads. Cheers.

Fact 1:
As a decent joke, whenever I am tasked with employing public transportation, be it light rail or bus, I always grab my well-worn book "A Complete Idiot's Guide to Improving Your IQ" and, as a joke, I always intently "read" the thing holding it upside down.

It's so very humorous. Everyone loves it. Especially the early-morning into-the-big-city work crowd, as they are somewhat astute. I've gotten so much tail from the very-thrilled ladies by continually employing this joke. Honestly. I am simply wading in it. And I have not showered.

Fact 2:
I have some built-in shelves downstairs right next to associated fireplace completely behind the dusty foosball table and I like to basically place every and any bauble, trifle, trinket, bagatelle, bibelot, gaud, gimcrack, item, knickknack, memento, souvenir, toy, whatnot, conversation piece, curio, curiosity, and even what the upper-crust would call the 'objet d'art' into a custom frame and logically place them all scattershot upon the built-in shelves.

It's a joy to witness, this comes from someone who actually believes in God, and it really gives the room a down-home, rootsy -type of feel. And, it overwhelms the senses in a positive way, unlike, say, a landslide or a poor decision to finish that 11th beer.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars. I’m far pickier a reader of music bios than some and didn’t warm to Chick’s writing style or descriptions. Too many adjectives, by turns repetitious and theatrical. I get it: writing about music is hard. But Chick’s style detracted from the sections about the music in particular.

However, Chick’s research and interviews are excellent. The first five years occupy roughly three quarters of the book, while the last three and subsequent 23 are justifiably stuffed into the last chunk. Chick does a commendable job of charting the band’s early origins (especially describing the idea of punk arriving ahead of the music itself: I’ve read a lot about this era and that’s not a phenomenon i’ve heard described often.) and capturing the dynamics of the personalities in play. There’s a surprising amount of information in here and granular details about all kinds of things I’d wondered about for ages, such as the circumstances of various departures from the band. (Dukowski’s was sadder than i knew.)

I came away from reading this with a sense of having really learned about the band, albeit from someone whose style i found sometimes purple and excessive.

[Gsd1985 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more or less the entire history of Black Flag, the troubadors of Los Angeles punk and hardcore. It is an entertaining narrative that features many of the lesser known figures in L.A. punk history (Joe Nolte of THE LAST, the McDonald Bros. of Red Kross etc.) and paints just how intense being in, writing for, touring with, and enduring the troubles of Black Flag were. What I like most about the book is its insistence on setting everything in the context of the time... personal histories are explored and there's a hell of a lot of L.A. punk history outside of the band that also gets presented. This book is invaluable for any fan of the band or anybody who wants a cursory glance at the old school punk days of L.A. and Southern CA.

[John Marr · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, compulsively readable account of the career of the perhaps the most essential American hardcore band. Although not perfect--others have pointed out niggling factual errors, and I personally suspect romanticizing of the Holly Hipster vs. South Bay Slobs stuff and the endless stories about the band running from the cops (and leaving the amps and drums behind?) But these are minor features in the saga of the band that did more than anyone to bring hardcore to the masses, such as they were.

[Harris Rosen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An in-depth history of the mighty Black Flag intertwined by vital socio-political factors of the era and the rise of So Cal Hardcore and SST Records. Stevie Chuck uncovers buried tales of the musicians, singers, and behind the scenes players who mapped out and created an intoxicating industry one step at a time. Given the recent movements of the Ginn brothers, Keith Morris and Flag, and Henry Rollins, it would be great to see Chick back in the lab to cap it off with an updated ending.

[Greg D'Avis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uneven but ultimately good, which also sums up Black Flag. It’s hampered by the lack of first-hand interviews with Greg Ginn (and Henry Rollins, though Rollins has talked so much over the years that his absence isn’t felt as keenly), which of course is not the author’s fault - but Ginn remains a strange cipher, the heart of the band ending up in the shadows. On the positive side, this does a great job of getting into most of the band’s members and what they brought to the Flag.

[Issac Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was my real introduction to Black Flag and SST, and it was a true rollercoaster of a read. The book was very in depth, telling many stories from the perspective of those in and outside of the band. If you are looking for a book about the history of hardcore punk, or simply want to discover some new bands, then this book is for you.

[Beth Sousa · Rating 3 out of 5]

EXHAUSTIVE. I have the bars on my ribs. Wasn’t my choice of tattoo but my ex thought it would be cool. Do I regret it? Hell no! I mean it did hurt…
Still a good book. Henry is the best singer though.

[Adrian Bloxham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant exhaustive biography of Black Flag which unfortunately makes me want to go and buy the records I am missing. What a story.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

And we’ll researched and informative book. It is, however, rather turgid, especially in the first half. Too much detail and not enough narrative flow IMHO.

[tommy swenumson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good very interesting but refers to Goleta as “southern” Santa Barbara. False.

[Nestor Rychtyckyj · Rating 4 out of 5]

2013 brings us two Black Flag reunions (Greg Ginn's Black Flag) and Flag, so it's time to revisitit one of the most influential bands of all time. I actually write this review last year for my blog, but it seems like a good time to revisit it.

Finally – a book on Black Flag and it took an author from the UK to write the definitive story of the most important American punk band. Actually, Black Flag was one of the most important bands of any genre. All of the many things that indie bands do today to become successful were really developed by necessity by those early punk pioneers like Black Flag and their contemporaries. The early punk/new wave bands were signed mostly to major record labels and did not need to develop the “DIY Infrastructure” that was later needed when punk went underground and became hardcore.

