Big Audio Dynamite

Live: E=MC2 (Cherry Red/MVD)
by Craig Regala

From 1990, on the Wonderful Cherry Red label, Big Audio Dynamite lays out a great show. Hey, if you’re not on board, you wouldn’t care, right? Maybe not. I don’t own any of the records, and can now look back and see the continuity of head B.A.D.nik Mick Jones (late of The Clash) vision. He’s a pop guy: Snappy, catchy, danceable rock and roll tunes with an anthemic mythos attached. B.A.D.’s music has Madchester flourishes and samples, literal and musical quotes. Mick’s a big softie, and the open-hearted joy and hope override the pensive realism and downcast tone (Thatcher again? damn) as much rock and roll bred from blues and folk balladry has. I’d like to hear Snowbyrd do a couple of these in their wide berth roots approach. The tunes come from the same well spring.

I hear melodies and guitar parts from later Clash material: The “Somebody Got Murdered” lifts in “Other 99,” or that feel like it; “The Globe,” “Rush.” The sampler ‘n’ keyboard technology and doofy rap parts may’ve signified “cutting edge” at the time, but the good part is these guys pretty much rewrote Free’s “All Right Now” in a couple groovy pop ways, providing the continuity and grasp of their approach. So if you like B.A.D., you gotta hop in. Hell, even the Prince cover’s ok. If nothing else, check MVD’s titles: They’ve got a jillion, including the Cherry Red catalog I grew up on. Shit, I gotta win the lottery to get all the ones I want: The Birthday Party, Marc Almond, Hawkwind, The Boys… What’s the discount on 20 titles at a time?
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