This interview was done at Dreams House with people from We Got Power, Outcry, LCD, Fer Youz and Flipside. All questions were asked at once so we just put all questions as "FS". The Bad Brains just arrived from SF and the interview started...

FS: Start...
FS: When did you get here from NY?
Gary: The fifth of the fourth (March).
FS: How long you gonna be here?
Gary: Well, we have two gigs in this area this weekend and then go back to SF to play the 19th and 20th in that area then the next weekend back to this area and then play our way back east. So it's like an all states tour, it will last about 2 months, a month here in Calif, and a month on the road.
FS: This is your first time in LA?
Gary: Yeah.
FS: What do you think of it?
HR: We just got here 5 minutes ago, all we see is rain and smelling stinking air.
FS: And fast women?
HR: I ain't seen none of that yet. (laughs)
FS: How'd it go in SF?
HR: Well, it's ok, but too many faggots.
FS: Oh yeah! Welcome to California! How do they bother you?
HR: Well because they act confused...
FS: They act confused?
HR: They act confused.
FS: They act confused or are confused?
HR: They act confused.
FS: You don't think they are?
HR: Well that goes along with it but mostly if they just act sensible they wouldn't be so bad, most of them act so crazy even out in public, it disturbs me, makes me want to go and shoot one of them.
FS: Want a gun? It's not like that in New York City?
HR: Yeah. On the west side, we live on the east side. The lower east side...

Gary: We have an album that we're working on next, primarily east coast and south coast bands that will be out within two months, then a 45. The next Bad Brains 45...
FS: What's the album gonna be called?
Gary: We don't want to say that yet, save it for a surprise!
FS: Is that on Bad Brains Records.
HR: Yeah, that's what has been taking us so long to put out another record. It's because we've been setting up, and waiting for the right opportunity. A couple of people have given us offers, but we don't want to compromise, because you know what happends when you sign the dotted line! So we've just been working, saving and now we're in a position where we can put out another record. So we are gonna do it.
FS: How did you get in with that cassette album?
HR: Well Neil came to us about a year and a half ago and you know told us he liked the band and watched the progress of the band. And he was the only one that gave us a fair deal of all the contracts that were shown to us.
FS: Where did you record it?
HR: In 171, that's Jerry's studio, that's Jerry setting right there (HR points to Jerry and everyone checks him out).
FS: Are you satisfied with that tape?
HR: Oh yeah. (Points to Jerry) He's the master mind, he produced it...
FS: Oh yeah?
HR: Yes I ya, mixed it, produced it, provided it, everything.

FS: We heard you used to be a jazz quartet?
HR: We just screwed around with fusion for awhile, we only had one gig and that was in our basement.
FS: Was it a good gig?
HR: No, it was a flop.
FS: Did you have the same name?
HR: No, we were called "Mind Power" back then.
FS: About what year was that?
HR: That was in '77.
FS: Then punk came around in...
HR: Yeah we found out about hardcore through a friend, it was rock n roll, through a friend called Sid, a good friend of ours, who lives in DC--Sid McCray, and we just went over to his house one day and put on some albums and that was it.
FS: Do you remember which albums?
HR: Yeah, put on "Never Mind The Bollocks", "No NY" and that was it.
FS: Good stuff?
HR: Yeah.
FS: Where did you get the new name?
HR: Well like I told you our old name was "Mind Power" and we wanted to keep something along with the mind, so I was talking to Daryl, our bass player, and I was saying to him, yeah it's got to be something dealing with the mind, the brain, something like that. And then I said to him, it's got to be "bad", it's got to be bad. Then he said Bad Brains! Then I said Yeaah!! So then after that he told me there was a song by the Ramones called Bad Brain. I said so what, it's a bad name.