I always had a love/hate relationship with Black Flag. I attended nearly all their shows when they came through Detroit (and Black Flag was constantly touring). I dutifully brought the new albums as they were released; I accepted the constant lineup changes that seemed to happen at a way too frequent pace and I always considered them to be one of the greatest live bands ever. But there was this underlying discontent I always had with the musical direction that the band was taking. Each tour would bring a series of new songs that were always slower and longer than the previous one and I hated that. I didn’t want to hear longs songs with guitar solos – there were enough bands in the 1970s that managed to drag out every song into a 20-minute version. That’s what punk rock was about – we wanted short crazy songs like the ones that Black Flag started with. I still loved and respected Black Flag, but I couldn’t listen to any of those latter albums. We all know the rest of the story – Black Flag broke up, Henry Rollins became a famous author as well as a star and 20 years later suburban kids were all wearing Black Flag t-shirts. \\

But why? I read the Henry Rollins “Back in the Van” book that started him on the path to literary stardom, but this was more of insight into how Henry felt when he was writing in his journal. Greg Ginn gave occasional interviews, but seemed reluctant to revisit those days in the van too much. Along comes the book from Steve Chick to put together all these pieces and tell us what Black Flag really was. Neither Henry Rollins or Greg Ginn participated in this project, but Mr. Chick makes good use of the many interviews and writing (from Rollins) to put together an excellent history of Black Flag.

Many of the other members of Black Flag, like Keith Morris, Chuck Dockowski, Dez Cadena, Kira Raessler and others did contribute to this book, so a fairly complete history of the band is presented. The obvious discord between Greg Ginn and Henry Rollins is discussed, but wthout the participation of the two main principals is obviously incomplete. In a nutshell, Black Flag was obviously Greg Ginn’s band and band members were jettisoned when they no longer fit into what his view of what Black Flag should be. At the end Henry Rollins was too important to replace so Black Flag was done.

The book is a great read and covers the story of one of America’s “only band that matters” in great detail. At times the author seems a bit too enamored with both Greg Ginn and the band. At various times anybody that doesn’t buy into the musical changes of the band is labeled a “lnucklehead’, ‘idiot” or “cerebrally challenged”. I certainly disagree with those kinds of comments, but do agree that this book is certainly worth reading if you are a fun of this groundbreaking band.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

(strong 3.5 stars, which I'm rounding up to 4 just for my love of the subject.)

While I'm sure punk scholars and obsessive catalogers would be able to point out tons of discrepancies, incomplete stories, one-sided views of events, etc., I really enjoyed this end-to-end history of Black Flag. Pulling from loads of interviews and printed sources over the years, as well as the author's own interviews with most participants, this fills in a lot of gaps in the assumed history of the band -- things a friend has told you about that s/he read in a book, a website, etc. that you've accepted as gosepel truth -- and gives you a great foundational history, as well as plenty of sources for future reading, if you're so inclined. (It reminds me that I still need to read "Our Band Could Be Your Life," especially.) The writing isn't particularly riveting (I counted at least 17 uses of the words "shards of black amplifier noise" to describe Ginn's playing), but it's plenty workmanlike, and carries you along at a quick gallop. I found myself more interested in things that happened later in the band's career than the more legendary early incarnations. We've all seen "Decline I," we know the tour stories, the Ham radio business, etc., but what was going on with the "metal" years? How did the touring differ, or how did it stay the same? How did the songwriting process differ? All things answered pretty well by the text. An enjoyable history.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent insight into the mind boggling work ethic and ethos of a trail blazing band that shaped the future of independent music and also an interesting window into the history of Californian youth rebellion. That Black Flag existed, yet alone thrived, within it's oppressive time frame and meager resources is astounding. A group constantly at war: with authority, with the constraints of the stadium rock or cheesy cover band centered music business, with each other and even their own fans. The book is propelled by great interviews with all of the players from every incarnation of the Flag (a roster that puts Spinal Tap to shame) and all those that mattered around the band and scene that experienced them first hand. Always insightful, occasionally heartbreaking and often hilarious I highly recommend anyone with even a passing interest read this book. Especially if your only experience of Black Flag is seeing their iconic "bars" logo emblazoned on the T-shirt of a hipster who thinks it's a street wear label.

[G. Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic history of Black Flag as well as a great history lesson on the forefathers of american DIY punk rock. This book covers everything - from the beginning of Black Flag to the final days - and most everything in between. Granted, I'm a huge fan of Black Flag, and even have the Raymond Pettibon's iconic Black Flag bars logo inked on my arm - but I have even more respect for what Black Flag did after reading this.

While the author does a great job of interviewing a lot of people around Black Flag (includes some great interviews with Ron Reyes, Chuck Dukowski, Kira & Keith Morris), fans will notice the huge omission that the author was never able to interview Greg Ginn or Henry Rollins.

I've read a good deal of music books over the years, but this is for sure my most favorite.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this, but if you're not a Black Flag fan I doubt you'll find the same pleasure. While Get in the Van is a definitive and wonderful read, it was nice to get some perspective beyond Rollins (both him and Ginn are not primary sources in Chick's book - he instead uses on previously published interviews, articles, etc. to get their point of view). I thought it was actually beneficial to leave all that space for other band members, roadies, friends, etc. (do we really need to hear Rollins retell any of this?!)

My only complaint was the numerous errors throughout the book. Some factual. Most just resulting from poor editing? There's spelling errors, grammatical issues, overused metaphors, and some paragraphs and just straight up copied from previous chapters. Not sure what happened that allowed so many of these mistakes to get published.