Prolific pro music journalist Greg Prato once again tosses his estimable skills at uncovering and explaining the phenomenon of the multi-layered rock band Bad Brains. Bringing together bits and slices of everything from metal, funk, punk, hardcore and even reggae, the late '70s Washington, DC, band may have tripped over their own coattails in that very effort of trying to bridge so many styles. The group never reached their true potential as a commercial entity, and no one every truly knew why.

To unravel that mystery, Prato has conducted extensive interviews with the very people who might be able to shed light here. He spoke to Chad Channing (Nirvana), Curt Kirkwood (Meat Puppets), Mitts (Madball), Keith Morris (Circle Jerks/ex-Black Flag), Chuck Mosley (ex-Faith No More/ex-Bad Brains), Greg Puciato (Dillinger Escape Plan), Charlie Benante (Anthrax), Max Cavalera (Soulfly/ex-Sepultura), Travis Stever (Coheed and Cambria), Kim Thayil (Soundgarden), Bobby Hackney (Death), Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed), Tesco Vee (Meatmen), Tim Williams (Vision of Disorder), and many others.

Prato combines biography with his trademark oral narrative approach in producing a book that answers all the questions and along the way leaves you glued to your chair with pages filled with creative and thought-provoking prose.