FS: What do you think of other types of reggae?
HR: Oh I love reggae!
FS: Ah, what about the Slits?
HR: Beautiful! I think that the Slits...I'm glad what they did because that's an example for us to follow, you know cause we have to go out to Africa, we all have to leave this...
FS: Babylon!
HR: Yeah! And unite as a nation, as in all of us together, dealing with culture, you know, not just something that's in fad next year or what ever comes around.
FS: Not to do with politics.
HR: Yeah, and the Slits recognize that and said--boy right now I'm just gonna leave babylon, and I think that's so beautiful, really, really...
FS: Do you enjoy doing reggae more that punk?
HR: No, it's the same, reggae music is African and punk music is American...
FS: It's American.
HR: Yes, when I say American, I mean more European oriented as where reggae is Africa oriented. And right now today here I am in this predicament, here I am African in European enviornment so I find myself with two likenesses, they come from the same place, Jah you know, and the thing with punk rock, hardcore music is reaching out, searching, it's the youth saying "boy I can't deal with this, what can I deal with, I can't deal with that" and here comes reggae now with direction...
FS: So punk and reggae are clashing.
HR: Oh definitely.
FS: They come out at the same point and try to reach out to everybody.
HR: Yeah they split though, you see what happens is the energy that punk rock projects, it's so hard that a lot of times the message is lost in the distraction, so we all know what we wanna say, but then here we are on the dance floor going BAM! BAM! And we don't feel that, but because of circumstances are that way what can I do. So here comes Jah now with the answer--what we have to do is deal with unity, and not fighting, that's it, that's our theme or mission...
FS: The PMA, positive mental attitude.
HR: Yeah!

FS: What other music do you like?
Gary: Well basically me myself, personally I like all kinds of music still, but you have to feel it, it has to come from the heart.
HR: If you have to get into labels, I think the next music to me personally would be funk, not disco now, but funk.

FS: Can you compare yourself to other bands?
HR: How can you? I can't, I don't try. Because we used to get into that competing, when bands try to say well this band's got this and this band's got this, and when you think about it were all in it for the same reason. Nobody better than the other one. It's what you sincerely believe in. Maybe you have a different like than others, some people really like "no wave", I hate it.

FS: What makes you divide up your set between punk and reggae?
HR: You've got to ask Jah that! We did not plan it, it just happened!
FS: Do you try to keep it 50/50?
HR: No, whatever we feel. Like one night in Boston we played the first set in reggae and the next set all rock and in one night in DC all rock. One night we made a gig with Peter Tosh and they wanted us to play all reggae but we wouldn't do it, we were thinking about it, we all came to the conclusion if we are to play all reggae at Peter Tosh and then go back to play rock and reggae that's not being sincere. If we decide to become ALL reggae, well that's fine...
FS: Do you have a favorite reggae artist?
HR: Yeah, Selassie!

FS: When you call yourselves BAD Brains, can't that be negative?
HR: No it is negative that name we feel represents the nation, when we picked that name the reason why is because we wanted something to symbolize what is happening today in the US--Bad Brains!
FS: I don't see how you associate that with positive mental attitude.
HR: Well see if you want to be positive, you have to deal with the truth and the truth is today...how can I come up and say we're all living in peaceful times? That's why they don't understand us today, that's why they don't understand the Nazi cross, they think he's upholding nazism, but not really, what that youth is doing is showing you how exploited it's become. They don't understand that, they look at it on the surface but we all know when you see Dead Kennedy's, you know what that means. When you see Bad Brains, you know what that means.
FS: The US is full of bad brains...have you changed since the beginning?
Gary: Nothing change, we've been together 3 years, the same songs, most of the songs on the tape are the first songs that we wrote, like "Pay To Cum" is 2 1/2 years old. Nothing change, the struggle is still going on as long as you live in the US you know you're suffering. I mean there's something wrong, especially in these times--everyone's got to feel it.

FS: Do you miss DC?
Gary: Not really.

FS: What do your families think of what you are doing?
HR: Our families, like I and I we all come from good families still and they try to understand I and I--and we have to do still, so let them except that for what it is.

