| Big Audio Dynamite | |
|---|---|
 Big Audio Dynamite, 1995
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| Background information | |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | Post-punk, alternative dance |
| Years active | 1983–1998 |
| Labels | Columbia Radioactive/MCA Records |
| Associated acts | London SS, The Clash, Carbon/Silicon |
| Former members | |
| Mick Jones Don Letts Dan Donovan Leo Williams Greg Roberts Nick Hawkins Gary Stonadge Chris Kavanagh Andre Shapps Michael 'Zonka' Custance Darryl Fulstow Bob Wond Ranking Roger |
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Big Audio Dynamite (later known as Big Audio Dynamite II and Big Audio, and often abbreviated BAD) were a British musical group formed in 1984 by the ex-guitarist and singer of The Clash, Mick Jones. The group were noted for their effective mixture of varied musical styles, incorporating elements of punk rock, dance music, hip hop, reggae, and funk. BAD's one constant throughout frequent shifts in membership and musical direction was the vocals provided by Mick Jones.
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The group's initial incarnation, founded by Jones and film director Letts (maker of The Punk Rock Movie, various Clash music videos, and later The Clash documentary Westway to the World), debuted with the 1985 release This Is Big Audio Dynamite. The album's cover shows the group as a four-piece (minus Donovan); the full group is pictured on the back cover.
1986's No. 10, Upping St. reunited Jones for one album with former Clash band-mate Joe Strummer, who was a co-producer of the album and co-writer of a number of its songs. BAD supported U2 on their 1987 world tour, then released 1988's Tighten Up, Vol. '88 and 1989's Megatop Phoenix. Tighten Up, Vol. 88 contained "Just Play Music!", which was the second #1 single on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks. The band also recorded an unreleased track called "Keep Off the Grass" which was a rock-style instrumental of the theme to the classic western film, The Magnificent Seven. A promo video can be seen on YouTube.[1]
In 1990, the original line-up wrote and recorded the song "Free" for the soundtrack to the movie Flashback. This would be the final song written with the original lineup, as the band would dissolve shortly after. Interesting note... "Bottom Line" from the first lp was remixed and used as the title track for "Flashback." However this track was not included on the soundtrack. It can be found on the 12" or by possible download. Later in 1990, Mick Jones would debut Big Audio Dynamite II and release the UK only album Kool-Aid. Dan Donovan would remain in BAD II for one song, a re-working of the final BAD track "Free" renamed "Kickin' In".
For 1991's The Globe, only Jones remained from BAD, and the band was now called Big Audio Dynamite II. This new line-up, featuring two guitarists, was more "Clash-like" and, possibly as a result, often played more alternative rock-influenced music. The Globe featured the band's most commercially successful single, "Rush" which hit #1 on the US modern rock charts. "Innocent Child" and "The Globe" were also released as singles. BAD supported U2 on their ZooTV tour and released the live ep "On The Road Live '92".
The band later recruited keyboardist Andre Shapps (co-producer of The Globe) and Michael "DJ Zonka" Custance as DJ and vocalist. Both appeared on the band's 1994 album Higher Power, which was released under the shortened name "Big Audio". The album wasn't as well-received as The Globe or previous BAD albums.
After signing with Gary Kurfirst's Radioactive Records in 1995, the band reverted to the original "Big Audio Dynamite" moniker and released their least successful album to date, F-Punk.
Radioactive Records refused to release the next proposed BAD album, Entering a New Ride.[citation needed] The line-up contained vocalist Ranking Roger (The Beat, General Public) and drummer Bob Wond (Under Two Flags) In 1998, the band launched a new web site, primarily as a means to distribute songs from the Entering a New Ride album.
As of 2005, Jones is working on a project with Tony James (ex-member of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik) called Carbon/Silicon.
In early 2007, a BAD II live DVD was released.
Big Audio Dynamite (1984 - 1990)
Big Audio Dynamite II (1990 - 1993)
Big Audio (1994)
Post-1995
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.K [2][3] | U.S. | AUS | ||
| 1985 | This is Big Audio Dynamite
|
27 | 103 | – |
| 1986 | No. 10, Upping St.
|
11 | 135 | – |
| 1988 | Tighten Up Vol. 88
|
33 | 102 | – |
| 1989 | Megatop Phoenix
|
26 | 85 | – |
| 1990 | Kool-Aid
|
55 | – | – |
| 1991 | The Globe | 61 | 76 | 10 |
| 1994 | Higher Power
|
– | – | – |
| 1995 | F-Punk
|
– | – | – |
| 1997 | Entering a New Ride
|
– | – | – |
| Year | Song | Album | Chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.K. Singles [2][4] | AUS Singles [5] [6] | U.S. | |||||
| Hot 100 | Club Play | Modern Rock | |||||
| 1986 | "The Bottom Line" | This Is Big Audio Dynamite | 97 | 34 | – | 33 | – |
| "E=MC²" | 11 | 47 | – | 37 | – | ||
| "Medicine Show" | 29 | – | – | 42 | – | ||
| "C'Mon Every Beatbox" | No 10, Upping Street | 51 | – | – | 19 | – | |
| 1987 | "V. Thirteen" | 49 | – | – | 15 | – | |
| "Sightsee M.C.!" | 94 | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1988 | "Just Play Music!" | Tighten Up, Vol. 88 | 51 | – | – | 45 | 1 |
| "Other 99" | 81 | – | – | – | 13 | ||
| 1989 | "James Brown" | Megatop Phoenix | – | – | – | 19 | 2 |
| "Contact" | 86 | – | – | 18 | 6 | ||
| 1990 | "Free" | Flashback soundtrack | – | – | – | 47 | 22 |
| 1991 | "Rush" | The Globe | – | 1 | 32 | 36 | 1 |
| "The Globe" | – | 8 | 72 | 28 | 3 | ||
| 1992 | "Innocent Child" | – | 67 | – | – | – | |
| 1994 | "Looking for a Song" | Higher Power | 68 | – | – | – | 24 |
| 1995 | "I Turned Out a Punk" | F-Punk | – | – | – | – | – |
| Year | Album | UK | U.S. | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Flashback soundtrack | 98 | 86 | One track, 'Free', by "Big Audio Dynamite" |
| 1991 | Ally Pally Paradiso | - | - | Live promo album as "Big Audio Dynamite II" |
| 1992 | On the Road Live '92 | - | - | Live EP released during their 1992 US tour |
| 1993 | The Lost Treasure of Big Audio Dynamite I & II | - | - | Double album compilation of rare 12" cuts and b-sides |
| 1994 | Looking for a Song | - | - | 2CD promo, Greatest Hits (Radio Edits) & 'Looking For a Song' EP |
| 1995 | Planet B.A.D. | - | - | "Best of" compilation by all B.A.D. variants |
| 1999 | Super Hits | - | - | "Best of" compilation by all B.A.D. variants |
| 2000 | Big Audio Dynamite I & II | - | - | US only compilation of selected album tracks |
| 2009 | The Best of Big Audio Dynamite | - | - | "Best of" compilation by all B.A.D. variants |
   | Unofficial site - This is Big Audio Dynamite |
| | Lyrics - Big Audio Dynamite - Lyriki |
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