{
  "id": 9359188,
  "title": "Bad Brains Announce New Album of Earliest Material, Unleash “Pay to Cum”: Stream",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/bad-brains-announce-new-album-of-earliest-material-unleash-pay-to-cum",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-23T15:34:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Consequence",
    "slug": "consequence",
    "url": "https://consequence.net/2026/09/bad-brains-album-earliest-material/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Bad Brains, the renowned hardcore band, has unveiled Are You Ready: The First Studio Recordings, a collection of their earliest studio recordings, set to release on November 6th via Trust Records. The compilation showcases six of their debut recordings, captured during a one-hour session at Inner Ear Studios in March 1979. Among these tracks, the single \"Pay to Cum\" makes its debut, offering listeners a glimpse of the band's spirited and melodic sound, bridging punk rock and hardcore.\n\nThe track's distinctive riff was inspired by punk rock pioneers The Ramones, The Damned, and jazz fusion group Return to Forever, serving as a catalyst for Bad Brains' signature style. Band member Darryl Jenifer described the creation process, stating that the riff was an impromptu burst of punk rock energy, blending straightforward three-chord mayhem with occasional breaks and pauses. The title of the song was purely a playful invention, with no particular meaning intended.\n\nTo mark the release, a remixed version of \"Pay to Cum\" will be performed by Ian MacKaye, the iconic figure behind Fugazi and Minor Threat, during a special event in Washington, D.C. The celebration includes a conversation between Jenifer and MacKaye at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library on November 5th, as well as the unveiling of the \"Are You Ready\" archival exhibition at Lost Origins Gallery on November 6th. Pre-orders for the album are now available, and fans can expect a nostalgic journey through Bad Brains' formative years with this remarkable release.",
  "summary": "Are You Ready: The First Studio Recordings (Inner Ear - March 1979) will be released on November 6th. Bad Brains Announce New Album of Earliest Material, Unleash “Pay to Cum”: Stream Langdon Hickman",
  "key_points": [
    "Bad Brains release Are You Ready: The First Studio Recordings on November 6th",
    "Single \"Pay to Cum\" debut with Ramones, Damned, and Return to Forever influences",
    "Ian MacKaye performs remixed version at Washington, D.C. event on November 5th"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}