Bad Brains: RFI/D

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A while back, I was reading this book on the heyday of hardcore (BASTARDS! IN LOVE!), and, of course, the Bad Brains are mentioned. They're villified, actually - too many stories about their Jah-fueled bigotry. They're also revered - jazz-fusion freaks sticking an ass in the leather-clad booty of urban rage.

So, where should I go? What should I do? Stick w/ the speed-for-speed's-sake stuff, or get them on the flip side with the ganja & the natty dread?

― David Raposa, Monday, 7 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, they're definitely a wildcard... such an interesting, colorful band in a pretty austere genre, but completely reactionary in so many ways. But I think HR's karma is catching up: after 20 years of being completely stoned, he can now barely string a semi-retarded sentence together. But at one time, there was nobody better, up through "I Against I". "Rock For Light" is my favorite, though, produced by none other than Ric Ocasek. A ferocious band in their prime.

― Andy, Monday, 7 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

_I Against I_ is the only Bad Brains album I ever owned. My brother had the others. "Re-Ignition" is one of my favorite songs of all time (and is actually the song that made me realize that heavy guitars don't automatically ruin a song).

― Dan Perry, Monday, 7 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

The original single version of "Pay to Cum" is the single most frenetic piece of music I've ever heard. There are other bands who play faster, but none who achieve that sort of uncontainable speed WHILE maintaining such powerful rhythmic traction as the BBs do on that track. It's well worth seeking out and paying too much money for a copy in the bargain. For that single alone they are forgiven all sins. Rock for Light and I Against I are pretty good too.

― lee g, Monday, 7 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

The "Black Spot" thing that came out on Caroline around '95 is pretty great, too - it's a practice tape, and it sounds like one, but the palpable, furious passion that set Bad Brains apart is abundantly in evidence there. "Rock for Light," of course; what a fine song "F.V.K." is.

― John Darnielle, Monday, 7 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

ROCK FOR LIGHT i still play at least once a week. HR is pretty damn coherant and still can sing his ass off. I just talked to him last week

― chiznaki, Monday, 7 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

check out "sailin' on" also ... about as 'inspirational' as a bad brains song is likely to get.

― fields of salmon, Wednesday, 9 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

3 years pass...

There seems to be no Bad Brains specific thread so I just figured I'd chime in here to say that

Bad Brains sound better then ever today!

I haven't listened to them at all in probably more than 10 years. I recently found an old copy of I Against I with Jane's Addiction's s/t on the other side (that's pretty good too) and I can't stop playing it. I had to go and buy used copies today of I against I and Quickness. I couldn't find Rock For Light.

I have been missing out all these years.

― Lemonade Salesman (Eleventy-Twelve), Monday, 18 April 2005 01:53 (8 years ago) Permalink

OKay, I'm pissed now. I just discovered via Amazon that they fucked up the remaster of Rock For Light by speeding up/shifting the pitch up and by rearranging the song order and adding bonus tracks to make up for it. Now it is way too fast and HR sounds like a chipmunk, songs in the wrong key a half-step up.

― Lemonade Salesman (Eleventy-Twelve), Monday, 18 April 2005 04:31 (8 years ago) Permalink

Everyone everyone just get the yellow cover s/t ROIR reissue, superb as fuck, "Pay to Cum", "Sailin' On", etc etc, it even covers a bit of the early dub/reggae stuff.

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Monday, 18 April 2005 04:38 (8 years ago) Permalink

Oh and btw given that he's in the past been given to wandering DC claiming to be Jesus HR's ofttimes yucky pronouncements might be more to do w/his being unstable than straightforwardly reactionary

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Monday, 18 April 2005 04:39 (8 years ago) Permalink

S/t, "rock for light" and "i against i" are all fuckin classic. The rock for light reissue also includes a bunch of the songs (different versions?) from the s/t on ROIR, as I understand it.

