Damaged

I'd like to hear Weird Al do a cover of Spray Paint, it's pretty much a polka already.

If I could have Half as much Energy as a young Henry Rollins I would probably be the strongest man alive. This album is fast, loud, and relentless. The pace zooms along and screams of southern California and Reagan era anger. This is wild and untamed, damaged. But triumphant waving the black flag of rebellion. Makes me really want to have a TV Party

There was a thread on the 1001 Albums subreddit recently asking whether people took the context of the album (when it was released, impact, influence, etc) into consideration when reviewing records or if people rated albums solely on whether they liked the music or not. The majority said they rated solely on whether they like the music or not. I’m not one of those people. I think it’s important to take the influence and impact of a recording into account. Here’s why: This is a list of 1001 albums *to hear before you die*, implying that these records were selected because of their importance, their influence and not solely on the basis of whether the editor liked the way they sounded. I look at it like this: If these are records that must be heard before you die, then at the end of this, a person should have a somewhat decent understanding of the many facets of modern popular music and, because of that, these 1001 records should be considered as to whether or not they are essential to understanding the course of modern popular music up until today. As a result, I’m often reviewing these albums not only on the basis of whether I like them or not, but wether I think you can tell the story of modern music without hearing an album on this list. In essence, I am rating the list’s viability along with the sound of the records. So, can you tell the story of modern music without talking about the Beta Band or Badly Drawn Boy or 4 solo Morrissey records? Absolutely. Can you tell the story of modern rock music without talking about Black Flag? Doubtful. Whether it’s due to their status as a forerunner of hardcore punk, their influence in cultivating an underground music scene in America and exposing the world to that music scene through their incredibly influential record label, SST Records, Black Flag is a band who is essential to the story of modern music and their inclusion here is more than warranted, even if I don’t love every second of their music.

There's so much that can be said about this album. It's a cornerstone piece of hardcore punk history. This was one of the albums that began the spit into hardcore as its own genre and put Henry Rollins - the world's scariest boyscout - into the spotlight. It's rough and agressive and very socially concious. It's just damn great and I love it. Full marks.

I don't mind punk, and I often don't know the lyrics to songs because often to me the singing is just an instrument. But, if singer's voices aren't instruments and they're just screaming, I have to be able to understand what they're screaming about. And I can't. I can occasionally pick up a sentence here or there, but otherwise it's just the same chord and same drums and same screaming endlessly. It either has to sound good, or it has to have a message. This was neither. Every song sounded exactly the same: Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-THRAAAASH Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-THRAAAASH Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-THRAAAASH Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-THRAAAASH Sounded like a garage demo of someone on their 3rd week with an instrument.

Damaged is a quintessential hardcore album and one of the most influential punk albums of all time. The music is noisy, messy, and invigorating. The lyrics are at times funny, angry, anti-authoritarian, and surprisingly empathetic such as the track 'Life of Pain.' Black Flag is a conscientious standard bearer and this album is truly phenomenal.

Tremendous. Mixed perfectly, not JUST power cords and screaming. Deserves legend status for genre

I guess this is what neo nazis listen to or something.

A real slobberknocker. Funny, hateful, even sad. Who doesn't feel a twinge of sympathy when Rollins garbles something like "… I'm confused, confused... don't wanna be confused... Don't even feel a thing, no... I don't wanna see... But you can't make me long for your life and security"? I checked my book and, yep, Chuck Eddy approves. Though he notes they went rapidly downhill from here. Anyone listening to this with two ears and a brain could tell you that was the only place they were ever heading.

