In 1989 I heard the Bad Brains for the first time after seeing the video for the song "Soul Craft." I was intrigued by the song's unusual sounding style and the fact that it seemed like the singer threw off his, uh, "rasta hat" like 50 million times throughout the video. Looking back now, this only occurs twice and more than likely I liked this video because of HR and Dr. Know's striped button up shirts. ANYWAY, I liked it and when the 1991 Caroline reissue of "Rock for Light" came out, I added that to my collection, which already contained "Quickness," the album the aforementioned Soul Craft appeared on.
Another Bad Brains milestone in my teenage life took place in 1991. The Bad Brains were going to play a show in August with Zero Tolerance (Gasp!)at the "New Pink Flamingo" on Main St in Buffalo. I don't remember if it was coincidence or by design that I wore my "Introduce Yourself" shirt by Faith No More to the show but, I know that Chuck Mosely, who was in FNM for their first two (and my favorite) albums sang for the Brains on that tour.
At some point during the show, I was approached by a drunken Chuck Mosely, who hugged me and told me, "Every little bit helps." With FNM's commercial success just starting I wonder if it burned him the band he was thrown out of was doing so well? I don't know if it would concern me too much if I was singing "I against I" with Dr. Know's blazing fret work behind me, but I'm not Chuck Mosely, so I'll never know. Also, this was the show where I bought ZT's "Fuel The Fire" cassette ep. I passed on a Bad Brains tour shirt because they all had marijuana depicted on them. Aside from the "funk metal" opener Lucy Brown, the show was one that I wished I could see every night.
In 1993, the Brains released "Rise" and toured with yet another singer, Israel Joseph I. I didn't like the record and I thought the show was kind of lame. I mean, a band I regard to this day as terrible, Prong, as well as what I viewed as local light-weight amateurs No Joke both opened, what a let down. Hearing Rise for the first time in literal years it's not as bad as I remember but compared to what's going on with music nowadays, even some Prong might sit well with me.
Fast forward a few more years and the re-united "Soul Brains" were playing shows. Apparently the band wanted to drop the negative connotations associated with the term "bad" and get on some weird Jah vibe. What they should have done is dropped their association with singer HR, because it was one of the lamest and bizarre performances I have ever witnessed by a band. The rhythm section is raging and HR is in outer fucking space talking the lyrics to songs. Give me back Chuck Mosley! FUCK, I'll take Israel Joseph I even... ANYTHING but HR. I can't describe properly the disappointment. It was like watching some weird challenging performance art. I longed for something better from the Bad Brains and thankfully they were up for something different down the line too.
In February 2006, the Bad Brains played two shows at CBGB's with John Joseph Bloodclott from the Cro-Mags singing. Leeway opened. It was a great fucking show, even though I rolled my ankle during "Right Brigade." My friend John referred to the musical moment in which my ankle suffered as a "dangerous part." My friends, I can attest that it truly is, as my ankle swelled to a proportion previously unknown to me.
So I feel like I've gotten my money's worth 1/2 of the time I've seen the brains. the other half, I felt a little cheated. But that's how it goes when something with our favorite band's keeps on changing in unexpectedly weird ways. The Bad Brains were innovative and inspiring at one time, but now it's been long gone, lost to mental illness and age. I'm glad I got to experience what I did and the 14 year old Jeremy thanks Mackie, J.J. Bloodcott and Chuck for giving me something HR just can't anymore... Passion.
