Bad Brains X John Yates

If you follow him on Instagram, then you're probably already hip to John Yates' take on the classic graphic design aesthetic behind Blue Note Records. John kicked off his "Punk Note" series in May, with a killer take on "Here Are The Sonics", influenced by Reid Miles' covers for the timeless jazz label in the 50s and 60s. As John notes in his initial posting, "I took [Miles's] aesthetic and applied a history of punk filter. I took 1965 as my starting point, and took it through to 1990, the year before “punk broke” #sonicyouth. There are going to be bands/musicians I either missed, or chose to leave out, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time." 200 covers and a month later, he'd covered a huge swath of punk history. And all of it, as you'd expect, looked pretty grand.

While that was taking place, the Bad Brains were consolidating chunks of their back catalog under their dormant Bad Brains Records label. Teaming with California's Org Music, the DC/NY hardcore legends had regained the masters to all of their records from their first 10 years in existence, excepting 1986's "I Against I" (still under control of SST Records). They relaunched their website and solicited preorders for the first round of reissues, due to launch in February 2021.

Now, you're probably like me, in that you own every Bad Brains record you want to own, often times in multiple formats. I have my Caroline CD of "Rock For Light" that I bought from Stikky Fingers in Fells Point sometime around 1996, a yellow shell copy of "Bad Brains" that I snagged on eBay a few months ago, and my Victory Records picture disc 10" of "The Omega Sessions". Having copped that 2019 "Black Dots" vinyl reissue when it came out, I don't need any more Bad Brains records any more.

BUT, part of this reissue campaign involves Sr. Yates doing limited edition "Punk Note" covers for the BB's first, second, and fourth records. Over the next year, Bad Brains Records will reissue "Bad Brains", "Rock For Light", and "Quickness" on limited-to-1,000-pieces colored vinyl, featuring a redesigned cover. "Bad Brains" (aka the ROIR tape) comes in green, "Rock For Light" on yellow, and "Quickness" on red. "Rock For Light" is even reverting to its original 1983 mix and track order, a great development if, like me, you've only had access to the 1991 Ocasek/Jennifer remix. And as used to the lightning bolt hitting the Capitol Building as I am, the design and photography on these reissues is simply phenomenal.

One can preorder "Bad Brains", as well as a new pressing of the "Pay To Cum" 7", at Bad Brains Records now. Both are shipping spring 2021.