Bad Brains: punk-hardcore, Rastafarian and black pioneers

In the panorama of American punk, the Bad Brains they occupy a special position because they are anomalous and impossible to fence off. The famous artist Obey dedicated a mural to them in New York, to underline how they are still considered seminal today for their free approach to music. Born in Washington DC in the late 1970s, initially as a jazz fusion group called Mind Powerthey then embraced punk with a fury that made them instantly recognisable. The name comes from “Bad Brain”, a song by the Ramones.

What distinguished them over time was their multiple identities: all of the original members were African-American and followers of the Rastafari philosophy, a rare trait in the punk scene of the time. Their music has thus become a bridge between the energy of hardcore punk and the rhythmic and warm colors of reggaecreating a fusion that few had dared to experiment with. The peculiarity of Bad Brains was precisely in their ability to alternate explosive punk songs with moments of reggae and dub, without interruption. It wasn’t about becoming a reggae band, but about contaminating punk with rhythmic and melodic elements typical of that universe. A crossover that also manifested itself on a visual level: imagine a band that hits hard, that rides the raw and dirty sound of punk, composed of black and Rasta musicians.

The first self-titled album of 1982 it is considered the heart of their hardcore punk universe, made entirely of speed and energy, with the first small contaminations with upbeat rhythms. For those who want to dive into their story, the advice is to revisit their third album in particular, “I Against I” from 1986, considered their most complete and mature work.. Here the sonic approach expands with funk, soul and metal influences, while maintaining the punk/reggae soul, all while showing greater musical complexity. This is an important stage in understanding the band in its entirety. Bad Brains were among the first to bring a group of black musicians into a predominantly white sceneand their presence has had a lasting impact, not without controversy. The lyrics were often violent and corrosive, they have been repeatedly accused of homophobia. They defended themselves by saying that theirs were not direct attacks on the gay community, but scathing phrases aimed at “an awakening of the community itself”. They played on that fragile ambiguity, especially at the beginning, and then, as adults, apologized and backtrack on some provocative attitudes.

Having moved to New York in the early 1980s, they often played on the legendary stage CBGBepicenter of the punk and new wave scene. Beastie Boys, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, have repeatedly cited this formation, whose last album was released in 2012, as a source of inspiration. Kurt Cobain listed “Rock for Light”, their second work, among his favorite records. As a testament to their cultural heritage, Shepard Fairey, aka Obey, created a mural dedicated to the Bad Brains on the Lower East Side of New York, right next to CBGB. Fairey he stated that he was inspired by historical photographs of the band at CBGB, defining them one of the punk/hardcore bands he loves most. Their importance lies not only in the music, but also in the message and philosophy they brought to punk.

Their fusion between hardcore and reggae, the overflowing energy of the live shows, the Rastafari spirituality, have created an interesting hybrid for several generations of musicians. They have not made “revolutions” and have not structurally changed the genres they have crossed, but they remain a magical symbol of breaking down barriers and contamination. A slap in the face to conventions and rigiditieseven those of certain “alternative” scenes that are actually little accustomed to hosting alien artists like Bad Brains.