Henry Rollins vs Hipsters

[grind/bro]

Zach should be temporarily banned for scrolling.

[righteousxjames]

Rollins is easily my favorite of Black Flag's singers and I have enjoyed his spoken word every time I've seen him.

[Hollow]

Rollins is easily my favorite of Black Flag's singers and I have enjoyed his spoken word every time I've seen him.

Dez is my personal favorite, with Keith Morris very very close behind. Rollins is okay, but not the best out of the bunch. I have enjoyed his spoken word as well, and would like to see it again. I still have no desire to meet the man. I just disagree with him on so goddamn much. Entertaining dude, though.

[destroy]

This is just so wrong, bong. First, if you were going to find something that embodied why Black Flag was great you might think to consider Ginn's guitar playing. Second, in terms of the earlier stuff (Nervous Breakdown, Jealous Again, Six Pack, Damaged) Rollins is just plain bland when it comes to that material. Morris and Reyes both have so much character, it is hard to stack up to them. Even Dez, whose style is in the same realm as Rollins just has something more going on... I'm pretty meh on Damaged for the most part, due to Rollins vocals.

When it comes to later stuff... My War is excellent... and I'll give it to Rollins that he had some more character on this record... but I am still left to wonder how awesome it would've been if Reyes sang on it. As for post My War output, Rollins might have gotten a little wilder from time to time, but that stuff is by no means the best Black Flag had to offer. There are some raging songs on that stuff and there is some absolute tripe as well.

Of course, we don't have the luxury of seeing Black Flag live to judge this by. I am sure Rollins was great live, but I bet Morris was as well...

anyways,

Reyes,
Morris,
Dez,
Rollins.

Okay. I'll definitely give you that - Ginn's guitar work was definitely IT. He WAS the band. However... personally, I'm one of the weirdos that enjoys the post-My War much more than the early stuff. The early stuff is what it is - but the later stuff just took that foundation and went wild with it. I just feel like the heavy vibes Rollins had during that era were just a logical extension of where the music and the aesthetic of the band was headed during that time. All of the live recordings I've heard of that era are just insane - that Phoenix show in particular. Granted, you're probably a fair bit more of a Flag fan than I am these days. There was a time a couple of years ago where those lonely Friday nights at home were the perfect opportunity to blast SLIP IT IN all night and get real nihilistic, but these days I can't remember the last time I spun that shit... so my opinion may be a little moot.