There's no denying the Bad Brains. Time and again they've been uprooted, and on numerous occasions they've disappeared for years. Their singer, HR has even been in jail for assault. But give them enough time and they'll always bounce back.
That's because the Bad Brains are doing what they were meant to do and they're doing it for the right reasons. They've never had a platinum album, their music isn't on Nike commercials or played in baseball stadiums, yet they remain one of the most gifted and influential bands in rock music. Henry Rollins, System of a Down, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine and P.O.D. were all influenced by the music of the Brains, be it their old-school hardcore, in-your-face punk, acrobatic metal or cannabis-saturated reggae.
The band's latest album, Build a Nation, is as old-school as it gets -- a blazing punk manifesto reminiscent of the group's first two classic recordings, 1982's self titled ROIR cassette and 1983's Rock For Light. And while it'll never go gold or platinum, it exemplifies the purity and talent of one of rock's most visionary bands.
Headbangers Blog recently got bassist Darryl Jenifer and guitarist Dr. Know in front of the camera to talk about remaining progressive, working with different producers and the tools needed to truly build a nation.
Read more about the band on MTV's Artist of the Week feature here, then check out our exclusive interview clips. And come back tomorrow for more Bad Brains wisdom:
Darryl Jenifer talks about staying progressive:
Jenifer discusses the differences between working with producers Ron St. Germain, Ric Ocasek and Adam Yauch:
Dr. Know addresses following your calling and how HR almost didn't make it onto 1989's Quickness:
Comments