Ep547: Greg Ginn - Black Flag, SST Records

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.

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