Who's Got the 10½?

Black Flag: Henry Rollins (vocals); Gregg Ginn (guitar); Kira (bass); Anthony Martinez (drums).
Recorded live at Starry Night, Portland, Oregon on August 23, 1985.
Black Flag's final release before splitting in late 1986, the live document WHO'S GOT THE 10 1/2? is probably the best of the several live recordings available from this prolific band. Unlike LIVE '84 and the mostly live EVERYTHING WENT BLACK, this album captures one concert, in Portland in August 1985, instead of mixing and matching songs from various live sources. As a result, this is the truest example of the remarkable velocity this band built over the course of a show. Charismatic frontman Henry Rollins is in excellent form, guitarist Greg Ginn keeps his metal-edged solos to mostly reasonable lengths, and the set list ranges from recent albums like LOOSE NUT and SLIP IT IN to old hardcore favorites like 1981's "Wasted" and the band's cheerfully sloppy deconstruction of the garage classic "Louie Louie," complete with the infamous dirty lyrics. A fine end to a great band.