Bad Religion is a punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, known for th… Read Full Bio ↴Bad Religion is a punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, known for the social commentary in their lyrics. The band was formed in 1979 by high school students Greg Graffin (vocals), Jay Bentley (bass guitar), Jay Ziskrout (drums), and Brett Gurewitz (guitar). In 1981, they released their eponymous debut EP on their own newly-formed label, Epitaph, managed and owned by Gurewitz. 1982 saw the release of their first full-length album, How Could Hell be Any Worse?, which gained them a sizable following. During the recording, 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 zoology from Cornell University. His dissertation for Cornell was a comprehensive study of how modern scientists, especially those who believe in strict Darwinism, 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, Bad Religion released into the unknown, a keyboard-driven psychedelic rock album that was enormously unpopular among the band's core fan base. 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. It now can be seen going for more than $100 on eBay, and is often pirated.

In 1984, Greg Hetson (Circle Jerks) replaced Gurewitz. Bad Religion returned to a somewhat mellower, rock and roll version of their original sound with the back to the known, but they disbanded soon after.

The band reformed in 1987 and released suffer in 1988, cementing their comeback in the punk community. Not only is this album considered one of their best by most fans, but it is often credited with "saving" the Southern Californian 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 the recording sessions for the latter album commenced, drummer Pete Finestone left the band in to focus on his other band, The Fishermen. Bobby Schayer joined the band as his replacement. recipe for hate (1993) followed shortly thereafter.

With alternative rock breaking into the mainstream, Bad Religion left Epitaph for major label Atlantic and quickly re-released Recipe for Hate on the major label. 1994's stranger than fiction followed, but shortly after its release Brett Gurewitz left the band again. Officially, he cited the increasing amount of time he was spending at Epitaph's offices as the Offspring (then a part of the Epitaph roster) 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 in favor of a major label. 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.

Gurewitz was replaced by Brian Baker, former member of bands such as Minor Threat and Dag Nasty. Previously, Graffin and Gurewitz had split songwriting duties, but Gurewitz's departure left Graffin as the band's lone songwriter.

What followed were a series of moderately successful albums, the gray race (1996), no substance (1998), and the new america (2000). As their popularity waned, Bad Religion left Atlantic in 2001 and returned to Epitaph. Bobby Schayer left the band following a serious shoulder injury and was replaced by Brooks Wackerman (Suicidal Tendencies) and Brett Gurewitz rejoined the band in time to record the process of belief (2002). the empire strikes first was in June 2004. Both albums are widely regarded as a return to form for the band.

In 2004, the band released digitally-remastered versions of five of their early albums (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.

Bad Religion's fourtheenth full-length studio album, titled new maps of hell, was released on July 10, 2007. It debuted at #35 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 21,000 copies in its first week. It was originally intended to be released in 2006, but was pushed back largely due to the release of Graffin's second solo album, cold as the clay and his work at UCLA.

In 2010, Bad Religion released 30 Years Live for the band's 30th anniversary. The album was available for free to subscribers of the Bad Religion mailing list. Later the same year, Bad Religion released their fifteenth studio album, The Dissent of Man. The album took nearly two years to write and record, mainly due to the band's heavy touring schedule.

Brett Gurewitz, who still heads Epitaph Records, still records with the band and plays local shows, but doesn't tour with them. Greg Hetson can still be found at the occasional Circle Jerks show and helped open a bar in LA. Wackerman is working on a side project called The Kidneys. Graffin spends 10 weeks a year teaching two classes (Life Sciences 1 and Earth and Space Sciences 116) at UCLA. Jay Bentley keeps the Bad Religion MySpace page updated.

Drastic Actions
Bad Religion Lyrics

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Heard a word, suicide,
Not from one, but from thousands that tried.
The lawyer's wife and the teenage brat,
One thing in common, they all wanted out.
And it's plain to see.
It goes for you and it goes for me,
And all the screwed up little girls and boys
All thrown in without a choice.

But I heard him say,
"I want out,
No complaints and no doubts,
Just a chance to go on."
I heard a word, suicide,
And not from one, but from thousands that died.
Want some attention and a little less regret,
A teenage fluff, little threat.
And there are those, there are those who think
That drastic actions will make them unique.
It's really all the same,
That no one's happy and nobody's to blame.
And the moral to this story is old.
It's quite taboo, seldom told.

