Lesser Gods will publish the first fully authorized biography of Paul “H.R.” Hudson, one of rock’s most enigmatic, mysterious and troubled lead singers, who founded and fronted the seminal punk/hardcore band Bad Brains. The announcement comes on the heels of the exciting news that Bad Brains have been nominated for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Finding Joseph I: An Oral History Of H.R. From Bad Brains is a thoroughly uncensored rollercoaster ride through a riotous, tumultuous and utterly singular life and career. The gripping story features interviews with H.R., his bandmates past and present, friends and those he has influenced and inspired. Click here to learn more and pre-order the book.

The pages are filled with commentary and stories from artists, writers and musicians, including Minor Threat/Fugazi’s Ian MacKaye, Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan and Living Colour’s Corey Glover and Vernon Reid, plus members of Sublime, The Roots, Cro-Mags, Fishbone, The Wailers, Circle Jerks, Murphy’s Law, 311, Deftones and many more.

Packed with many rare and never-before-seen images, Finding Joseph I is the definitive account of this punk rock icon. H.R.’s journey has been riddled with unprecedented volatility: 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.

Co-author Howie Abrams adds, “H.R. is a once in a lifetime talent and individual. I know I feel fortunate to have experienced his greatness, let alone be blessed with the trust to represent his story in book form.”

“When I first saw him perform, I was just blown away as far as the passion he had as a singer and a human being. When I met him, I was perplexed by who he was. He’s definitely his own being.”  —Chino Moreno, Deftones

“After seeing H.R. that first time, he could have had me worshiping Cocoa Puffs. I would have done it. His example, and the message behind the lyrics—revolution, spiritual revolution, consciousness, positive mental attitude—was like some mystic punk and harder than all the rest. Nobody could fuckin’ touch him.” —John Joseph, Cro-Mags

“H.R. is the person through whom I vicariously express my rage. More often than not, I grab early Bad Brains material to relieve the stress and the anger I feel. I can channel it through his music.” —Questlove, The Roots

The book is a companion to the documentary film from James Lathos (co-author), Finding Joseph I, which puts into moving picture form many of the stories from the book. The film will debut at London’s Doc and Roll Film Festival on November 10th, and the book will be available in January 2017.