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Bad Religion (commonly abbreviated BR) is an influential punk rock band known for poignant, erudite lyrics and biting social commentary. The band is often credited for leading the revival of punk rock during the late 1980s.

History

Early career (1980-1985)

Bad Religion was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1980 by high school students Greg Graffin (vocals), Jay Bentley (bass guitar), Jay Ziskrout (drums), and Brett Gurewitz, also known as "Mr. Brett" (guitar). In 1981, the band released their eponymous debut EP on their own newly-formed label, Epitaph Records, which is managed and owned by Gurewitz. 1982 saw the release of their first full-length album, How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, gaining the band a sizeable following. During the recording of How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, Jay Ziskrout left the band and was replaced by Peter Finestone.

Greg Graffin, the band's frontman, holds a Master's degree in geology from UCLA and a Ph.D. in biology from Cornell University. Graffin's dissertation for Cornell was a comprehensive study of how modern scientists view theism and religion, and how their own religious beliefs, if any, affect their study and work. He has since published it for fans of the band.

In 1983, the band released Into the Unknown, a keyboard-driven psychedelic rock album that was enormously unpopular with the band's core fanbase. It is now out of print, and generally disowned by the band. However, in past years it has become a collectors item, and has gained some acceptance from fans, many of whom consider it a good album, just not a good Bad Religion album. It now can be seen going for more than 100 dollars on eBay, and is often pirated. A common sign of a pirated version of the LP is the blueish hue on the cover, instead of the reddish hue. In 1984 Greg Hetson of Circle Jerks fame joined to play alongside Gurewitz. Bad Religion returned to a somewhat mellower, rock and roll version of their original sound with the Back to the Known EP, but disbanded temporarily soon after.

Major career (1986-1992)

The band reformed in 1986 and released Suffer in the following year cementing their comeback in the punk community. Not only is this album often cited as one of their very best by fans, but it is credited with "saving" the Southern California punk rock scene by fans and Bad Religion's contemporaries alike.

No Control (1989) and Against the Grain (1990) further increased the band's popularity, followed by Generator (1992). Before recording sessions for Generator commenced, drummer Pete Finestone left Bad Religion in 1991 to focus on his other band, The Fishermen, which had signed with a major label, and Bobby Schayer joined the band as his replacement.

Mainstream success (1993-1995)

With alternative rock breaking into the mainstream, Bad Religion left Epitaph Records for Atlantic Records and quickly re-released their seventh full-length studio album Recipe for Hate (1993) on the major label. (In fact, Epitaph sold the rights to Recipe for Hate to Atlantic Records). 1994's Stranger Than Fiction followed, but Gurewitz left the band shortly following its release. Officially he cited the increasing amount of time he was spending at Epitaph's offices as The Offspring became one of the biggest bands of the mid-1990s, but it was well-known that the departure was not on good terms, as he later accused the band of selling out for leaving Epitaph for a major label. During concerts, Graffin would sing "I want to know why Gurewitz cracked," replacing "Hemingway" in the song Stranger Than Fiction. Also during Graffin's turmoil with Gurewitz, he would sing "I want to know where Brett gets his crack". Brett Gurewitz was an admitted crack addict (see Along the Way DVD), but is now clean and sober. Gurewitz recorded a song with his new band The Daredevils entitled "Hate You," reportedly directed towards Jay Bentley. Gurewitz, moreover, was struggling more seriously with heroin and other addictions that had plagued him for years. He discussed his drug use on the band's Suffer tour documentary, Along the Way.

Gurewitz was replaced as a guitarist by Brian Baker, former member of bands such as Minor Threat and Dag Nasty. Previously Greg Graffin and Gurewitz had split songwriting duties, which left Graffin as Bad Religion's sole songwriter.

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'''Bad Religion personnel
(1980-1982)

Post-Gurewitz period (1996-2001)

Bad Religion continued without Gurewitz and released three albums, The Gray Race (1996), No Substance (1998), and The New America (2000) (though The Gray Race in particular was well-received by many fans). As their popularity was not what it once was, Bad Religion departed from Atlantic Records in 2001 and returned to Epitaph.

