In a rare interview, Greg Ginn opens up about the latest Black Flag lineup, the SST catalogue, the possibility of long-overdue reissues and the legacy of one of punk's most beloved bands.
Tickets for Black Flag's 2026 Australian Tour
Topics Include:
- Greg Ginn is based in Texas but currently in Long Beach after a tour.
- Black Flag is heading to Hong Kong and then Australia next.
- This will be Black Flag's third tour of Australia.
- Rumors of new recordings remain unconfirmed — Ginn stays tight-lipped.
- The current lineup has been together for about a year.
- Band plays nearly two hours a night across two full sets.
- Proximity of bandmates in Texas keeps the band constantly tight.
- Ginn discovered punk through the Stooges, MC5, and New York bands.
- Television, Ramones, Blondie, and The Damned were early major influences.
- Ginn identifies more with open, varied 70s punk than 80s hardcore.
- He never planned to be in a band — guitar was a personal outlet.
- Finding like-minded people in the mid-70s was genuinely rare and meaningful.
- Ginn started a business at 12 selling ham radio equipment he built.
- He published his own amateur radio magazine as a teenager.
- Black Flag's first EP was recorded as a demo, not a label release.
- Nobody wanted to sign them, so starting SST was a reluctant default.
- Ginn has applied the same DIY experimentation to an organic fertilizer brand.
- He gets bored easily and improvisation is central to keeping music alive.
- Ginn stays connected to a song's emotional meaning, not just its notes.
- Seven band members once lived in a single room during Black Flag's peak.
- Lineup changes were mostly practical — commitment and lifestyle demands were extreme.
- Ginn isn't interested in nostalgia-driven reunions; best music matters most now.
- Fans frequently thank him personally for helping them through difficult life periods.
- He avoids fiction, movies, and video games — prefers reality and constant learning.
- SST vaults are mostly bare — nearly everything recorded was officially released.
- Ginn is open to remastering but skeptical of padding albums with leftover cuts.
- He notes Dead Kennedys recently remixed Fresh Fruit — and wants to hear it.
- Ginn doesn't own a working turntable; portability matters more to him than format.
- SST catalog reissues — including Stains, Dicks, Overkill — are a genuine possibility.
- Ginn believes Black Flag's songs remain timeless, attracting both parents and their kids.
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
Picts by Edward Colver
