Quickness
Encyclopedia
Quickness is the fourth full-length studio album by hardcore punk
pioneers Bad Brains
. At the time of its release, it was the best selling Bad Brains album and also featured an MTV
video for the lead-off track "Soul Craft" directed by Paul Rachman
who later went on to produce and direct the feature documentary American Hardcore
. Drummer Earl Hudson
, though pictured on the cover, is absent, with the drum parts instead being performed by Mackie Jayson of the Cro-Mags
. In an interview with MTV, guitarist Dr. Know said that the album's title comes from urgency and swiftness.
The album was a crossover release that contained elements of several genres, including funk
, hip hop
, heavy metal
, punk
, and reggae
, which made a notable return after being absent from 1986's I Against I
. It is also the band's most controversial release, containing lyrics that some claim were homophobic
. More specifically, the song "Don't Blow Bubbles" had lyrics that were generally interpreted as being homophobic and suggesting that AIDS was God's cure for homosexuality. When asked about the song, guitarist Dr. Know
said that "We wrote that song as kind of an angry warning to homosexuals. We didn't really mean to insult them, but a lot of people we knew seemed to be living with their eyes closed.". In a 2007 interview where bassist Darryl Jenifer called their previous homophobic views "ignorant" he was asked about the song and the furor over the lyrics and replied "They don't understand that we've grown. Just like anyone, I'm not ashamed to say, “Maybe I could have been…” Damn right, I was a homophobe! I shouldn't have to explain that to the world because everyone will do that. That's wisdom. You have to grow to be wise."
The Sacramento internet radio show, Soulcraft, got their name from the first track of this album.
with
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
pioneers Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
. At the time of its release, it was the best selling Bad Brains album and also featured an MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
video for the lead-off track "Soul Craft" directed by Paul Rachman
Paul Rachman
Paul Rachman is an American film director who directed the highly praised 2006 documentary on punk music American Hardcore which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was released by Sony Pictures Classics. He is also one of the founders of the Slamdance Film Festival...
who later went on to produce and direct the feature documentary American Hardcore
American Hardcore (film)
American Hardcore is a documentary directed by Paul Rachman and written by Steven Blush. It is based on the book American Hardcore: A Tribal History also written by Blush. It was released on September 22, 2006 on a limited basis...
. Drummer Earl Hudson
Earl Hudson
Earl Hudson is the drummer for Bad Brains, regarded as one of punk rock's most influential and innovative bands. He is the younger brother of the band's lead singer H.R.. Although he has rarely recorded or performed outside of the band, he and fellow bandmates, guitarist Dr...
, though pictured on the cover, is absent, with the drum parts instead being performed by Mackie Jayson of the Cro-Mags
Cro-Mags
Cro-Mags are a hardcore punk turned crossover thrash band from New York City. The band, which had a strong cult following, released many records, their first two considered the most influential...
. In an interview with MTV, guitarist Dr. Know said that the album's title comes from urgency and swiftness.
The album was a crossover release that contained elements of several genres, including funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, which made a notable return after being absent from 1986's I Against I
I Against I
I Against I is the third official full-length studio album by Bad Brains, released in 1986 as SST Records number 65. The best-selling album in the band's catalog, I Against I is a critically acclaimed album of American hardcore punk mixed with funk, soul, reggae and heavy metal. It is also...
. It is also the band's most controversial release, containing lyrics that some claim were homophobic
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
. More specifically, the song "Don't Blow Bubbles" had lyrics that were generally interpreted as being homophobic and suggesting that AIDS was God's cure for homosexuality. When asked about the song, guitarist Dr. Know
Dr. Know (guitarist)
Dr. Know is the stage name of Gary Miller, guitarist for Bad Brains, regarded as one of punk rock's most innovative and important bands...
said that "We wrote that song as kind of an angry warning to homosexuals. We didn't really mean to insult them, but a lot of people we knew seemed to be living with their eyes closed.". In a 2007 interview where bassist Darryl Jenifer called their previous homophobic views "ignorant" he was asked about the song and the furor over the lyrics and replied "They don't understand that we've grown. Just like anyone, I'm not ashamed to say, “Maybe I could have been…” Damn right, I was a homophobe! I shouldn't have to explain that to the world because everyone will do that. That's wisdom. You have to grow to be wise."
The Sacramento internet radio show, Soulcraft, got their name from the first track of this album.
Track listing
- "Soul Craft" (MillerDr. Know (guitarist)Dr. Know is the stage name of Gary Miller, guitarist for Bad Brains, regarded as one of punk rock's most innovative and important bands...
, Jenifer, HudsonH.R.H.R. is the stage name of Paul D. Hudson, the lead singer of the hardcore punk band Bad Brains. His vocals can be quite diverse, ranging from a rapid-fire nasal whine, to feral growling and screeches, to smooth near-crooning or staccato reggae rhymes...
) - "Voyage Into Infinity" (Miller, Jenifer, Hudson)
- "The Messengers" (Miller, Hudson, Hahn)
- "With the Quickness" (Miller, Jenifer, Hudson)
- "Gene Machine/Don't Bother Me" (Miller, Jenifer, Hudson)
- "Don't Blow Bubbles" (Miller, Jenifer, Hudson)
- "Sheba" (Miller, Hudson)
- "Yout' Juice" (Miller, Jenifer, Hudson)
- "No Conditions" (Miller, Jenifer, Hudson)
- "Silent Tears" (Jenifer, Hudson)
- "The Prophet's Eye" (Miller, Jenifer, Hudson)
- "Endtro" (Miller, Jenifer)
Personnel
- H.R.H.R.H.R. is the stage name of Paul D. Hudson, the lead singer of the hardcore punk band Bad Brains. His vocals can be quite diverse, ranging from a rapid-fire nasal whine, to feral growling and screeches, to smooth near-crooning or staccato reggae rhymes...
- vocals - Dr. KnowDr. Know (guitarist)Dr. Know is the stage name of Gary Miller, guitarist for Bad Brains, regarded as one of punk rock's most innovative and important bands...
- guitar - Darryl Jenifer - bass
- Earl HudsonEarl HudsonEarl Hudson is the drummer for Bad Brains, regarded as one of punk rock's most influential and innovative bands. He is the younger brother of the band's lead singer H.R.. Although he has rarely recorded or performed outside of the band, he and fellow bandmates, guitarist Dr...
- drums (credited, but does not appear on album)
with
- Mackie Jayson - session drummer