― Ian John50n (orion), Monday, 18 April 2005 04:56 (8 years ago) Permalink

But the Rock For Light reissue is all fucked up with sped up pitch remastering technique. I downloaded and compared a few tracks just now. BIG difference. Horrendous remastering job.

― Lemonade Salesman (Eleventy-Twelve), Monday, 18 April 2005 05:20 (8 years ago) Permalink

Another vote for the ROIR recordings. Peel played this early 80's, I bought the tape and played it whenever I needed a blast of pure energy for years. Nothing like it around at the time, little to touch it since.

― Soukesian, Monday, 18 April 2005 06:55 (8 years ago) Permalink

Are these ROIR recordings the remasters? If you're talking about the remasters of Rock for Light, then definitely DON'T GET THEM! We're talking 4-5 seconds shaved off most songs because it is so sped up. The guitar is totally shitty and thin and HR really sounds like a chipmunk. Nowhere NEAR what Bad Brains is supposed to sound like. These classic ripping songs were utterly gutted of their dignity. CD buyers will have a warped concept of how great this band really was.

― Rocker For Light (on a Bad Brains kick) (Eleventy-Twelve), Monday, 18 April 2005 14:00 (8 years ago) Permalink

Nope, they're completely different recordings made for a tape only release, which predates Rock For Light. Not as produced, but decent quality and a raw round which I prefer.

A lot of us limeys heard essential early US HC/Punk through the ROIR tape label releases, because these escaped the punishing import taxes which could triple the cost of an import LP at that time.

― Soukesian, Monday, 18 April 2005 14:05 (8 years ago) Permalink

Ooooh nice! And the original is still available NOT remastered-- ROIR sessions it is then! I wish all the Rock For Light songs were included, but at least most of them are.

― Rocker For Light (on a Bad Brains kick) (Eleventy-Twelve), Monday, 18 April 2005 14:08 (8 years ago) Permalink

The ROIR recs are pre 'Rock for Light' by a fair bit, I think, not selfproduced PER SE but pretty close. Has diff songs (mostly, about 6 of the best tracks are on RFL), too! xpsot

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Monday, 18 April 2005 14:09 (8 years ago) Permalink

Funny this thread got bumped today as I was just reading this thread yesterday (on my own Brains kick). I'll second the bumper about them sounding better than ever right now. 'Black Dots' is still prob. my favorite release, but everything they did in the early years has aged so well. What an utterly classic band.

― jared, Monday, 18 April 2005 14:40 (8 years ago) Permalink

Black Dots you say? OK then, I'll buy it. I was looking at it yesterday. I read that Rise is pretty good, too, even without HR, but the one on Madonna's Maverick records is supposedly not good?

― Rocker For Light (on a Bad Brains kick) (Eleventy-Twelve), Monday, 18 April 2005 15:28 (8 years ago) Permalink

black dots is probably their best record, just for how raw it is. bad brains also, for whatever reason, seem to bring out the best (read that however you want) in writers (thinking here of greg tate, obv, but even sfj's entry on them in the RS album guide, and of course chuck's immortal "pay to cum as the buzzcocks produced by chic.")

― strng hlkngtn, Monday, 18 April 2005 15:33 (8 years ago) Permalink

NO, the S/T is the BEST, THE END

― Schwip Schwap (schwip schwap), Monday, 18 April 2005 15:37 (8 years ago) Permalink

I'm partial to I Against I, myself. Avoid God of Love (their lone album on Madonna's Maverick label) like the Sars virus.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 18 April 2005 15:39 (8 years ago) Permalink

Just to clarify:

The first "full-length" (we're talkin' hardcore here, people) Bad Brains recording is "the yellow tape," issued on ROIR in 1981 or 1982. It's now available on CD with its original cover art of a lightning bold striking the US Capitol dome. (I used to have a denim jacket with that painted on the back in high school. Moving on...) These same songs were also available on CD for awhile in the late 80s under the title Attitude: The ROIR Sessions. The second full-length Bad Brains disc is Rock For Light which contains re-recorded versions of some "yellow tape" songs and a bunch of other stuff, including the best reggae songs they ever did, "Rally Round Jah Throne" and "I And I Survive" and "The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth." The original mix, as released on PVC Records, was available for awhile on CD, so scour those used bins, because, as has been mentioned, the late-90s Caroline reissue sucks sucks SUCKS.

