Bad Brains are an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1977. They are widely regarded as being among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to the term "hardcore" to describe their music.Originally formed as a jazz fusion ensemble under the name Mind Power, Bad Brains developed a very fast and intense punk rock sound, which was both musically complex, and was often played faster and more emphatically than the music of many of their peers. They were also an adept reggae band, in a sort of Jekyll-and-Hyde arrangement, while later recordings featured elements of heavy metal and funk. Bad Brains are also notable as religious followers of the Rastafari movement.Bad Brains broke up and reformed several times over the years, sometimes with different singers and/or drummers. The band's classic and current lineup is singer H.R., guitarist Dr. Know, bassist Darryl Jenifer, and drummer Earl Hudson.Bad Brains were ranked #99 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.Though the official name of the band is Bad Brains, they are often referred to as The Bad Brains, sometimes even by the band members themselves. The Beastie Boys were huge Bad Brains fans, and they intentionally selected a name with the initials B.B. because of this.