The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, July 9, 1985 - Page 9
Records
Black Flag - Loose Nut
(SST)
The October Faction - The
October Faction (SST)
Eight years ago Greg Ginn founded
Black Flag. He has been a constant at
lead guitar, but vocalists, bassists,
and drummers have arrived and
departed. While Black Flag can be
said to be Ginn's band (by default if
not by dint of his role as primary
songwriter) Ginn has had to battle a
tendency to use the band's early work
as a yardstick for subsequent
releases.
The criticism of Black Flag heard
most often is, "It isn't anything like
their old stuff." Implicit in this
criticism is the idea that a band
should continually rehash material.
Fans want to confine Black Flag to
the thrash tempos and simple chords
of the band's early work. While Black
Flag's early work was terrific, to ex-
pect them to stay within the genre
they defined is unfair. The band's
early releases reflect a youthful rage
and verve, but they also feature a
limited range and scope.
Greg Ginn is a much better guitarist
today than he was eight years ago. He
is also a much better songwriter. The
members of Black Flag are older
now, and more experienced. While
their perspective is no longer as in-
cendiary and adolescent, the music
maintains a fierceness and vitality.
Two recent releases on the SST
label show Ginn simultaneously
working within an expanded musical
range and assaulting the expectations
of fans who really want to hear
Damaged again and again. The for-
mer is the moresuccessful effort.
Loose Nut, the latest release by
Black Flag, is broader, bolder, and
better than anything the current line-
up has produced. On this record
everything gels. Each member does
power that the members of October
Faction have provided elsewhere.
Tom Troccoli and Davo Classen's
contributions are minimal and mud-
died, nowhere near as brilliantly of-
fensive as their work for Nig-Heist or
Tom Troccoli's Dog. Joe Baiza of Sac-
charine Trust fails to distinguish him-
self on guitar, and Greg Cameron's
meandering drums are tiresome as
well.
The October Faction was recorded
live for this record. One gets the sense
that they could only be recorded live.
They need to know what the crowd
isn't enjoying so that they can move in
that direction and irritate efficiently.
While I am all for bands striking
blows for artistic freedom, the blows
should be struck artistically. Loose
Nut makes an eloquent case for ar-
tistic freedom. The October Faction
says "screw you if you don't like
anything we decide to do."
There is a line to be drawn. Bands
shouldn't have to be wind-up dollies
continually spouting and rewriting
their greatest hits to maintain fan
" support, but they shouldn't ignore ar-
tistic responsibility to the audience
(left to right) Kira Roessler, Henry Rollins, Greg Ginn, and Bill Stevenson are sounding more like a band than ,. either.
they ever have on Black Flag's latest SST release, 'Loose Nut. The October Faction is an indulgent
scam by contrast to Loose Nut.
some songwriting, and there is inter- The harmonies between Ginn on (most notable Nig-Heist) the October Hopefully now that .the Faction's
play between the members. While guitar and Rollins vocals also sur- Faction is the product of frustration statement has been made a more
Ginn's guitar is still most prominent, prise. The band is reaching, and pulls with stifling fans. progressive relationship between ar-
it is becoming increasingly difficult to it off. Ginn and former Black Flag mem- tists and audience can be achieved.
distinguish his work from the rest of There is enough of the old-style ber Chuck Dukowski cite a need for
the band. Kira's basslines and Bill punch to partially satisfy fans of the freedom as the reason for the October -John Logie
Stevenson's drums are stitched into adolescent Black Flag, but for those Faction. "The whole concept of Oc-
the mix. Henry Rollins' vocals are ready for a change Loose Nut has am- tober Faction is Freedom!" says
meshed in as well. Black Flag is now bition, intelligence, wit, and cohesion Dukowski. "Going the opposite of the 7 HAIRCUTTERS
playing off one another, rather than that are the fruits of a refusal to flow! It's Freedom in every way!"
playing off Ginn. stagnate. All this really means is that the Oc- * NO WAITING
The result is a solid album. Stan- The same cannot be said of Ginn's tober Faction grafts improvisation
douts includethe titlecut, "Bastard in work as a member of the October onto thrash music, a musical genre DASCOLA STYLISTS
Love," "Annihilate This Week," Faction, a group constructed largely that doesn't yet have a solid enough
"Best One Yet," and "This is Good." of Black Flag roadies and hangers-on. footing and structure to really Liberty off State-...... 668-9329
"Bastard" is particularly sur- While Black Flag's roadies have been warrant improvisation. The result is a Maple Village-........ 761-2733
prising. The songwriting is more very successful with designed-to- discombobulated musical soup with
traditional pop-rock than expected. irritate-and-offend bands in the past none of the characteristic wit and
Madonna faces overexposure
Pop and movie star Madonna,
already under fire from parents for
her suggestive lyrics and seductive
apparel, has declined comment on
Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione's
announcement that he will publish
"fully explicit" photographs of her
in an upcoming edition of the
magazine.
Guccione announced Sunday that
he had obtained exclusive nude
photographs of Madonna which were
taken in 1979 while she was living
and working in New York as a
professional model. He said the
photographs will be used in a 17-
page pictorial, but did not specify a
publication date.
Madonna, born Madonna Louise
Ciccone, was raised in Michigan,
and attended the University on full
scholarship 8 years ago. She left af-
ter her freshman year to pursue
fame and fortune in New York.
Madonna is currently engaged to
actor Sean Penn.
This is the second time in as many
Guccione Madonna
.no comment
...strikes again
years that Guccione has obtained exclusive phototgraphs of Miss
nude photographs of a woman in the America Vanessa Williams in its
national spotlight. Penthouse ran July.194 issue.
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