Editing Big Audio Dynamite (section)

==History==
===T.R.A.C. (1984)===
After being fired from the Clash in 1983 and following a brief stint with [[New wave music|new wave]] band [[General Public]], Mick Jones formed a new band called Top Risk Action Company (T.R.A.C.). He recruited bassist [[Leo Williams (musician)|Leo "E-Zee Kill" Williams]], saxophonist John "Boy" Lennard (from [[post-punk]] band [[Theatre of Hate]]), and former Clash drummer [[Topper Headon]]. Headon was quickly fired for his [[heroin]] addiction and Lennard either left or was fired and the band folded.<ref>{{cite web |title=Big Audio Dynamite – "This Is Big Audio Dynamite" (1985) |url=http://beatpatrol.wordpress.com/2010/05/10/big-audio-dynamite-this-is-big-audio-dynamite-1985 |url-status=live |publisher=Beatpatrol.wordpress.com |date=10 May 2010 |access-date=17 August 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110726105447/http://beatpatrol.wordpress.com/2010/05/10/big-audio-dynamite-this-is-big-audio-dynamite-1985 |archive-date=26 July 2011}}</ref> 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 that [[London SS]] can be seen as an early incarnation of the Clash.

===Big Audio Dynamite (1984–1990)===
Jones then formed Big Audio Dynamite with film director [[Don Letts]] (maker of 1978 film ''[[The Punk Rock Movie]]'', various Clash [[music video]]s, and later the Clash documentary ''[[The Clash: Westway to the World|Westway to the World]]'' in 2000), bassist Leo Williams (from T.R.A.C.), drummer [[Greg Roberts (musician)|Greg Roberts]], and keyboardist [[Dan Donovan (keyboardist)|Dan Donovan]]. In November 1985 the band's debut studio album, ''[[This Is Big Audio Dynamite]]'', was released. The album's cover shows the band as a four-piece, minus Donovan who took and designed the photograph.

1986's ''[[No. 10, Upping St.]]'' reunited Jones for one last album with former Clash lyricist and lead vocalist [[Joe Strummer]], who was credited with co-producing the album and co-writing five of its nine tracks. BAD supported Irish rock band [[U2]] on their [[The Joshua Tree Tour|Joshua Tree Tour]] on certain dates, then released 1988's ''[[Tighten Up Vol. 88]]'' and 1989's ''[[Megatop Phoenix]]''. ''[[Tighten Up, Vol. 88]]'' contained "[[Just Play Music!]]", which was the second No.&nbsp;1 single on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'}}s [[Alternative Songs|Modern Rock Tracks]] chart.

In 1990, the original line-up wrote and recorded the song "Free" for the soundtrack to the adventure comedy film ''[[Flashback (1990 film)|Flashback]]'', starring [[Dennis Hopper]] and [[Kiefer Sutherland]]. This would be the final song written with the original line-up, as the band would break-up shortly after. "[[The Bottom Line (Big Audio Dynamite song)|The Bottom Line]]" from the band's first album was remixed and used as the title track for ''Flashback'' (1990). However, this track was not included on the film's official soundtrack. It can be found on the 12" or by download. Later in 1990, Jones debuted Big Audio Dynamite II and released the UK only studio album ''[[Kool-Aid (album)|Kool-Aid]]''. Keyboardist Dan Donovan remained in BAD II for one song, a re-working of the final BAD track "Free" renamed "Kickin' In".

