Bad Brains - Punk's Powerhouse Pioneers

By melding punk with reggae and jazz, Bad Brains became one of the definitive American hardcore punk groups of the early '80s. Although the group released only a handful of records during its peak, they developed a dedicated following, and continued to record and tour in varying line-ups; led by guitarist Dr. Know into the late '90s, yet never managed to break out of their cult status.

Dr. Know (real name Gary Miller) formed Bad Brains (named after the Ramones track, "Bad Brain") in 1979, inspired by both the amateurish rage of the Sex Pistols and the political reggae of Bob Marley. Recognizing that were the boundaries between punk and reggae is already blurred in the UK, with bands like The Clash, The Ruts and The Specials morphing of the two genres, he started on the situation in the United States to replicate. Recruiting more like-minded musicians - vocalist Paul D Hudson (going under the pseudonym HR, apparently) stand for human rights, his drummer brother, Earl Hudson, andExplained bassist Darryl Aaron Jenifer, Dr. Know, to prove his thesis.

This diversity in their musicality, with strong influences from Bad Brains combines one of the most popular punk bands on the east coast, they were well respected among their peers, and their live performances in small clubs in their hometown of Washington DC, quickly became the stuff of legend, some of which to play to the relative novelty of an entirely African-American punk-rock band, but alsoBecause of their high energy performances. Bad Brains' emphasis on extremely high speeds - especially evident in the machine gun, Dr. Know's guitar-playing and singing HR brutal delivery - is widely regarded as establishing for the hardcore punk template.

HR was a muscular and unpredictable stage performer with a very large vocal range, often jumped into the audience or on the amplifier. In 1979, Bad Brains found themselves the subject of an unofficial ban from many places, clubs and hotels inWashington, DC, after almost a riot broke out during a show. In return, the Bad Brains recorded tongue-in-cheek "Banned in DC", and set their sights on bigger and better concerts. The band then moved to New York City, where the likes of the Ramones, Television and Patti Smith, the punk flag was set on fire.

In 2006, Bad Brains on a few shows at the legendary New York club CBGB's reunited, after the city was threatened with closure. The shows quicklysold out. With a resurgence of interest in the band, in early 2007, back to the original line-up in the studio for the first time in over a decade. Under the guidance of producer and long-Bad Brains fan Adam Yauch, aka MCA of the Beastie Boys (the Beastie Boys have chosen a right to a name with the initials BB as a tribute to the Bad Brains) and the band released 'Build A nation, "an ingenious attempt at returning to the roots of the hardcore band.