The First Four Years

Infobox Album
Name = The First Four Years
Type = Compilation album
Artist = Black Flag


Released = 1983
Recorded = January 1978 - April 1981
Length = 24:40
Label = SST
Producer = Black Flag,
Geza X,
Spot
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kq6ktr29klmx~T1 link]
Last album = "Everything Went Black"
(1983)
This album = "The First Four Years"
(1983)
Next album = "My War"
(1984)

"The First Four Years" was a compilation of early Black Flag songs recorded before Henry Rollins became the band's vocalist in 1981. Released in 1983 on SST Records, it essentially collects the EPs Nervous Breakdown, Jealous Again, Six Pack, and the single Louie Louie, with a couple of bonus tracks from various artists' albums. Tracks 1-4 are taken from the Nervous Breakdown EP, tracks 5-9 are taken from the Jealous Again EP, tracks 11-13 are from the Six Pack EP, and tracks 15-16 are taken from The Louie Louie/Damaged I split single. Tracks 10 and 14 are studio extras found solely on this album.

Track listing

All songs written by Greg Ginn, except where noted.

#"Nervous Breakdown" – 2:07
#"Fix Me" – 0:55
#"I've Had It" – 1:20
#"Wasted" (Ginn/Morris) – 0:51
#"Jealous Again" – 1:52
#"Revenge" – 0:59
#"White Minority" – 1:02
#"No Values" – 1:45
#"You Bet We've Got Something Personal Against You!" (Dukowski/Ginn/Pederast/ROBO) – 0:52
#"Clocked In" – 1:30
#"Six Pack" – 2:20
#"I've Heard It Before" (Dukowski/Ginn) – 1:39
#"American Waste" (Dukowski) – 1:33
#"Machine" (Cadena/Dukowski) – 1:25
#"Louie, Louie" (Berry) – 1:20
#"Damaged I" (Cadena/Ginn) – 4:06

Personnel

*Keith Morris - vocals on tracks 1-4
*Chavo Pederast - vocals on tracks 5-8
*Dez Cadena - vocals on tracks 10-16; guitar on 11-14
*Greg Ginn - guitar
*Chuck Dukowski - bass; lead vocals on 9
*Brian Migdol - drums on tracks 1-4
*ROBO - drums on all other tracks