This is a damn hard one for me. On one hand we have Devo, one of the most creative and intelligent punk/new-wave bands ever created (For god's sake people forget the song "Whip It", and listen to one of their real classics like their cover of I Can't Get No Satisfaction or Gut Feeling). On the other hand we have Black Flag, a band who's influence again was so large it's almost downright ridiculious. No other punk band in America was touring across the country like they were. At best a punk band could go on the road for maybe a few dates in California or Seattle, a few on the east coast, and that would be it. Black Flag changed all that, and brought punk to the masses who didn't have easy access to a live band playing in their area. Literally hundreds of bands popped up almost immediately after Black Flag did their first nationwide tour, all biting their style usually. One legendary story tells about how Kurt Cobain went to go see Black Flag and was so affected that he immediately started his first band. That's only one of countless stories.
In the end I chose Black Flag. They are simply fucking GODS of punk and metal (that's right, I said metal). Whether it's the raw punk energy of the album Damaged (a classic still unparralleled today) or the metal guitar-madness of Slip It In or My War, they could do no wrong. Greg Ginn is one of if not the most underrated guitarist is music history, the man virtually created an entire new style of guitar-playing, so much so that his playing is instantly recognizable to a fan.
This is a great match-up here people, don't sleep on it.
