During the latter 70s, punk music began creeping up from the Bowery’s underbelly in New York City with the help of a Queens’ based band called The Ramones. The Clash and Sex Pistols bashed the establishment in England with their brand of rebel music. The music industry had opened the doors to rock’s new bad boys. And shortly after, a band called Bad Brains was forming in Washington, D.C. This band, well beyond their contemporaries, blurred the lines between genres, fusing disparate sounds unlike any other in an era inundated in experimentation. However, unlike the earlier forefathers of the genre, the Bad Brains have continued to make records and perform, going on four decades. Having never experienced a radio hit or a platinum album, they are by no means a household name. Regardless, they are something that many bands who have garnered hits could never be–iconic. If you happen to be a fan of hard underground rock, then Bad Brains are your favorite band’s favorite band. In fact, they may be your favorite Hip Hop icon’s favorite band too. The Beastie Boys apparently decided on names starting with “B” and “B” to pay homage to Bad Brains.
Leading the band is H.R., known as one of the most dynamic and unpredictable frontmen in a genre underpinned by manic leads. However, it’s the whole Bad Brain’s package that has made them iconic figures forever discoverable by lovers of rebellious music. The Rasta quartet is infamous for their high voltage hybrid of punk-hardcore-metal-reggae-spiritual music. Their tracks run the gamut of diversified sounds. They can bounce from genre to genre in a seamless fashion within one song, remaining cohesive and sonically appropriate. Bad Brains can teach artists of any genre something about longevity, creativity and the embrace of uniqueness. This is because their music is comprised of so many different genres, in many ways, similar to early Hip Hop. Like those initial artists in rap that delivered sounds that couldn’t be pigeon-holed. In that way, although some characterize Bad Brains a hardcore band, the reality is that they can jam Dance Hall grooves as well as any seasoned Reggae group. Like golden era Hip Hop, Bad Brains are the original practitioners of what we now call mash-up music.
Here I speak with legendary members of Bad Brains, Darryl Jennifer and H.R., and discuss the band’s history with manager and music industry veteran Anthony Countey. -Israel Vasquetelle
