Indie band remakes Black Flag's “Damaged” from memory

Posted by aubin on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 3:00 PM (EDT)

In a pretty unusual story, Brooklyn-based indie rock outfit The Dirty Projectors has unveiled a new project wherein they remade Black Flag's classic Damaged, entirely from memory.

The album, titled Rise Above, features the "deconstruction and reassembly" of Damaged and was reportedly put together from "memory and intuition." The result is reworked arrangements of every song on the album, with a four-piece lineup featuring two female vocalists. The NPR reporter describes the reworked material as evoking 60s rock, afrobeat, soul and even "Marvin Gaye and Bob Marley via Antony & The Johnsons."

A few selections are available online, including "No More" on their myspace page and "Rise Above" via NPR.

If you want to compare, "Rise Above" and "No More" as performed live by Black Flag.

Black Flag (91 comments)

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Oh, fuck this is going to be bad.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

lol

Someone (August 28, 2007)

yeah- nothing pisses me off more than bands trying to do something different. up the punx!

Someone (August 28, 2007)

difficult to tell if you're being sarcastic or not. you are joking right?

the_other_scott (August 28, 2007)

this came out a while ago

this dude looks pretty douchy, and like there's not a chance in hell that he ever like black flag, nor owned any of their music. sounds like shit too.

sorry to be so negative.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

actually in the interviews he talks abotu how he used to listned to the album obsessively but hasnt in several years. that said, yea he looks pretty douchey.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Really, you can tell by lookinig at someone that they never liked or owned anything by a band? Where can I buy your psychic powers?!

leecorsoisapenis (August 28, 2007)

"this dude looks pretty douchy, and like there's not a chance in hell that he ever like black flag, nor owned any of their music..."

Congrats on posting the stupidest, most ignorant comment of the day! You win!

Jim

adamKNR (August 29, 2007)

hey scott core, you are retarded.

A good friend of mine plays drums for them, and the singer used to go to school in the area. I know for a fact that they are fans.

Way to make presumptive comments about artist/people you know absolutely nothing about

You are a true punk

Banal242 (August 28, 2007)

So they are using and destroying great punk music to get more popular?

Sounds like [insert your favorite band that you still bash on the internerd]

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Sounds like Against Me!

Someone (August 28, 2007)

i hope to god they are giving this away but from what i read it doesn't look like it, any one who would pay money for this is stupid

Someone (August 28, 2007)

it's entirely different from the original. work was put in, they packaged it, why shouldn't they sell it?

Ven89 (August 28, 2007)

I listened to the cover of Rise Above and that is really really bad.

FatTony (August 28, 2007)

That was pretty terrible. Didn't even get 30 seconds into "Rise Above" before I had to turn it off. Dude's voice is shit. This soils the good names of Marvin Gaye, Bob Marley, and of course, Black Flag.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

you clearly do not understand anything. his vocal lines are unorthodox and i could see you thinking the melodies suck, because you're an ignoramus, but the dude undoubtedly has incredible pipes to hit all those notes. which is way more than the practically atonal barking of all the black flag singers (Don't get me wrong, i still love henry rollins)

shot_in_the_dark (August 28, 2007)

yeah, this guy can sing like a mothafucka.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

i dont know. it just doesnt rock. it went from an angry song to sounding like rilo kiley. what a bunch of pansies.

rupson (August 28, 2007)

I'm puzzled as to why this is some mind-blowing feat. Not to discredit Black Flag, they hold a special place in my heart, but the songs consist of about 5 chords max and verse, chorus, verse, chorus, etc. I learned these songs on guitar when I was 17.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

you obviously aren't listening to their version, you shmuck.

rupson (August 28, 2007)

Ummmm, hey, guy in the band - yes as a matter of fact I did try and listen to it. I got about 3/4 of the way through it and decided to turn it off. Have you been sitting here next to me watching my every move all day? Why did you assume I didn't listen to it? Duckdick

rupson (August 28, 2007)

And BTW - when I said "but THE songs", I was referring to Black Flag's songs, not this cover bands.

