The First Four Years is a compilation of early songs by the American hardcore punk

Hardcore punk

Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...

 band Black Flag

Black Flag (band)

Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...

 recorded before Henry Rollins

Henry Rollins

Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....

 became the band's vocalist in 1981. Released in 1983 on SST Records

SST Records

SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...

, it essentially collects the EPs Nervous Breakdown, Jealous Again

Jealous Again

-Band:* Ron Reyes – vocals* Greg Ginn – guitar* Chuck Dukowski – bass guitar; vocals on "You Bet We've Got Something Personal Against You!"* Robo – drums-Production:* Spot – producer, recording engineer, mix engineer...

, Six Pack

Six Pack (EP)

-Band:* Dez Cadena – vocals, rhythm guitar* Greg Ginn – lead guitar* Chuck Dukowski – bass guitar* Robo – drums-Production:* Geza X – producer, recording engineer, mix engineer* Spot – producer* Raymond Pettibon – artwork...

, and the single "Louie Louie

Louie Louie

"Louie Louie" is an American rock 'n' roll song written by Richard Berry in 1955. It has become a standard in pop and rock, with hundreds of versions recorded by different artists...

", 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 were originally released respectively on the New Alliance Records

New Alliance Records

New Alliance Records was the record label founded by The Minutemen's D. Boon and Mike Watt and longtime friend and associate Martin Tamburovich after the example of Black Flag's SST Records...

 compilations Cracks in the Sidewalk (1980) and Chunks (1981).

Trivia

Henry Rollins

Henry Rollins

Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....

 stated, both in an interview in 2007 and in Get in the Van

Get in the Van

Get in the Van is a memoir by singer, writer, and spoken word artist Henry Rollins first published in 1994 by Rollins' own company, 2.13.61 Publications. The book is composed of journal entries that Rollins kept while he was lead singer of the band Black Flag from 1981 to its breakup in 1986...

that this was his favorite Black Flag album.

Reception

Reviews have been mostly positive.

Track listing

All songs written by Greg Ginn

Greg Ginn

Gregory Regis Ginn is a guitarist, songwriter, and singer. He is best known for being the leader of and primary songwriter for the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led from 1976 to 1986....

, except where noted.

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

Personnel

• Keith Morris
  Keith Morris
  Keith Morris is an American singer and songwriter known for his role as frontman of the hardcore punk bands Black Flag, the Circle Jerks, and Off! Born and raised in Hermosa Beach, California, he formed Black Flag at the age of 21 with guitarist Greg Ginn and performed on the band's 1978 debut EP...
  
   - vocals on tracks 1-4
• Chavo Pederast - vocals on tracks 5-8
• Dez Cadena
  Dez Cadena
  Dez Paul Cadena is an American punk rock singer and guitarist. He was the third vocalist and later rhythm guitarist for hardcore punk band Black Flag. Since 2001 Cadena has played guitar with the Misfits...
  
   - vocals on tracks 10-16; guitar on 11-14
• Greg Ginn
  Greg Ginn
  Gregory Regis Ginn is a guitarist, songwriter, and singer. He is best known for being the leader of and primary songwriter for the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led from 1976 to 1986....
  
   - guitar
• Chuck Dukowski
  Chuck Dukowski
  Chuck Dukowski is an American punk rock musician, best known as a founding member and bass player for Black Flag. Dukowski wrote some of Black Flag's most popular songs, including "My War," "What I See," "I've Heard It Before" and "Spray Paint." He left the band before the release of My War, and...
  
   - bass; lead vocals on 9
• Brian Migdol - drums on tracks 1-4
• ROBO
  ROBO
  Robo is a Colombian-American drummer. He was the drummer for the Misfits, and first gained recognition as a drummer for Black Flag.-Life and career:...
  
  - drums on all other tracks