When Black Dots was issued by Caroline Records in 1996, my then 19-going-on-20 year-old self happened up a copy at THE WALL over at Montgomery Mall. I didn't really know what this CD was at the time, (the very young band members featured on the back cover confirmed that this wasn't new music), but the Bad Brains ' name was attached to it so I happily nabbed an overpriced copy, took it home, and threw it on and proceeded to hit "REPEAT" for a few weeks. Black Dots is a collection of Bad Brains ' first recorded material, tracks like "Pay to Cum," "Don't Need It," "Regulator," and "Attitude" debuting prior to the ultra-aggro treatment these songs would get for the essential ROIR Sessions . Don Zientara , the man who engineered every necessary recording from Dischord's roster — Minor Threat , Government Issue , Rites of Spring , Fugazi , and Jawbox to name a few — was responsible for the Black Dots ses