Nardwuar vs. Greg Ginn / Black Flag

Nardwuar The Human Serviette interviews Greg Ginn of Black Flag. Thanks to Cecil English for mixing and recording the live band footage from the Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver, BC, Canada!

[@therush420]

"I haven't seen this book." *lawsuit wheels begin spinning*

[@henrybaily3495]

therush420 haha

[@evanabbott2737]

Oh you know he’s gonna be allllll over that!

[@jasonn668]

LMAO I thought the exact same thing and scrolled down through the comments and saw yours, immediately started laughing

[@DuckReconMajor]

love how the band that epitomizes one of the fiercest styles of music was started by an awkward nerd.

[@AussieSeeder]

DuckReconMajor same as Dead Kennedys

[@robbieclark7828]

AussieSeeder I love that the DK’s were all such dorks, it’s like they were too talented and smart to be a punk band but too angry to be a new wave band.

[@ililililil8385]

Same as Shellac

[@LetsGoMetsGo33]

@@robbieclark7828 uh, they were absolutely a punk band.

[@BrandonGinn]

gosh am i going to have to start a band now :/

[@Danimal300zx]

When Greg said he was never really into grunge, little did he realize that mid-80's Black Flag completely influenced the early grunge sound.

[@methedrineradio6858]

Totally. Bands like The Melvins, Tad, Soundgarden and even Nirvana never would have happened without a record like Black Flag's "My War".

[@friendlywalrus6971]

Not to mention both screaming trees and soundgarden were signed to sst.

[@MrJadePinwheel]

yeah I don't think he cared really, as it wasn't his scene. that was the point i think

[@startervisions]

FLIPPER

[@LetsGoMetsGo33]

He knows. He doesn't like Nirvana, he considers them pop. He said in an interview with Mark Prindle something to the effect that "they say they like us and the Germs, but they played pop". You can find it on Prindle's website.

[@NateB1976]

For Ron's birthday he should finally of paid him his royalties from over the years. I've heard a lot of those guys could use the cash.

[@noahwidmeyer2773]

+Nate Brenneman You heard that from the Henry interview you watched 5 minutes before this......... And cause Henry is a reliable source right.

[@NateB1976]

I did see that interview but I read about it first in MRR magazine a while back.

[@austenslost]

+Noah Widmeyer why dont you go ahead and look up the chuck dukowski. robo. kiera. and keith morris views on greg scamming them.

[@austenslost]

+Noah Widmeyer also id say that henry is a more reliable source than our current president lol

[@austenslost]

+Noah Widmeyer Hell, go look up chavo at the flag shop in Vancouver. Greg kicked him out of the band on stage for the second time after some middle aged aggro skater took the mic and started singing. introducing mike vallely. famous for punching out 19 year old college kids and.. wait.. thats it...

[@skapunkteddybear]

Ginn's stoned like a gravel road.

[@huntertredway]

Ron's voice live sounds exactly like it did back in 1980s, holy shit

[@cdchalmers]

Ginn's nervous giggle at the end is the crown jewel of this interview.

[@Koettnylle]

Talk about ending on a high note

[@alexdelarge1433]

Nerd Alert!

[@J8D2]

Greg's laugh at the end

[@dildonius]

Are you surprised that the only person who paints Greg Ginn in a positive light is Greg Ginn?

[@vin_fm2354]

No

[@pastaboy9371]

Not rlly

[@th3n04h]

wish Nardwuar c/would interview Raymond Pettibon

[@ryanmclovin6797]

i had a beer with greg about five years ago. definetly one of those guys you can "have a beer with". pretty easy to get along with him in that circumstance

[@Cheesurius]

Until you have to get paid

[@bigsaucy8296]

Until it comes time for him to pay for his drinks, then he “goes to the bathroom” and doesn’t come back

[@keysersoze3977]

Fuck!!! Ron still sounds the best... Even at 50 he sounds just like he use to.. He probably could have been a really good singer. I wish they would release any other recordings he sang on, if there is any left..