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Monday, 18 April 2005 15:41 (8 years ago) Permalink

Oh "Black Dots" is great too, I still like the yellow rec better but yeah

― Schwip Schwap (schwip schwap), Monday, 18 April 2005 15:44 (8 years ago) Permalink

I really like I Against I, too. It's kind of the perfect middle ground. But, there is no denying the earlier Brains really ripping shit up is equally awesome. Both Rock For Light and I Against I get a 10/10 from me and Quickness an 8.5 or 9.

― Rocker For Light (on a Bad Brains kick) (Eleventy-Twelve), Monday, 18 April 2005 15:52 (8 years ago) Permalink

ok, i finally undertand. i love black dots, so i picked up rock for light because it was supposed to be their best. and of course i was bewildered that anyone could like such a shitty sounding record. but as i type this i'm ripping the tracks, and i'm going to pitch shift them down a half step like that amazon review suggests.

― Matt B. (Matt B.), Monday, 18 April 2005 16:04 (8 years ago) Permalink

hey, dudes, does my ass look fat?

― hstencll, Monday, 18 April 2005 16:07 (8 years ago) Permalink

Matt B. , just go on a filesharing program and search "Rock For Light 1983" or just "Rock For Light" and look at the file description. Someone has put it online in its proper form.

― Rocker For Light (on a Bad Brains kick) (Eleventy-Twelve), Monday, 18 April 2005 16:24 (8 years ago) Permalink

... because besides the pitch shifting, they just royally fucked up the mix, too!

― Rocker For Light (on a Bad Brains kick) (Eleventy-Twelve), Monday, 18 April 2005 16:29 (8 years ago) Permalink

well, right now i'm just glad that i can stand listening to it.

― Matt B. (Matt B.), Monday, 18 April 2005 17:01 (8 years ago) Permalink

What audio program do you use to pitch shift? Would the old SoundEdit work?

― Rocker For Light (on a Bad Brains kick) (Eleventy-Twelve), Monday, 18 April 2005 17:23 (8 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

So I've heard good things about the new Bad Brains album. Has anyone heard it?

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Friday, 11 May 2007 00:08 (6 years ago) Permalink

i heard one song and it was pretty good

― am0n, Friday, 11 May 2007 00:46 (6 years ago) Permalink

It's not mindblowing or even close to the first two, but it's better than a lot of peeps are probably expecting

― DJ Mencap, Friday, 11 May 2007 09:05 (6 years ago) Permalink

(first two = ROIR and Rock For Light, to clarify)

― DJ Mencap, Friday, 11 May 2007 09:06 (6 years ago) Permalink

NO, the S/T is the BEST, THE END

-- Schwip Schwap (schwip schwap), Monday, April 18, 2005 10:37 AM (2 years ago)

OTM

― latebloomer, Friday, 11 May 2007 09:59 (6 years ago) Permalink

I still haven't heard the "real" version of Rock For Light. I was so disappointed when I bought the Caroline CD. I already had the ROIR CD which of course is fucking great, but the Caroline CD sounds so thin and shitty, just doesn't compare.

― Colonel Poo, Friday, 11 May 2007 11:17 (6 years ago) Permalink

the new album is lots of fun. lots of their reggae stuff on there too.

― stevie, Friday, 11 May 2007 12:41 (6 years ago) Permalink

is there a "real" version of rock for light?

the new song i heard sounded like "i against i"-era but a little rawer (roir)

― am0n, Friday, 11 May 2007 14:18 (6 years ago) Permalink

See upthread - the Caroline reissue is sped up and remixed and sounds like complete shit. If it was the first thing you heard you probably wouldn't understand what the fuss was about.

