John Stabb's Legacy

I went to a punk show at the Masquerade – a live music venue in Atlanta.  The headlining act was called “Flag”, and was the original members of the punk rock band Black Flag playing Black Flag tunes, but they have to roll under the name “Flag” for some kind of legal reason – probably an absurd one.  Flag put on a great show.  I love Keith Morris, and he was in his normal stellar form. 

There were a few opening acts, but War on Women from Baltimore was the band that played just prior to Flag.  I’d seen War on Women before, and made sure to arrive at the show in time to catch them.  I’d seen them in that same building a few months before, opening for Government Issue on what would be the final G.I. tour.  A few months after that tour, G.I. singer John Stabb was taken from us by cancer.  War on Women singer Shawna Potter introduced a song about half-way through their set by talking about that tour with Government Issue, and about the death of Stabb.  Then they broke into one of my favorite Government Issue songs, “They Know”.

As the band tore through a very well-executed cover of the classic DC hardcore tune, I started to get kinda choked up.  I’m not sure if it was because of Stabb’s passing, or the fact that I’ll never get to hear him sing that song again, or maybe it was because I was witnessing something I’d not seen first hand before; the influence of Stabb and Government Issue on punk rock moving forward…carrying on his legacy.

One thing was clear to me in that moment: Stabb’s passing had a much more profound effect on me than I figured.  I hope to see other performers give tribute to Government Issue…but it’s evident to me that Stabb’s absence is substantial.  There’s a hole in the scene, where Stabb used to be.

Photo from Stabb's Facebook page.