Does anyone remember the controversy surrounding the Bad Brains back in the early '90s (I think it was around then)? I think they had a lyric that was viewed as homophobic or that the lyric viewed folks striken with HIV/AIDS pretty negatively. I can't recall much else about it, but I do remember that the band was getting slammed pretty hard for it some zines.

Did some quick research about my above post and there seems to be no doubt that HR was (is?) is known as a homophobe. Not sure about the rest of the band. I wonder if it's part of their religious beliefs. Regardless, it's stupid. Consider those issues when sucking up this reunion stuff.

There was something about HR and all of BB being homophobic in the early 90's, but the BIG issue over this was in the early 80's. The book 'American Hardcore' covers it pretty thoroughly...dunno if the movie talks about it.

Yes this is true. The American Hardcore book does cover this pretty thoroughly, specifically HR screaming "bloodclot faggot" on the streets of Greenwich Village in the early '80s as well as an incident that happened when Bad Brains were staying in Austin, TX. I don't remember the nature of the incident, but I think there was some conflict with Dave from MDC over HR's homophobic beliefs (and yes they are tied to Rastafarianism).

Also, I can tell you with more accuracy that the song "Don't Blow No Bubbles" (from 1989's Quickness) contains the line in the title followed by "that's the way we can stop the AIDS". Of course, they claimed that it was about Michael Jackson's monkey and not, well, what it's really about, but they got a lot of flak for it and rightfully so.

There were other incidents in the early '90s as well, particulary one I remember with Mike Bullshit (of Go! and later Ego and the zine Bullshit Monthly), so this stuff is well known in the hardcore community.

With that said, the late '70s/early '80s Bad Brains were absolutely incredible and while I won't be seeing these reunion shows (they sucked the last time I saw them all together in '99 as "Soul Brains" though I suspect these shows will be better) since I don't live in NYC anymore, I will be seeing a free DVD screening of the '82 CBGBs New Years Eve show in a few days. I disagree with HR's views, but in this case I can separate the art from the artist.

Thanks for jogging my memories, Klerg and Matt (especially for reminding me of Go! and Mike Bullshit). And although I truly love the brutal sounds of early BBs, I'd have a hard time separating the art from the artist at this point. No chance I'd give any of my bux over to support someone with such questionnable beliefs. (Although I'll admit that I'd like to see a free showing of that dang DVD!)

Enjoy.

I believe the Austin incident was with Biskut from the Big Boys.

I believe the Austin incident was with Biskut from the Big Boys.

I think you're right about that. I just couldn't remember if it was Dave Dictor from MDC or Randy "Biscuit" Turner from the Big Boys and since I misplaced (or more likely lost) my copy of the American Hardcore book, I'll have to take your word for it. A quick Google search and the link below reveals that MDC wrote the song "Pay to Come Along" about that incident, so maybe that's what I was confusing it with. Maybe they were on the same tour/bill. I think MDC had already left Austin for San Francisco at that point, but I could be wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Boys_(band)

I don't think that my original comment went through, so here it is again. Anyway I think you're right about the incident involving Randy "Biscuit" Turner". MDC wrote a song called "Pay to Come Along" about the incident. Maybe that's what I'm confusing it with.

http://www.30underdc.com/bands/badbrains/int_blacktriangle2.html

Gotta hand it to John Darnielle, his comment on the use/overuse of the term "hipster" and its lack of real value is right on (the term just drips with non-specific, perjorative "otherness" in a really insincere, self-aggrandizing way that's so couched in layers of irony it's hard to pick apart what exactly is going on when it's used). I'm also glad that he's picked up in broader indie circles in the last few years, since Talahassee - he deserves it as one of the most literate and idiosyncratic songwriters around.

I haven't been huge into the mountain goats since my senior year of college, but i spent a long time wondering why he wasn't "the next big thing", and it finally happened, and as those interviews display, he's never abandoned his obsessive music-geek love for early hardcore and deathrock. How many other Phil Ochs-sounding lit-folkies will you find who are happy to reference The Sisters or Gun Club and will still wear Only Theater of Pain-era Christian Death shirts? He's the man, for sure - as sure as I'm incredibly long-winded.

on paper JD reads like a cool, "stick to your guns" indie dork , in reality his music sucks and sounds like college freshman coffee shop blahhness

he and colin meloy should team up together

whatever. I don't want to get into it, I've explained it before. Dave did write a song and HR did talk to biskut for about eight hours about why he didn't have any interest in sleeping with him or being in his gay punk revolution. Big Boys thought that was a big deal it was their career that story and Dave's song. overweight gay white guys discovered the problem with the DC black punk rockers, they wouldn't sleep with them. white men once again prove the black dudes don't belong. after it turned out Bad Brains weren't interested in big boys gay antics and didn't consider them of any freewheeling punk rock value they all agreed to say 'fuck you'. HR said it on stage after the Big Boys set "fire burn blood clot faggots" he was telling them their sexual punk revolution was bullshit and they were assholes. Where the nineties comes from I've no idea. I don't know what don't blow bubbles is about unless it's another way to say don't give me bullshit and call it truth, don't do damage and pretend it's right. And all through the years I was with them in every case of coming across real 'queens' out there HR was always a friend to them without even appearing to notice, which I assure you he did. HR never had any agenda, he never harbored hatred or countenanced it in his presence. He may have had personal times of confusion in his Rastafarian commitment to reading up the bible and some of the more easily parochially interpreted sections. His trials were personal not evangelical. I know he is a man who takes any man at face value and approaches them with respect and humility. He's grown a lot but what happened that day in 1981 when he chose to speak for so long with a big boy asking him not to approach him in that way was a waste of his time. I'm surprised to see the willingness of people who pretend to have honest values wrongly condemn a man who would defend them without question. I look back at Texas and think there was a racial element I had never considered. But also playing that day with Bad Brains was still the peak of Big Boys punk life even though they never got to sleep with any of them. The band never had an anti-gay agenda some gay guys in Texas had an anti Bad Brains agenda. Peace and love, I'm telling you. It's about love and everyone is invited. Don't believe the hype these men have heart, always vegetarian and defend all god's creatures.

Thanks for the heart-felt message, Anthony. It's good to get the perspective of someone who was associated with the BBs at the time. The "Bubbles" song still seems to raise questions though. (See this site for an interesting talk on it: http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=Don't%20Blow%20Bubbles)

Maybe HR was conflicted on this issue. I can understand that, seeing that the man apparently has strong religious beliefs, and that religious system apparently does not condone being gay. I don't know. I don't know the guy at all. But to present these questionnable views in a song (and not, instead, as a discussion on his inner conflict about the matter) makes me wonder just how peaceful the guy is when it comes to certain things.

Anyway, I love the music of the early Bad Brains. It's moving and desperate and original. I guess that leaves me conflicted too.

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