"Style : Hardcore Punk." Il suffisait de lire ceci sur la page Wikipédia de ce cher album pour savoir que la note n'allait pas dépasser 2.

trash for 14 year olds angry at their dad

4.5 How timely, I just saw Black Flag last weekend at No Values… and they sucked. I actually left about halfway through their set to go get some pizza. If you go to one of their shows nowadays hoping to hear anything that sounds even remotely like this album, you’re going to be disappointed - Henry Rollins bounced a while ago and has since been replaced with professional skateboarder Mike Vallely, and, well, it’s not a great combination. In fact, it’s borderline unlistenable - I don’t know what the hell happened when Mike V joined, but somehow, one of the most iconic punk bands of all-time turned into a shitty cover band. Anyway, there was a time this band truly was great (I’m assuming they were great live as well - too young to have ever seen them with Rollins), and this album is probably the best exemplification of that. I mean, just the opening track Rise Above is proof enough - like, if you’re putting together a top ten list of punk anthems, there’s no way it doesn’t make the cut. It’s one of my personal favorites of all-time, and it’s just one of many bangers here - other favorites include: Six Pack, TV Party, Spray Paint, and Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie, though honestly, everything here is great and gets me in a particularly angst, mosh-y mood (meaning the album has done its job). That all to say, I have a lot of favorite punk albums, and I’m not sure this one quite reaches the level of others. I do think the back half of this isn’t quite as strong as the first, and the fact that the music cuts off abruptly in between certain tracks has always kind of bugged me as well. Still, it’s a damn good album, and one that laid the blueprint for all of punk to follow by introducing the “hardcore” to “hardcore punk” (Well, these guys and Minor Threat). As much as I love The Ramones and Sex Pistols, this album made them look like the Billboard Hot 100. Want to end with this - speaking of No Values, the festival was a strong reminder that punk music runs through my blood through and through. I mean, music in general is my happy place, but it’s something special when it’s loud and fast (though Bright Eyes and The Smiths will always hold a special place in another part of my heart). When I die, there better not be any sappy, black tie-wearing pity party going on, everyone I know and love better get a keg and blast some great tunes as loud as they can. Gabba gabba hey!

Like if Neil Young goes hardcore punk, very good.

Cack Flag

35 minuten vollgas

YEAH!

Fcuk YEAH!!!!

FUCKING FUCK YEAH! This is LA punk right here. This band was one of the original, and most influential punk bands of all time, and you can't tell me listening to any track on this album doesn't make you just want to mosh. while i got into punk later in life, this band helped shape what I liked to listen to and opened me up to bands like NOFX, the Descendents, Rancid, and so many others.

Classic punk. Fast, aggressive but still with some tongue-in-cheek satire.

Every song is good-great (the guitar in particular) and fun. Its Henry Rollins debut and a band that revolutionized punk music. About as iconic as you get

Jup. Goil.

Have owned this album on vinyl almost thirty years and it still holds up. A classic hardcore album that is intense, humourous and brutally good!

Big Black Flag fan and this is arguably their finest

Sin skips. Energía caótica. Cool en general. Me gustó como inicia con rise above y también me gustó thirsty and miserable. Mención especial a Sixpack que es una pendejada. Mood: me sangran los oídos.

In isolation the album is a solid 4 but she consideration is given to the influence this has had on a lot of the music I love today it's easy to justify the big 5. Imagine the stares going on between the drums and bass during the intro of No More. Accidentally fucking listened to it in shuffle, only the second time I've done that in 243 albums which is a pretty good run. Hate doing that though.

crystallized angry angst punk. there is an inner rage within all of us that can headbang to this. can't tell if these lyrics are dumb or brilliant

Slightly shocked I've never listened to this before. Pretty timeless.

These workmanlike rockers are elevated by Ginn’s skronky guitar, which sometimes sounds like Ornette Coleman. Rollins is an excellent barker; I had fun with this.

A bit full on for a Monday

Je tiens a presenter mes plus plates excuses suite a ma review d'hier. En effet, il est bon de savoir que j'écris ces reviews sur mon temps de travail. Je me dois donc, afin de rester un employé modèle aux yeux de mes collègues, de taper ces reviews que vous aimez tant à une vitesse phénomènale. De plus, il est courant pour moi de rédiger ces reviews avec un Cracker à l'épautre dans la main droite, afin de pouvoir me substanter par la même occasion. Il est donc parfaitement compréhensible que quelques fautes de frappes se glissent entre les lignes. J'ai, par dessus le marché, la facheuse tendance, et ce depuis mes plus jeunes classes, de ne pas me relire. Cela m'avait notamment valu de complétement louper mon entrée en matière, lors d'un paragraphe argumenté sur les mémoires de la guerre d'Algérie. Je tiens d'ailleurs à rappeler à tout le monde que sans l'intervention de Pierre Mendès France (dit PMF, a ne pas confondre avec Pierre Menès ou encore Jeremy Menez France), dieu seul sait dans quelle situation se serait trouvée notre belle nation aujourd'hui.