[@p4horror]

I got to see Black Flag live Jan 1985, and again in 2003 for the cat benefit but I didn't want to see this version of BF. I loved the unique Henry, Greg, Kira, Bill with their unique unorthodox releases. That roster was the only Black Flag that mattered. The 2003 show was a disappointment. Former bandmates have said straight out that Greg can be a prick, even though he comes across as a cool guy in interviews. I have to agree with them based on my run-in experiences. I tried having friendly conversation at several shows only to get shunned. Once I made a trip to the SST store when it was in Long Beach to get a Saccharine Trust LP. Greg answered the door, walked me to the back and had some worker help me. Regardless, I'll always be grateful to have seen the real lineup play and I still appreciate the early stuff, the many early 45s, but especially My War to In My Head. But Black Flag is definitely dead as far as playing live now. It's just a cover band even though the founding member is still playing. He's an old man now and should just leave the former mighty Black Flag legacy rest. It will never get even close to the "real" lineup of Greg, Henry, Kira, Bill when they had youth, intensity, innovation and creativity.

[@evanabbott2737]

p4horror that’s my favorite lineup as well. The slip it in tour was also my favorite. I loved the way they always opened with I think, “the process of weeding out”.

[@thomasdupont7186]

Rollins SUCKS ass. DEz was the man by far, plus Black flag albums are WAY less good when Rollins arrived, that attention whore fuckdep up the band period...

[@gregkuchmek]

refreshing to see this! most "fans" only see Rollins and then fall to his feet as their savior. Dez was def solid!! I even have a soft spot for Keith. also noteworthy... Greg's own brother refuses to speak to him too. It's bad enough when your past bandmates hate you, but when your brother does too? wtf!

[@59884]

@@gregkuchmek that's real family for you. everything begins at home.

[@arwaldc9056]

I’ve met greg twice. He was always super cool to me personally

[@gurrrn1102]

If you mean super cool as in won’t give other people what they’re owed then yeah I get where you’re coming from

[@arwaldc9056]

gurrrn reeeeeeeeeee

[@estebansteverincon7117]

"You are the nerd" Does nerd laugh.

[@MrYowen88]

Nard's mic started shaking... "I'm the nArd!" Greg Ginn's lucky he controlled the urge to smack him with that mic.

[@j_freed]

Greg's famous Garth Elgar impression.

[@gs-nq6mw]

Both were nerds and both are geniuses at their work thats okay

[@romerorosewood5846]

The Jerry Only of Black Flag.

[@APAL880]

i don't see the analogy. Greg wrote the music. Danzig wrote the music.

[@MrJadePinwheel]

@@APAL880 the one original member using the name/logo..

[@dankmansalley417]

S.R Woodward black flag is Greg tho iconic guitar song and he wrote most of the songs that are known

[@opaljk4835]

Yeah, they are the only constant members, but Greg is arguably way more important to their music and the idea of independent music being something that could truly be pursued by the musicians themselves. The way they managed/put out all their shit...they weren’t the only ones, but it certainly provided a network and blue print for a lot of what came afterward

[@HugoMasekela]

Anybody who uses the phrase "nerd alert" is the REAL nerd.

[@andrewjackson7758]

Ron Reyes sounds great here too.

[@brockpettifer5757]

Nardwuar: “Greg! Do you feed you children!?” Greg: “......I’d like to speak to my lawyer please”

[@ralphtom3431]

Lol you know.nard knows all the dirt on interviewees .but pussed out on this turd

[@ningboy3274]

I know this was 12 years ago but Ron still sounds like he did back in the 80s

[@perceptionmanagement2116]

This man owes me money.

[@Dr-Jesus]

Lmao

[@vantage11]

Is this Kira XD

[@Abalamification]

oh my fucking god that laugh holy shit i died

[@hellcat77]

u are so right and i am so glad, they do another recording together!!! just saw thme live...awesome!!!

