TODAY IS FLAG DAY! so it seemed appropriate to talk about the First Four Years by Black Flag and Get In The Van by Henry Rollins.
Not only did this cassette open my ears to the sound of what Thrasher Magazine had been informing me of in the 80's, it still holds as much power to captivate and inspire me as ever. I once heard Henry Rollins (who is not featured on this collection of songs, by the way) say, "This is the most dense batch of songs you'll ever hear." and my opinion would be the same. We are discussing a time where magazines told us a story of mysterious worlds and our imaginations would travel far and wide to find the truth and connect the dots. It was not a common thing to meet someone who was obsessed with music, art or many of the things that seem so commonplace today. Zines, record stores, talking to a stranger at the mall, these were some of the "modern" ways to collect information and paint a picture of what was going on in the world of the youth.
A good way to relive these years is through the adventures read by Henry Rollins in Get In The Van. This is Rollins tour diary where he discusses his time and experiences in Black Flag, what the 80's felt like, the hurdles they endured as a group, some personal situations and the struggles of being on tour in a punk rock band when the circuit maps were a sketch on a napkin, rather than an upgraded xerox copy from a friend. It is extremely interesting and an inspiring listen. I've left the CD playing in my car for weeks at a time. Reliving these moments as Rollins reads them. It is one of my favorite Rollins related items (along with The End Of Silence).
First Four Years: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mTV1pe37zVcqA6lgs9QeOIpiaQyErVOSE
Get In The Van: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIYDX8eTptk
(O)