Keith Morris was their original lead singer. He left the band suddenly in 1979 to form the well-known band, Circle Jerks. Ron Reyes was the second singer for the band, but decided to leave the band not too long after. Dez Cadena would be their next singer, but switched to second guitar when they found fourth and final singer Henry Rollins in Washington D.C. in 1981.
While Black Flag were - and remain - very respected among their underground culture, their music has not been the stylistic model one might expect, in spite of their formidable reputation. Rather, their influence was seen primarily in their tireless promotion of a self-controlled DIY aesthetic. They're often regarded as pioneers in the movement of underground do-it-yourself record labels that flourished among the 1980s' punk rock bands.
Over the course of the 1980s, Black Flag's sound, as well as their notoriety, evolved in ways that alienated much of their early punk audience. They were part of the first wave of American West Coast punk rock, are considered a key influence on Punk culture band, and are especially important in the creation of hardcore punk. Their later sound, however, was often reminiscent of proto-heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath.
The band broke up in August 1986, when Greg Ginn decided to quit.
Through seemingly-constant touring throughout the USA and Canada, and occasionally Europe, Black Flag established an extremely dedicated fan base. Many other musicians would follow Black Flag's lead and book their own tours, utilizing a word-of-mouth, grass-roots network.
On January 25, 2013, it was announced that guitarist Greg Ginn and vocalist Ron Reyes would reform Black Flag, joined by Gregory Moore on drums, and 'Dale Nixon' on bass (Dale Nixon is a pseudonym sometimes used by Ginn, most prominently as the bassist on My War). The band will tour as well as release a new album, their first since 1985's In My Head. In March of that year, it was announced that Screeching Weasel bassist Dave Klein joined the band. On May 2, 2013, the band released a new song entitled "Down in the Dirt" through their website.
Around the same time, it was announced that the lineup that played at GV 30, Morris, Dukowski, Stevenson and Egerton, would tour performing Black Flag songs, under the name FLAG. It was later announced that the lineup would be joined by Dez Cadena.
Jealous Again
Black Flag Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics to Black Flag's song Jealous Again depict a relationship that is plagued by jealousy and possessiveness. The singer, who is most likely male, is being constantly accused and questioned by his partner whenever he tries to do something without her. The feelings of restriction are made evident in the line "Why can't I do anything without being yelled at?" The partner's jealousy is baseless as the singer reassures that the person he is with is just a friend in the line "No, she's just a friend." The singer becomes exasperated as he tells his partner to communicate what she wants from him with the line "Why don't you just tell me what you want from me." Despite his frustration, he promises to remain loyal to her with the lines "Said I'll never leave you, No, I'll never leave you. It's not the end, No, it's not the end."
Line by Line Meaning
You're jealous again
Here we go again, you're getting insecure and possessive
No, she's just a friend
I am not cheating on you, the person you're worried about is just a platonic acquaintance
Why can't I do anything without being yelled at?
I feel like you're constantly criticizing and controlling me
Always on the phone
You are constantly checking up on me and demanding my undivided attention
Never leave me alone
You are clingy and suffocating, I need some space to breathe
Why don't you just tell me what you want from me
I am confused and frustrated by your mixed signals and unclear expectations
Said I'll never leave you, No I'll never leave you
I love you and am committed to our relationship
It's not the end, No it's not the end
Our problems are not insurmountable, we can work through them
I won't beat you up But I won't push you around
I won't physically harm you but I won't let you control me either
Because if I do that the cops would grab me for doin' it
I understand that domestic violence is a crime and I will not engage in it
I want to go and have some fun Go where the action is
I want to enjoy my life and pursue my interests, I shouldn't feel guilty for wanting to have a good time
Who the hell are you to tell me who my friends are
I have the right to choose my own friends, you shouldn't try to control that too
You're jealous again and again and again and again and again and again and again
Your jealousy and possessiveness is a recurring issue in our relationship
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GREGORY REGIS GINN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
EricLeafericson
I figure a Black Flag album is a great place to leave a tale of very recent, fresh, betrayal.