FS: Why don't you think there are more black people into hardcore?
HR: Because of exposure.
FS: But you think that black people are naturally opressed that they would get into it sooner than the middle class...
Gary: Babylon see...black people ain't gonna find out about it until white people find out about it.
FS: Why?
Gary: Because of the babylon system...
HR: Exposure.
FS: It's too white people mainly?
Gary: White people get it on TV, then black people pick it up.

FS: Is NY really different from here?
HR: Well ok New York...the filth is right out in the streets, in DC it's inside and in California it's everywhere!

FS: You tried to play England once.
HR: We played with the Damned and they said come to England and record on the Chiswick label (but they only got as far as immigration and got turned away for lack of work permits and money).

FS: When did you get involved with Rastafari?
HR: For me it's been two years now.
FS: That seems like such a short time! Speaking for myself I don't understand Rastafari...
HR: Ok, Rasta Fari means Prince of Peace of head creator. That's the first name of Haile Selassie. Rastafarians are people who believed Selassie is Jesus Christ in the second coming. Reason why they call themselves Rastafarians is because there lord is Rastafari, just like in Christ times they called themselves Christians. Now today the reason why we believe this is because of the signs that were pointed out in Revelations, which is the last book of the bible. That's when Jesus comes a second time he will come right before he ends the world on the last days of time. He will come and one if the ways he will come is as a slain lamb, as a conquering lion from the tribe of Juda. The bible shows us that in the beginning of time there was one nation, and 12 tribes. We all came from that nation, which means each one of us came from one of those tribes depending on your birthday. Selassie comes from the tribe of Juda, back in 36 or 37 Selassie when he was crowned King of Kings & Lord of Lords he himself changed his name to Haile Selassie which means "might of the trinity". Revelations says that when Jesus Christ comes in a second coming he will be the only one that will know his name. And it says he will come to re-unite Israel...

(talk goes into Selassie's life, his beliefs, Communism, South America, Ethopia etc...)

FS: Do you see Babylon falling?
HR: Yeah, down down, it's falling now! See they got this thing called, I don't know the word for it, when they try to make you think that there's money in the banks and there's no money...what's that called?
FS: Lying!!
HR: Yeah (all laugh) well that's what they're doing today. That paper you see, that dollar is only 17 cents. That's the warning, teenagers now are warning them and they're saying look what's coming ahead. Rastaman warning, look Babylon is falling, look the end of the world. And they're not listening. What are they doing? They're picking up on the fad--they say if I wear studs I'm cool. I'm a punk rocker. That's the commitment of being a rebel, because that's what started it. Hardcore music is to say, I defy the system, I don't care if you think I'm crazy, I'm still against you but now it's come to be, well if I skin my head, I'll get that girl over there or I'll get that guy over there. So we can't let those foul us more, now it's gone into a spiritual and personal enlightenment, now the next step beyond.

FS: (All this interview the Bad Brains use "I in I" and Selassie "I" so we naturally asked.....) How do you use I?
HR: Universally. I in I is everything, you and god, god and you. Universally. You make one, one makes all I in I.
FS: So you use it in Rastafar "I" and Selassie "I"?
HR: Yeah (laughter like we caught on).
HR: Now I would like to ask you some questions. Is it true that youths are carrying guns in LA?
All: No.
FS: Well..if Black Flag is playing you might get 2000, anybody else a couple of hundred, TSOL have a nudge draw, the Circle Jerks, Um...Wasted Youth...
HR: Man, boy I seen that group, crucial, I've never in my life seen anybody spit in the next man's mouth before. Never! The lead singer of Wasted Youth, this wasn't fake man, I seen him pop some crucial lougers into these boys mouths, and I nearly choked. I said yes! Wasted Youth! Perfect!
FS: (to Earl) Anything to add?
Earl: He's the spokesman right there!
HR: That's my brother, my birth brother.

FS: Are you looking forward to playing here in Los Angeles?
HR: Yes, we've been trying to get out here for two years, when you know people appreciate you it's so much fun.

