Judging by the mellow, longwinded-ness of his stories (and the acute scent of ganja in the air), it’s hard to believe that HR of Bad Brains could have ever been a seminal figure in the hardcore scene. He’s not pumped up like Henry Rollins, full of aggression that needs to be let out; HR is calm, simply sharing his story with you as if it were part of the great oral tradition. Sitting down with FUN Artists, HR talks about how Bad Brains came about, his philosophy on pretty much whatever came to mind, and his father’s presidency – which, for security purposes, he couldn’t really go into.
FUN Artists: So do you still get jitters before playing a show?
Bad Brains: No not really, but it’s basically a new concept; soul-reggae-hip-hop rub-a-dub love groove on music – it’s brand new and the youth of today are the men of tomorrow.
FUN Artists: O really?
Bad Brains: Yes sir, it’s a baby boom on the way. I’m very honored and very privileged to perform. And today is a new revelation and new transfiguration for the most of us.
FUN Artists: When did Bad Brains start?
Bad Brains: Human Rights Big Brains groups started about a year ago.
FUN Artists: How did it come about?
Bad Brains: We use to play around as kids; we went through different locations and forms of playing and a bout a year ago the group decided to go on tour. We went to Anthony County and we asked him if he had time for us; we knew him from before, he was our coach – he had been my diving coach and my old friend I grew up with. He said “Sure, why not?” So to make a long story short after jamming out at different locations I decided to take those boys to the studio again and that’s gonna be in a few more days.
FUN Artists: Your first album, Pay to Cum, what was it like recording that?
Bad Brains: Well it was an experimental jam session with Jimmy Quidd in Manhattan and I didn’t really know if we could pull it off, so I gave it a try – through the efforts of Mr. … ahh, an old friend of ours, Joey Miserable and the worms – he loaned us his band and some friends of his worked at this 171 studios, and we went there. Then they invited us up to record the Pay to Cum sessions over at Jimmy Quidd’s studio and we were able to pull it off. Then the group started sparring here and there and they went their way and I went my mine. For years and years I just kind of floated around like a freelance musician, and then like I said, in 2009 which was a fine time for me, I asked the group would they be into trying it again and they said sure. So I got musician of the year, and I started going over to a friend’s house who invited me, his name was Mr. Hudson, I went over to his house – he’s my dad, I grew up with him. He’s my friend and he invited me over and we talked for a few hours and he gave me some good advice. He told me to keep my head on my shoulders and stay away from trouble-makers. I saw my mom, talked with her. And then I asked my dad if it would be okay if I could invite some reporters over, home, because they wanted to scan some pictures on your computer and do a movie of me and the band. He said “sure, its okay.” The reporters asked me some weird questions about the photos. After that they went their way.
FUN Artists: Within a lot of documentaries you’ve been shown in American Hardcore; Jon Joseph of the Cro-Mags, Henry Rollins, Ian MacKaye… many have said Bad Brains paved the way for hardcore music. Do you guys feel that you guys are the founders of hardcore music?
Bad Brains: … Function music has been around for years; Bo Diddley played his sessions of outrageous music. There was another artist, Elvis Presley – he had his hay-day and was a big influence, along with Dave Clark of the Dave Clark Five and he went on to do his thing, and later on Roy Orbison gave it a try with Ray Charles, and, of course, the ever-so-popular Stevie Wonder, and then Sidney Poitier put out some very fine films, and I’ve been a filmmaker for years; I’ve been putting out films ever since I was about three or four years old. Well the Cro-Mags, along with Harley, gave it their best shot, Mackie had to move to Florida and he went underground and he changed up his diet along with his groove – so we decided to change up our groove and our diet too. I’ve gotten some good advice from a brother there at John Hopkins because I was questioning him and asking him: “Why am I going through this transformation, what exactly is happening to me?” He explained to me, “Well, you’re going to have to stop smoking, eating certain kinds of foods…” I had put some canned food aside for about 30 years, and some blokes that I know had stolen a whole lot of people’s Christmas presents and we were pretty bummed about that, anyway I went to go and visit my old studio and I was eating all this canned food – it didn’t agree with my stomach, you know? And they were explaining to me that “Its very important for a young entertainer like yourself to take it easy,” so this year I’ve been taking it easy and taking his advice.