Just fired from work. Today. From a really complicated paperwork job that was tedious, incredibly detailed, and badly organized. Nothing was written down anywhere. No reference material I can read. Everyone's too busy to explain the thing I've never seen before. I was working on a project where not only did I have to invent the process for how to do it, but the person giving me the work said that the stuff I was analyzing was in a partial state of completion. So I had to take on project management tasks for my own supervisor in order to do the really complicated thing I invented the method for doing.
Because I'm in a 'right to work' state, they didn't even tell me it was happening. No hints. Happened in the middle of the really complicated task that there was no documentation for, that I had to invent instructions for how to do. They acted like I still had lots of projects ahead of me to do. My whole project got abandoned on the side of the road.
No 'two weeks notice.' They fired me on a Friday, and I hand in my badge on a Monday at a completely different campus.
I was totally blindsided by this. They really went out of their way to fuck up my life as much as they possibly could. Honestly, to the detriment of their own company. Now I get to say I was fired by surprise with no time to prepare, look for work, get on unemployment, or protect myself at all. Maybe there's a way to make that explanation sound nice for the next job. Maybe not.
I was told, after the sudden firing, by the person who set up the contract with the company, that my supervisor claimed I was "too negative, only offered problems and not solutions, complained about how broken the system was, and just wanted to become an internal employee and didn't care about my current job."
All horseshit. All of it. I did nothing but be flexible in the position I was in. I was happy to take on new tasks, no matter how badly organized it was. I never complained about it. I acknowledged it, but I was willing to deal with the situation I was dealt. I was always trying to do better.
My supervisor though? Horribly negative person. Always complaining about some other department, or how something wasn't her group's job. Really sarcastic about it too. I'd never speak the way she did about other people. I always assumed how I could improve, or how it could be my fault, before assuming someone in another department had fucked me over.
I know what it was now. It was simple. She got wind from a co-worker that....EVENTUALLY...when my contract was getting close to finishing...that I'd try to get an internal position. Just to keep working. Not out of any desire to betray my supervisor. She interpreted that as "Oh, he's going to leave me right now?!" and her tone with me completely changed. She would joke with everyone except me. I could sense it, but I didn't want to say anything.
No one told me my performance was lacking, or that my attitude sucked, or that I was disloyal until today.
But they were disloyal to me, in the way they fired me with no warning or chance to protect myself. And they're attitude sucked, because they assumed the worst out of me even though I tried my goddamn best. And they were lazy and badly organized, so yeah, they're performance was lacking to me.
That fucking company was every awful thing they said I was. Bunch of goddamn hypocrites. And I won't say who this company is, because I'm the bigger man. I know there's nothing I can do, and I'm not going to set myself on fire just because it would feel good.
Fuck them. I'm bigger than that.
And it's perfect that the first song on this album is "Jealous Again." About a girl who is so jealous that her boyfriend will leave, that she does things to push him away.
I was never going to leave my job like that. I just wanted to protect myself if my contract expired. I didn't do this, you did. You, the supervisor, did this.
And when I apply for work, you the supervisor will look like a goddamn idiot explaining why I was never given a warning to straighten up at work. Or why I was given absolutely no notice, or a chance to find work, or prepare in any way. You could have just said "your attitude sucks" and I would have started looking for ways to change.
Fuck them. I've been betrayed before, but this fucking sucks.
Vincent Kilpatrick
My fave Black Flag vocalist.
Ginn was at his best here too, IMO.
carlos baja
true, great meld of guitar, drums, vocal, and lyrics
Astra Luna
dude
Obie Sanders
Agree. I love Henry, but something about these vocals
Secret Identity Network
Ron Reyes is underappreciated
Tapp Mourningwood
Ron is my favorite. His energy and passion was intense. Henry was a close second, then Keith and Dez. That's my opinion .
Derpin Derpana
I'm actually with you man. I used to like Henry the best, but I do think Ron actually brought it the hardest. This ep is magic.
LemurG
Yeah! I really love Ron's voice, the energy is so good!
Cole Carter
i think he’s the last tbh, i think it goes henry, keith, dez, then ron
destruyelainternet
with the time black flag goes more and more experimental. I dont have a favorite vocal, but the pre rollis era of black flag is better. (sry my english)