Nah

Five years late, and thereby a little laughable - punk had a very short shelf life and this was released after it had passed it's listen by date. If it had been released when the band was formed, in 1976, then it would deserve to be here, but as a mediocre copy of british punk, it should be consigned to the bargin bin

Black Flag raised some red flags with me. Had to check if they were Nazis, apparently not at all, but some of their listeners are, not their fault but not my bag.

Oh Hank, calm TF down. Playing live in bands was fun but having a punk band on the card was always rubbish. Bass players always on the down stroke is fun though. I can live without this thanks

So this is what Henry Rollins did when he was younger? I was surprised how "adolescent" the themes were e.g. I'm bored, don't wanna watch TV. The Coasters via The MC5. Not bad, but doesn't hold my attention

Music was alright just not my top choice. This is what you’d play to scare someone away from your house if they had over stayed their welcome

Started off enjoyable but quickly got a bit bored as every song essentially sounds the same. If this was an EP just consisting of the A Side it'd easily be a 4. But its not, so its not.

Generic punk rock. Nothing special standing out to me here. Six Pack and Tv Party are heavy influencers to The Chats with novelty themes of getting drunk and being a lad. Other than that, it’s just a 35 minute racket. Toward the end of this album I was questioning my existence and my sanity.

This is not interesting.

THEY HATE US, WE HATE THEM

Rollins gets the glory (deserved) for his explosive delivery, but Ginn and Dukowski were the fuel. Nobody plays like Ginn, not before and not since. Frantic, raw, but with one goofy tune for comic relief, this record was huge for me. Ramones were my intro to punk, Black Flag was the immersion into hardcore.

Me crié con esto. 40 estrellas.

It's at the top or near the top of the list of best hardcore albums of all time. And rightfully so! I completely get people who don't like this type of music (my wife being one of them, she was NOT happy with me when we listened to this one in the car) but for those of us who do, it's a classic album. Although as I'm now in my 40s and sitting down and watching TV with a beer in hand is my idea of a good time, TV Party isn't the anthem it was when I was in my teens.

I think hardcore punk might be my thing. Though as angry as usual, there are little bits of comedy thrown into this album. 100% influenced Nirvana and grunge. Feels like a bedroom that used to be a basement.

Loved it!

This is a great album. I've listened to it lot over the years. Good energy and Rollins at his best. It also has a bit of levity that the bands later records lacked.

Album 74.. probably the first I've really loved having never heard any of the artist's songs before. I didn't think I'd like hardcore at all, it always seems quite inaccessible, but this is great. I loved the proper punk attitude: anti establishment and unashamedly aggressive, with some spots of sarcastic humour in the lyrics as well. All delivered with an energy and PUNCH befitting the subject matter.

Makes me want to damage

Yeah yes shout shout. Great band great message great sound

Noisy, messy, deceptively simple, plenty of variety, a nod to the past while shaping the future - it's safe to say I'm a fan!

TV PARTY TONIGHT

I didn’t know I had such an affinity for 80s hardcore, but based on how my ratings are looking on this project, it looks like I do. This has all of the jagged edges and noisy interludes that you could ever want. Great stuff.

Rise Above- 5/5 Spray Paint- 4.8/5 Six Pack- 4.5/5 What I See- 4.7/5 TV Party- 5/5 Thirsty and Miserable- 5/5 Police Story- 5/5 Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie- 4.9/5 Depression- 4.7/5 Room 13- 5/5 Damaged II- 4.8/5 No More- 5/5 Padded Cell- 5/5 Life of Pain- 4.9/5 Damaged I- 4.7/5 Total- 4.9/5

epic!!!!!!

