Customer Reviews

Everything Went Black

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

although most people will get "the first four years" when wanting to check out pre-rollins flag, they should get this at the same time.not only do you get a song unavailable anywhere else("i dont care"), the versions of the songs done on "jealous again" are far better here.i never liked chavo that much,he just sounds like a thousand other singers.anyway,alot of these songs were recorded in one take, so they come off even more raw than the ones on the e.p.'s.also,while listening to this you get a good idea of just how important henry rollins was to the band. songs like "depression", "room 13", "no more", "police story" and especially "damaged 1" just dont sound nearly as intense as they do with rollins spitting them out.oh yeah, you also get some awesome radio stuff the band did.get this and kick yourself for not being born 15 years earlier.

For those who are interested in exploring early Black Flag, I would first recommend buying the excellent First Four Years compilation featuring the band's earliest singles and Jealous Again EP. Everything Went Black would be the next logical step. This comp features demos from the same era and provides the listener with a good idea of how the band's sound changed with each vocalist. The earliest material with future Circle Jerks frontman Keith Morris (aka: Johnny Bob Goldstein) demonstrates how different Black Flag sounded from the other punk bands at the time. Their militant and aggressive sound would go on to influence (for better or worse) the numerous hardcore bands that were to follow. Morris had the perfect voice for punk rock; pissed off, snotty and sarcastic. He sounded like (was?) a nerdy, glue sniffing outcast who had been shoved into his locker one too many times. The tracks featuring Ron "Chavo" Reyes are a bit of a let-down in comparasson. Musically, the band shows improvement but Chavo's vocals are not as distinctive as Morris'. It is interesting to hear the Puerto Rican-born frontman contemplating being part of a "White Minority", though. Dez Cedena, Chavo's replacement, had a very powerful and menacing voice that fit Black Flag's sound to a tee. The Dez era is probably my favorite. There is alot of song repetition here. However, this allows the listener to trace the band's development. For those of you who thought BF began with Rollins, this CD should serve as a great history lesson. Highly Recommended.

(See above.)

The reason is that this album contains the most famous songs from the legendary punk group -- Black Flag as sung by its numerous lead singers, except for Henry Rollins.

First is Keith Morris, who went on to form the Circle Jerks and was Black Flag's first and best lead singer. Then the album goes on with Dez and Chavo singing.

Great album, but don't...let me repeat --- DON'T buy this album expecting to hear Henry Rollins, because you won't.

It's hard for me to compare (early)Black Flag albums to each other because they all serve their own purpose. I mean, as far as having a prevailing theme and feel, "Damaged" was the best but to me Keith Morris was the best singer. Need an example? Compare "Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie." Henry's version was good. The actual intrumentals were better, but Keith's version is fantastic. This guy sings like a lunatic. In another song, "I Don't Care," he's laughing, jumbling words, starting too late...I don't know if this was drunkness or genious but this guy's amazing. His version of "Depression" is better too. The rest of this album covers Dez and Chavo, so in all fairness, if you prefer those guys, they've got unrealeased versions of songs they sing. I'm not exactly a fan of them, but everybody's different. Like "The First Four Years," this is a good way to learn the history before "Damaged." A definite must-get.

This is what punk is all about. True old school. I highly recommend this album to people who like old school punk, but don't care for Rollins.

this record does not need to be listened to past song #9. these 9 songs are the epitome of what real punk rock is or was. way back in 1978-79 keith morris and black flag had already nailed the punk into rock. recorded in a house over 24 years ago, these songs capture all the intensity, emotion and angst that punk rock was created on. rarely will you find a truer punk record(9 songs anyway). sounds as if he is going to leap right out of the speakers and choke you. truly conveys every single feeling and mood that these songs were sung with and written about. chunky and raw music recorded on a close to zero budget in a house somewhere in Los Angeles. a band could spend years mixing a record in a modern computerized digital wonderland of a studio and still not come close to getting this sound, and at the same time you can still hear words being said way off in the distant rooms of the house and someone knocking on the front door while the tape was rolling. these were the first songs i ever heard of black flag and to me, there is no need to ever listen to the many, many other albums that were recorded with numerous other singers, Henry Rollins being the most recognized figure in black flag history. nothing else can even hold a candle to these 9 songs, that's just my opinion, but i've listened to all sorts of different punk bands in my life and can honestly say that this is the best example of what punk rock is, was meant to be and will ever be. but overall, this record is a great representation of black flag, from start to finish. i often forget this record/disc has 30 or so songs on it, but it does. if you have never heard black flag or are pretty much clueless about them(because all you have ever heard is material recorded with henry rollins) this record will damn sure paint the whole picture, all though it isn't a very pretty picture from song #10 and on. it is surely nothing like today's bubblegum, record industry processed attempt at punk, so if you're worried that your friends will say you're not punk and then tell everyone(cause you won't put on the same sum41 or good charolette song over and over again) don't waste the plastic the cd is made with, stick with your avril laveinne and go back to being a poser.

Don't take that the wrong way, I dig the Rollins stuff as well, but these tend to be my favorite versions of these songs. Particularly the Dez Cadena tracks stand out as Favorites, but all versions are classics. If you do wanna hear Rollins singing his versions of some of these then check out Damaged, But I feel these are better. Again, dont get me wrong, I love Rollins era stuff, especially the albums My War, Loose Nut, and Black Coffee, but thats a diff't sound to me; a completely different, more progressive Black Flag.
Anyhoo, check this out, listen to the difft vocal styles they went through. Dez Cadenas "Depression" slays all others. If you like this release, then chances are you'll also like "The First Four Years" which is more killer Pre-Rollins material. "Everything went Black" is more a Demo release, while "First four.." is a A-side/B-side/comp track Collection.

got this when it came out....its a must. a primer. if you said" ok i want punk....im gonna get 4 things to listen to"..this would be one of them. short jabbing terse shocks to the system....angry for the right reasons and truly persecuted, unlike those SUV driving mallrat pseudorappers clogging the brainwaves of everone under 21....hear BLACK FLAG when theyd get beat up for playing punk. they didnt have a hot topic to put eyeliner on in...not recommended to those under 21....let them have KORN...

Not the essential album by this band since these are the demos. And many of these tracks are featured here in 3 variations with three different singers. Some of these songs you don't find on THE EARLY YEARS or are different versions. The early flag stuff is gold and Chavo's versions here give the songs a more snotty adolescent fit. I like. A bit different from the out your gourd psycho streak heard from Rollins on DAMAGED (essential!) You'll need this to complete the collection.

Featuring never before released versions of classic songs like "White Minority" , " Police Story" , and "Depression" . Awesome to get to hear a different vocalist for each song , however the same songs get old after awhile. But for one big reason to get this is the 18 min radio commercials at the end , that are hillarious as hell.