10 Bizarre Recording Techniques Used On Famous Records
4. I Against I – Bad Brains
Possibly the least well-known band on this list, but certainly one of the most influential, Bad Brains formed in Washington, D.C., in 1976, and have released nine studio albums, with multiple breaks and line-up changes. The roster of acts who cite Bad Brains as major influences reads like a who's-who of '80s and '90s rock acts. The Beastie Boys, Faith No More, Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Rage Against The Machine and Anthrax all owe them a debt.
For the purposes of this list, we're concentrating on a single track, Sacred Love, from the group's third studio album, 1986's I Against I (a reference to the Rastafarian phrase signifying union in love and peace.) The record saw the band expand their punk style to embrace soul, reggae and elements of heavy metal.
In the run up to the album's release, with just the aforementioned track needing vocals, the group's lead singer, H.R., was arrested and jailed for marijuana distribution. Rather than postpone the album, the band came up with an astonishing solution, arranging for H.R. To literally phone-in his vocals from Lorton Reformatory, Virginia, hundreds of miles from the studio in Massachusetts.