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Bad Brains is one of the most influential bands in the history of punk rock and thrash metal. The band boasted an intense, backbreaking thrash sound, which was more extreme that most of their contemporaries. What shocks music aficianados is the fact that they mix this intense form of punk and metal with reggae music, as they are religious black Rastafarians.
Bad Brains hail from Washington, DC, formed in 1977 as a jazz fusion ensemble called Mind Power. Resembling fusion acts such as Return to Forever and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, the members of Mind Power were extremely talented musicians. Therefore, when the band (comprised of singer H.R., guitarist Dr. Know, bass guitarist Darryl Jennifer and drummer Earl Hudson) began playing punk rock, they were technically proficient beyond any other band in the genre. Never before or since had punk rock been met with such instrumental precision.
After listening to an album by The Dead Boys, Mind Power became obsessed with punk rock, and changed their name to Bad Brains. The group had also converted to Rastafarianism, and were devout followers of late Ethiopian emperor Halie Selasie and reggae legend Bob Marley. After attending a Marley concert in 1979, the entire group converted to Rastafarianism, and continued interspersing their playlists with reggae songs. The band delved deep into reggae music as a soothing alternative to their manic hardcore sound.
Bad Brains developed an early reputation due in part to the novelty of an entirely African American group performing punk rock (almost exclusively a White phenomenon), but also due to their high-energy performances and their undeniable talent. In a genre filled with (sometimes) racist skinheads and straight-edged punks, Bad Brains surprisingly found themselves accepted, due largely to the power of their music.
Their considerable musical technique--due in part to their jazz and progressive rock roots--set them apart from other Washington DC punk groups, who were typically earnest, but often amateurish performers. Bad Brains' emphasis on extreme speed--especially in their early records and performances--are often regarded as influencing or perhaps even establishing hardcore punk.
Their music still contained hints of their progressive rock past, with quick time changes and lead singer H.R.'s fluctuating vocal dynamics. H.R. was a muscular and unpredictable stage performer who often leaped into the audience or onto amplifiers. Known as "The Man of 1,000 Voices," H.R.'s incredible range was so dynamic that he could be mistaken for two or even three different singers on record.
Also in 1979, Bad Brains found themselves the subject of an unnoficial ban among many Washington D.C. area clubs and performance venues (later addressed in "Banned in D.C.") because their concerts were so intense. Bad Brains relocated to New York City. [1] (http://www.breakmyface.com/bands/badbrains.html)
Their self-titled debut album was released on New York's ROIR Records in 1982, followed in 1983 by Rock for Light, produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars. These two albums, containing only hardcore thash punk or mellow reggae, were landmark records in the history of punk and metal, and went on to influence an entire generation of musicians, including Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Living Colour, Rage Against the Machine, and arguably hundreds more.
The band fought constantly with volatile singer H.R.; like Bad Brains music, one minute a calm man of peace and the next an aggressive, sometimes violent man. In 1984, the Bad Brains broke up (the first of many times). H.R. began a solo career that contained all reggae music (with Hudson on drums), releasing two albums in 1984 and 1985.
In 1986, Bad Brains were back. SST Records released I Against I, sometimes seen as their finest recording. As the title track demonstrates, Bad Brains could still play at jaw-droppingly fast tempos, but on other songs they slowed down a bit, and more dynamics and variety were evident. Dr Know sounded like a punked-out Eddie Van Halen, and there was an outright love song in "She's Calling You." Also praised is H.R.'s performances: He "digs deep into his bag of voices and pulls them all out, one by one: the frightening nasal falsetto that was his signature in the band's hardcore days, an almost bel canto baritone, and a declamatory speed-rap chatter that spews lyrics with the mechanical precision of a machine gun."[2] (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:x95g8qbtbtz4~T1). The album contained much more melody, slower grooves, and straight-ahead heavy metal, but surprisingly no reggae. Despite the success of I Against I, Bad Brains broke up again after spening most of 1987 on the road.
