Bad Brains

Bad Brains are an American all-black hardcore punk band, originally formed in Washington, D.C. in 1979. They are widely regarded as being among the pioneers of hardcore punk.

Bad Brains are an American all-black hardcore punk band, originally formed in Washington, D.C. in 1979. They are widely regarded as being among the pioneers of hardcore punk.

Originally formed as a jazz fusion ensemble, the Bad Brains developed a very fast and intense punk rock sound, which was both musically complex and more extreme than most of their punk rock contemporaries. Bad Brains are one of the first American hardcore punk bands, commonly cited by many fans as the first hardcore band. They were also an adept reggae band, in a sort of Jekyll-and-Hyde arrangement, while later recordings featured elements of funk and heavy metal. Bad Brains were also notable as religious Rastafarians.