For decades\, these recordings on ARE YOU READY circulated unofficially among tape-trading punks - an ask-a -punk rarity known only to a relative few. Now\, nearly five \; \; decades later\, the session has been newly mixed by Ian MacKaye and\, in c ooperation with Bad Brains\, will receive its first official rele ase\, available on vinyl\, cassette\, and digital.
\nCaptured in a s ingle frantic hour at Inner Ear Studios in March 1979\, the six-s ong session represents the earliest known studio recordings of Bad Bra ins and an extraordinary document of the band at the very beginning o f its history. \;
\nIn honor of this historic release\, join Darryl Jenifer and Ian Mackaye at MLK Library as they play and discus s stems from the recording session. \;
\nKNOW B EFORE YOU GO: \;
\n
Made up of vocalist H.R.
(Paul Hudson)\, guitarist Dr. Know (Gary Miller)\, bassist Da
rryl Jenifer\, and drummer Earl Hudson\, Bad Brains formed in Washington\, D.C.
in 1978. \;
The quartet \;set a new standard for intensity wh
ile maintaining a level of instrumental precision rarely heard in the genr
e or out of it. As they grew in popularity and their live reputation follo
wed\, Bad Brains were eventually banned from performing in several D.C.-ar
ea clubs\, causing a move to New York City where they would get their stro
ngest footing. There\, the band truly found their niche\, emerging as a ce
ntral force in the early hardcore scene.
Albums such as Rock f or Light (1983)\, I Against I (1986)\, and Quickness (1989) expanded the band&rsquo\;s repertoire and sonic palette to includ e elements of metal\, funk\, and soul\, making the almost shapeshifting ba nd further defy expectations. The band&rsquo\;s reputation had been all bu t cemented as one of the most electrifying acts in rock music\, with a rea ch that extended far beyond punk and underground music. You can hear the i nfluence of Bad Brains in modern acts like Turnstile\, Deftones\, Playboi Carti and more\, as well as classic acts and Top 40 staples like Beastie B oys\, Foo Fighters\, Green Day\, Red Hot Chili Peppers\, Nirvana\, and bey ond. Today\, virtually any band with a distorted guitar and a flicker of p unk in their DNA can speak at length on the influence of four guys from D. C. who were just trying to be different\, and ultimately\, themselves.&nbs p\; \;
\n \;
ABOUT TRUST RECORDS \;
Trust Records was founded b
y Matt Pincus and Joe Nelson in 2020 with the mission to preserve\, protec
t\, and carry forward the cultural legacy of punk and hardcore music. Ever
y release is treated as an act of stewardship: deeply researched liner not
es\, top-quality audio\, and premium packaging. The release of Bad Brains&
rsquo\; Are You Ready&hellip\; marks their first release as part of their
ongoing partnership with the band.
ABOUT THE DC PUNK ARCHI VE
\nThe DC Punk Archive was established in 2014 to document the influential punk music scene for Washington DC\, past and present. The archive documen ts music and musicians as well as the cultural context including venues\, festivals\, record labels\, record stores\, radio stations\, houses\, art and activism that combined to form the DC scene. The collection consists p rimarily of material donated by the local music community. This collection is housed in The People's Archive at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.
\n