BrandonSideleau (August 28, 2007)

yeah but just try to make it sound like Ginn.....it won't.....no one has been able to copy Ginn.

rupson (August 29, 2007)

Or his style. I Agree.

PretentiousLikePitchfork (August 28, 2007)

interesting take on "rise above", but ultimately boring, especially at five minutes. a good band could do what these guys have done, yet still maintain the energy from the original, even though the sound is completely different.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

You all are some narrow-minded and ignorant motherfuckers. Can't you see that this is an updated version of the same kind of subversive behavior that Black Flag was famous for. This will probably be the best releases of the year. Also "Marvin Gaye and Bob Marley via Antony & The Johnsons." is pretty lazy. I guess if the music was more "hard-core" and the singer was wearing clothes from Hot Topic it would be fine by you guys. Grow up.

PretentiousLikePitchfork (August 28, 2007)

best release of the year? hardly. reworking a classic album is a gimmick and in order to rise above such a thing, this album needs a lot more, especially when it comes to the energy or lack thereof. and i'm not saying they need to be "hardcore," you can play indie rock and maintain the ferocity and energy of a band like Black Flag..the best of the bunch do this. but, this is not it. respect should be given for the attempt, but the execution is pretty bland.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Have you heard the whole record yet? If not you should hold your opinion until you have.

PretentiousLikePitchfork (August 28, 2007)

i have actually...and like i said admirable, but ultimately boring. which is a shame considering how great "the getty address" and "the new attitude" ep were. definitely not album of the year material.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

If the music was more "hard-core," as you put it, and the singer was wearing clothes from Hot Topic, this band would get bashed even more. Honestly, I don't even understand why bands remake albums. This is similar to that ben lee cd in the last group of reviews. Just write your own fucking songs.

Thus_Spoke_Sean (August 28, 2007)

Also "Marvin Gaye and Bob Marley via Antony & The Johnsons." is pretty lazy

perhaps you missed the part of article that said that was a quote from NPR.

excuse me, i have to go on being such an ignorant motherfucker.

ZombieCrush (August 28, 2007)

Either you are in the band, or somehow related to them...we get it.

To say that this is the kind of stuff that Black Flag did isn't helping. All you are saying is that not only did the band make an album of unoriginal music but the way they did it was unoriginal also. I don't give two shits about this album one way or another and I care even less about the band that made it. They can cover an ABBA for all I care.

And as for the Marvin Gaye reference...It was put in quotes on the post here, indicating that it is a quote for the other news source.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

agreed. this person must be on the inside. what did he/she expect on here?

rupson (August 28, 2007)

Can't you see that this is just lame. Period. 'Hot Topic' wearing bands or not.

spalmer (August 28, 2007)

"If the music was more "hard-core," as you put it, and the singer was wearing clothes from Hot Topic, this band would get bashed even more."

Truest comment of the day.

Archangel (August 28, 2007)

This has to be a troll.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Don't feed the trolls!

the_other_scott (August 28, 2007)

we get it you're in the band. is it really necesary to say you're live in bed-stuy on your myspace profile? i think brooklyn suffices. or are you just looking for cred. biggie was from bed-stuy. you're not.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

if this was more "hard-core", then it would be the original Damaged, which is fine by me...

This is jsut dumb.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

if this was more "hard-core", then it would be the original Damaged, which is fine by me...

This is just dumb.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Plus, the band is called the Dirty Projectors.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

i smell a lawsuit coming...

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Henry Rollins doesn't sue. He rapes.

ZombieCrush (August 28, 2007)

That was funny. Wasn't expecting that. Has a certain, Chuck Norris-esque feeling to it.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

thats why it wasnt funny

el_matt (August 28, 2007)

I'm pretty sure Henry Rollins settles all possible lawsuits by displaying his immense neck muscles, those can scare even the most heartless lawyers.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Greg Ginn is not stoked. Rollins probably is.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Ginn is way too busy rescuing cats and then pressuring them into having sex with them, and not paying husker du any royalties.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

*having sex with him

YasserBossin (August 28, 2007)

the roach spray?