Fucking classic album. High replay value.

Just so energetic and trashy and fun and unable to take itself seriously. It's a totally American take on punk-rock and it's all the better for it.

FUCK YES. I love this album so much.

Great punk album

I listened to a little Black Flag here and there in college. TV Party is the door I walked through to really appreciate this group. Through a friend I listened to this many times back then. Today I wasn’t looking forward to listening to this. I expected this to sit poorly with me 36 years later. Turns out we sit together great. I appreciate the introspective and socially conscious lyrics. The music is still really catchy. While I no longer have the energy to jump in a mosh pit, I definitely can spend 35 minutes kicking back to this with a glass of wine! A real surprise that I love this as much now as I did back then!

Angry anthems for the jaded and disaffected. At age 51 this album still resonates with me as much as it did at 15 when I heard random tracks on a mix tape given to me by a school mate.

Good fun. I especially loved the TV party one. Reminded me very much of my mid twenties.

An absolute classic when it comes to punk and hardcore. This changed everything when I first heard it

Very nice punk album

Rise Above could be one of the best songs ever written. This is by far the best Black Flag album and the one of the grand daddies of the punk/hardcore genre.

de cover vertelt het al : dit is een agressief plaatje... Rollins op zijn best...korte krachtige songs, met maatschappijkritische en ook hilarische teksten...

I was looking for something fast but not as heavy as metal. Lo and behold, I am recommended one of hardcore punk’s best albums. It’s just what I am looking for. Favorite track: TV Party

Loved this, goddamn.

Cool

fuck yeah, this is how you start a Monday morning. I have never listened to this album in full but know so many of the songs. First heard some of them as a little dude watching Repo Man. This a great

From Black Sabbath to Black Flag. If this is truly random that is awesome. Henry Rollins at 20 was a force of nature. The rest of the band was not far behind. Goes on my list for its influence on the genre, but the raw power of this record is incredible. I understand the genre is not for everyone - my Mom was not a fan - but the bursts of energy that come through in every song was impressive to me at 21 and is equally impressive four decades later. TV Party received some airplay but is not indicative of the rest of the songs. I would suggest What I See and Damaged (both I and II) as prime examples of Black Flag's fast and loud credo.

A hardcore punk classic - genre defining.

кайф. открыл для себя хардкор панк рок благодаря этому альбому. супер эмоциально, драйвово, грязно, болезненно и жизненно. это тот альбом который я хотел написать в 15 хд. Генри Роллинз монстр. плюс концептик тут есть, целый путь борьбы с собой травмированного (по настоящему) человека, прям чувствуется как он пережил все эти эмоции. вот будь я в плохом эмоциональном состоянии - заслушал бы до дыр. а так, себе конечно добавил, но хз когда вернусь к нему, слишком уж болезненная музыка. короче кайф оценка - 9/10

I sometimes regret not going to them concert when they came to Brazil.

Genre defining

Zaheer did nothing wrong.

Punk rock classic. Love the intensity!

Eerste punkalbum die ik ooit luisterde, in mijn tienerjaren. Dacht altijd dat het enge harde muziek was maar hierdoor kwam ik erachter dat het ook grappig en mijn kant van de politiek was.

"My name is Henry and you're here with me now" A classic of hardcore punk. Some Black Flag fans hate Rollins on vocals, but I think the rawness on display here just elevates everything else. I love this album, have since I was an angry young man and I continue to do so as an angry approaching middle age man.

I was dreading the global reviews on this, and they were what I expected. Here's the thing. If you've never heard Damaged, it's going to sound like a samey racket. But if you were around 14 when you discovered it, it's going to be a foundational record. Guess which I am. Equal parts sarcastically funny, furiously angry, and heartbreakingly sad, it's a vital touchpoint to the evolution of punk rock, hardcore, and metal. But, also very much a "you had to be there" record. I get the objections, but I will always love it.

