Big Audio Dynamite

Big Audio Dynamite (later known as Big Audio Dynamite II and Big Audio, and often abbreviated BAD) is a British musical group formed in 1984 by the ex-guitarist and singer of the Clash, Mick Jones. The group is noted for its 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 is the vocals provided by Mick Jones. After releasing a number of well received albums and touring extensively throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Big Audio Dynamite disbanded in 1997, but had a reunion tour in 2011. After being ousted from the Clash in 1983, Mick Jones formed a new band called Top Risk Action Company (T.R.A.C.). Although the band released no material (only demos were recorded which have yet to be officially released), T.R.A.C. can be seen as a forerunner to Big Audio Dynamite in much the same way London SS can be seen as an early incarnation of The Clash.

Jones then formed Big Audio Dynamite in 1984. In 1985 the group's debut, This Is Big Audio Dynamite, was released. 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”. 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.

Later in 1990, Mick Jones debuted Big Audio Dynamite II and release the UK only album Kool-Aid. Dan Donovan remained in BAD II for one song, a re-working of the final BAD track "Free" renamed "Kickin' In". For 1990's “The Globe”, only Jones remained from BAD, and the band was now called "Big Audio Dynamite II". This new line-up featured two guitarists. The Globe featured the band's most commercially successful single, "Rush" which hit No. 1 on both the US modern rock chart and the Australian National Aria Chart. BAD supported U2 on their ZooTV tour and released the live EP "On The Road Live '92".

The band later recruited keyboardist Andre Shapps 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". 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.” This led to falling out and subsequent disbanding of B.A.D. In 1998, the band launched a new web site, primarily as a means to distribute songs from the Entering a New Ride album.

The reformation of the original line up of B.A.D was announced in the beginning of 2011 with a UK tour. The 9-date tour was a commercial and critical success. Big Audio Dynamite played additional sets at the 2011 Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Glastonbury Festival 2011, and Lollapalooza.