[@DaSolo363]

he he ha he he. nerd alert! ha he he he huh he

[@paokalexthes]

It's official: Greg Ginn likes Soundgarden

[@YTnew2012]

Damn, you'd think with all the BF royalty money he's hoarding he'd be able to afford a trip to the dentist...

[@collinholdfield3894]

fuckin perfect comment

[@johnnyk.2911]

Heard he's only got a net worth of 2 million...maybe that's why...2 mil's shit all nowadays.

[@rawknob]

that's more than i'll see in a lifetime and i can get my teeth fixed

[@chillingguy8386]

Johnny K. Umm I’ll take that shit amount of money

[@joshuadaly1976]

Good teeth are overrated! Haha. It's sick, the first thing every punk did is get new teeth: the pistols, the clash, ... Better to keep what ya got and spend it on dope!

[@3340steve]

Thank you for posting this. That was totally FUN.

[@JakeFogelnestYT]

Awesome as per usual Mr. The Human Serviette!

[@YTPNoob]

Hey, he's an awesome guitarist, but he just treated everyone like shit.

[@nickybareau3639]

after watchin an it being my fav punk film tdwc of all time it's great to see these guys just made it and seem to be doin well gives you hope!

[@undeadeath]

Man, Ron Reyes is a freaking beast! Despite being 50 years old (and heavier) he still moves around more than most frontmen half his age and sounds exactly the same as he did in Black Flag.

[@MrJadePinwheel]

1:53 shit slaps 10x harder with old guys than the current "young" black flag lineup

[@vexomnight3079]

this guy is my absolute favorite punk guitarist dudes a fuckin genius his brother as well

[@spprw]

the laugh at the end.

[@VerboseThread]

I love how Greg still has the same guitar stance that he did in Black Flag.

[@silversnail1413]

Greg Ginn really is the ultimate punk. Unconcerned with fame, popularity, or the feelings and opinions of other people, he always just did whatever the hell he wanted. The fact that he's in his sixties and still pissing people off speaks volumes about that. Is he dick? Probably, but he was a trailblazer and gave a lot of bands their start. In the words of the great Butthole Surfers: "The ones that made it are the ones that fight. That's what punk rock was about anyway. It's not about causes or right and wrong. It's about fighting."

[@silversnail1413]

+Mike Hunt Yeah, he's a shady fuck and a shrewd businessman, no denying that. I admire the guy for founding SST and establishing a distribution network for so many great bands but at the end of the day he's just as soulless and greedy as the corporate scumbags he was rebelling against.

[@theaformentioned9673]

Ron ranks up there as one of the best punk vocalists of all time

[@movimentodoscacos]

Definitely! A lot of energy and passion always

[@ToestheUnwholy]

Damn, Ron sounds awesome.

[@GeminiXxGemini]

Of course, Ginn is gonna be personable in interviews! But it isn't just Rollings, every other member of the Flag except Ron want nothing to do with him as do many of the iconic bands on SST since Ginn seems to believe he doesn't need to pay royalties. Not to mention alienating his brother Raymond, whose artwork was critical in advertising the band. Ginn felt like Raymond's artwork belonged to himself. Like Dukowski will tell you, Rollins was key to the power and heaviness of the band.

[@JackstandJohnny]

Im a licensed HAM radio operator and huge punk fan! We exist, GREG.

[@james-lt8ry]

JackstandJohnny what’s your call sign

[@mattyp7582]

Lol, same here! QSL

[@SatelliteHeartTrans]

I had the pleasure of meeting Greg tonight. You'll never meet a more down to Earth, friendly, and awkward man.

[@Gonzalez2500]

I saw black flag during this incarnation way back now I’m seeing this video holy shit where does time go we’re all gonna die it was cool seeing Chaco perform totally a life highlight

[@jpokeefe8122]

I’d like to see nard put more live vids in his interviews.

[@sparkles13]

This interview was at least 10 minutes too short. My favorite Nardwuar yet.

