Black Flag - The Last Four Years

It was definitely a line in the sand. It was sort of an intelligence test - if you could handle the changes of Black Flag, you weren't an idiot. And if you thought they were just selling out, then you were an idiot - Mark Arm, Mudhoney

This is one of those mixes that I always tell people I'm going to make them. I usually make this promise in the midst of a heated argument over Black Flag and whether or not they are worth listening to post Damaged (I know some people don't think they're worth listening to after Henry joined the band).

Black Flag was always Greg Ginn's band and he always took it upon himself to write songs that challenged the band and challenged the audience. There was a huge backlash when the band came back from their legal issue forced 3 year hiatus with long hair and Dio era Black Sabbath influenced punk/metal/rock/whatever. It's great stuff in my opinion. I'm pretty sure my words won't change your mind but hopefully if you give the tunes a listen with an open mind you'll see just how influential the post Damaged era Flag was on some of your favorite bands.

Black Flag - The Last Four Years

1. Can't Decide
2. Black Coffee
3. Loose Nut
4. Drinking And Driving
5. Wound Up
6. Modern Man
7. My War
8. Annihilate This Week
9. In My Head
10. Best One Yet
11. I Love You
12. Slip It In

Download Black Flag - The Last Four Years

Andrea's Soundtrack for Spring, April 2002

Special Guest Post!

Let's mix it up a little bit. Andrea is an awesome crafty lady and a dear friend of mine. She's a mixtape aficionado and recently found one she made a while back. I asked if she'd like to share it here and she agreed. She picked some awesome tunes on this tape and I'm honored to have her here. Take it away Andrea!

Spring is always the most inspiring season for me. It smells right and sounds right and feels right. There is nothing like those first real days of springtime.

The spring of 2002 was a good one. It was a couple of years before my sweet children were even a possibility in my mind and while I still had a car with a cassette tape player. Life was pretty laidback in Madison, Wisconsin. I was planning a road trip to Memphis with my husband that April and this mixtape was made for the trip. I'm not sure why I repeated artists as that's not something I typically did on mix tapes. I guess I just thought it flowed well.

This may have been one of the last years I actually made a mix TAPE. Can you believe I held out that long?

Although this mix may be a little more mellow than something Mario would make, I know he secretly loves the wuss rock (secretly? - Mario.) and would at least approve of the Beach Boys.

I think this soundtrack for spring is as relevant now as it was eight years ago. I hope it sparks a little inspiration and captures springtime for you!

_________________

soundtrack for spring. april 2002.

blake babies: baby gets high
the promise ring: scenes from parisian life
teenage fanclub: happiness
pete yorn: ez
the beach boys: feel flows
matthew sweet: come to love
mike felumlee: sleepwalking
the jesus & mary chain: she
duvall: the game is up
teenage fanclub: dumb dumb dumb
simon & garfunkel: america
superchunk: driveway to driveway
smoking popes: paul
moods for moderns: you're the one
blake babies: nothing ever happens
reggie & the full effect: what's wrong
mega super ultra: silly waste of time
matthew sweet: i've been waiting
the figgs: favorite shirt
elvis costello: alison
smoking popes: off my mind
white stripes: hotel yorba
badfinger: no matter what
the velvet crush: hold me up
moods for moderns: only on a saturday night
dashboard confessional: age six racer
superchunk: detroit has a skyline
Download Andrea's Soundtrack For Spring, April 2002

While you're at it:
Andrea's Blog: Craft Therapy
Andrea's Etsy Store: Space Oddities

Have a great weekend!