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AMG Review of "S/T": For fans of hardcore, many would agree that the holy grail of the genre is the Bad Brains' self-titled album, originally released back in 1982 as a cassette-only release on ROIR. Although it was available on CD on the now-defunct In Effect label in the late '80s (then titled Attitude: The ROIR Sessions with a different album cover), it's been remastered and re-released (on ROIR) with it's original cover, as well as an untitled bonus track added at the end. The ensuing years after its initial release haven't dulled the album's fury and rage in the least, and it's still impressive how the band can switch gears from red-hot hardcore to cool reggae dubs in the blink of an eye. All the classics are here: "Sailin' On," "Banned In D.C.," "Pay to Cum," "Right Brigade," as well as one of their strongest reggae tunes, "I Luv I Jah." The back of the album boasts a quote from the Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch, which sums up the proceedings simply, "the best punk/hardcore album of all time." - Greg PratoAbout The BAD BRAINS From AMG: By melding punk with reggae, Bad Brains became one of the definitive American hardcore punk groups of the early '80s. Although the group released only a handful of records during their peak, including the legendary cassette-only debut Bad Brains, they developed a dedicated following, many of whom would later form their own hardcore and alternative bands. As for the Bad Brains themselves, they continued to record and tour in varying lineups led by guitarist Dr. Know into the late '90s, yet never managed to break out of their cult status. Dr. Know (b. Gary Miller), a former jazz fusion guitarist, formed Bad Brains in 1979, inspired by both the amateurish rage of the Sex Pistols and the political reggae of Bob Marley. Realizing that the lines between punk and reggae were already blurred in the U.K., he set out to replicate that situation in the U.S., and he recruited several similarly minded musicians - vocalist H.R. (b. Paul D. Hudson), bassist Darryl Aaron Jenifer, and drummer Earl Hudson - to prove his point. Bad Brains quickly became one of the most popular punk bands on the East Coast, particularly in their hometown of Washington, D.C. Their live performances were legendary, but their recordings were difficult to find. Their debut single "Pay to Cum" was pressed in limited numbers, and their 1982 debut album was only issued in cassette form by ROIR. In addition to the Bad Brains tape, the group released a handful of other EPs in 1982, finally moving to PVC for 1983's full-length debut Rock for Light, which was produced by Ric Ocasek. The handful of indie recordings Bad Brains left behind, as well as their live shows, made the band legends in American hardcore, yet few potential fans could actually hear the band due to poor distribution and erratic touring. The band took three years to deliver the follow-up to Rock for Light, finally releasing I Against I on SST in 1986. In those three years, the group developed more heavy metal leanings, and the resulting record received mixed reviews. More importantly, it divided the band, with Dr. Know and Jenifer wishing to continue to pursue heavy rock, and H.R. and Hudson wanting to devote themselves reggae. Over the next three years, the latter pair frequently left the band to make reggae albums before finally departing in 1989. They were replaced by Israel Joseph-I (b. Dexter Pinto) and Mackie Jayson, respectively. In the wake of the alternative rock boom of the early '90s, Bad Brains were finally offered a major-label contract in 1993, releasing Rise on Epic later that year. The album bombed and the group was dropped. Maverick Records offered the group a contract in 1995, provided that the original lineup reunited. They did so and released God of Love that summer, to mixed reviews and poor sales. H.R. and Hudson left the band shortly after the album's release, and the band was dropped by Maverick. In 1998 the band again reunited and began touring under the name Soul Brains. - Stephen Thomas Erlewine Check out the artist's website: http://www.roir-usa.com Track List: 1. Sailin' On 2. Don't Need It 3. Attitude 4. The Regulator 5. Banned In DC 6. Jah Calling 7. Supertouch/Shitfit 8. Leaving Babylon 9. Fearless Vampire Killers 10. I 11. Big Takeover 12. Pay To Cum 13. Right Brigade 14. I Luv I Jah 15. Intro Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
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