Black Flag Band Members Touring In Two Rival Bands. Lawsuits Pending!

Black Flag Fans Get Two World Tours For The Price of One In 2013

Pro skateboarder and band manager Mike Vallely with bands founder Greg Ginn

There’s a simple answer for all the “Black Flag” fans who are confused about why two different versions of the hardcore punk band are touring this year only separate: It’s about money, says Mike Vallely, professional skateboarder and newly appointed band manager for Black Flag. The master mind and founder of “Black Flag,” guitarist Greg Ginn carefully selected, vocalist Ron Reyes and original drummer Gregory Moore, to be the front men on a world tour in 2013. Now here’s a hilarious facet of this punk rock reunion story, but also performing on the road, simultaneously, playing memorable Black Flag songs, is tribute band “Flag,” who’s by the way is also composed with former band members, and playing the same popular hit songs, while traveling on the road. Seems almost everyone from Black Flag’s “Ghost of Christmas Past,” have been called to duty, except for the bands most popular vocalist and easily most famous band member, Henry Rollins.

Henry Rollins Performing Live from L.A. in 1996 as the “Rollins Band”

Keith Morris, the bands original singer and song writer for Black Flag, heads up the tribute band “Flag,” with the likes of Dez Cadena, Chuck Dukowski and Bill Stevenson, also reuniting together and touring North America, performing the same Black Flag songs, live in concert. Guitarist Greg Ginn claims the touring band “Flag,” consisting of Keith Morris, Dez Cadena, Chuck Dukowski and Bill Stevenson, infringes on “Black Flag’s” rights, which are owned by him under his label, SST Records.

Keith Morris of OFF! former singer of Black Flag, Circle Jerks and now Flag

Keith Morris and all the ex-band members through the years, have been wanting to do Black Flag again, but they’ve been wanting to do it on their own terms,” Vallely tells in Rolling Stone magazine. The pioneering hardcore punk rock band had been largely dormant since splitting in 1986. Then, after years of releasing music on his own and with various side projects, Greg Ginn announced in January that he was re-teaming with Reyes and Moore for a tour and a new album under the original band name, “Black Flag,” a move that Vallely says was nearly a decade in the making. “Greg and I had been talking about doing something together since 2003,” says Vallely, who is Black Flag’s newly appointed manager and remains the lead vocalist in the hardcore band, “Revolution Mother.”

Vallely has been performing hardcore since early years as Mike V and the Rats
Paul A. Hebert/Getty Images

“Good for You” turned into something good thus far, a new punk band with Mike Vallely on vocals and Greg Ginn on guitar. The group released its debut, “Life Is Too Short to Not Hold a Grudge,” in February on Ginn’s legendary label “SST Records”. “Good for You” seemed to signal that Ginn was ready to return to producing hardcore punk rock, and at the same time the guitarist was working with Vallely, he was talking to Ron Reyes about reviving Black Flag, but he did not want to just play oldies, but goodies as the sets.

Keith Morris, remains calm after hearing of Ginn’s negative comments to the media and the multiple pending law suits popping up almost daily. Kieth Morris says he’s doing “Flag” just for fun, not for an increase in revenue, or fame, says Morris, who is the original vocalist and the front man for “Black Flag” from 1976-1979. Morris later went on to sing with the band “Circle Jerks” and currently remains the lead singer in the punk rock band “Off!” who’s also touring North America in 2013.

By Rich Monday