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. - ,., 4.. .,.. . - s..s. ._ . . . . .y. . . . . . . . .