#487: Black Flag, ‘Damaged’

SST, 1981

This album really brings me to boys I knew in high school that played ice hockey. Teen Colorado ice hockey boys. It always seemed like there was a lot of stuff going on beneath the surface for them. A lot of emotions. And this album was probably a safe place for a lot of them.

If I was more teen boy ice hockey cool and rock & roll edgy-cool, then maybe this would be something I returned to in the midst of the maze of my many intricate emotions.

One song I thoroughly enjoyed upon the first listen was Six Pack. The lyrics go, “I’ve got a six-pack and nothing to do. I’ve got a six-pack and I don’t need you.” In all my brilliance, I assumed they were talking about very fit abs. I thought this was a very fun song. And then I realized it was actually about underage drinking. Which I straight up don’t endorse.

Well, I guess what I am getting from this is that it is very “anti-parent,” very punk and very cool.

At this time in my life, I am pretty “pro-parent” and pro-rules but I’m still very cool.

The best song on the album is definitely “TV Party” and I want every party to start with all my guests singing this like a pub song in unison with our arms wrapped around each other.

Above is a photo of me at 15 years old right around the stage that I was interacting with these giant souls of ice hockey boys and really trying to work in our mutual love for punk music (which was quite the lie).

Top Song: TV Party