Bad Religion

Bad Religion first came together in the sprawling suburbs of Los Angeles. As intellectually minded young punks, they injected their primal sound with melodic hooks and soaring multi-part choruses as well as a philosophically critical world view. Instead of addressing customary topics of teen alienation and a generalized oppression - they wrote about evolution, religion, the natural world, science, world history and the enlightenment. Founding members Greg Graffin, Brett Gurewitz and Jay Bentley were eventually joined by guitarist Brian Baker of hardcore pioneers Minor Threat, and most recently by guitarist Mike Dimkich and drummer Jamie Miller.

Bad Religion

Despite the name of the band, the members say they are not anti-religious. Greg Graffin says that more often than not, the band likes to use religion to represent anything that does not let a person be free. Their songs are more about being against everyone being the same than against religion or God.[12] But Greg Graffin is an atheist. He helped write the book 'Is Belief in God Good, Bad or Irrelevant?' The band's bassist Jay Bentley has stated that he has spiritual beliefs.[13] Brett Gurewitz is a "provisional deist."

"Bad Religion" features melodramatic, orchestral music and a series of figures, including strings, handclaps, marching band snare drums, and mournful organ chords. The lyrics follow an emotional confession to a taxi driver by a narrator brooding over a secretive intimate relationship. Music journalist Alexis Petridis asserted that the song "repurpos[es] the battle between religion and lust that's been at the heart of soul music since it ceded from gospel".

Listening back to it now, it's hard to believe that Bad Religion's seventh studio album - 1993s 'Recipe For Hate' - was at the time considered a polarizing record that many hardcore fans felt was a sell-out. 30 years later, it's clear this was a band at the top of their game - maturing and expanding musically while still delivering ferociously intelligent songs about class, religion and navigating a treacherous path towards the 21st century. Our guest, personal trainer and Taekwon-Do Studio owner Aaron Fruitstone, makes the case that their brand of cerebral punk is as presciently valid now as it was when he was an angry teen."Well madness reigned and paradise drownedWhen Babel's walls came crashing downNow the echoes roar for a story writThat was hardly understoodAnd never any good." 041b061a72