BAD BRAINS Focus Of MTV's '52/52' Campaign

February 2, 2008

Legendary punk act the BAD BRAINS will be the featured artist on MTV starting on Monday, February 4 as part of the channel's "52/52" campaign. Performances, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage will air throughout the week.

MTV's "52/52" is a brand new way for the channel to give unprecedented exposure to unsigned artists, indie bands, and established acts on major labels in a completely new and innovative way. MTV handpicks one band/artist per week for the entire year and gives them the equivalent of roughly 11 hours of on-air commercial time per week on the channel.

The first video off the new BAD BRAINS album, "Build a Nation", can be viewed below. SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist Shavo Odadjian directed the effort, which is a video combination of two songs, "Give Thanks and Praises" and "Jah Love". Shot at the Sasquatch Festival and also Portland Oregon by famed cinematographer Danny Hiele (U2, GREEN DAY, KANYE WEST),the concept captures and merges punk and reggae. Thus the main punk video, "Give Thanks and Praises", is seen merging into the dub reggae of "Jah Love". It's a concept Shavo felt did justice to the band as being innovators of punk rock.

"I really wanted to respect this band and bring out and capture what they are about, which is a certain intensity...yet also bringing out all sides of the band," he said. "So, the brutal fury of the first video merges into this beautiful dub song. It is some of the most stunning cinematography from DP Danny Hiele I have ever seen. Glorious film style."

"Build a Nation" was released on June 26, 2007 via Megaforce Records. The group's first proper studio CD in over a decade features all the original members: HR, Darryl Jenifer, Dr. Know and Earl Hudson.

Produced by longtime fan, Adam Yauch of the BEASTIE BOYS, "Build a Nation" is a return to form for the band that helped define American punk and hardcore music. It also represents the first studio album, outside BEASTIE BOYS albums, to be recorded at the BEASTIE BOYS' "Oscilloscope" laboratories and studio compound in New York City.

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