Gurewitz rejoins (2002-2004)

Bobby Schayer left the band following a serious shoulder injury and was replaced by Brooks Wackerman (Suicidal Tendencies) and Gurewitz rejoined the band in time to record The Process Of Belief (2002). Their next album The Empire Strikes First was released in June 2004. Both albums are widely regarded by fans and critics as a return to form for the band, as opposed to their time on Atlantic. The band has also released (on Epitaph) digitally-remastered versions of several of their early albums, including How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, Suffer, No Control, Against the Grain, and Generator. The How Could Hell Be Any Worse? re-issue also contained all of their first EP, the Public Service EP (alternative versions of Bad Religion, Slaves and Drastic Actions from the self titled EP) and "Back To The Known".

Current events and the future of the band (2005-present)

In May 2005, The Bad Religion Page reported Graffin saying that work on a new album was to begin "later this year" for a release "sometime in 2006". In early February 2006, The Bad Religion Page also reported that bassist Jay Bentley has confirmed that the album will likely be released sometime in September of the same year. The website also reported that guitarist Brett Gurewitz said the album might be a double release. As of June 2006, it has been confirmed by Bentley that their new album is now due for release sometime in late 2006/early 2007. The album was rumored to be called The Ultra Tyranny, but internet reports believe that the name has not even been confirmed by the band. The name was originally posted at the message board of a Bad Religion fan site.

On March 7, 2006, a live DVD, Live at the Palladium was released. This DVD featured a live show performed in late 2004 at the Hollywood Palladium, as well as extensive interviews, several music videos, and a photo gallery.

Graffin released his second solo album, Cold as the Clay, on July 11, 2006.

Influences and tributes

In 1992, the American ska band Sublime released a song cover of "We're Only Gonna Die for Our Own Arrogance" (from the album How Could Hell Be Any Worse?) on their debut album 40 Oz. to Freedom.

Another cover of "We're Only Gonna Die for Our Own Arrogance" can be found on Biohazards album Urban Discipline from the same year. In 1994 both bands were playing at the "Bizarre Festival" in Cologne (Germany) and performed the song together.

In 1996, a tribute album to Bad Religion, Fuck Hell - This Is a Tribute to Bad Religion was released. One band (Candysuck) released one cover and seven more different bands including Astream, Blender, Flakes, Loss, Puffball, Toast and Troublemakers each released two cover songs.

In 1999, a tribute album to Bad Religion from Argentina, Devotos De Una Mala Religion was released. A lot of bands from the underground punk scene released covers including Cadena Perpetua, Shaila, Asphix, etc. 19 tracks labeled by Speed Power Emotion.

Zack de la Rocha, lead singer of 1990s band Rage Against the Machine, said that the Bad Religion song "Fuck Armageddon, This is Hell" changed his life. *

The Vandals version of 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' (from the Disney Film 'Mary Poppins') from the Album 'Live Fast Diarrea' features a guitar intro identical to that of 'Fuck Armageddon...' And features a section towards the end similar to the 'slow' section of Bad Religion's 'We're Only Gonna Die'. Brett Gurewitz sings backing Vocals on the Vandals song 'Anarchy Burger (Hold the Government)' from the 1982 EP 'Peace Through Vandalism' which was originally released on epitaph. He is credited as 'Brett Religion'.

Several emo, modern rock or later punk groups, such as The All-American Rejects, Autonomy, blink-182, Death By Stereo, Down By Law, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, The Offspring, Pennywise, Rancid, Starving Millionaires, The Used and Yellowcard, cite Bad Religion as an influence.

Alternative metal bands, such as Avenged Sevenfold and Rage Against the Machine, also cite Bad Religion as an influence.

Two band singers contributed vocals on the Stranger Than Fiction album, Jim Lindberg (of Pennywise) contributed backing vocals on "Marked" and Tim Armstrong (of Operation Ivy, Rancid and The Transplants) contributed lead vocals on "Television".

The album "Recipe for Hate" contained many guests. Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam can be heard on "Watch It Die" and "American Jesus," Concrete Blonde's Johnette Napolitano sings on "Struck A Nerve," and Claw Hammer's John Wahl and Chris Bagarozzi's guitar leads on "Kerosene."

