The way I see it, there never was and probably never will be a band as totally fucking awesome as the Bad Brains were between 1979 and 1989.

In the late '70s and early '80s, the Bad Brains' releases Like Destroy Babylon, Pay to Cum, the ROIR Cassette, and, later, Rock for Light - would literally define the branch of New Wave Punk that would soon come to be known as "hardcore".

In the mid 80s, with the release of I Against I, the Bad Brains would define Post-Hardcore - a full five or six years before anyone else would even work up the nerve to try to follow their lead.

Unfortunatly, some of the personality in the band was unstable - and this lead to many miscommunications and fumbled opportunities. Gradually the band waned, though Quickness was a remarkable release, it lacked the power of their earlier efforts, and lacked the creativity of I Against I.

The Bad Brains defined what we know today as "Hardcore Punk." They were also an increadible reggae band. But what inspired me the most was that they were a bunch of Rastas. This was the first time I encountered a spiritual message in such an aggressive form of musical expression. And somehow, they blended it perfectly. The positive and uplifting anthems on Their first three LP's continue to spend more time in my CD player than any other band, even after 10 years of listening to them.

Band Members

Earl Hudson practically invented the drumming style that has pervaded every good hardcore, and nowadays even metal, band since. At least I know that everysong I have ever written has been to the beat of his drums.

Daryl Jenifer simply taught the world how the bass is to be played. His relentless, driving picking style and bold accents and chords are the subliminal messages that make the Bad Brains songs rock and roll so hard. I am in good company when I say that whenever I play the bass, I just try to immitate Daryl's playing on House of Suffering.

Dr. Know... This is the man who knew how to jam when everyone else in Hardcore was learning how to play a bar-chord. This is the guy who showed us all how to put creative guitar riffs and guitar solos into hardcore music.

HR... I cannot imagine a better singer. This man would do backflips in the middle of his wild stage performance. This is the guy who invented the word creativity. In a genre of growls and grunts, HR sang and he whinned, and shouted, and growled, and groaned, and crooned, and swooned... If you can show me a more inventive singer with more talent, you must be living on a different planet.

This is what it's all about, people. This is real music.