The seed is reaped before it's sown,
A bad choice was never resolved

Overall Meaning

The song "Drastic Actions" by Bad Religion touches upon the subject of suicide and the reasons behind it. The song talks about the various individuals who have attempted suicide, ranging from the lawyer’s wife to the teenage brat. The song reflects how suicide does not discriminate against people’s age, gender, or social status. Irrespective of their backgrounds and the reasons behind their actions, they all had one thing in common - the desire to escape.

The chorus, "I heard a word, suicide, and not from one, but from thousands that died," highlights the increasing rate of suicide, with thousands of people becoming victims to this tragic event. The song also talks about those who don't actually want to die but are instead seeking attention or trying to escape from their regrets. However, at the same time, the song takes a dig at those people who think that committing suicide will make them unique, further emphasizing that suicide doesn't discriminate and clearly, nobody is happy and nobody is to blame.

The song ends with the moral of the story, that the seed is reaped before it's sown, suggesting that taking extreme actions like ending one's own life is never a wise decision and will only lead to negative consequences in the long run. The song tries to invoke hope and encourages people to keep moving forward, wanting to live, and taking one day at a time.

Line by Line Meaning

Heard a word, suicide,
I came across the word suicide which refers to taking one's own life.

Not from one, but from thousands that tried.
I didn't hear just one story of suicide, but rather countless stories of people who attempted it.

The lawyer's wife and the teenage brat,
The people who attempted suicide came from all walks of life, including an affluent lawyer's wife and a rebellious teenager.

One thing in common, they all wanted out.
The common thread among these various individuals was their desire to escape their troubles through suicide.

And it's plain to see.
The issue of suicide affects everyone and is not limited to certain groups or individuals.

It goes for you and it goes for me,
We are all susceptible to feeling overwhelmed or hopeless at times, and the temptation to end it all can be strong.

And all the screwed up little girls and boys
Suicide does not discriminate; even young people can feel overwhelmed and see suicide as a way out.

All thrown in without a choice.
Many individuals feel powerless over their circumstances and feel trapped with no way out except death.

But I heard him say,
Despite the negative stories and occurrences involving suicide, there are still those who choose to speak out in favor of life.

"I want out,
This person wants out of their current struggles but not through suicide, but rather by finding a solution or coping mechanism.

No complaints and no doubts,
The person has resolved to take action and move forward without doubt or self-pity.

Just a chance to go on."
Their desire is to keep living and to take whatever steps necessary to make that happen.

And not from one, but from thousands that died.
Sadly, many individuals who attempted suicide were successful in taking their own lives.

Want some attention and a little less regret,
Some individuals may attempt suicide as a way to gain attention or to avoid painful regret over past choices.

A teenage fluff, little threat.
Some may view teenagers as not fully understanding the consequences of their actions and therefore not posing a significant threat to themselves or others.

And there are those, there are those who think
Despite the severity of suicide, there are still some who view it as a legitimate solution to their troubles.

That drastic actions will make them unique.
Some individuals may believe that taking dramatic and extreme actions, such as attempting suicide, will set them apart from others and prove their worth or individuality.

It's really all the same,
Regardless of the reasons or circumstances, suicide is a tragic and heartbreaking occurrence that has a profound impact on all who are affected by it.

That no one's happy and nobody's to blame.
Suicide is often the result of deep sadness or despair, and is not necessarily the fault of any one person or thing.

And the moral to this story is old.
While the topic of suicide remains relevant and timely, the underlying message that life is precious and worth fighting for is a timeless and enduring one.

It's quite taboo, seldom told.
Despite its prevalence, suicide is often viewed as a taboo or uncomfortable topic that people are hesitant to discuss openly.

The seed is reaped before it's sown,
The consequences of our choices can have an impact long before we realize it, and suicide is a tragic example of this.

A bad choice was never resolved
Suicide may seem like a viable solution in the moment, but it is ultimately a bad choice that only exacerbates problems and leaves loved ones behind to suffer the consequences.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRETT GUREWITZ

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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