Greg Ginn - A New Man

When Greg Ginn & The Taylor Texas Corrugators play the Heirloom Arts Theatre in Danbury on the 23rd, and Two Boots in Bridgeport on the 27th, Ginn says he can guarantee one thing - the two shows will be nothing alike, because he has no idea what he’s going to play at either of them.

“On this tour we’re doing all improvised stuff,” Ginn says.

Improvisation is something his band, which for the tour includes JAMBANG’s Gary Piazza on guitar and New Monsoon’s Sean Hutchinson on drums, along with Ginn on bass and guitar, truly enjoys. “I think it makes us open to the mood, and to try to tune in to where the audience is and make that direct connection as opposed to us presenting the music,” Ginn explains, “the audience is a very important part of creating the atmosphere and vibe that we play in, so I think it makes the audience more important in that sense. I like the idea that there’s interaction rather than us just presenting a fixed program.”

While there’s no fixed program, there is a distinct sound, and it’s one Ginn describes as jamband-funk-psychedelic. Even though that’s not exactly what people who are only familiar with one of Ginn’s more historically well known projects, Black Flag, might expect, Ginn notes there is a common thread between the groups. “Black Flag was always something new,” he explains, “we always were doing new things and added a lot of improvisation in that band.”

Ginn isn’t looking to recreate any other kind of Black Flag magic, though, as he’s not a big believer in nostalgia. He feels that when bands come together for reunions, “there’s a spark that’s missing.” That spark, according to Ginn, has a lot to do with the newness that makes bands great. He notes, “there are a lot of people who maybe didn’t have a chance to see bands that have been broken up for a long time, so it’s understandable that they would for an opportunity to see that, but the problem is, you can’t. It’s a different time. It’s a different place. A band can come back and approximate it, but even if their musical abilities are better, and there are a lot of bands, they come back from their reunions and they’re not so messed up and they actually play better, but there’s that spark missing. It’s just kind of a rehash.”

In fact, Ginn doesn’t even pine for the good old days of his own former groups. “I don’t think ‘back when I saw that show and I was doing this, remember those times?’ I just don’t do that. I do understand it, and I don’t have a problem with that, it’s just not of my particular interest.”

As a huge music fan, and the founder of SST records, which has been the home to such acts as Sonic Youth and the Meat Puppets, Ginn goes to plenty of shows, and he definitely knows what is of his particular interest when it comes to bands. “I tend to like groups that have been together a dozen years or less,” he explains. This would have to do with the aforementioned newness factor, and his appreciation for unpredictability. “I see where people are stuck in some kind of old rut, I just think that must be horrible and terribly boring.”

Thankfully for Ginn, there are never any ruts in his life, because when you hit the stage with no set list and a desire to go wherever the vibe takes you, no two shows are ever alike.

Story originally ran in the FairfieldWeekly.