It wasn't even that Hardcore was getting stale, it was just this incredibly violent element suddenly started appearing and challenging people as to the level of their Punk-ness. What started out fun and cathartic turned ugly real fast.
It never fails to happen - take a bunch of people who are disenfranchised outcasts and give them some organizing principle that they can rally around and they will almost immediately start creating elitist rules about who qualifies to be in their little clique. Some of these turds even started challenging the bands about whether they were Punk enough, and that's when Black Flag had enough and started playing Doom Metal just to piss people off.
The early 80's So Cal punk scene was amazing but it was over too quick thanks to a bunch of stupid, insecure jerks. It was fun while it lasted though (sigh).
I will also defend the whole of Damaged as a stone punk classic from start to finish, but I also dug Black Flags more metal records too. Drinkin' black coffee, stare at the WALL!
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"I'm forever near a stereo saying, 'What the fook is this garbage?' And the answer is always the Red Hot Chili Peppers." - Nick Cave
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