FUN Artists: You’ve got a song “Rock for Light”, what was that song all about?
Bad Brains: Well the Human Rights Big Brains group had put out a few undeclared sessions and for me the album, produced by Rick Ocasek in acceptance of eventually re-releasing the God of Love sessions for Madonna under a new name, a new concept, we wanted to play all reggae, and still do want to play all reggae but the fans are still a bit immature and demand for us to play the rock music, quote unquote. So for personal pleasure we give them what they want.
FUN Artists: What was the reaction back in the 80’s when the skinheads were there and you’d play your reggae live?
Bad Brains: It was a toss up situation, some people didn’t like it – some people did, fifty fifty. On the other hand, my mother was concerned about kids coming directly up on the stage and spitting on me – she would give me good advice. Sometimes at the last minute she would call the promoters and say “Oh no, watch out, tell the kids to be careful because he might get angry and he’s a different type of… but like I said my dad told me to keep my head on my shoulders. I’d ask my mom, “Well, what do I do if this happens or that happens…?” And she would say, “Just smile and grin and bear it,” and my dad would tell me “Just take it with a grain of salt and don’t sleep on your back.” He eventually became president, and for security purposes his lifestyle changed dramatically, and then when he got the bloke who had been posing as the president fast asleep one night he just took over control and finished the letter [as HR makes typing motions with his hands/fingers]. Then we gave him his share of the profits and now he understands what’s going on. I had three birthdays; I was born on Christmas Eve, and then on February 11th, and then it was confirmed officially on July 23rd.
FUN Artists: So your parents were supportive of what you were doing and your lifestyle?
Bad Brains: Well I had 12 parents, 12 fathers and about 360 mothers. They were very supportive of that style of music. But the techniques, often my friends from Ethiopia would encourage me not to get wiped out over the rock music – to be gentle with the guitars and my performing, although it might sound a bit evasive to take a more sympathetic approach to performing. And so I would wait my turn and years would pass and I’d want to play my guitar, but I’d have to be very patient and perfect in every way. So that’s what I did.
FUN Artists: So you were born in Ethiopia?
Bad Brains: I was born in Liverpool, England and visited Ethiopia as a small child. Me and my mom and dad and some other friends were kind of like in a traveling circus outfit [laughs], and I use to hide in the canons and my dad would shoot me out of them. I had this one outfit that had wings… who knows where I’d land sometimes. I’d land as far as Nigeria; he’d come looking for me a few days later and fish me out of some hut. He’d ask me “Did you enjoy the flight?” I’d say, “Well, it was a bit outrageous but you know I met some of the strangest people dad.” He’d explain to me “Son, life is not a party, you’ve got to calm down” and I eventually did calm down. I met Gary, Dr. Know, the guitar player, in junior high school again, because as youngsters we had met formally in the first and second grade but he had just been born
FUN Artists: Where were you living at this time?
Bad Brains: I was living in Texas and I would communicate with a friend named Mr. Anderson who had been working with Bob Marley. For a few moments I visited Washington DC and Baltimore and that’s where I officially, for the second time, met Gary. He had a little guitar work on his shoulders and he had asked me, “Well, what kind of music do you want to play?” and I expressed to him that I’d like to play good music; pop music and experimental music that’s sensational and he’d say “Hmm, well do you want to play bass?” cause he was a bass player and knew a little guitar, and I gave him my guitar, and I said to him, because I had a five string acoustic guitar…
One day I had met Darryl, this was around the ninth or tenth grade, he was walking along and I saw him on the road out of my Camaro – I was completely wiped out over this dude walking, I just couldn’t understand what he was doing just walking along on the road like that because I had been zooming around ever since I was in the second grade; my parents had bought me different cars and mini-bikes and bicycles and limousines and station-wagons. Anyway, I asked Darryl if he wanted a lift and he said sure. I said “Well, where are we going Darryl?” and he said “Well Im going, I’m going, well, where are you going?” And I said “Well I’m going straight ahead, where are you going?” “…Uh, well you can take me straight ahead too.” We drove all night long. We played music in my car and sipped beer. I said “Hey man you wanna’ start a band together?” and he said “I don’t know how to be in a band,” and I said “Whoa man, like you’re a musician, you can just take some pictures, we can go to the top man! Come on dude.” And he said, “Whoa are you serious man, what’s your name man? I don’t even know you.” I said “Come on man you know me…” And I kind of accepted him as being a shy guy cause he was very shy and quiet and he wouldn’t really want to take pictures all the while and he just kind of like would stay to himself and fiddle with different things. And he asked me “What instrument do you got for me to play?” I said “Well, you can play, bass, guitar, drums… whatever instrument you want to play.” He said, “I know how to play guitar, but I’d rather play bass.” I said, “Sure, we’ll ask Gary and see what he says.”
