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From: Paul[SMTP:lashout@ksu.ksu.edu]
Sent: Thursday, March 28, 1996 1:42 AM

Reading these responses to what happened at the Bad Brains show
in Lawrence really makes me want to laugh. There were no racial
problems between the skinheads and Bad Brains or with anyone
else there that night. I'm a skinhead and I was at the show and
I assure you that all the skinheads there have nothing to do with
racial supremacy, nor will any of the skinheads that you will see
hanging around Lawrence. As soon as Nazis show up, we run them
out of town. We were there to see Bad Brains that night, simply
because Bad Brains is a band that we all grew up with, and for me
personally, I see them as the first band I would describe as
"hardcore." In response to Beau's letter, yes, there were skinheads
working security for that show, but then again what Bottleneck
shows aren't there skinheads working security? Maybe someone was
drinking free beer, but I know it wasn't me. Maybe there were
skinheads close to the stage, but no one was spitting on HR.

As far as anyone can figure out, HR was on 'shrooms and who knows
what else, and he just flipped out. Even if there was reason for
him to get pissed off, there was no reason for him to smash my
friend over the head with a mic stand. As the police reports and
all the articles indicate, the attack was unprovoked. Next time
you feel like smashing a skinhead, Beau, I'll be glad to give you
30-40 names to choose from. Then maybe we all can drink beer, sing
pub songs, and have a goodtime, just like everyone was trying to
do that night.

--paul paukstelis
Manhattan Skinhead
Free State Skins

From: Lisa Faruolo[SMTP:lpdc@idir.net]
Sent: Saturday, March 16, 1996 6:55 PM

LETTER RESPONDING TO BEAU SANTEE'S "THE REAL STORY" (8/12)

I read your article on the Bad Brains show in Lawrence. I wanted to write to you because I had a different perspective of that night. I've been a big fan of Bad Brains for close to 10 years, but I had never seen them live, so needless to say, I was beyond excited for the show to start. My boyfriend and I were in the center of the crowd up close to the stage minutes before they were going to play. HR was directly in front of us sitting on the edge of the stage and he was just watching the people. At one point, he was looking at Bill and I. HR, at that point, rushed toward the two of us. I proceeded to drop my jaw as he verbally assaulted my boy-friend. He kept telling Bill to get the fuck out. Finally, when Bill asked him what he had against him, HR replied, "You have no right to turn this nice young lady into a drug addict!" . At this point we knew that he was on something serious and somehow we became the first targets of his psycho drug behavior. It's possible that there was some racial conflict going on between skinheads and HR, but I personally never saw it. In my opinion, he was just completely fucked up on drugs and was interpreting people in a distorted way. Why would a bunch of dumbfuck racists pay $10 to go spit on HR. Doesn't make sense to me. I also wanted to comment on what you said about HR's compliant departure from the bar. He did not leave quietly. One of the security guys was asking him to leave and HR looked like he was going to kick his ass. I love Bad Brains, but that evening was not a race issue. It was purely a drug issue. Too bad for those who love them and for the other band members. FROM : Megan E. Irvine megan@falcon.cc.ukans.edu

Sep 95 - March 96 - silence

To: Joly@ix.netcom.com
From: isanti@ix.netcom.com (Beau Santee )
Subject: Brains Lawrence show
Date: Sat, 12 Aug 1995 12:25:06 -0700

Some friends and I were at the show in Lawrence .It's funny how noneof the news reports mention anything about all the skinheads around that night. Nothing about them being the security for the show, drinking free beer all night, and singing skinhead pub chants. Even before the Brains started playing he said "There may be a fight here tonight but we are gonna have a good time. As soon as they started playing a handful of skins headed towards the stage. About three songs into the set H.R. whipped that mic stand out. Then jumped into the audience. This skinhead guy came out with all his buddies, bleeding from the head. Then H.R. onstage is saying to somebody "you don't have the right to do that". Then he says "I've been dealing with you guys' shit for 15 years and I'm not going to deal with it anymore." I do believe he was speaking to the skinheads. They played a couple more songs and split. The cops had showed and everything was fucked. Rumour has it that the skins were close to the stage spitting on H.R. I would have smashed 'em too. I just wanted to provide some insight into this incident which unfortunately seems to have permanently ended the life of the greatest punk-jazz-fusion-hardcore-rasta-reggae-gospel outfit ever. Thanks for listening.

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To: joly@ix.netcom.com
From: brains@ix.netcom.com (Anthony Countey)
Subject: final solution
Date: Sat, 22 Jul 1995 21:52:10 -0700
HR in jail in Lawrence, Kansas for clubing a fan with a mike stand at Bad Brains Club Bottleneck show there.Police arrived mid-set and closed the show down and arrest HR on Battery charges. His attack had hospitalized two fans, one requiring five staples in his fractured skull.HR hit the kid after Thank Jah. The band played Cool Mountaineers and Rock for Light before dwindling into final obscuity during Day Tripper. HR was sitting in the audience immediately after the aborted set and had to be told the police were waiting for him. He did not resist and has remained in custody since.Doc and Darryl refused to continue the tour with HR and consider the Bad Brains over.Peace together a peace apart ...

5/16

Unfortunately, even that powerful a combination (Jah & Madonna) apparently could not sustain cohesion in the very hallsof Babylon
(an arena rock show) and HR bugged out on the first Beastie Boys date.