Finding Joseph I: An Oral History of H.R. from Bad Brains

by Howie Abrams, James Lathos, Paul H.R. Hudson

A Rough Trade Book of the Year (2017) “Must-read for any fan of both Bad Brains and their enigmatic vocalist” ― No Echo "From their modest beginnings, the band's rise to prominence within the underground scene is meticulously documented. . . . By collecting stories and experiences from pretty much anyone who has ever been in close contact or shared a stage with H.R. the reader really gets the impression that no stone was left unturned as the main events in his life and career all unfold chronologically." ― Classic Rock Revisited "At his peak, H.R. was the greatest living front man in the history of rock 'n' roll. No one came even close―NO ONE―& I mean that 100%. It was simply awe-inspiring; you had to see it IN PERSON to believe and understand it. But H.R. is a complex person―there are many, many stories about him, some of which I have been told by people close to him over the years, and some from strangers. There is a mythology built up around Bad Brains and this man in particular; a word-of-mouth portrait of a shaman, trickster, humanitarian, shyster, and just flat-out crazy person (crazy as in mentally ill, not the good kind). This just-released book, by Howie Abrams and James Lathos, is an unflinching oral history of H.R., his involvement with Bad Brains, and his struggles... I highly recommend it." ―D. Randall Blythe, Lamb of God, via Instagram The first fully authorized biography of one of rock's most enigmatic singers is a thoroughly uncensored rollercoaster ride through a riotous, tumultuous and utterly singular life and career. This gripping oral history features H.R. himself and the people who know him best, including Ian MacKaye, Questlove and members of Sublime and the Deftones. The spiritual leader of Bad Brains was one of the most iconic and legendary front men in punk rock and hardcore. Paul "H.R." Hudson launched his unique, ferocious vocal assault and dynamic physical showmanship with love and Rasta in his heart, along with a hopefulness seldom found in punk. His journey has been riddled with unprecedented drugs, violence, disappearances and a debilitating mental illness. The disorder was so powerful―and the suffering so severe―that it's difficult to fathom how he even survived. How could one so tremendously troubled produce such an incredible body of work and have made such an impact? Finding Joseph I features interviews with H.R.'s family, bandmates past and present, friends, and those he has influenced and inspired. Interviewees include members of Bad Brains, Guns N' Roses, Black Flag, Living Colour, 311, Fishbone, the Wailers, Cro-Mags, Dead Prez, Murphy's Law, P.O.D., Michael Franti & Spearhead and many more. Packed with many rare and never-before-seen images, Finding Joseph I is the definitive account of the punk rock icon. Howie Abrams co-authored The Merciless Book of Metal Lists and Misfit Summer 20 Years on the Road with the Vans Warped Tour . James Lathos is a director. His documentary debut is Finding Joseph The Story of Paul "H.R." Hudson .

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography

272 pages, Hardcover

Published December 27, 2016

Reviews

[Brian Perlis]

I absolutely loved this book. Having been a Bad Brains fan for years, it was really informative to learn the history of the man who had fronted the group. Definitely not a whitewashed version of HR, the book made the effort to show him as he really has been.

Highly recommended.

[D.S. Randol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a mad insightful book on H.R. that doesn't stray from the rough shit he's done. He's a deeply damaged individual, and it's really tragic in a lot of ways. I'm really happy he's doing better now. I also appreciate the very colloquial way it was written... I just find it a bit of a bummer that Dr. Know and Daryl weren't interviewed. Seems like a missed opportunity.

Still, love Bad Brains, love H.R., and I really love that I read this book.

Mental health isn't a joke.

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the life of one of the most influential enigmatic and conflicted figures in punk. HR and consequentially the Bad Brains when on were unstoppable and unbeatable.
when HR wasn't on it was something else entirely.

Abrams and Lathos (with HR's complete consent and approval) delve into his life and his mindset and do not shy away from his peculiar psychiatric "episodes" and his eventual seeking help through the kindness and utmost devotion of his wife Lori Carns Hudson.

I'm not crazy for the "oral history" format and would love that the book had more structure and delved at little deeper in the specifics of his ailments when poor or disastrous decisions were made or actions made without reason or rationality. Too often when a situation becomes intriguing and cries out for more the explanation the next page moves on to another situation, show etc.

My other main issue is that Daryl and Dr. Know were not interviewed and included in this book. I would have enjoyed hearing directly from the horse's mouths for their side of the story. In fairness, I don't know if they were approached and declined to be interviewed or participate.
Having their voices would have made it a much richer work.

A must read about a perplexing mega talented artist.

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing life experiences of HR (Paul Hudson), frontman of legendary Bad Brains: multitalented groundbreaking band. Jazz, Reggae, godfather of punk hardcore scene in the early 80s they've done it all and still playing today!

The man is a quintessential explorer of the human condition, sharing his love and philosophy of life (PMA) positive mental attitude; the modern day mystic shows what it means to be a human being living in a world of illusion. It begs the question, who is really insane? His tribulations are quite extreme, yet he comes out renewed and very relatable as a genuinely loving, humble, god loving glorified soul.

A must read, highly recommended. The movie is sublime as well! Jah bless. <3

[Mike Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up in the DC hardcore scene in the 80's, seeing Bad Brains several times, and being an H.R. fan throughout his many incarnations, I've been wanting to read this book. The cast of interviewees is impressive and tries to bring his story to life. Capturing the "true" H.R. is a daunting task as he is a chameleon, both artistically and personality-wise, but always an engaging, enigmatic icon. The book does a solid job weaving countless interviews from both friends and fellow musicians. I did find that the book often became repetitive, with one person making a comment/telling a story and then multiple others restating/retelling the same thing. I felt the accompanying film told the story better as the interviews resonated more. 3.50/5 stars.

[Michael Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An oral history of the life and career of one of the most dynamic frontmen in the history of rock. Accounts come from both HR, his various bandmates and friends/musician fans. It doesn’t shy away from the struggles he’s faced or certain unfortunate aspects of his personality but ultimately that just makes this an ideal read.

[Sami Eerola · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a oral history, constituting interveiws, this was a very good book that telled the history of the hard core band Bad Brains and its lead singer and creator Paul D. Hudson.

I knew very little about the history of the band or its singer, so this was very informative and a emotional read. Great live story that had its tragedies, but did not end in the rock n roll clishe of dead or suicide.

[milton · Rating 4 out of 5]

HR is probably the greatest front man is rock. Definitely the greatest in hardcore. This is a fun read through the eyes of so many artists and fan of Bad Brains.

[Rory Costello · Rating 3 out of 5]

It gets repetitive -- especially on the mental illness theme -- and the "talking heads" format is less than ideal. I have to believe the movie (which I have not yet seen) is more entertaining because it has the benefit of video and sound. Still, for a broad career overview of H.R. from beginning to the present, inside and outside of Bad Brains, this has all the facts you could want. Fans will already be familiar with a lot of them, but I found plenty of new nuggets.

[Margot Note]

I love the Bad Brains, but I don't think H.R. is a genius, as some were saying in the book.

He's an incredibly talented person with mental illness. His schizophrenia was exacerbated by drug usage, poverty, exploitive people, and his religious beliefs that forbade psychiatric medicine. It seems like he's in a good place now and is getting the help he needs. And for that I am thankful!