===Big Audio Dynamite II (1991–1993)===
For 1991's ''[[The Globe (album)|The Globe]]'', only Jones remained from the original incarnation of Big Audio Dynamite, and the band was now called "Big Audio Dynamite II". This new line-up featured two guitarists. The album sleeve was designed by [[Shawn Stussy]]. ''The Globe'' (1991) featured the band's most commercially successful single, "[[Rush (Big Audio Dynamite II song)|Rush]]", which hit No.&nbsp;1 on both the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and the Australian National [[ARIA Charts|ARIA]] Chart. "Rush" was also released in the United Kingdom with the 1991 re-release of [[the Clash]]'s "[[Should I Stay or Should I Go]]". The sleeve art for the 7-inch and CD singles displayed the Clash on the front, and BAD II on the rear with the record label displaying "Should I Stay or Should I Go" as side "A" and "Rush" as side "AA". Even though it was effectively a double A-side release, the Chart Information Network/Gallup decided that only the Clash would be credited with a number one hit. "Innocent Child" and "[[The Globe (song)|The Globe]]" were also released as singles.

BAD supported U2 on their [[Zoo TV Tour]], headlined the [[MTV]] [[120 Minutes]] tour which also featured [[Public Image Ltd]], [[Live (band)|Live]], and [[Blind Melon]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-03-28-ca-4201-story.html|title=O.C. POP MUSIC REVIEW : That What It Wasn't : A hard-to-take PiL and a so-so B.A.D. II and Blind Melon make for a tedious '120 Minutes'. Live, though, is lively.|date=28 March 1992|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> and released the live EP "On the Road Live '92".

In 1991, while Jones formed Big Audio Dynamite II, the rest of the original line-up briefly formed a band called Screaming Target. They released one studio album ''Hometown Hi-Fi'' and two singles "Who Killed King Tubby?" and "Knowledge N Numbers" before disbanding. The title and album cover art were purposely meant as a tribute to Jamaican [[reggae]] [[Toasting (Jamaican music)|deejay]] [[Big Youth]]'s debut studio album ''[[Screaming Target]]'' (1972).

In 1993, Greg Roberts formed the electronic band [[Dreadzone]] with Tim Bran, with the name suggested to them by Don Letts. Bassist Leo Williams and keyboardist Dan Donovan joined the band before their second studio album ''[[Second Light]]'' and the single "Little Britain" in 1995. Dreadzone is still active, with Roberts and Williams remaining members.

===Big Audio (1994)===
[[File:Big Audio Dynamite.jpg|thumb|A promotional photo of Big Audio Dynamite in 1995]]
The band later recruited keyboardist Andre Shapps (co-producer of ''The Globe'', brother of MP [[Grant Shapps]] and Mick Jones's cousin)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/03/eight-weirdest-things-we-know-about-grant-shapps|title=The eight weirdest things we know about Grant Shapps|website=www.newstatesman.com|date=8 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/apr/28/grant-shapps-housing-minister-interview|title=The Saturday interview: Grant Shapps|date=27 April 2012|website=the Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-19511778|title=Profile: Grant Shapps, Conservative party co-chairman|work=BBC News|date=11 September 2012}}</ref> and DJ Michael "Lord Zonka" Custance as [[Disc jockey|DJ]] and vocalist. Both appeared on the band's seventh studio album ''[[Higher Power (Big Audio Dynamite album)|Higher Power]]'' (1994), which was released under the shortened name "Big Audio".

===Final years and subsequent activities (1995–2010)===
After signing a [[recording contract]] with [[Gary Kurfirst]]'s [[Radioactive Records]] in 1995, the band reverted to the original "Big Audio Dynamite" moniker and released their least successful studio album to date, ''[[F-Punk]]'' (1995).

Radioactive Records refused to release the next proposed BAD studio album, ''[[Entering a New Ride]]''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music.|last=Colin.|first=Larkin|date=2011|publisher=Music Sales|isbn=978-0857125958|edition=5th |location=London|pages=2600|oclc=993081261}}</ref> The line-up contained MC vocals by Joe Attard of Punks Jump Up, [[Ranking Roger]] of [[The Beat (British band)|the Beat]] and [[General Public]] and drummer Bob Wond of Under Two Flags. In 1998, the band launched a new website, primarily intended as a means to distribute songs from the ''Entering a New Ride'' album. In 2001, after having only released 6 songs from the album, the website went down and Big Audio Dynamite disbanded. Their final studio album was never properly released in its entirety, but it has been heavily leaked online for fans who wished to hear it.

