Review Revue: Wartime - Fast Food for Thought

There's a lot to unpack here. There's the fact that despite my teenaged fondness for Black Flag, Rollins Band, and Pigface, I completely missed the existence of this project produced by Mr. Rollins, a key member of the first two bands, and Andrew Weiss, a key member of the latter two. There's the underrated status of Mr. Weiss himself, an unsung bass hero who went on from his days with Rollins and Pigface to work with the Butthole Surfers, Ween, and Akron/Family. There's the impressively adventurous spirit of Chrysalis Records, the major label that released this very strange record before the alterna-boom of the early '90s had really gotten going. (Other 1990 releases by Chrysalis included Gang Starr's Step in the Arena, The Pursuit of Happiness's One Sided Story, Sinead O'Connor's I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, and World Party's Goodbye Jumbo.)

All important things to consider, no doubt. But really, I think you just need to watch this video and read the DJ comments below and you'll have a pretty good handle on this album.

"The back credits 'Rollins' for the vocals + 'Andrew' for the music. I'm assuming the former is our friend Henry. Of the identity of the latter, I am unsure. Henry Rollins on Chrysalis?! Not unlike the Lard concept - synth + samples, pretty rough sounding, but a little more dancey + accessible than Lard - 'The Whole Truth' is really good. Some go on way too long. L or M."

"The cover is as cool as it is gross. I've never been a big Henry/Black Flag, etc., fan, but I do like this. Andrew Weiss is an excellent musician & his bass playing here is appropriately apocalyptic. Henry is as political as ever here, but less strident, & I like that too. Doesn't sound particularly 'Major Label' to me, either."

"A few years ago when Black Flag played at the Thunderbird Gym I ran into Henry at Cellophane Square the afternoon prior to the show. He was buying used Grateful Dead records."

"The beginning of 'Wartime' features Ted Nugent."

"Funky! Red dot at very beginning of 'Wartime' [perhaps the aforementioned Mr. Nugent?] (easy to avoid). Consolidated fans might like this. I await N. Sussman's return + comments on 2-2."

"'Franklin's Tower.' Hoo Boy!!"

"Yes, a very funky version of this Grateful Dead song. -NS"