[@imterry1355]

Nardwuar at the end: "hold the pose, hold the pose!"

[@spiralarips]

Ron Reyes, their best vocalist, the voice, the attitude.

[@brandonhendrix7223]

Ya know, despite what anyone says, Ginn comes off as nice, thoughful, funny in an offbeat way guy. He's just a REALLY shitty businessman (ironic considering he has a degree in it, I think). I think once he got hooked on maryjane in the mid 80s, his mind went elsewhere. (I think he still resides in a haze of marijuana smoke). I mean he allowed Rollins to make a benefit album using all his songs (which likely means Ginn saw very little money from it.) Hardly speaks of someone being greedy. Like I said, I think he's out to lunch as far as business goes though. Contrast that with say, Jello Biafra. Who despite his blatherings about politics, and greedy and money, lives in a nice SF apartment with a rather sizable collection of rare albums (not to mention his own issues with not paying band members, and knowingly tried to cover it up). Wonder if he bought some of those records with that 'evil money' he makes from the use of his song in Planet Terror that he was so 'offended' by? Wonder if Jello would ever sell off that collection and give the money to his favorite cause. Mmmm? Or is Jello content to just talk while every one else has to make the sacrifices? Or how about the Evil Ewok Glenn Danzig? Who despite lifting the logo from the Crimson Ghost and lettering from the Famous Monsters magazine (likely without permission) is the first to go after anyone infringing on his 'brand'. And now the Misfits who were a marginal band who could barely pack em in outside of their NJ/NY area are now doing 100$ a pop reunion shows in Vegas with his weak blown out voice. Only emphasizing the joke the Misfits always were. Not to mention Corey Rusk. Who for petty reasons refuses to reissue the Necros material. Point is, to me, Ginn is hardly alone in being sketchy on paying band members. (The independent record scene was never a pretty place.) And he's hardly the worst everybody likes to pretend.

[@JM-fc9gm]

Ok sure but to my knowledge none of those other guys abused children. Ginn is markedly worse.

[@brandonhendrix7223]

@@JM-fc9gm how did Ginn abuse children? I know he was accused of spousal abuse but since I never heard of him being arrested for anything.

[@vantage11]

@@brandonhendrix7223I think they refer to when Greg was like leaving his kids outside of the studio and smoking weed and being generally neglectful and I think he lost custody of them but I forget now

[@HooRideHooBang]

Hahahahha how Greg laugh at the end🤣😂👌🏽legendary👏🏼

[@joemcmahon570]

I swear he is always unbelievably high.

[@drunkass77]

you would never think this guy was such a wicked guitar player

[@JM-fc9gm]

Lol uh have we even listened to the same Greg Ginn?

[@MrRDiggity]

in response to "Bobby Clintoss" comment: Cover version of his band?..the reunited black flag had 2 original members...FLAG contained 4...and now Mike Valleley sings for BF...making it 1 original member..Ginn! He's obviously pushed everyone else away or he wouldn't be the only one still in the band duh

[@MalcomJuliaMorgan]

saw greg ginn play like 8 years ago. my girlfriend and i were the only ones there.

[@cookiepuss6296]

fucking o o f

[@thirdmajor4076]

No matter when I look at Greg Ginn he has already done something at my now current age/ that I think is because he is older than myself.

[@tonyclosse2283]

Ron Reyes is an angel

[@redmartian]

What is Greg's call sign?

[@longtimesternfan8715]

Where's that guy who was wasted and drinking from a 40 in "The Decline"? Dukowski? He stole the show in the Black Flag interview segment!

[@patrickmccutcheon8860]

Chuck Dukowski, he was the bassist for years until Kira joined up.

[@psychforthechildren]

2:12, dude was checking to see if Ron was still punk

[@ACrackInTheWall2006]

I wish nardwuar would interview me about my band.

[@rustysheckleferg8380]

good shit! all about the music

[@Danimal77]

David Bowie was at a Rollins Band gig. It was at a festival.

