Proshot high quality video of the Bad Brains playing in Florida on March 20, 1987. Shorter clips from this show have appeared on the Internet but nowhere near this quality. This is the Bad Brains’ performance in full and it looks and sounds great.

The Chevrolet banner hanging from the stage declares that “This is the heartbeat of America.”  I agree. But the college kids on spring break that make up the audience seem clueless.

Setlist:

1. Intro
2. I
3. House of Suffering
4. Daytripper/ She’s a Rainbow
5. She is Calling you
6. The Youth are getting Restless
7. I against I
8. At the Movies

total runtime 24:49:21
 

 
Steven Blush, author of American Hardcore: A Tribal History, has uploaded 911 hardcore tracks of his favorite bands for free.  Some of the artists include: Flipper, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Minutemen, Hüsker Dü, Dicks, Butthole Surfers, Cro-Mags and more!

Travel on over to 24 Hours of Hardcore compiled by Steven Blush and download the goodness while it lasts. 

Side note from Steven: “COPYRIGHT HOLDERS: I will delete your tracks at your request.”

(via Das Kraftfuttermischwerk)

 
Here’s the classic Bad Brains video culled from 4 hours of footage shot over the course of 3 nights of performances at CBGB in December of 1982. Hardcore rock/reggae doesn’t get any better than this. While most of this footage has been available in bits and pieces of varying quality on Youtube, here’s the entire video with superb sound and visuals.

You can buy this on DVD from MVD Visual here.
 

 
More badness from Bad Brains after the jump…

 
Attention good people of California, the mighty Bad Brains are coming our way for a whirlwind six day tour.

Bad Brains in California tour dates:
Aug 19 @ Ventura Theater, Ventura, CA
Aug 20 @ House of Blues, Anaheim, CA
Aug 21 @ Sunset Junction, Los Angeles, CA
Aug 22 @ Belly Up Tavern, Solano Beach, CA
Aug 23 @ The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA
Aug 24 @ Slim’s, San Francisco, CA

The band is giving away tickets at their website for each of the shows. Register to win here. If you win the free tickets, I guess you won’t have to, ahem, pay to cum! (Ha ha ha ha. I’m so darned funny, I just slay myself).
 

 
Note that the above video of the Bad Brains playing Black Sabbath’s Paranoid, shot at CBGBs, also comes from the InnerTube cable access series, circa 1982, that Marc wrote about here.

Photo Credit: Glen E. Friedman
 

Photo Credit: Glen E. Friedman
 

Photo Credit: Glen E. Friedman
 
Here’s a really wonderful interview with one of my favorite photographers and artists, Glen E. Friedman. Do yourself a favor and watch the video. From State Magazine:

It was then that I found that the most beautiful, gripping color photographs were taken by just a single photographer, a very young teenager, by the name of Glen E. Friedman. Glen would go on to take these skills he learnt as a kid and apply them to his other great love in life, music. What you’re about to hear is an interview I did with Glen, who describes for you, some of his favourite shots from the last four decades. It’s a journey which has taken Glen from the mosh-pits of American punk-rock with bands like Black Flag and Fugazi to the suburban streets with hip-hop where Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Run DMC, LL Cool J, A Tribe Called Quest and Ice-T all became subjects in front of Glen’s lens. So, less talk, more action; press play. After all, they say a picture is worth a thousand…well, you know…

 
Interview with Glen E. Friedman in pictures & audio