Finally, they signed to a major label in the late 1980s to release Quickness in 1989. The band had their first MTV video with "Soul Craft." The album continued where I Against I left off, yet with a heavier sound and featuring the return of reggae with "The Prophet's Eye."
Bad Brains were plagued with internal tensions nearly from their beginning: H.R. was mildly clinically schizophrenic, and as such was notoriously tempermental, sometimes refusing to perform at scheduled concerts. He and his brother, drummer Earl Hudson, wanted to devote the band to reggae, while Dr. Know and Jennifer were increasingly interested in heavy metal music. Charges of homophobia dogged the band,especially H.R.; his frequent unreliability cost the band a number of perfoming opportunities. Therefore, during the Quickness tour, H.R. was replaced by former Faith No More vocalist Chuck Moseley. Soon thereafter, Bad Brains broke up again.
As bands influenced by Bad Brains enjoyed commercial success (like Living Colour and Fishbone), Dr. Know was approached by Sony Records in 1993 to offer the band a major label record deal. However, H.R. and Earl weren't interested, as they were concentrating strictly on reggae. Dr. Know and Daryl Jenifer replaced them with former Cro-Mags drummer Mackie Jayson, and a young H.R. clone named Israel Joseph I (he sounded almost indentical to his predecessor). Rise was released in 1993 and remains one of the band's strongest albums. Mixing jazz, punk, reggae, pop, funk, and rock, Rise was by far the most diverse album the group had released. Unfortunately, record sales proved otherwise, and Israel and Mackie were sacked to make room for the return of H.R. and Earl.
With the original band back together for the first time in 5 years, an old fan from the band's punk days, Madonna, signed the Brains to her very own Maverick Records for the 1995 release God of Love. Filled with more reggae than ever before, the album, despite lots of press and major promotion, failed to widen the band's audience.
At a show in Lawrence, Kansas in 1995, H.R. allegedly high on mushrooms, bashed a mic stand against the skull of a fan (some say a skinhead who was taunting him). Earlier that year, again allegedly high H.R. attacked the group's manager and brother Earl before a show in Montreal with the Beastie Boys. Bad Brains broke up after the tour.
Four years later in 1999, the original lineup, due to legal issues, toured under the name Soul Brains. A live album, A Bad Brains Reunion Live From Maritime Hall was released in 2000. Unfortunately, the band hasn't toured since.
In 2003, however, the band, now able to use the name Bad Brains, released an album made up of 100% dub and reggae entitled I and I Survived, something many fans had been pushing for for years. The band hasn't toured since 2000, and is considered to be split yet again.
Legacy
Henry Rollins--one of H.R.'s temporary replacements as vocalist--considered Bad Brains among the most important rock bands, and Dave Grohl stated they were the "greatest live band ever".
Bad Brains are among the first Hardcore bands.
Other bands like 311, No Doubt, and Rage Against the Machine have stated Bad Brains as significant influences to their style and have covered Bad Brains songs.
Both the Beastie Boys and Minor Threat opened for Bad Brains early in their careers and credit the band for helping inspire them early on.
Moby covers their song Sailin' On for the (1999, Century Media) tribute album to the band.
Sample
Current Members
Unfortunately, it seems as if Bad Brains are no more
Original Members
- H.R. - vocals (1978-1990, 1995 - ?)
- Dr. Know - guitar (1978 - ?)
- Daryl Jenifer - bass (1978 - ?)
- Earl Hudson - drums (1978-1990, 1995 - ?)
Other Members
- Chuck Mosely - vocals (1990)
- Israel Joseph I - vocals (1993-1994)
- Mackie Jayson - drums (1993-1994)
Discography
- Black Dots (1978)
- The Omega Sessions (1980)
- Bad Brains (1982, ROIR Records)
- Rock for Light (1983, Caroline Records)
- I Against I (1986, SST Records)
- (1987, Caroline Records)
- Live (1988, SST Records)
- Quickness (1989, Caroline Records)
- Rise (1993, Epic Records)
- God of Love (1995, Maverick Records)
- A Bad Brains Reunion Live From Maritime Hall (1999, SST Records)
- I and I Survived (2003, DC Records)
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