[@android1012]

We haven't forgotten about him selling Negativland down the river.

[@undeadeath]

Oh yeah, and Greg Ginn seems like a really cool guy from this interview.

[@deadbabiesinvomit]

Fuck yeah. Greg changed my life

[@WELL.CHARGE]

"No just happy birthday to Ron" LOL so nice

[@billywitchd0ctor]

All these polarized comments. I love Greg and all the BF people for bringing everything they had to the early hardcore movement. BUT yes I think as the primary mind behind BF he is probably one of the indie universe's most difficult to deal with.. especially if you cross (in his mind) him. Hated hearing about his family issues.. Right or wrong, still a legend.

[@trentigalaxy]

please tell me there was no corporate sponser : 1:52

[@jannyrcobs]

Greg's one of the heroes of my generation.

[@OhNoItsSluggo]

The ending is priceless.

[@fakename85]

hahahaha greg ginn at the end...priceless

[@VANVALIS]

Is that Chuck on bass?

[@histatimaniples]

thanks Nardwuar !

[@ToiletPlugger]

dat laugh. huh hhuh huhh huhuh

[@datdereduck]

Let's see Greg formed the band, wrote the music and was the only full-term member. And listen to Annilate This Week ,Slip It In or Who's got the 10 1/2 (or any post Damaged recording) and tell me the vocals aren't way loud in the mix. Key word "listen".

[@LetsGoMetsGo33]

Chavo! Jealous Again sound great, wipes the floor with most punk or "hardcore" (what's called that these days) that I've heard the last decade and a half or so...

[@WarpxD]

i want to be like this when i grow old

[@dasfsadg]

@orpheussf he with the tea party?

[@Totallydistortedfilm]

YUS! Greg Ginn likes Skin Yard AND Soundgarden!

[@j_freed]

That's a fucking great set by that version of Flag. Greg has brains and talent at least.

[@wintershadows]

Greg's laugh at the end is funny.

[@Roniel81]

What a great guy. Greg Ginn rules. Black Flag forever!

[@nathanjamesbaker]

@hurzum Believe it or not, Greg Ginn has also targeted torrents of rare Black Flag material. The guy is ruthless.

[@gambadude]

why so many guitars

[@_rchives_rchived]

chavo always was my favorite

[@jwardbass4452]

that's the most awkward, uncomfortable laugh I've ever heard at the end. you'd think he had a gun pointed to his head and this was his neurotic laugh to distract himself from the fact that he had a gun pointed to his head.

[@WormTyrant]

Greg Ginn, awesome troll....

[@austenslost]

greg ginn is 60 now

[@BongHitsForJesus101]

Greg seems like a totally cool dude.

[@skottkoonz]

Ginns fucking awesome!

[@yellinginmyear]

I nearly shit my pants when I saw this. Nard, I love you.

[@bullsonparadefan96]

Why does Greg remind me of my dad? Just staring out into space when answering a question.

[@oiyabastard]

oh you saw it? i believe he dindt hang up on nardwar because it went immediately to a dial tone , and where i live if someone hangs up on you its a while before a dial tone comes on ,

[@crackedspyglass]

Ron Reyes actually still sounds more or less the same as he did back then.

[@whirving]

He is raw guitar power incarnate. All else is secondary.

[@boobsweat9281]

he seems really burnt out from all the weed smoking. i gotta quit that shit.

[@Joeynivek]

boobsweat his eyes must be tired from smoking all that shit.

[@deepstreibzy2133]

absolutely....that band was never the same after the Duke left.

[@NoMoreKings1]

Ron is the best man especially live

[@SuperStrik9]

They're just taking the "what's better than 2 guitars? 3!!!" concept to it's most logical punk rock conclusion.

[@BedroomGuitarist831]

Greg's fucking laugh at the end

[@cdchalmers]

Four guitarists? What is this, heavy metal? :D

[@infinitenumeric7235]

LOL

[@DeconvertedMan]

WUAR!