Bad Brains

Bad Brains are an American punk rock band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1976. They are widely regarded as pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members have objected to the use of this term to describe their music. They are also a reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of other genres like funk, heavy metal, hip-hop, and soul. Rolling Stone magazine called them "the mother of all black hard-rock bands", and they have been cited as a seminal influence to numerous other subgenres in addition to hardcore punk, including various subgenres of heavy metal, such as thrash/speed metal, alternative metal, and funk metal. Bad Brains are followers of the Rastafari movement.

Bad Brains have released nine studio albums. They have broken up and reformed several times over their career, sometimes with different singers or drummers. The band originally formed in 1976 as a jazz fusion act under the name Mind Power. Their classic lineup includes Dr. Know (guitar), Darryl Jenifer (bass), and brothers Earl (drums) and Paul "H.R." Hudson (vocals, guitar). This lineup was intact until 1987 and has reunited periodically in the years since. Many notable bands and artists cite Bad Brains as an artistic influence on their music.