Reformed hardcore legends Black Flag have announced that they’ll be releasing a new album today, What The…, their first since 1985, following the successful release of two new songs earlier this year, Down In The Dirt and The Chase.
This is of course the Greg Ginn Black Flag we’re talking about, not the Keith Morris-fronted FLAG, the competing reformed entity that also features members from the original lineup. The two different versions have been kicking around all year, but in August it all came to a head when Ginn filed a lawsuit against FLAG, as well as Henry Rollins (who appears in neither of the reunions), basically claiming that all the others are misusing the Black Flag name, and his version is the real deal.
The new album should come as no surprise to anyone who’s been following the saga, with Black Flag’s manager Mike Vallely telling Rolling Stone back in April that Ginn wasn’t interested in just playing the old stuff:
“[Ginn] doesn’t want it to be about a reunion, or just some sort of greatest-hits act. It’s not Beatlemania, you know; for him, it’s about the music. So there has to be new music for him to even consider playing the old music.”
What The… is scheduled for international release on 5th November, with the group heading to Australia this November to play Hits And Pits Festival 2.0.
(via Rolling Stone)
