Bad Religion
Biography
Out of all of the Southern Californian hardcore punk bands of the early '80s, Bad Religion stayed around the longest. For over a decade, they retained their underground credibility without turning out a series of indistinguishable records that all sound the same. Instead, the band refined their attack, adding inflections of psychedelia, heavy metal, and hard rock along the way, as well as a considerable dose of melody. Between their 1982 debut and their first major-label record, 1993's Recipe for Hate, Bad Religion stayed vital in the hardcore community by tightening their musical execution and keeping their lyrics complex and righteously angry.
Bad Religion formed in the northern suburbs of Los Angeles in 1980, comprising guitarist Brett Gurewitz, vocalist Greg Graffin, bassist Jay Bentley, and drummer Jay Ziskrout. Gurewitz established his own record company, Epitaph, to release the band's records. Between their self-titled EP and their first full-length record, Pete Finestone replaced Ziskrout as the group's drummer. Into the Unknown, their debut album, was released in 1983 and gained them some attention on the national U.S. hardcore scene. After its release, the group's lineup changed, as bassist Paul Dedona and drummer Davy Goldman joined the group.
In the meantime, the band's lineup was undergoing some more shakeups. Gurewitz had to take 1984 off to recover from various substance abuse problems, leaving Graffin as the band's only original member. In addition to Graffin, the 1984 incarnation of the band featured former Circle Jerks guitarist Greg Hetson, bassist Tim Gallegos, and returning drummer Pete Finestone. Bad Religion's next release, the harder, punkier Back to the Known EP restored faith among the group's devoted fans. After its release, the group went on hiatus for three years.
When Bad Religion returned in 1987, the band featured Gurewitz, Graffin, Ziskrout, Hetson, and Finestone. They released Suffer the following year, a record that re-established the group as prominent players in the U.S. underground punk/hardcore scene. They followed with No Control (1989) and Against the Grain (1990). By the time of their 1993 album, Recipe for Hate, alternative rock had become popular with the mainstream; in addition, the band's following was quite large. These two factors contributed to Bad Religion signing a major-label contract with Atlantic Records.
Recipe for Hate was originally released on Epitaph, but it was soon re-released with the support of Atlantic. The group's first proper major-label album was 1994's Stranger Than Fiction; it was also Gurewitz's last album with the group. Before the release of Stranger Than Fiction, Epitaph had an unexpected hit with the Offspring's Smash, causing Gurewitz to spend more time at the label; reports also indicated that he was displeased with Bad Religion's major-label contract. The group replaced Gurewitz with hardcore veteran Brian Baker for their supporting tour, which proved to be their most successful to date.
Bad Religion released their second major-label album, The Gray Race, in early 1996, but it didn't achieve the same results as its predecessors. No Substance followed in 1998, and two years later the band returned with New America, which was produced by Todd Rundgren. Although it featured Bad Religion's best work in years, Atlantic subsequently dropped the band, and they returned to Epitaph. In the summer of 2001, Gurewitz rejoined the lineup after a six-year absence, and the group began work on The Process of Belief. The album appeared in February the following year, and was widely hailed for its recalibration of the Graffin/Gurewitz axis.
Bad Religion's next project was the remastering and issuing of their early catalog. The discs began appearing in April 2004 with the release of Generator and How Could Hell Be Any Worse? The former included relevant 7" material from the era, while Hell took the place of 80-85, which had previously accounted for the band's earliest output. Both were fully remastered, as were subsequent reissues of Suffer, No Control, and Against the Grain. Bad Religion then returned in June of that year with The Empire Strikes First, a typically acerbic LP that reflected the surge of anger and defiance in the punk and indie music communities toward the policies of the Bush administration. The powerful New Maps of Hell, released in 2007, continued on the path of discontent and railed at what the band saw as rampant apathy in the face of global crisis. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Selected Discography

