Emily: I first heard of Bad Brains a few years back while watching Sonic Highways, the Foo Fighters' documentary series. In each episode, Dave Grohl & Co. visited a different American city and explored their musical traditions, culminating in the recording of a song influenced by the city's history and music. One episode brought them to Washington, D.C., Dave Grohl's hometown (well, home metro area, as Grohl is from northern Virginia) and where Zack and I currently live. Bad Brains was one of the most influential bands coming out of the D.C. hardcore punk scene (interestingly labeled as harDCore), and Grohl interviewed a few of the band's members about the culture of basement shows and DIY aesthetics. The resulting track, The Feast and the Famine, incorporates one of Bad Brains' driving credos, P.M.A., meaning Positive Mental Attitude. Though I hadn't listened to Bad Brains until today, save for the few clips in Sonic Highways, P.M.A. seems to fit with how the band fits into hardcore punk as a whole. I Against I isn't just loud guitars and unintelligible scream-sung lyrics, as much of this genre tends to be. Instead, the music has clear influences from reggae and go-go, a jazz-funk genre that originated in the black community in D.C., both of which are more melodic, upbeat, and positive than Bad Brains' punk brethren. The combination of punk and reggae is unique and exciting, and it made me hope that Bad Brains will bring their P.M.A. to a hometown show sooner rather than later.
Favorite Tracks: House of Suffering; Sacred Love; Re-Ignition
Zack: The other day, I was at a bar with some friends for cocktails and the place was playing almost exclusively '80s punk music. Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, etc. One of the people in the crew, whom I do not know very well, is apparently a big punk fan since he not only recognized every song but also knew the lyrics, which I was pretty sure up to that moment were all indecipherable and random chanting. We got to talking about it and I mentioned, as I have several times on here, that hardcore punk is not my favorite. He admitted it’s not for everyone and then we moved on. I kind of wished me had given me some recommendations now, because I really enjoyed I Against I. It kept the overall loudness of many of the band’s contemporaries, but infused more rhythm. The songs just sounded…better. If there’s anything from this era that’s more like Bad Brains, I should really make it a priority to check it out.
Favorite Tracks: Re-Ignition; I Against I; Return to Heaven
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