Black Flag vs. Big Black

I've never even heard Big Black, but I love the vs. threwads. I do however have a Black Flag tattoo and almost every release they've ever made so I'm going with Greg Ginn and co.

Who's got the 10 and a half?

it's funny that you start a VS match without knowing one of the bands.

in a fight? probably Black Flag. Albini's very mouse like in both appearance and stature.

musically? the Flag probably has a wider range of appeal, but Big Black has had some major influence on Underground rock. Almost every single act on Touch & Go has to give ups to Big Black. . a lot of the DC bands, too. (my apologies to the Minor Threaters & Fugazists)

What I'd REALLY like to see is a Flame war between Rollins & Albini. on a posting board or email or something. I don't know this for a fact, but I'm willing to bet they don't like each other.

BTW - Songs About Fucking is essential. you should totally check it out.

BIg Black is beyond compare. Sure, Albini's a shrimpy little misogynist, but the band was wildly influential and just really without parallel, IMHO. GENIUS band!

Rich Man's Eight Track! I want to beat NIN fans about the head and upper body with the CD cases when they tell me how much NIN and their hero Trent "rock."

Ah, a flame war between the 2... Yes, it's safe to assume Steve Albini doesn't like Henry Rollins. The man dislikes almost the entire world.

An ex Northwestern student told me that while Steve Albini attended school there, he invited people to drop any object on him. Someone actually hoisted a sofa out the window,


Alltime favorite: Jordan, Minnesota

i never doubted that Big Black was good, in fact 'm sure I would like them. I suppose it's finally time to check out Songs About Fucking after all these years.

Big Black's Rich Mans Eight Track Tape will blow your head off. Best. Industrial. Ever.

albini is a very intelligent (and funny) writer. musically, lyrically, and for just sheer power, there is no comparison between the two bands, IMHO.

big black was the only thing like big black,
while black flag were just another punk band.

big black wins without even lifting a pinky.
and someone should get slapped for ever doubting it!

big black... first true americanzation of the industrial sound... the basis which has become NIN and such.

albini's production,... art work and attitude...(the nerd with a 'tude) has helped many underground acts.

black flag. the org. band to take it on the road...long before rollins joined...they with several singers were on the true pioneers of the american hardcore movement. also thru thier label SST... they were influential in other indy offings...

as for sound? both were bombastic as shit and spared NO SOUL at all to get their points across... never pretty but always on the mark.

hell yeah you hit right on the head big black is is probly one of the most over looked bands and there probly one of the best as for balck flag they were a good punk band but thats about it i think so many other bands did it better but thats me.
oo and if you get a big black record (get it on record) get hammer party its the bulldozer and racer x records on one and it will "rock you face off"

the truth is that everyone here is most likely, to some degree, a geek. we are all talking on an internet bbs after all. steve albini is also a geek. there's nothing even remotely geeky about black flag. therefore more of us are going to like big black more often than black flag.

tv party was a great song. but come on, admit it, you just love steve's bitterly sarcastic sense of humour and ironic wit.

you know why?

because you're a geek!




[Edited on Aug 09, 2002 by piningshaft]

ian would come back and kick both their asses

I'm not sure. Sonically (live), big black like was like a tank vs black flag's bulldozer. I think big black's bass player would have killed everyone in the room with a machete. That boy had some intense facial scaring that looked to come from knife fighting.

deliverance

apples and oranges. they were both great in their own way. funny thing is, i got into both of them at the same time. my friend's dad lent me a tape with "slip it in" on one side and "songs about fucking" on the other

From a sheer balls to wall attitude I hafta give it to Black Flag. Sure, Big Black influenced some TG bands but let's not kid ourselves here - they all sucked.
Black Flag had the balls to venture out into the hinterlands of America and showed the kids how to rip shit up. They showed them that music could be done from the heart and that it could be done 100% DIY. Would Albini have rotted in jail for releasing an album? Hell no...he's a pussy. He would've written a column or drawn a comic about how mean and bad Unicorn can be.
Big Black showed that punk could be done with knob twiddling over production. Black Flag, on the other hand, showed what punk could be.

but, like, isn't the pen mightier than the sword? or something.

big black could use electronic feel to show soul. the flag's soul was in it's sweat.
dave riley of big black... shit...you see his face? nice scars from knife fighting?

I know this is a late reply cuz this thread is dead but I just had to say that is the coolest mix tape to get from somebody's dad -- ever.

Yah, running late on everything, but sorry, did somebody say that Henry Rollins was humourless? That he was an ass?
Oh, dear. Before I start this, I've gotta say that I really don't much like Black Flag, bit too much grunt rock for my liking, but love Big Black.
But anyway. Henry Rollins is one of America's funniest men.
He's one of your finest poets, and just an amazing writer. I've seen him in stand-up, and I've read most of his books.
He can talk, for two hours every night about his life, his experiences, the way he sees the world and never repeat himself once. I've seen or heard him on probably 20 or so times and never heard the routine twice. He's funny, original, cruel, sentimental, self-deprecating, angry, humble, disciplined, and generally pissed off at the world and there is no one quite like him at the moment.
Do yourself a favour and check out any one of the dozen or so spoken word albums he's put out, probably best of which is 1992's The Boxed Life, or check out one of his books, best one's probably Black Coffee Blues.
Since Bill Hicks died, there's been a paucity of relevant comedians in the USA, and believe it or not, Henry Rollins is one of the few.

Chris

ok for one all of albini still hasnt done any thing thats not "DYI" every thing is him you dont see steve on mtv do you?? no, he still pust out records as the format for his music. you got the cd free with the record. and his shows are still around 10$$ if thats not punk than im not to sure what is

he is pretty cool, when we were kids he used he to play butthole surfers(years before they were big) while driving us to school. he's seen hendrix, black flag and dead kennedys. he was also in this art-rock kinda band in the late 80's that played with nirvana(in their early days). kurt cobain offered him some herion but he was clean so he just smoked a joint with him instead. he also went to the same high school in seattle as bruce lee. the sad thing is, his sons (my best friends) don't give two shits about any of this.

gotta give it up for flag!

Black Flag never rose above (pun most definitely intended) being a garage band. With all due respect to ELpH, their shows were usually a mess. Damaged was a fluke from left field that was never repeated. That being said, they at least had some cultural impact...they led a scene. Big Black was willfully uncommercial, underachieving, and unconvincing. Albini is a self-promoter and never produced a single record as good as one of his manifesto-like interviews. Black Flag was full of ass-wipes, Ginn & Rollins chief among them. What a fucking choice! I suppose it's gotta be Black Flag, but it's not pretty.

[Edited on Jul 11, 2003 by souljacker]

i saw both bands back in their heydays, and was disappointed by both. on record, they both have their plusses. the only significant battle either camp could wage would be between their egos. i respect both bands to some extent (no respect for rollins, but i will say that i prefer to read him over hearing him), but i wouldn't get in the ring for either. stalemate! now let's go to my place and listen to the stooges "raw power"! yoo-hoo's for everybody!

I like both, but give the nod to 'Flag. I saw 'em on the "Damaged" tour. In a word "Scary"! Greg Ginn is one the most under-rated guitarists of all time. Completely nuts, off the hook, crushing player. There is no one like him. The recent "Rise Above" compilation really does some of their early poorly produced numbers justice.

Damaged
and Atomizer

both indespensible