New Maps Of Hell
2008

The Empire Strikes First
2004

Generator
2004

How Could Hell Be Any Worse?
2004

The Process Of Belief
2002

The New America
2000

No Substance
1998

All Ages
1995

Stranger Than Fiction
1994

Recipe For Hate
1993
Oh yeah I came here to say Bad Religion is the best band in the world hands down!
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Sorry dryan not sure if they are the longest running band in from So Cal but X has social D beat by 2 years.
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I'm suprised that Social D is the longest running. I beleive it, just never really thought about it. The newer stuff is not the best, but I still love his lyrics and his writting style. Bromide thinks Greg uses a dictionary, but reality once you get your pdh you basically are a dictionary.. . R e g a r d l e s s , smart man, smart band, one of my favorites...
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Umm, no. Social Distortion is the longest running Southern California punk band.
Bad Religion's newer stuff sounds more like christian rock than punk. |
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Another good comp is the Punk Rock Songs Comp album that was released only in Europe. I have a copy and it has a live version of We are all gonna die with Biohazard.
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If you want a good mix of the older stuff, try All Ages. Its a good comp.
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I agree with the Captain, but would like to suggest No Control as well, and don't pass up a chance to hear Process of Belief either, after several years of bad albums it's a good return to better music. His lyrics are always amazing, but the earlier years were the most rockin...
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Suffer is probally the best followed closely by Generator and Against the Grain. However, they are all great and reflect the band's hard fought evolution through their independent label releases and big-label releases.
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I wonder if Bromide knows anything about BR. Probably not, since he listens to such s**tty music. Stupid prick.
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They have the discography screwed up cuz it has the re-released versions of "How Could Hell Be Any Worse" and "Generator"
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Couldn't agree more menzbhc, I stopped listening after Recipe For Hate..
I think the discography is out of order though, Generator was released in 1992..I bought it in high school. Pretty good album.. |
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I think Process of Belief was amazing and I put that up with any early stuff. New Maps and Empire are okay, much better than New America and No Substance, Suffer and No Control are 2 of their best...
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i like the Bad Religion of the 80's and even early 90's. anything mid 90's on just sucks. Suffer was their best album. also, The Misfits rule too.
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NOFX are bad mofo's. I could never get into The Misfits. Hate their sound. Hate their image. Move along.
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I seriously can't believe that people are actually discussing "punk" things to do.
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Bad Religion should be the ONLY religion. Punk rock gods, right up there with NOFX and the Misfits.
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Bad Religon is a band of true punks, I don't care what coast they are from. Ironman Don't forget Minor Threat comes from DC and if you want to call Fugazi punk, they come from DC as well.
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I agree withe rwwade96 and Ironman126, bouncing souls are bad a**, but the west is just the best.
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stranger than fiction is still where it's at! love that album
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one of the greatest bands of all time. just hearing them makes my day! if youre planning on buying an album check out the empire strikes first!
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That's not totally true. Yeah most of the good punk bands come from the west, but the east coast has the Bouncing (f**king awesome) Souls. You can't forget them.
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I'm an east coast guy, but west coast hardcore and punk blows the east away. All the best are from the west.
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Bad Religion is by far the most amazing band i have ever heard, punk or not they kick so much a**. Beyond Electric Dreams is one of the coolest songs they ever.
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Jay Bentley is never mentioned. He was a founding member and is still with the band today. He also was the cocreator of Eptiaph Records. Research, Research, Research!
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Thank Greg for Bad Religion
I almost cried when my mom wouldn't let me listen to them for three days They are what keeps my alive |
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Don't forget about the 3 tracks on the "Public Service" comp.
on Smoke 7 Records 1981 Classic Compilation featuring Bad Religion, RF7, Redd Kross, Circle One & Disability |
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Just letting you guys know their first release was self-titled in '81. The came "how could hell be any worse" in '82. Check out Eptitaph Records website if you don't believe me.
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No "into the unknown" came in the early 80s. Like 82 i think. Then came "back to the Known". Then they kick Gurewitz out. THEN they made "how could hell be any worse." No one really pays any attention to the really old stuff cause it was a bit obscure.
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There are some serious errors in this bio. BR's first album was "how could hell be any worse" not "into the unknown"
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Like I've told another a-hole before, watch your comments, karma's a b**ch WW.
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