Undeniably essential, classic, and historical hardcore. Black Flag 🤩

This album was great! Love punk!

punk black flag. so fun, so fast.

Even though I am not a Henry Rollins fan, this was fantastic.

Gotta love the classic LA hardcore

p U n K K

Brilliant. An American classic.

Punk covers a pretty wide spectrum, but if someone asked me to show one album to represent the genre this would be my pick. Fast unconventional instruments, screaming and taking the piss out of society, just really that sense that this is the opposite of what is expected of how one should behave. Tv party was hilarious, mocking how people will get together to hang out and not talk at all. Henry Rollins is one of the all time great. Not an album I would just put on to listen to, and usually wouldn't give a five to an album based on that, but this is a critical punk album and I think warrants the rating despite not being to my personal tastes at this stage of my life.

Was tempted to give this album a 5 on impact alone, but it's still a little too rough around the edges and inconsistent to garner the perfect rating. But man oh man, is there a lot to say about this one. I've mentioned it before, but I listened to it because of the chapter about Black Flag in Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azzerad (imo a must-read for any music fan), and it didn't really resonate at the time, but it definitely FELT like something that I could understand the influence and importance of, especially given Black Flag's reputation and how popular their iconography became, along with the legend of Henry Rollins. Anyway, this album is incredibly important as a harbinger for the production of American music, and I have no issue proclaiming that many, MANY bands that I love today simply would not exist if it weren't for Black Flag. EDIT: changed my mind, it's a 5. Standouts: Rise Above, Six Pack, TV Party, Thirsty and Miserable, Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie, Depression, Damaged II

Para el gym

Still raw and impactful after 40 years.

Tv party

Very enjoyable Listen from a band I’ve been into for a minute. Really led the charge for punk music and set a trend. Like any album there was some down spots but it’s a fast paced punk rock rump. Henry Rollins has some crazy shit to say about frozen yogurt .

I love this s*** man… shout-out to punk music

A key album in the American wave of punk. An early gateway into what would later become hardcore music. This album brings back so many memories from playing skating games as a kid. Rise above might be one of the best American punk songs, no questions asked.

My favorite of theirs.

An essential for anyone who wants to get into hardcore. Not only is the energy unmatchable but the classic tracks just keep on coming. Honestly one of my favorite albums. I keep returning to it.

I mean no disrespect to other hardcore punk albums when I say that they had no reason to show up other guitarists in the genre as hard as they did with this album. Every song's riff isn't just technical thrashing, but elaborate guitar riffs that are not only extremely catchy and raw, but are just straight up nasty, and paired with Henry Rollins' "on the brink of death" vocals leads the album to perhaps one of the most earnestly aggressive and destructive punk albums of the 80s. There is no wonder in my mind how this became such a massive hit, as only as the album went on did I find myself into the style more and more, and while the vocals did take some getting used to, returning to the earlier songs after going through the whole album had me realize just how consistent this record is, and featuring fifteen tracks and still pulling that feat off is quite the achievement. It's juvenile in the most charismatic of ways, and while perhaps it can come off as a bit dumb, sometimes that's what you need to get through a day. Great record, I look forward to checking out their sludgier follow-up.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Quintisential angry young men doing what they need to. But this manages to add in good hooks without turning into Greenday style pop punk. Good lyrics, the bass slaps and Henry Rollins is a beast.

I've only heard of Black Flag a little bit and I ended up really like this album! I didn't really know what genre they played other than just general rock but I was pleasantly surprised.

OH YEAH!!!!!! That clears your sinuses. I remember listening to a punk playlist from America and was a little underwhelmed. There was some great pop and garage rock, but it lacked attitude. Then I heard this cacophonous blast of guitars, drums and angry vocals. Just when it couldn't get any better they threw in these shouted extras from the rest of the band. It won't call it harmonies or a chorus, it just sounded like a bunch of blokes with beers telling from the front row. Then I realised they were singing about getting pissed (drunk) and I knew I'd found something special. A great thing about Black Flag is that they've moved on and showed all their musical influences in later albums. This album is a fantastic blast of anger and confusion.