Dr Know of the Bad Brains
Black N Blue Bowl May 16/17, 2015
When I call Dr Know he is picking up Mackie and John Joseph.
Mackie Jayson is most known as the drummer as the Cro-Mags and a part of the
crucial Age of Quarrel album. He also recorded with the Bad Brains on Quickness
and Rise; among other touring stints. He played in Fun Lovin’ Criminals, NYHC
treasure The Icemen, Hazen St, and even came into Madball when Riggs stepped
down. Doc and Mackie have been brothers for many years. John Joseph is
returning from a Cro Mags’ gig in Sao Paolo, Brazil. The Ironman contender,
outspoken vegan Krishna, NYHC retro tour guide, aka Bloodclot, will jump
directly into the singers’ slot at Black N Blue Bowl.
Dr Know is the guitarist of Bad Brains. There are never
sufficient words to describe Bad Brains quickly and their spiritual connection
with their fans. Along with his partner in bass, Darryl Jennifer, Doc will
be headlining day one of the BNB Bowl, with Mackie and John Joseph, as The
Regulators. They will be performing an hour long set of classic Bad Brains’
material. Dr. Know (Gary Miller) describes the reunion as “an old-time
special”.
“The show is at Webster Hall, which is the old Ritz. I
haven’t played there in twenty years. It will be special. We are headlining,
like the old days.” The energy will be indescribable. As much as Bad Brains
came from DC, they can still be considered a NYHC band from the beginning. And
JJ and Mackie were there to see and learn from their peers as the Cro-Mags were
growing. “They’re family. We are all brothers. We did this line-up back in the
winter, some smaller spot in the city. It was thirty minutes and it was great.”
John Joseph will bring a fervent intensity. He does Ironman
competitions. “He is more fit than ever,” Doc notes. The four will practice all
week. Black N Blue Bowl is having a one off Burn reunion to top day two. The
varied array will push all the styles that make up NYHC. Other bands appearing
are Crumbsuckers, Sick Of It All, Madball, Earth Crisis, and Candiria. Among
100 Demons, Booze and Glory, EGH, Wisdom In Chains, King Nine, Rival Mob, Rude
Awakening and even more, the vibe will be electric. Doc wants to give the
people a crazy show, as many family and friends will be there. And The
Regulators are, well as Doc says, “It’s the OG’s”.
At the end of May, Bad Brains will be recording a five song
EP in Woodstock, NY where Dr. Know lives. The recording will be with Jesse
Royal. The special aspect to this recording will be that the public can buy a
ticket to attend the memorable event at Applehead studios. A series called Woodstock
Sessions is hosting the Bad Brains recording with sixty to seventy people in
attendance. “We are going to write the album that day. Make it up, revamp it,
and record it.”
Jess Royal is a “hot new Jamaican. We met him at the
Afro-Punk fest. We had a special set with rotating vocalists; Corey (Glover of
Living Colour; John Joseph, Jesse Royal and two others.” While Doc is excited
to record new material with a young vocalist, the addition of the fans is a
unique experience. “People will get to know us as we record. It will be
straight up spontaneity. Some of the songs we are working on, we have already
in process. We need to jam them out. It all happen there. We wrote a lot of
records in the studio.” Applehead is comfortable for Doc. He reports having done
much work there. The idea came up between him and the studio.
“It’s cool. People are going to get to hang out all day.”
The event boasts fans being treated to an open space studio, stocked with a
Caribbean feast. When they leave the fans will receive a commemorative t-shirt
of the day, a limited edition poster and reservation for a 180-gm vinyl of the
recording. Doc is very excited to share this event. “The vibe will be
incredible, laid back. It’s going to be fun. We are going to play some reggae,
maybe a rock joint. We can’t get too wild, though,” Doc laughs.