― Colonel Poo, Friday, 11 May 2007 14:20 (6 years ago) Permalink

1st album I heard was I Against I. I think I have the Caroline version of Rock For Light cd.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Friday, 11 May 2007 15:09 (6 years ago) Permalink

Listening to Build A Nation (the new one) now. Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys (who produced it) gave a few interviews talking about how he wanted to return them to their old-school hardcore sound, and he pretty much succeeded: the cymbals are an oversaturated hiss, the rest of the band is frequently a fuzzy blur, and yeah, they're back to riffing at 1000 mph a lot of the time—though they get off to a kinda herky-jerky start on opening cut "Give Thanks And Praises," by the time they reach the 56-second third track, "Pure Love," they're rippin' it up like it's 1982 all over again. There are four reggae tracks, and they're not awful, but two in a row in the album's second half is a bit much. Anyway, a better comeback than I expected.

― unperson, Friday, 11 May 2007 20:13 (6 years ago) Permalink

I dug mine out, and Attitude: The ROIR Sessions sounds like it was recorded on a Fisher Price recorder. My Line edition of Rock For Light sounds pretty loud and clear, better than I Against I, which was an unusually slick production for SST at the time. Ultimately, however, I don't think BB ever managed to get it right on tape.

― Fastnbulbous, Friday, 11 May 2007 21:35 (6 years ago) Permalink

glad to hear the new one is better than expected.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Friday, 11 May 2007 21:40 (6 years ago) Permalink

NO, the S/T is the BEST, THE END

-- Schwip Schwap (schwip schwap), Monday, April 18, 2005 10:37 AM (2 years ago)

OTM

-- latebloomer, Friday, May 11, 2007 2:59 AM (15 hours ago)

lol. such bullshit.

― chaki, Saturday, 12 May 2007 01:19 (6 years ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

No, man. But uhm got the orig "Rock for Light" today and it's so great I just gotta revive

― President Evil, Thursday, 31 May 2007 11:07 (5 years ago) Permalink

In fact when this version of "Right Brogade" kicked in I actually yelled "OH YEAH!!!!". I am on my own. I'm putting off going out for this rec. No higher praise can actually be afforded a rock record. Give me a week and I may have to change my position pretty squarely.

― President Evil, Thursday, 31 May 2007 11:09 (5 years ago) Permalink

roffle @ people criticizing production jobs on late 70s/early 80s hardcore records.

black dots is pretty tight, I thought it was just some cash-in shit but I love the raw, upfront sound. 4 guys in a room kicking ass.

― Edward III, Thursday, 31 May 2007 13:58 (5 years ago) Permalink

3 weeks pass...

the black dots version of "pay to cum" is my favorite version of that song

― latebloomer, Tuesday, 26 June 2007 03:11 (5 years ago) Permalink

4 months pass...

INCREDIBLE

http://www.spinner.com/2006/09/26/exclusive-watch-bad-brains-live-at-cbgb-1982-dvd/

― Michael B, Sunday, 18 November 2007 13:48 (5 years ago) Permalink

wau wau wow

― jhøshea, Sunday, 18 November 2007 14:08 (5 years ago) Permalink

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

― jhøshea, Sunday, 18 November 2007 14:08 (5 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

So MTV this week in between commercials and early morning videos (between around 6 and 8 a.m. est) is showing footage of current Bad Braisn jamming and such. I think I recognize Dr. Know and Daryl Jennifer, but am not sure about the rest. Is that HR? They do not sound like the Bad Brains I saw back in the 79 to 85 era...

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 6 February 2008 12:32 (5 years ago) Permalink

HR is still in the band but by all accounts his contribution to live performances now is reminiscent of Weekend At Bernie's

― DJ Mencap, Wednesday, 6 February 2008 13:00 (5 years ago) Permalink

The utter shock of seeing them with regularity on MTV was completely erased for me by the noodling nature of the clips. I would think that anyone who has only heard about how great the Bad Brains are would see those clips and wonder what the big deal is.