Since 2005, Jones has been working on a project with [[Tony James (musician)|Tony James]] (formerly of [[Generation X (band)|Generation X]] and [[Sigue Sigue Sputnik]]) called [[Carbon/Silicon]].

In early 2007, a live, eight-song DVD from BAD II was released; it is entitled ''Big Audio Dynamite Live: E=MC²''.

===2011 reunion===
In 2010, [[Don Letts]] revealed to [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard.com]] that he and [[Mick Jones (The Clash guitarist)|Mick Jones]] broached the idea of a Big Audio Dynamite reunion in 2011. He explained, "I could lie to you and say 'Not in a million years', but... if Mick wasn't tied up with [[Gorillaz]] it might happen this year. (Jones) has looked at me and said, 'Maybe next year', but who knows. I've got to admit that in the past I'm not a great one for reformations; I always think if you're lucky in life, you get a window of opportunity, use it to the best of your ability and then fuck off and let someone else have their turn. But here I am 25 years down the line considering the thing". Besides a Big Audio Dynamite reunion, Letts said he was also hopeful for more Legacy Editions of the band's studio albums after finding more unreleased material—including live recordings—in the vaults. "There's definitely more stuff; whether [[Sony Music|Sony]] thinks it's worthwhile, that's another matter. But there seems to be a lot of respect for Big Audio Dynamite. Time has shown that a lot of the things we were dabbling in back then have come to manifest themselves today...so hopefully we'll get to do some more".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/958688/big-audio-dynamite-reignited |title=Big Audio Dynamite Reignited |magazine=Billboard.com |date=8 April 2010 |access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref>

The reformation of the original line-up of BAD was confirmed on 25 January 2011 with the announcement of a UK tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/big-audio-dynamite/54684 |title=Big Audio Dynamite reform with original line-up |work=NME|date=25 January 2011 |access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref> The 9-date tour was a commercial and critical success. The first of their two sold out [[Shepherd's Bush Empire]] shows received a 4-star review in ''[[The Times]]'' ('Not just a reformation - this is ''their'' time'), ''[[The Observer]]'' welcomed BAD's return with a glowing review declaring, 'they remain a joy'.<ref>{{cite news|author=Kitty Empire |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/apr/10/naked-famous-big-audio-dynamite-review |title=The Naked and Famous; Big Audio Dynamite – review |newspaper=Guardian |date=10 April 2011 |access-date=17 August 2011 |location=London}}</ref> Their headline slot at [[Beautiful Days (festival)|Beautiful Days]] festival was favourably reviewed on the [[Louder Than War]] music website.<ref>{{cite web|title=Big Audio Dynamite live at Beautiful Days Festival: review|date=20 August 2011|url=http://louderthanwar.com/featured/big-audio-dynamite-live-at-beautiful-days-festival-review|publisher=Louder Than War|access-date=1 June 2013}}</ref>

Big Audio Dynamite played sets at the 2011 [[Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival]], [[Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef0147e1babbee970b-pi |title=Coachella 2011 Poster |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> [[Glastonbury Festival 2011]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/ |title=Welcome to Glastonbury Festivals |publisher=Glastonbury Festivals |access-date=17 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720190127/http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/ |archive-date=20 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Rock en Seine]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telerama.fr/musique/big-audio-dynamite-fait-un-retour-gagnant-a-rock-en-seine,72296.php/ |title=Big Audio Dynamite fait un retour gagnant à Rock en Seine|date=27 August 2011}}</ref> and [[Lollapalooza]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lineup.lollapalooza.com/events/2011/08/06/ |title=Lollapalooza 2011 |publisher=Lineup.lollapalooza.com |date=19 July 2011 |access-date=17 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713225051/http://lineup.lollapalooza.com/events/2011/08/06/ |archive-date=13 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>