The current Greg Ginn-helmed iteration of Black Flag has a new vocalist, for better or worse. Pro-skateboarder Mike Vallely—who managed Black Flag in 2013, sang for the group in 2003, and fired Ron Reyes on stage in Perth, Australia last year—is now the group’s fifth overall frontman.
In addition to being its singer, Vallely is also apparently the new mouthpiece for the group. In a rather lengthy interview with Rolling Stone, Vallely says that he and Greg Ginn are sorry because they “feel that, generally, the band fell short in 2013 because of a difference in the philosophies of Ron and Greg.” Vallely says Ginn wanted the reformed group to focus on new music, while Reyes was allegedly more interested in cashing in on the band’s history. Vallely also claims that the hideous cover art for comeback record What The… was Reyes’ idea, something that Ginn “regrets not questioning.” More importantly, Ginn also regrets the album’s content, which he believes is “subpar compared to what the expectations for it were”—though Vallely defends the record, calling it “pretty decent.”
According to Vallely, Black Flag plans to “right the wrongs” by touring extensively beginning in May, in addition to working on a new record. Quoth Vallely, “We can be a stronger, more cohesive, tighter band. We want to prove that.”