Someone (August 28, 2007)

I got it!

Ike_Ness (August 28, 2007)

Damn, I wish that I could be an ironic hipster like these assclowns!

Too bad I don't have enough time... I'm in the middle of recording Ace of Base's greatest hits from memory.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

What. "From memory"? As opposed to what, buying the sheet music? Aren't most covers from memory?

Someone (August 28, 2007)

good point

Someone (August 28, 2007)

No it wasn't. The guy hadn't listened to the record in something like 15 years. It's a pretty simple concept, really. And no, covers are not "from memory." They're usually from listening to the song a bunch of times until you've learned how it goes.

Whoa.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

are you his best friend?

Ike_Ness (August 28, 2007)

Cousin.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

lol

Wentz_Equals_Death (August 28, 2007)

anybody else just skip to the black flag?

Someone (August 28, 2007)

haha. yes, but only after i took a nap. the dirty projectors elevator music version put me to sleep!

Archangel (August 28, 2007)

This is a terrible idea.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

All they did was memorize the lyrics. Fuck this shit.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

This is certain to make Henry Rollins eat a baby.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

That's not funny at all.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Man, you're so hardcore.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

You're not hardcore unless you live hardcore.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Fuck you.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

You're an idiot.

TheOneTrueBill (August 28, 2007)

All this did was make me want to put on Damaged, which I'm going to right now.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

they weren't very social and one of the girls in the band seemed a little snobby when i served her tea.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

did she visit the restroom and see a flyer before you served her tea?

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Indeed, be careful when serving tea. Even if they weigh 105 lbs., you might have to "table" your conversation.

el_matt (August 28, 2007)

Wow, Rise Above was completely butchered.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

I actually like the sound they have. It's very 60's Rn'B but I just dont think it works on this song.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

The dirty projectors didnt do a very good job, but Black Fag on the other hand....

http://www.myspace.com/blackfag

Someone (August 28, 2007)

damaged>> anything else black flag ever did

Someone (August 28, 2007)

line em up and fuckin shoot em

MikeStupid (August 28, 2007)

Now let's see 'em try Family Man.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

This band & this album > 99% of everything else posted here.

el_matt (August 28, 2007)

Hey look! It's one of the guys from The Dirty Projectors!

coIin (August 28, 2007)

Just like Against Me! and Jimmy Eat World and Golgo Bordello and coheed and cambria and Lou Reed and the Killers and Les Breasts and Nikola Servic and Heavy Heavy Low Low and New Review Tuesday and I am Ghost and Fake Probs and Modern Life is Sick of It all and Mastadon, this band is such a sellout and a flag bearer for the MTV my my my my generation.

- colin

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Not my thing. But the whole "from memory" is a dubious claim that can not possibly be substantiated.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Yes it can. Thus why it's supposedly so different.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Their Black Flag songs don't seem to be working on MySpace, but their other songs are pretty bad. I'm almost kind of embarrassed to be from Brooklyn like these guys.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

This is not punk. Why would you play something classic like this and ruin it with some gimmick idea.

Someone (August 29, 2007)

Give us an example of Punk, Sid.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Seriously, Henry Rollins should just beat the piss out of these guys. Honestly, that was the worst pseudo artsy hipster bullshit I ever heard.

Someone (August 28, 2007)

Fuck This!

Fuck Indie Music

Fuck Indie Bands(especially this band!)

Fuck People who listen to Indie Music; hipster fucks!

Eat a fucking bullet, and stop ruining great music!

Someone (August 28, 2007)

this band was pretty good when i saw them live. I can't even tell that the song is "Rise Above" though.

Someone (August 29, 2007)

what about that Buddyhead Records Icarus Line / Burning Brides split 7" tribute to the Misfits? Part of me thought it was awful but I couldn't help listen to it like 666 times...

sfbarker (August 29, 2007)

Uncle Tupelo's cover of Gimme Gimme Gimme is like 200 Billion or so times better than this entire attempt.