In an interview with Kerrang! Magazine, Sum 41's lead singer Deryck Whibley listed Stranger Than Fiction as his favorite Bad Religion album. Sum 41's video of the single "The Hell Song" has a very strong similarity with the video for the song "The New America" (from the album The New America).

NOFX's 7" of the Month Club April release included a song entitled "I'm a Huge Fan of Bad Religion" which included references to the band's often erudite lyrics and Bentley's iconic brown Fender Precision. Graffin also put in backing vocals on the cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" on their 1989 album S&M Airlines, where he says "backin' up, everything's waiting for you" and "open up, everything's waiting for you".

Their single Infected is part of the Playstation 2 video game Guitar Hero, released in 2005. Their songs "You" and "Big Bang" also appear on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 and Tony Hawk's Underground respectively. The tracks "Them and Us" (The Gray Race), "Inner Logic" (Stranger Than Fiction) and "Ten in 2010" (The Gray Race), appear in the soundtrack of Crazy Taxi. Those three tracks, as well as "Empty Causes" (The Gray Race), also appear in Crazy Taxi 3. The song "Atomic Garden" is also featured in the video game NCAA Football 06.

Discography

Album Cover Date of Release Title Label US Billboard Peak US sales
November 30, 1981 Bad Religion (EP) Epitaph Did not chart
1981 Public Service (compilation EP, with Circle One, Red Cross, RF7 and Disability) Did not chart
1982 How Could Hell Be Any Worse? Epitaph Did not chart
1983 Into the Unknown Epitaph Did not chart
1984 Back to the Known (EP) Epitaph Did not chart
November 1, 1987 Suffer Epitaph Did not chart
November 2, 1989 No Control Epitaph Did not chart
November 23, 1990 Against the Grain Epitaph Did not chart
November 12, 1991 80-85 (compilation of pre-Suffer albums and EPs except Into The Unknown) Epitaph Did not chart
March 12, 1992 Generator Epitaph Did not chart
September 21, 1993 Recipe for Hate Epitaph/Atlantic 14 (Heatseekers)
August 30, 1994 Stranger Than Fiction Atlantic 87
November 7, 1995 All Ages (compilation, colleciton of Epitaph Records material before Recipe for Hate) Epitaph Did not chart
February 27, 1996 The Gray Race Atlantic 56
1997 Tested (live) Epic Did not chart
May 5, 1998 No Substance Atlantic 78
May 9, 2000 The New America Atlantic 88
February 12, 2002 The Process of Belief Epitaph 49
April 30, 2002 Punk Rock Songs (compilation, Europe and Japan only release, collection of Atlantic Records material) Epic Did not chart
June 8, 2004 The Empire Strikes First Epitaph 40
Scheduled for release in late 2006/early 2007 Unknown Title Epitaph

Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
US Hot 100 US Modern Rock US Mainstream Rock UK
1988 "Give You Nothing" - - - - Suffer
1989 "You" - - - - No Control
1991 "Faith Alone" - - - - Against the Grain
1991 "Operation Rescue" - - - - Against the Grain
1992 "Atomic Garden" - - - - Generator
1993 "American Jesus" - - - - Recipe for Hate
1993 "Struck a Nerve" - - - - Recipe for Hate
1994 "21st Century (Digital Boy)" - 11 - 41 Stranger Than Fiction
1994 "Infected" - 27 33 - Stranger Than Fiction
1994 "Stranger Than Fiction" - 28 - - Stranger Than Fiction
1995 "Incomplete" - - - - Stranger Than Fiction
1996 "A Walk" - 34 38 - The Gray Race
1996 "Punk Rock Song" - - - - The Gray Race
1997 "Dream of Unity" - - - - Tested
2000 "The New America" - - - - The New America
2002 "Broken" - - - - The Process of Belief
2002 "Sorrow" - 35 - - The Process of Belief
2002 "The Defense" - - - - The Process of Belief
2004 "Los Angeles is Burning" - 40 - - The Empire Strikes First
2004 "The Empire Strikes First" - - - - The Empire Strikes First

External links

Bad Religion | Punk rock groups | Rock music groups | Hardcore punk groups | California musicians | Early punk groups | Epitaph Records groups | Later punk groups | Los Angeles musical groups | Musical activists | 1980s music groups | 1990s music groups | 2000s music groups | American musical groups | California musical groups

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