The brand new issue of Metal Hammer features a look at the history of legendary US punk band Bad Brains, whose mash-up of hardcore and reggae made them an inspiration for countless bands who followed. We asked Killswitch Engage frontman and Bad Brains uber-fan Jesse Leach to pick his favourite BB songs as a primer for anyone wanting to get into them.
Pay To Cum (Bad Brains, 1982)
“The sheer energy and speed of Pay To Cum, man! Even the title, as a teenage kid you see that and you’re like, ‘What the fuck is this all about?’ It’s pure, classic Bad Brains.”
Attitude (Bad Brains, 1982)
“Attitude has been an anthem throughout my life. I got it tattooed on my leg, because it became almost a mantra whenever I hit hard times. It became almost a spiritual calling.”
Banned In D.C. (Bad Brains, 1982)
“Banned In D.C. is probably Bad Brains’ most iconic song. It’s this idea of these guys being misfits, but they didn’t care and that they were ‘banned in D.C.’ – that was punk, dude! For a pissed-off, disillusioned teenager that hated the government, that was the moment I found my tribe.”
I Luv I Jah (Bad Brains, 1982)
“I Love I Jah was probably the first time I heard reggae music from a hardcore band and it worked. Bad Brains led me into figuring out why they liked reggae, which in turn made me fall in love with Bob Marley and reggae music.”
Sacred Love (I Against I, 1986)
“Sacred Love is probably most famous for being the song where H.R. provided his vocals from a telephone in prison [the singer had been arrested for marijuana possession]. But it’s also a very different kind of love song, it’s not sappy, it’s kind of badass!”
She’s Calling You (I Against I, 1986)
“On I Against I Bad Brains even played with kinda disco vibes! It didn’t matter about genre, they were just creating songs that were memorable. The vibe is kinda magical and there’s nothing like it.”
The brand new issue of Metal Hammer is on sale now. Order it online and have it delivered straight to your door.
House Of Suffering (I Against I, 1986)
“Just from its name, you know House Of Suffering is gonna be great. They blend so many different styles into I Against I, but it also ends up feeling like their most focused record. House Of Suffering shows that off whilst still being pure, classic Bad Brains.”
Soul Craft (Quickness, 1989)
“Soul Craft creates a groove that countless bands – including Killswitch – have ripped off over the years since. You look at My Last Serenade, the riffage of that song is directly ripped off of a Bad Brains idea of how you play a riff, pause, and the groove keeps happening.”
Overs The Water (God Of Love, 1995)
“God Of Love as a whole feels discombobulated and odd. But Overs The Water is great, man. The rhythm of it and how they approach the reggae sound is really cool.”
Jah Love (I & I Survived (Dub), 2002)
“One of my favourite Bad Brains songs of all time is Jah Love, off I & I Survived (Dub). It’s a remix of all their stuff, and that record I could put on repeat all day.”
