BAD BRAINS

[Stefan Wood]

Picked this one up today. This is one of those groups that swept everyone aside and established a new order of music. Living in DC for most of my life, these guys were and still are the gods of the local music scene, despite the craziness of HR and the loss of their band name, however they managed that?

Anyways, this is a real kick ass compilation. It has all their best known tunes, remastered (??? from vinyl, I guess Caroline no longer has master tapes?) and all. It's cloudy, humid and gloomy here at work today, and this has definitely lifted my spirits. 22 tracks, pulled from all the Caroline issued albums, including the Rock for Light lp, and their very first, with the lighning bolt striking the Capitol building. The reggae material (w/ i and I Survive, The Phrophet's Squad, I Lov I Jah, etc) are at the end of the disc. Almost 80 minutes, which might fry some people's minds. And a video!

Edited August 1, 2003 by Stefan Wood

[Joe G]

This was one of my favorite bands at the end of the 80's. I against I is a classic. I saw them at St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit with that lineup around '90 or so. I can't remember the name of the album they were touring in support of... the first tune was called Soul Craft, I think. Anyway, great show. Very invigorating. Re-ignition indeed!

[J Larsen]

I loved the Bad Brains. I think I still have all the original records, including the first 7". I'm not a punk/hardcore fan in general by any means, but there was something special about that band.