# What's the deal with Black Flag **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2016, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437 "2016-03-28T04:45:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/1 "2016-03-28T04:45:52Z")
I see their logo everywhere. Didn’t they cease to exist as a band a while ago? Tons of people have BF logo tattoos. I see their tshirts all the time. Today I was even saw a guy wearing this: > **[This item is unavailable - Etsy](https://www.etsy.com/listing/265897340/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_d-clothing-unisex_adult_clothing-tops_and_tees&utm_custom1=70ce74b0-cc25-47e8-b508-d2dc87956c1e&gclid=CJfosNrE4ssCFQ5qfgod9YsO3g)** > > Find the perfect handmade gift, vintage & on-trend clothes, unique jewelry, and more… lots more. Are they really that popular? Does anyone here enjoy their music? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/2 "2016-03-28T04:52:22Z")
I don’t know anything about their music, but Henry Rollins hasn’t slowed down at all. I believe he’s still making music and/or spoken words albums, plus he does a lot of acting. That, in and of itself, may be enough to keep the Black Flag brand alive and well. And if you got a Black Flag tattoo on the back of your neck in the 90’s you’re still going to have it now. IIRC he didn’t cover up is Black Flag tattoo on Sons Of Anarchy, in fact, the first shot of him might have been from behind so that was how you knew it was him. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/3 "2016-03-28T04:56:20Z")
Kills ants on contact Kills hippies dead WTF Bernie Sanders black flag? ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/4 "2016-03-28T05:01:20Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/5 "2016-03-28T05:20:47Z")
Black Flag are widely loved by punk fans, and considered influential on both the music and the lifestyle of hardcore punk to this day. If you don’t like punk, you’re unlikely to care about them, so you can happily continue to ignore them. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/6 "2016-03-28T07:55:36Z")
They’re arguably in the top 10 punk bands of all time, based on influence. They aren’t perhaps as household as the Ramones but they’re quite established, and have been referenced in places like _Futurama_. Their logo is iconic because it is simple but recognizable, even if the creator and the frontman aren’t on speaking terms it seems (also brothers!) Rollins also has a prominent Einstürzende Neubauten tattoo. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/7 "2016-03-28T08:00:33Z")
Seeing Black Flag tats bothers me like seeing the flippin Misfits skull everywhere. I liked a number of BF’s albums back in the 80’s, with “Damaged” being my fave. There’s been the odd recent reunion/splinter group activity. Like to see Bernie yelling: “Damaged, by Wall Street!” (X 2) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/8 "2016-03-28T10:37:39Z")
> [@Junior\_Spaceman](#): > > Black Flag are widely loved by punk fans, and considered influential on both the music and the lifestyle of hardcore punk to this day. If you don’t like punk, you’re unlikely to care about them, so you can happily continue to ignore them. Sums it up well. If you read _Our Band Could Be Your Life_, a history of the “true” indie period leading up to Nirvana, you get a sense for how influential Black Flag was as a band, as the force behind an important indie record label SST, and as champions of the indie mentality that shaped the scene. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/9 "2016-03-28T10:47:09Z")
Henry Rollins looks like Jim Carrey’s character in _Me, Myself, and Irene_. ---
**Author:** ![HarryTheHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@HarryTheHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HarryTheHat)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/10 "2016-03-28T11:02:09Z")
I’ve always found The New Yorker’s cartoons as ascerbically funny as hell. But why are they always the same kinda dull artistic style? site:straightdope.com ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/11 "2016-03-28T13:47:06Z")
> [@HarryTheHat](#): > > I’ve always found The New Yorker’s cartoons as ascerbically funny as hell. But why are they always the same kinda dull artistic style? site:straightdope.com Waitaminnit - I reported this post because I thought it was a spam link to something. But now I don’t think it is. I have no idea what New Yorker cartoons have to do with Black Flag however… ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/12 "2016-03-28T14:13:24Z")
> [@HarryTheHat](#): > > I’ve always found The New Yorker’s cartoons as ascerbically funny as hell. But why are they always the same kinda dull artistic style? site:straightdope.com I’ll agree with the ascerbic funniness, but I’ll disagree with them being the same dull artistic style when there’s so much variation between Bob Mankoff, Gahan Wilson, John O’Brien, Edward Steed (hero), Zachary Kanin, Tom Chitty, P.C. Vey, Alex Gregory, Charles Barsotti, etc…I could _really_ go on. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/13 "2016-03-28T14:15:22Z")
> [@Junior\_Spaceman](#): > > Black Flag are widely loved by punk fans, and considered influential on both the music and the lifestyle of hardcore punk to this day. If you don’t like punk, you’re unlikely to care about them, so you can happily continue to ignore them. What’s with the snark? I’d have asked the same questions if I saw Abba logos everywhere. Not dissing Black Flag just curious why their logo seems to be everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/14 "2016-03-28T14:18:59Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > What’s with the snark? I’d have asked the same questions if I saw Abba logos everywhere. Not dissing Black Flag just curious why their logo seems to be everywhere. I didn’t read it as snark. It’s kinda true - they are a big deal to the folks to whom they are a big deal. But they are virtually unknown outside punk circles so their logo continues to serve as a punk insider thing. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/15 "2016-03-28T14:56:24Z")
Out on the road today, I saw a Black Flag sticker on a Cadillac. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/16 "2016-03-28T14:58:51Z")
Wonder if they sell Black Flag stuff at Hot Topic? I know a lot of teens are wearing Nirvana and Misfits stuff, but they probably couldn’t name 5 songs by those bands. I think the logos and image appeal to them more than the music. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/17 "2016-03-28T15:02:47Z")
Are you calling it a Packaged Rebellion? ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/18 "2016-03-28T15:13:20Z")
Yeah, The Misfits and Black Flag logos are everywhere. I think it is similar to the Grateful Dead. A lot of people like the artwork and therefore the dancing bears, the skull and the four black bars are probably more popular than the original music ever was. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/19 "2016-03-28T15:39:33Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Yeah, The Misfits and Black Flag logos are everywhere. I think it is similar to the Grateful Dead. A lot of people like the artwork and therefore the dancing bears, the skull and the four black bars are probably more popular than the original music ever was. That might be a good interpretation. To take it a step further (and again, I don’t know any Black Flag or Misfits music), there are probably a lot of people that wear Grateful Dead clothing or have a Grateful Dead keychain or bumper sticker but couldn’t name a single GD song. It’s not that they like GD music, it’s that they like the idea of the music and what it stood/stands for. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437/20 "2016-03-28T15:48:22Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Kills ants on contact > Kills hippies dead > > WTF Bernie Sanders black flag? Yeah, shows what I know. When the OP said Black Flag, I immediately went [here.](http://www.blackflag.com/?gclid=CPuGuo_d48sCFdcTgQodlSAK3w) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-black-flag/750437.md?page=2)