The World Is My Fuse

As petty as this is, I rack my head about this every time I listen to Black Flag.

WHO WAS THE BEST SINGER?

Right now my thinking goes as follows...
1ST PLACE

Chavo Pederast
Top Performance- No Values from the Jealous Again EP

Jealous Again is easily my top Black Flag record, mainly because Chavo (or Ron Reyes, if you prefer) had the best voice in punk, ever. This is just the standout track for me (by a HAIR). Too bad dude couldn't get his shit together and stick around with the band. All the way through, perfect balance of clarity, snottiness, and what can only be described as a sheer ballsy voice.

2ND PLACE

Dez Cadena

Top Performance-
Six Pack from the Six Pack EP.

The period with Dez on vocals was unfortunate, he had a real rough voice (similar to Henry Rollins', who would follow) but due to the band making the jump from punk rock four piece to a more experimental five piece, Dez offered to relocate himself to second guitar before he really had many chances to expand on his vocals. The only reason he ranks lower than Chavo is that he doesn't have the same snotty/harsh balance that really makes Chavo stand out, but he's got the ballsy bark down real well, that's for sure. And Six Pack highlights that, with one of the more creative vocal patterns of his unfortunately few (six, to be exact) recorded songs. If he had the same time Rollins did to mature, I'm sure he would have been a better choice as a long term vocalist.

3RD PLACE

Henry Rollins
Top Performance-
Wound Up Slip It In
The posterboy for Black Flag, Rollins had the longest tenure in the band (other than Greg Ginn himself, that is) and while I don't think there's anything inherently bad about his voice, it becomes crystal clear that as soon as he joined the band Greg Ginn decided that the focus should be relocated to the song structure and riffs rather than a hyper energetic front man. And that it did, the songs with Rollins on mic are amazing, but not entirely because of him. He was in the band, and he did what was told (and did it damn well, mind you) but lacked what both Chavo and Dez brought forward. But there are still a couple songs where the song owes more to Rollins' performance, Wound Up being one of those tracks. I get so wouuuuuuuUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNND UP!/ To feel so let down.. Brilliant vocals right there.

4TH PLACE

Keith Morris
Top Performance-
I've Had It from the Nervous Breakdown EP.

My big problem with Morris is that he all to often sang really clean, and especially after hearing him let loose on this track (and later with The Circle Jerks) I just can't justify anything but an honourable fourth place.

Seriously, that chorus, damn.