On January 25, 2013, it was announced that guitarist Greg Ginn and vocalist Ron Reyes would reform Black Flag, joined by Gregory Moore on drums, and ´Dale Nixon´ on bass (Dale Nixon is a pseudonym sometimes used by Ginn, most prominently as the bassist on My War). The band will tour as well as release a new album, their first since 1985´s In My Head.[25] In March, it was announced that Screeching Weasel bassist Dave Klein joined the band.[26] On May 2, 2013, the band released a new song entitled ´´Down in the Dirt´´ through their website. After releasing two more singles (´´The Chase´´ and ´´Wallow in Despair´´), What The... was released on December 3, and was poorly received by most critics and some fans.
Around the same time, it was announced that the lineup that played at GV 30, Morris, Dukowski, Stevenson and Egerton, would tour performing Black Flag songs, under the name Flag.[27] It was later announced that the lineup would be joined by Dez Cadena.
On August 2, 2013, SST Records and Greg Ginn brought a trademark infringement action in Los Angeles federal court against Morris, Dukowski, Stevenson, Cadena, and Egerton, with regard to their use of the name Black Flag and the Black Flag logo on the 2013 Flag tour. In the same action, SST and Ginn also sued Henry Rollins and Keith Morris to oppose and cancel the trademark applications filed in September 2012 by Rollins and Morris. SST and Ginn alleged that Rollins and Morris lied to the Patent and Trademark Office on their trademark applications regarding claimed use of the Black Flag name and logo by Rollins and Morris on records, t-shirts, and with regard to live performances.[29]
In October 2013, a federal judge denied the motion for a preliminary injunction, brought by Ginn and SST against Morris, Dukowski, Stevenson, Cadena, and Egerton. The court ruled that is was possible that the logo as it had fallen into ´´generic use,´´ but did not rule specifically that it had done so. The court also ruled that Ginn and SST could not prevent the use of the band name ´´Flag,´´ as it was likely that fans would know the difference between the two acts, because of widespread publicity.[30]
During a show in November 2013 on Black Flag´s Australian tour, pro skater Mike Vallely, who previously sang with the band in 2003, came on stage, took Reyes´ microphone, sang the band´s last two songs and ousted him from Black Flag. Reyes said he was relieved to be removed from the band citing difficulties working with Ginn.[31] Vallely will be finishing the current tour and replacing Reyes as Black Flag´s new, and fifth, vocalist.
Track listing:
Side A:
My Heart´s Pumping
Down in the Dirt
Blood and Ashes
Now is the Time
Wallow in Despair
Slow Your Ass Down
It´s So Absurd
Shut Up
This is Hell
Go Away
The Bitter End
Side B:
The Chase
I´m Sick
It´s Not My Time To Go-Go
Lies
Get Out Of My Way
Outside
No Teeth
To Hell and Back
Give Me All Your Dough
You Gotta Be Joking
Off My Shoulders