‘They said we incited riots’: explosive punks Bad Brains on drugs, self-destruction and recording from jail

For those who saw them in their prime, Bad Brains were unequivocally the best live band on the planet. YouTube footage bears this out: frontman HR, born Paul D Hudson, is equal parts straining sinew and raw electricity as he bucks and contorts, punctuating rapid-fire snarls and otherworldly croons with impeccably timed backflips. The band surge around him, forging blisteringly fast punk informed by everything from the Damned and Dead Boys to P-Funk, Stevie Wonder and Chick Corea's Return to Forever.

Formation and early influences

The band's roots thread back to Central High, a school in Maryland where middle-class military kids HR and his younger brother Earl (drums) met Dr Know (AKA Gary Wayne Miller, guitar) and Darryl Jenifer (bass). Jenifer hailed from Washington DC's south-east projects. 'We had an art teacher that would let us bring in records,' he says. 'So you're making papier-mache, or whatever the fuck, and our clique of musicians met by bringing in things like Billy Cobham's Spectrum rather than Earth, Wind & Fire.'

PMA and punk revolution

Young, black and fuelled by an ideology that united the 1930s self-help mantras of Napoleon Hill with Rastafari, they were outliers in the already outre 70s punk scene. The group initially aspired to jazz-fusion but was transformed when Sid McCray discovered punk, introducing them to Sex Pistols, Dead Boys and Ramones. 'I just remember listening to the music and feeling liberated,' says Jenifer. 'Like, damn, I can make some shit like that.'

HR embraced PMA (positive mental attitude) after reading Napoleon Hill's 'Think and Grow Rich.' 'I decided to use PMA as a formula, as a vehicle in my music, and to try to use it to help guide me through what I was going through,' he explains. This mindset transformed their approach: 'It wasn't like being in a band – it was a mission,' says Jenifer.

Recording and early challenges

This sense of focus was apparent at the band's first studio session in 1979 at Don Zientara's Inner Ear Studio. 'They were serious,' says Zientara. 'The songs were there. The energy was there – tons of energy! – and you hear that coming through. At the time, I didn't have a chance to think about how good they were. They came, they played, they packed up. It was so quick.'

Despite their explosive energy, the band faced numerous challenges. They were banned from Washington venues after being accused of inciting riots. 'They said we incited riots,' says Miller. 'The club owners said, "You're making the kids go crazy!"' They were also denied entry to the UK after attempting to tour without proper papers, losing their equipment in the process.

Legacy and lasting impact

For all the chaos, this period cemented the band's legend as a force to be reckoned with. The excitement of their music was matched by a zeal amplified by their Rastafari beliefs. 'The intention has always been to excite people and make them exult,' says Jenifer. 'We're giving the crowd the vibration to destroy Babylon. This music is the spearhead – that's what we go on stage with.'

With Miller recovering from a severe stroke and cancer, and HR being treated for both Sunct syndrome and schizoaffective disorder, it's unlikely Bad Brains will perform again. But their deal with Trust Records ensures their recorded legacy is preserved. 'When we first started, we knew it was something unique and not what people expected,' says Miller. 'It was like, "Who're these brothers playing some rock'n'roll?" But what they should've done was go to the history of rock'n'roll. It's all Muddy Waters and them guys, not Elvis Presley.'