Back in Washington D.C. in 1977, four black guys formed a jazz/funk outfit called Mind Power. "All the while we was jazz, we wanted to innovate," HR says. "We wanted to be part of something new and different and real. We was continually seeking. And then I saw the Sex Pistols album, and I said, 'BOOM! This is it!" The credit for introducing safety pins and punk rock goes to Sid McCray, an early vocalist for the band.
Influenced by the Pistols, Eater and the Clash, as well as Led Zeppelin, Mind Power changed their name after six months to the Bad Brains and dove head first into punk rock. It was the Clash's version of "Police and Thieves" that introduced the band to reggae. The foursome bought a house in suburban Maryland. They went to jobs and school during the day, and rehearsed furiously at night to build stamina and speed.
After 6 months, the band ditched their daytime commitments (among them: washing cars, laundering clothes, and working in a bomb factory). HR forfeited 3 years of pre-med to go professional. They distributed flyers outside DC new wave clubs for a free show in their house basement. "It was different, because we were all black and playing punk rock music. The news spread around DC," HR says. "Before we had even played our first show, people were coming up to me telling me how good the Bad Brains are."
After a series of bi-weekly gigs, the more established venues followed. The legions of young fans who followed the band religiously included future members of the Teen Idles, Minor Threat, Scream, and S.O.A. However, after a verbal battle with police (who tried to pull the plug on an outdoor show) and ejections from larger venues, the Bad Brains found themselves blacklisted by area clubs, hastening their departure from Washington D.C.
Before they left, the band recorded at Don Zientara's home-based studio, Inner Ear, in Arlington, Virginia (where all the early Dischord bands recorded). These 4-track recordings were eventually released as Black Dots in 1996 on Caroline Records. This session is absolutely incredible punk rock, a document of blistering hardcore whose intensity would rarely