The name "Black Flag" isn't exactly sacrosanct anymore. The pioneering hardcore band never had a stable lineup, but they still made a tremendous underground impact in the '80s, and you still see their bars tattooed on lots and lots of people. Guitarist Greg Ginn was the band's driving force and only permanent member. That's also the case with the new-fangled versions of Black Flag that have been going around lately, but Ginn doesn't enjoy the goodwill that he once commanded.
OG Black Flag broke up in 1986, and Ginn has been bringing back versions of the band since 2013. For a while, the band also featured Ron Reyes, one of Black Flag's earliest singers, but he got fired onstage, mid-show. Ginn sued FLAG, a competing band with a bunch of ex-Black Flag members, and lost. In 2013, Ginn's version of Black Flag released What The..., an album that nobody liked. Ginn apologized for that one. In 2015, Ginn's ex-wife accused him of child abuse. Now, Ginn has another Black Flag lineup going, and they're working on new music.
In a recent Instagram post, Greg Ginn unveiled his newest Black Flag lineup, writing, "the new lineup is already in the studio and the rehearsal space -- writing, jamming, and bringing fresh energy." Alongside Ginn, Black Flag now includes singer Max Zanelly, bassist David Rodriguez, and drummer Bryce Weston. There's a bassist named David Rodriguez who used to play with Isaac Hayes and Tito Puente, but I'm guessing it's not the same guy. Bryce Weston appears to have a YouTube channel. Max Zanelly is just a total mystery. That's all I got.
