Bad Brains — 'The House' and DC Hardcore, Washington DC

Bad Brains — H.R. (Paul Hudson), Dr. Know (Gary Miller), Darryl Jenifer, and Earl Hudson — formed in Washington, DC in 1977 and became the most explosive live band in the history of hardcore punk. Originally a jazz fusion group called Mind Power, they converted to punk after hearing the Ramones and the Sex Pistols, and their combination of ferocious hardcore speed with reggae rhythms and Rastafarian spirituality was unlike anything else in American music. Their self-titled debut cassette, recorded in 1982, is considered one of the foundational documents of hardcore, and their live shows were legendary for their intensity.

Bad Brains were a Black band in a predominantly white punk scene, and their experience of both racial barriers and musical innovation gave their music a unique power. The Beastie Boys, Living Colour, Fishbone, and Henry Rollins have all cited Bad Brains as a primary influence. Their song 'Pay to Cum' — approximately 90 seconds of pure velocity — is regarded as one of the greatest hardcore songs ever recorded. The band's relationship with the DC scene was complicated by their Rastafarian beliefs and personal conflicts, but their influence on American punk, hardcore, and alternative music is incalculable.

Bad Brains' DC was the same scene that produced Minor Threat, Fugazi, and the Dischord Records community, though they operated somewhat independently. The band performed at venues throughout the district, including the 9:30 Club and various house shows. Their story is inseparable from the broader history of DC hardcore, one of the most important movements in American music.