Metal Bulletin Zine: rewind: Bad Brains

In the early 80s they were known for their particularly raucous performances in terms of sheer speed and their wild mixture of very fast rock and roll, the kind that many New York punks welcomed with open arms, and of the infusion of reggae. As time went on Bad Brains expanded their music even more, while exploring heavier sounds, like on their album Quickness. The band has had its fair share of personnel issues and other problems, and they are still active today, but for more open-minded music listeners who like old fast sounds and experimentation with genres, Bad Brains will remain as one of the most noticeable 80s bands from the United States. Check out the live performance below from the early days. Below you will also find some of their studio recordings, just for evidence and information. The band's supporters, as expected, disagree vehemently about what are the band's best albums, so it's no use trying to open that can of worms here.

"Bad Brains are an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members have objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of other genres like funk, heavy metal, hip hop and soul. Bad Brains are followers of the Rastafari movement.

Originally formed as a jazz fusion ensemble under the name Mind Power, Bad Brains developed a very fast and intense punk rock sound which came to be labeled "hardcore", and was often played faster and more emphatically than the music of many of their peers. The unique factor of the band's music was the fact that they played more complex rhythms than other hardcore punk bands, also adapting non-punk style guitar riffs and solos into their songs.

Bad Brains have released nine studio albums (one of which is entirely composed of instrumental versions of their early material). The band broke up and reformed several times over the years, sometimes with different singers or drummers. Since 1994, the "classic" lineup of singer H.R. (Human Rights), guitarist Dr. Know, bassist Darryl Jenifer, and drummer Earl Hudson (H.R.'s younger brother) has reunited, albeit performing sporadically." [Wikipedia]

Bad Brains - Live at the CBGB's 1982 (Full Concert)