FS: What's HR stand for?
HR: Huntin' Rod, just a nickname...

FS: Who writes you songs?
HR: Well Daryl and Gary Dr. Know the guitarist write the music and I write a little bit. I do 90% of the words. I just write them, Jah get 'em.
FS: Is there a favorite song you do?
HR: No. Well I'm gonna tell you something beautiful happened in SF, we came out and everyone was skanking and after the third song we just went into a dub song and man everybody just rushed the stage and everyone was jumping up and down, that just took me by surprise, if you could have seen the music take over, I ya.
FS: Will you expand musically, like the Clash who have gone 360 degrees?
HR: I am not play disco I ya, that's why today the Bad Brains are so poor. You see the Clash, those record producers underestimate that group. They have yet to see the Clash. I still have a lot of hope for that group.
FS: Are there any bands you listen to very closely?
HR: I love Stevie Wonder and there's a group called Israel Vibrations. Boy you hear their music and it's so ancient, it strikes right here (clutches chest)...
In ancient days what did Jesus try to do? They said we don't care if you tell a lie, just tell us you're not who you say you are. They tried everything, they tried to make him bow, they put a crown of thrones on his head, they kicked him around town and finally they said "We are gonna kill you if you say you are not the son of God." And he still would not do it I ya. And who is more revolutionary that Jesus Christ? You see Babylon hangs rebels. You have two kinds of rebels now, one will rebel against the system and a rebel that will rebel against god. We live in a rebellious society because they rebeled against the true word of God.
FS: Rebelling against society is on the side of God.
HR: That's right! Good and evil can't combine, you can't be in the middle of the road.
FS: What's a rasta's views on drugs?
HR: We don't consider herb a drug, it's not synthesized. No matter how much herb oil you drop on you joint its not going to alter your consciousness, but if you smoke opium that's another story, it's not synthesized...
FS: So you're anti-alcohol too?
HR: Yeah. Does anybody have herb in the house?

FS: Do you like art?
HR: I feel pencil drawings are fine but oil paintings are vain. Some things are sacred, a woman's body is so beautiful that you would only be doing an injustice to God to try to paint it that perfect.

FS: What do you guys eat?
HR: We don't eat any meat.
FS: What's your favorite meals?
HR: Rice and beans...
FS: Pasta? Fish?
HR: Whole wheat pasta and hard scale fishes.

FS: Do you have any other interests?
Earl: Farming. I'd love to be a farmer.

FS: Do you think there are people who use rasta as an excuse to get high?
Earl: Well if there are I would see them as sheep.

FS: You fit all your equipment and your selves in on van?
Earl: It's work, it takes a positive attitude.
FS: PMA. I like that, it's different than fuck shit, fuck shit, we're all gonna die...
Earl: It's easy to be negative. It's hard to be positive but if you work at something constructive....we got PMA from this book, "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill, everybody in the band read that book when we were starting out in the early days. And to tell you the truth man, that book related a lot to the bible. Very much so because it said sight God, keep the faith. Like a vision, ya know, see what you want and keep it in your mind. What ever you can, God says that if you work at it you can eventually achieve it. If you can concieve it you can achieve it, eventually if you work at it. And if it's sowing a good seed it's positive then you are stronger. But if it's negative it's not gonna work it's gonna break up.
HR: Selassie says that until the day when the color of a man's skin means no more than the color of his eyes...
FS: We will have war.
HR: Right! Now I and I are brethen. From the beginning of time we came from the same family--that means, boy, how can I say something about my brother, I'm just saying something about myself.

FS: Do you have any feelings about the slavery that went on in this country?
HR: Yes. Have you ever heard of apartheid?
FS: What's going on in South Africa?
HR: The Apartheid are people who believe in white supremecy. What they wanna do now is say one bathroom is black and one is white. And reason because is when people unite they'll lose their power. So in the south the same thing, same thing in the north in Europe...