― Standing In The Shadows Of Bob, Wednesday, 6 February 2008 15:11 (5 years ago) Permalink

Exactly right.

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 6 February 2008 19:15 (5 years ago) Permalink

are these clips online?

― chaki, Wednesday, 6 February 2008 19:49 (5 years ago) Permalink

http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2008/02/04/artist-of-the-week-bad-brains/

LOL

― chaki, Friday, 8 February 2008 02:13 (5 years ago) Permalink

RFID?

― libcrypt, Friday, 8 February 2008 05:32 (5 years ago) Permalink

that first clip kinda sounds like Stain-era Living Colour

― Hurting 2, Friday, 8 February 2008 05:41 (5 years ago) Permalink

4 months pass...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugHJ_a8ydUY
Bad Brains - Paranoid

― Herman G. Neuname, Wednesday, 25 June 2008 22:27 (4 years ago) Permalink

4 months pass...

now ever since '79 h.r.'s been poppin' his collar, poppin' poppin' his collar

― eman, Saturday, 15 November 2008 00:15 (4 years ago) Permalink

check the backflip at the end

― eman, Saturday, 15 November 2008 00:17 (4 years ago) Permalink

Fucking incredible. What a band. True innovators. One day, they'll be respected like the Stooges are now.

― Soukesian, Saturday, 15 November 2008 00:23 (4 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

I've had Bad Brains forever but have never heard Rock For Light. Does anyone prefer RFL to the original and why?

― Whiney G. Weingarten, Thursday, 12 February 2009 22:45 (4 years ago) Permalink

rock for light is longer and has more great songs (including alot of which are on s/t) but has worse production than s/t and does have some shit songs. you can't really go wrong though, seeing as s/t is the single greatest fucking punk album ever.

― samosa gibreel, Thursday, 12 February 2009 23:50 (4 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

My Bad Brains interview in Spin, 1987:

http://books.google.com/books?id=komIU8HDrboC&pg=PA83&dq=bad+brains+chuck+eddy&rview=1&cd=1#v=onepage&q=bad%20brains%20chuck%20eddy&f=false

― xhuxk, Saturday, 6 March 2010 16:16 (3 years ago) Permalink

8 months pass...

the new darryl jennifer album sounds kinda incredible to me

― honkin' on joey kramer (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Friday, 12 November 2010 09:34 (2 years ago) Permalink

Wow, did not know there was one.

― curmudgeon, Saturday, 13 November 2010 21:42 (2 years ago) Permalink

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Live-Cbgb-1982-Region-NTSC/dp/B000GI3RKQ

Just buy this and see why they were so, so, very excellent

― Fer Jessie the Drunk Dutch Mountain Ark (Mobbed Up Ping Pong Psychos), Saturday, 13 November 2010 23:10 (2 years ago) Permalink

that is some valuable advice for people unaware that bad brains are so so very excellent

― haute couture wolf gang frill them all (samosa gibreel), Saturday, 13 November 2010 23:16 (2 years ago) Permalink

listening to black judas: kinda lol but yeah, good

― haute couture wolf gang frill them all (samosa gibreel), Saturday, 13 November 2010 23:18 (2 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

this clip is gr8.. outside stage, chevrolet banner, fist-pumping 80s crowdgoers

― am0n, Monday, 7 February 2011 21:23 (2 years ago) Permalink

Was just going to mention the '87 Florida set, odd that it appeared today. Great great set, band's on fire.

Hitched the '89 UK tour. Was fun. Gabba of Chaos Uk wound up getting a lift from somewhere near Bristol to the top of the M5 in a truck with a racist driver. Bumped into him as he got out of the cab at hitching point.

Trying to think what the name of the Best of cd which seems to have pretty decent sound is. What's on my walkman comes from there, think it includes Rock For Light stuff.

