Camels and Tacos: Flag photos, Black Flag stories, and Egypt

Ana and I talk about the things we'll miss when we leave Egypt next month. It has been a roller coaster ride the past four years to say the least. One aspect of life we're happy to say good riddance to are the funerals; they are an assault on the ear drums, guaranteed to rain on your parade. There was one outside our school last night and when I got home Ana was ready to wage war. If the funerals don't wear you thin, the random firework blast will have your nerves in a twist. Come and live with us where every night is the 4th of July (or a soundtrack to a civil war if you like).

I wanted to share more FLAG photos that weren't posted last time (call them demos or outtakes) in addition to other sights from the trip and a little bit of Egypt. Here it goes.

Firework blast outside our apartment, sometimes it can be predictable with a wedding or a soccer game. In the States you have to have permits to shoot these off, here you just need the money to buy them. We have a friend here who while visiting Cambodia paid $100 to shoot an RPG rocket, he had a choice of shooting a cow or the mountain. Does the Second Amendment cover RPGs?

Falafel at Mohamed Ahmed (the best foul and falafel in Alex some say). Next time you buy a $5 falafel sandwich remember they cost 15 cents in Egypt.

Nothing accents a bedroom suite like FLAG setlist next the hand-painted Baroni sign.

You can always count on Alex for finding an old car lurking around the corner.

Went to the beach last weekend, this was the lamp in our villa.
Silence of the Lambs anyone?

Springtime fashion in Alex.

Nachos in Brussels served at a Muslim Mexican restaurant with an oriental twist.

Flag in Munich.

In eighth grade my parents flew out to Los Angeles to visit my dying aunt Flora (I didn't know it at the time). They asked if I wanted anything while they were out there. I told them I wanted the Damaged lp and a Black Flag T-shirt. They said they would try their best. One of my cousins ended up getting me the lp. They or my mom carefully removed the ANTI PARENT STICKER that was on the lp; otherwise, my dad would have never let me have it!.

Mom and Dad went to the mall and had an iron-on letter Black Flag shirt made for me. Yellow letters on a green shirt. You can imagine the look I had on my face, I was bummed. It even had the bars from trimmed letters, the wrong way. Sadly, I never did wear that shirt. In retrospect it was totally one-of-a-kind and a honest attempt to make a teenager happy. 30 plus year later and I still feel like an ass for being ungrateful.

Two important things the bus drive must have: tour schedule and cheese puffs.

The show in Berlin was next to Tempelhof Airport (the former Nazi and city airport).

Goats in Viktoria park, Berlin

A little Berlin Wall.

Squat in Berlin (detail).

Berlin squat.

New regulation bans on all Egyptair flight. You must now find alternative methods to ship your land mines, gunpowder, TNT, and hand grenades.

I was checking out the "official" Black Flag website the other day to see if Greg has assembled the unit. It was sad to read the petty comments he's made about FLAG. One thing I can say about this mess is the guys in FLAG have been taking the high road. I haven't read nor did I see any Greg Ginn bashing on their side. Great that Greg and Ron have their own thing going but this nonsense seems to be all of Greg's making.

Fallen punker.

At one of the Black Flag shows in Denver, I remember Rollins going off on stage divers, told a story about a boot going into someone's eye. Maybe it was the same show that one of the Denver Skins give him their business card (Denver Skins: the few the proud, the Nazis). Rollins jumped off stage and asked for the biggest one. The rest of the band, roadies just gathered at the edge of the stage. The audience chanted for the skins to leave. No punches thrown. The set continued.

One of my favorite parts of when Black Flag rolled through town was Nig Heist. I thought they were like a loser Van Halen cock-rock band with a little Surf Punks thrown in. The morning after their legendary performance at the Rainbow Music Hall where Mugger came onstage throwing his sperm on the audience and showed his 2 inches of manhood (that was only the beginning) my dad showed me the newspaper article where two of the band members got arrested and asked "what was this SHIT you went to go see last night?" What could I say, I only went to go see Black Flag. I still have the newspaper cuts out in the garage at home. Maybe I should tell my dad that Mugger went into finance and became a millionaire (true story).

Yours truly in 1982 with my brother Tom's wild and nasty sounding blue guitar I found in the basement. I miss the cut-up army jacket that had the name of every punk band I could think of written on it.

My letter form Henry explaining the current BF line-up.

My first mail form SST

True, I was bummed when I didn't get a poster, sticker, or commercials with my copy of Everything Went Black. I appreciate the detailed explanation and especially Henry's hand hurting.