In 1987, with punk rock on its knees, Bad Brains came to London, on tour in support of their third album, I Against I, released through the legendary SST Records in November of the previous year. The four young men from Washington – vocalist H.R., guitarist Dr. Know, bassist Darryl Jenifer and drummer Earl Hudson – began their month-long trek with a booking at the Clarendon in Hammersmith, at which a thousand people were left ticketless outside. A little under four weeks later, the penultimate date of the European leg of the tour saw a performance at Camden’s Electric Ballroom that remains one of the most exceptional punk rock shows that London’s punkest neighbourhood has ever played host to. Why? Because for a time, Bad Brains were by far the most innova...
