Bad Brains

With the 2006 releases of documentary American Hardcore and a band-specific Live At CBGB 1982 DVD, punk fans were given a potent reminder of what made Bad Brains so revolutionary. The group practically invented hardcore, and grafted reggae with punk in a way that made The Clash sound clumsy by comparison. Bad Brains have had many setbacks and spells of lineup turmoil through the years, but they seem to be in decent shape on 2007’s Build A Nation, a sharp album produced by Beastie Boy Adam Yauch. While its members currently pour most of their greater creative energies into side projects—like bassist Darryl Jenifer’s genre-hopping ROIR debut In Search Of Black Judas—it’s still a thrill to see Bad Brains slam through groundbreaking tracks like “Pay To Cum.” 

Updated 04/02/2012