― Stevolende, Monday, 7 February 2011 22:41 (2 years ago) Permalink

I have listened to thousands of bands in my life. When people ask me what my favorite band is, I say that I have heard so much music I cannot really narrow down a list to one single favorite. However, if you held a gun to my head, the first thing out of my mouth would be the Bad Brains and I'd be okay with that.

I often said that the ROIR tape was the best hardcore album ever but "I Against I" was the best album ever. A little hyperbole, but not that much now that I think about it.

Those videos are great! The old one, the one from '87, just amazing!

I got to see the original lineup of the band a few times. The last was in Cleveland in 2002 I think, a reunion tour that had as support a new band featuring the original Faith No More Singer (he was a chef in Cleveland by then!) and HR spent the whole show in a rocking chair on the stage. Very bizarre but unsurprisingly so.

In the article in Spin that xhuxk posted above (some time ago), the photo they used is the one from the inside of the 'I Against I' vinyl. The skinheaded dude right under the drum kit is Raybeez from Warzone. He was doing security at that early show.

Many years later, he and I became friendly in New York and he did security for all the shows at The Ritz and Roseland. I caught the Bad Brains at the latter venue and he was up front. I went up to him and said "Man, it's like that photo" and he smiled, knowing what I was talking about, and said he wouldn't rather be anywhere but right there.

Unbelievably amazing band and a big part of my life.

― NYCNative, Monday, 7 February 2011 23:06 (2 years ago) Permalink

Am I correct for feeling physically ill and actually offended that Bad Brains are *supporting* something called Slightly Stoopid:

http://www.greektheatrela.com/events/event_details.asp?id=1986

― NYCNative, Monday, 14 February 2011 21:19 (2 years ago) Permalink

ugh i fucking hate that band

― HOOS the master?? STEEN NUFF (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Monday, 14 February 2011 21:28 (2 years ago) Permalink

Slightly Stoopid b/w Bad Brains and the Dum Dum Girls.

― dolphins cavorting in a cathedral (staggerlee), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 02:52 (2 years ago) Permalink

Jay Reatard was originally supposed to headline...

― dolphins cavorting in a cathedral (staggerlee), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 02:52 (2 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

Mary Stein (daughter of Sire Records Seymour Stein and murdered NY realtor/former Ramonees manager Linda Stein) just premiered a Bad Brains documentary at SXSW. Has anyone seen it yet?

There are also 2 DC filmmakers working on 80s DC HarDCore punk docs now

― curmudgeon, Thursday, 22 March 2012 15:10 (1 year ago) Permalink

!!! wanna see that

― tempestuous alaskan nites! (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Thursday, 22 March 2012 15:20 (1 year ago) Permalink

Banned in Dc: Bad Brains Greatest Riffs
was the compilation I mentioned last year. Think it has been mastered at the right speed and so it seems Caroline have attempted to at least partially right their earlier wrong.
http://www.amazon.com/Banned-Dc-Brains-Greatest-Riffs/product-reviews/B00008V5TK/ref=cm_cr_dp_hist_4?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&filterBy=addFourStar

― Stevolende, Thursday, 22 March 2012 17:45 (1 year ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

Dr. Know is running for president.

http://www.libertystickers.com/product/Ron-Paul-DrKnow/

― Poliopolice, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 17:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

Ha ha.

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 17:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/42901/i-against-i-thirty-years-after-the-golden-age-of/

Long Washington City Paper cover story suggests HR may be battling with schitzophrenia

― curmudgeon, Friday, 22 June 2012 16:13 (11 months ago) Permalink

plus a review of the movie

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/film/2012/06/21/a-close-viewing-of-bad-brains-a-band-in-dc/

Both are written by Mark Andersen, who co-wrote the Dance of Days book with Mark Jenkins about the DC hardcore punk scene

― curmudgeon, Friday, 22 June 2012 16:16 (11 months ago) Permalink

The first piece is spot-on in recounting the bullshit that is a Bad Brains show in 2012. So sad.