Earl grew up with me – he was my understudy student, undergraduate, and early in life he made up his mind that wherever I went he was going to go, but within reason – he had his limitations, because he was a perfect citizen and he wanted to be treated perfectly. So he let me know exactly where I was. And so I said, “Well are you sure you want to be a drummer?” and he said, “I want to be the drummer in the band, and I mean business.” I said “Okay, lets talk to dad about this,” and I asked my father again and I asked him, “Can we rehearse in the basement?” And he said, “Yeah sure you can rehearse in the basement,” and my mom would come down from time to time and shout “Turn that music down!” and “You’ve been at it all night long!” and “What are you doing, what are those purple things in your pants pocket” and “Come here boy let me go cut your hair” and this and that, you know? And I’d say [in a Jamaican accent] “Mom, come on give me a break” you know – Rasta. And she’d say “Lord have mercy, me don’t know what kind of man like you” ‘cause she was born in Kingston. My father was born in Alabama and he had met her ‘cause she had her personal career in the entertainment business too. Well me being sort of a caring son would stay at home under my mom and dad’s house instead of doing what most boys do and that was join the army, because my father was a military man from the Air Force, but when I was about 31 or 32, then I decided I wanted to join the Marines. They looked at me: at my wide eyes, my age, and they said, “Son, I don’t think you can join the Marines; it’s a little too late.” By that time we had traveled the world and played for all the boys and girls and I pretty much made up my mind that I wanted to retire in Richmond. So I moved to Richmond, bought a house, bought an El Dorado Limousine, took some pictures, moved to LA all in four or five weeks. Then there was a snow storm in Richmond and in DC so I called my friend and said “Look man, I can’t take this. I gotta get out of here, can you get me some tickets?” And he said “Yeah I know what you’re going through; I can get you some tickets, just pay me forward when you can.” So he buys me a couple tickets and I hop on a plane from Richmond and came out here to California. I had to leave my El Dorado behind with some nice friends I met; it was a bit sad. But anyway, like I was saying, the group stayed together, a few years passed, and I started doing shows on my own. I was doing freelance. I preformed with P.O.D. and Sublime and also a group from Mexico, and was packing arenas and I was getting paid fairly, but as far as living conditions go after the show that didn’t exist. So here they were giving me $50 or $100 dollars after doing 10,000 seat arena show and dropping me off on the side of the road, and I’d say “Okay, I understand, mucho gracias, see you later.” And one day I got a phone call from the studio that I worked for; I was working three jobs, I was working as a youth counselor – self made youth counselor in the daytime, and recording artist in the afternoon, and then performing in the evening. And I would walk up and down Hollywood Blvd. trying to do shows and I was given a message that said some of the Brains wanted to get back together. So I said, “All right, I’ll come and I’ll do some shows at CBGB.” And to make a long story short, we did the shows at CBGB; they went their way I went my way and I didn’t see them for about 5 years when I moved to Baltimore.
FUN Artists: Where do you find inspirations for the songs you write?
Bad Brains: I kind of study former songs, and then sometimes ideas – experiences from people I meet or premonitions from The Angel of the Lord, whom, by the way, is in the midst thereof, but I cant really talk too much about Him for security purposes, just like I cant really talk too much about our precious Lord and divine savior.
FUN Artists: Were there any memorial bands that you got to see that made you want to play music more?
Bad Brains: Yeah there were. I kind of liked Earth, Wind & Fire a lot. I always wanted to go on tour with them.
FUN Artists: When you first saw kids going crazy at your shows, jumping off the stage, landing on each other, landing on you… What were your thoughts?
