About the Author

Stevie Chick has written for the Guardian, Melody Maker, and MOJO, and is the author of Ninja Tune and Psychic Confusion.

Reviews

"Neither Greg Ginn nor Henry Rollins sat for interviews but their voices are included from earlier interviews, and more importantly Chuck Dukowski spoke to Chick--a first I believe. The story, laid out from the band's earliest practices in 1976 to its end ten years later, makes a far more dramatic book than the usual shelf-fillers with their stretch to make the empty stories of various chart-toppers sound exciting and crucial and against the odds."
--Joe Carducci, formerly of SST Records "Here is an exhaustive prequel to, followed by a more balanced re-telling of, Rollins' Get in the Van journal, chronicling Flag's emergence in suburban Hermosa Beach, far from the trendy Hollywood scene (Germs, X, etc.) and how their ultra-harsh, hi-speed riffage sparked moshpit violence--initially fun, but soon aggravated by jocks and riot police. Greg Ginn, their aloof guitarist/slave-driver/ideologue dominates in absentia. Gradually, he fires everyone but Rollins, yet, his pan-American shoestring SST empire is relentlessly inspirational. A gory, gobsmacking read."
--Andrew Perry, MOJO "Chick's analytical and in-depth biography of the progenitors of SoCal Hardcore builds up to a page-turning, scene-setting climax... Chick does a fine job of detailing the importance, influence and dedicated touring ethic of the band. Not to mention finally laying to rest the ludicrous but long-running Stalinesque punk rock opinion that of all Flag's diverse career output, only the material before Rollins joined was of any value."
--Alex Burrows, Classic Rock "Chick's well-researched and readable book immerses the reader in Black Flag's world, recreating the violent yet creative atmosphere of the early Hardcore scene through new interviews with the band and their peers."
--Mat Croft, Record Collector