― InternationalWaters, Sunday, 24 June 2012 14:28 (11 months ago) Permalink

Saw the movie doc "Bad Brains: A Band from DC" last night. Well-made movie with awesome footage of early years Bad Brains and coverage of the sadness that is HR circa 2012, struggling with mental health issues. HR (wearing a woman's wig) showed up for both of the 2 showings of the movie. Saturday night, Mark Anderson asked HR in the q and a portion afterwards about his health, and he insisted he was fine.

― curmudgeon, Sunday, 24 June 2012 16:17 (11 months ago) Permalink

http://dcist.com/2012/06/the_seven_best_moments_of_last_nigh.php

These 7 items and more

― curmudgeon, Sunday, 24 June 2012 16:21 (11 months ago) Permalink

http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2012-06-21/bad-brains-band-dc/transcript

Some of HR's answers on this radio interview are o0.

― curmudgeon, Sunday, 24 June 2012 17:01 (11 months ago) Permalink

Is HR's mental state really a fresh debate in 2012? I thought he's been nuts for years. Decades?

― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 24 June 2012 17:03 (11 months ago) Permalink

Like, I last saw the band in ... 1999? HR was there, but he just stood there, grinning between songs (which were otherwise solid).

― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 24 June 2012 17:08 (11 months ago) Permalink

Here's a bit from what I wrote about that show:

An eerily docile H.R. received a hero's welcome when he waltzed on stage, an unsettling grin giving way to his effective if somewhat distracted recital of the band's "Attitude." Dr. Know's blazing leads flew in and around the rhythmic knots tied by Hudson and Jenifer, while H.R. mainly stood still behind the microphone, his hands clasped in front of him as if in meditation. Hey, if that's what it takes to keep him from throwing himself at the crowd, so be it.

― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 24 June 2012 17:10 (11 months ago) Permalink

If you think the Beatles were something, if you think the Jam Band was something or the Police or even the latest overnight sensation with, you know, the Jackson Five and Mariah Carey, well let me tell you, Beyonce, she has something to listen to finally.

wise words there

― jacob von logflume (DJ Mencap), Sunday, 24 June 2012 17:17 (11 months ago) Permalink

TS: being in a band with HR vs being in a band with Mark E Smith

― jacob von logflume (DJ Mencap), Sunday, 24 June 2012 17:18 (11 months ago) Permalink

Is HR's mental state really a fresh debate in 2012? I thought he's been nuts for years. Decades?

― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, June 24, 2012

It's just that the movie doc has just been recently released. When I saw them in their 79 to early '80s heyday HR was not like this onstage

― curmudgeon, Sunday, 24 June 2012 17:30 (11 months ago) Permalink

Plus, isn't there current tour their first in a couple of years

― curmudgeon, Monday, 25 June 2012 13:39 (11 months ago) Permalink

their

― curmudgeon, Monday, 25 June 2012 13:40 (11 months ago) Permalink

I dunno. Looks like the band has played at least a few shows every year. I guess my point was that coming aboard maybe around the "I Against I" era, even then I knew H.R. was nuts. I'd heard all the stories.

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 25 June 2012 14:34 (11 months ago) Permalink

why isn't this 50 year old guy doing backflips, i want a refund

― am0n, Monday, 25 June 2012 18:01 (11 months ago) Permalink

Exactly. That is EXACTLY the nature of the complaints here. You imbecile.

― Three Word Username, Monday, 25 June 2012 18:48 (11 months ago) Permalink

If you get a chance to see the movie doc, you should-- no matter when you learned about HR's mental state. As I noted upthread, there's great archival footage and there's also interesting interviews. I think the directors only have music clearances right now to show it at film festivals.

― curmudgeon, Monday, 25 June 2012 19:35 (11 months ago) Permalink

So that it's entirely clear that this isn't about back flips:

― Three Word Username, Monday, 25 June 2012 20:48 (11 months ago) Permalink

Anyone who dons an outfit like that knows just what he's doing.