Bad Brains: I thought it was a bit outrageous but then my manager would explain that it was all in fun and so we came with this new philosophy, this new reason, to justify the means. And instead of being mean we were into justice and we became the “justice keepers.” To us it was a “under no condition do we tell lies, do we break the rules,” and we were going to be loyal to the states and unified – the kids would come to the show and be all pro-America and you know that kind of groove.
FUN Artists: “PMA” has become a huge catch phrase, where did that “positive mental attitude” come from?
Bad Brains: In the late 60’s, early 70’s I had an orchestra group that would perform in Carnegie Hall from time to time, and I was very determined to get them off and running, but sometimes because of my lack of patience and lack of experience the things that I did were a bit out of sync. And the local authorities would explain to me: “Well just don’t steal buses and put them people in handcuffs and go downstairs in the stolen bus and force them to play in Carnegie Hall.” And I’d say, “Well man we just want to be in a band,” and they’d say, “We know that Mr. Hudson but please do not do that.” And then my dad would come and say, “Boy, are you crazy? Did you really do that?” And I’d say “Well dad I just…” “Come on, lets go home,” he’d say. And I’d go, “Well dad, I just want to groove, come on man I just want to be in a band… I can groove – I’m the top rankingest organized dude in the world.” He’d say “Yes son, but life is not a party, you have to stay in school.” And I’d say, “Where’s the white house?” and he’d say, “For security purposes I cant tell you that ha ha ha ha…”
Anyways, one day he gave me a book and the book said “Think & Grow Rich” and it was written by Andrew Carnegie. And in the book Mr. Carnegie was explaining that there are principles one lived by; one was PMA, and it meant positive mental attitude: ought to be professional, pleasant, hardworking, loving, caring, determined, have a burning desire… but to remember to be compassionate, remember the Christ-like Spirit that existed in the book, the PMA Think & Grow Rich. Well, I read my Bible and I would read this book and I suddenly understood what it meant to be nice. So I put down my weapons of cruelty and I started being nice to a people that I owed favors too. And I drove my car for a few more moments then I just pulled over and I left the car there and I just started walking around. I had this long Dashiki on – and we were all in to PMA philosophy.
I eventually got to visit Earth, Wind, & Fire in the studio, the Brains were still a young band we were getting kicked around Manhattan, cause they remembered me from the super-fly days when I was a filmmaker and they said, “That sure is a strange way to transform, ‘cause we remember you being like that; walking around with dashikis, with short hair – almost bald, and then mini pants… Where your clothes at?” And then you could see through the dashiki. “What’s wrong with you boy, you loosing your mind or something talking about peace and love in the 70’s in Manhattan after doing a super-fly movie?” Well I had a few albums under my belt, I had performed with Aretha Franklin, Barry White, and Johnny Nash, and I wanted to complete the series that i started with the Brains, but for security purposes that wasn’t possible because I had to become a security guard. So off I went to work at the Greater Southeast Community Hospital as a security guard. And people would come in the hospital and I’d do nice things for them and let them park their cars for a few extra minutes without charging them and just said “Oh go on, go on, it’s okay” and I’d wave at them. There I’d be at this one little box all night long all alone… Well, one day Gary, Darryl and Earl came to visit me and said “Man you’re going to miss the show of your life. Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder and Deep Purple are gettin’ ready to jam. Do you wanna go? And Earth, Wind, & Fire just played at another location and they’re getting ready to go over there too, you better come on dude.” I said “Oh man… Okay!” So we went to see the groups play and they were magnificent. Earth, Wind, & Fire performed, they were just incredible; Stevie Wonder performed, Bob Marley came on and I seen all this long hair and said, “Whoahaaaa, Holy mackerel he’s got dreads!” Cause I had tried a few times in Jamaica myself. I met some brothers up there in the Columbia Park region that I hand picked as a youngster and raised, but I hadn’t seen them in years because of a notion that maybe one day they would do their own thing, and they are doing their own thing now. But I remember as a child I’d get them their own little New Testament Bibles, chairs to sit in, and raised them. Under the guidance of, the so called, Rasta, that I found out years and years later was still in his thesis period of theory, and that, although he was a Rastafarian he was still theorizing the formula of being a Rastafarian. And so that’s that.