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 25 June 2012 20:50 (11 months ago) Permalink

That's what the Brains think, which is why he's been kicked out of the band so often. I am less sure.

― Three Word Username, Monday, 25 June 2012 20:58 (11 months ago) Permalink

are you mark andersen or just his knight in shining armor

― am0n, Monday, 25 June 2012 21:39 (11 months ago) Permalink

the band might wanna turn his amp off next time

― am0n, Monday, 25 June 2012 21:49 (11 months ago) Permalink

"Anyone who dons an outfit like that knows just what he's doing."

http://networkawesome.com/show/live-music-show-the-great-daryl-nathan-entertainment-show/

― Three Word Username, Tuesday, 26 June 2012 07:48 (10 months ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

lol @ H.R. in the Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2209817/Brooke-Shields-denies-woman-puffing-marijuana-pipe-leaked-Twitter-picture.html?ITO=1490

kinda less fun now the website is just an endless celebrity content farm but still

― Did communist FB take down the awesome bacon quran picture? (DJ Mencap), Friday, 28 September 2012 16:27 (7 months ago) Permalink

still awesome

― curmudgeon, Friday, 28 September 2012 16:28 (7 months ago) Permalink

Since this was revived, I will mention that I tried listening to Black Dots, as recommended on one of the 80s rocking music poll threads, but I am just not into their songs or the vocals. I'm pretty sure I must have tried some of their other albums before. It just doesn't seem worth the effort for me.

― _Rudipherous_, Friday, 28 September 2012 16:47 (7 months ago) Permalink

Are there hardcore punk bands from the early 80s that you like?

― curmudgeon, Friday, 28 September 2012 17:27 (7 months ago) Permalink

A few. It's not like something I really listen to much any more, it just came up because of the 80s poll.

― _Rudipherous_, Friday, 28 September 2012 17:36 (7 months ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

'i againsts i' could really use a remastering

― am0n, Friday, 7 December 2012 16:27 (5 months ago) Permalink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=r326c3DewuE

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 7 December 2012 16:34 (5 months ago) Permalink

the mix of the drums is lol on headphones, its like they hard-panned a thin crash cymbal to each ear

― am0n, Friday, 7 December 2012 16:36 (5 months ago) Permalink

http://citypaper.com/news/baltimore-8217-s-baddest-brain-1.1409063

― am0n, Friday, 7 December 2012 16:39 (5 months ago) Permalink

great read, hope the album's half as good as sold

― i know your nuts hurt! who's laughing? (contenderizer), Friday, 7 December 2012 17:01 (5 months ago) Permalink

― am0n, Friday, 7 December 2012 17:05 (5 months ago) Permalink

Looks like a menu from an ital retro diner.

― endless budgie (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 8 December 2012 04:50 (5 months ago) Permalink

3 weeks pass...

Looks like a menu from an ital retro diner.

― endless budgie (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Friday, December 7, 2012 11:50 PM

http://badbrains.com/merch/fire-burn-babylon/

lol

― ♨ (am0n), Thursday, 3 January 2013 20:27 (4 months ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Monday, 11 February 2013 21:50 (3 months ago) Permalink

adeline otm

― downton arby (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 11 February 2013 21:54 (3 months ago) Permalink

Oh my god, that's the cutest thing since the little girl singing along with Magma.

― Uncle Sam is... ...No Daddy! (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 12 February 2013 05:11 (3 months ago) Permalink

I still act like that when the Bad Brains come on.

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Tuesday, 12 February 2013 10:57 (3 months ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

The Big Exercise Takeover

http://twitter.com/Chris__Richards/status/326677103347105795/photo/1

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 23 April 2013 13:21 (1 month ago) Permalink

I own this shirt.

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Tuesday, 23 April 2013 13:32 (1 month ago) Permalink

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