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.
Get Off
Bad Religion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's all that I can think of as I drag my feet, searching
Like a Diogenes,
Dangerous,
The adjectives of the decade and of your alluring intricacies,
Yes I see your green-screen mentality
And I can feel the sting of its consequence,
And I know I shouldn't but it's too much to ignore,
Every time I look at you, I just want to do it,
I can clench my fist right through it
But I just want to get off,
Rectilinear,
This direction we've been heading never realizing we are on a runaway machine,
Angular,
The momentum that does turn us one step further on our ladder,
One more turn toward the east,
I realize your green-screen mentality
And I know it is shared by many more,
And I know it is quite impossible
But I am damned to find a way to
Revolve the other way,
Every time I scrutinize I just say "screw it",
We're on a ride down a blind conduit and I just want to get off
The lyrics to Bad Religion’s song “Get Off” are a commentary on the direction of society and the singer's reactions to it. The song begins with the word “lascivious” which sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics. This word implies a sexual desire, and the singer describes this feeling as they “drag their feet” and search. The song compares this feeling to that of Diogenes, a famous Greek philosopher who famously carried a lamp around during the daytime in order to search for an honest man. The singer then attributes danger to this sexual desire, describing it as one of the defining adjectives of the current decade.
The singer then shifts their focus to society as a whole. They describe the “green-screen mentality” which refers to a lack of real-world experience and an over-reliance on technology. The singer acknowledges the negative consequences of this mentality but confesses that they are still drawn to it. This is a common theme in many Bad Religion songs - the conflict between acknowledging societal problems and the individual’s temptation to give into those problems.
The second verse continues this commentary on society. The singer describes society as “rectilinear” and a “runaway machine”. They describe our momentum as pushing us towards the “east” - perhaps a reference to Western society pushing towards progress at the cost of ignoring the problems of the rest of the world. The singer once again references the green-screen mentality and acknowledges that it is alarming how many people have it. They describe themselves as being “damned to find a way to revolve the other way”, implying that they want to resist this momentum and move in a different direction.
Overall, “Get Off” is a commentary on society’s direction and the individual’s struggle to resist it. The song acknowledges societal problems such as the green-screen mentality and sexual desire. However, it also acknowledges the individual's temptation to give into these problems.
Line by Line Meaning
Lascivious,
I can't stop thinking about you in a sexual way, as I move slowly and search for something like the philosopher Diogenes
Dangerous,
You are both attractive and full of risk, like the defining words of this era and the complicated aspects of your personality
The adjectives of the decade and of your alluring intricacies,
You embody the current cultural trends and your beauty is made up of many delicate details
Yes I see your green-screen mentality
I recognize that you are influenced by the artificiality of modern media
And I can feel the sting of its consequence,
I understand the negative effects that this influence can have
And I know I shouldn't but it's too much to ignore,
I'm aware that I shouldn't pay attention to this part of you, but I can't help but focus on it
An emotion I deplore,
I dislike feeling this way
Every time I look at you, I just want to do it,
Every time I see you, I can't help but have sexual thoughts
I can clench my fist right through it
I can try to control these thoughts
But I just want to get off,
But ultimately, I just want to avoid this situation entirely
Rectilinear,
Our path has been a straight line, without realizing we're headed towards a disaster
This direction we've been heading never realizing we are on a runaway machine,
We've been going down this path without realizing the danger ahead of us
Angular,
As we continue forward, we gain more momentum and become more set in our ways
The momentum that does turn us one step further on our ladder,
Our progress gradually pushes us higher up our metaphorical ladder
One more turn toward the east,
One more step in the wrong direction
I realize your green-screen mentality
I finally understand the extent of your artificiality
And I know it is shared by many more,
And I realize this is not just a personal flaw, but a widespread issue
And I know it is quite impossible
I know it's unrealistic to expect everyone to change their ways
But I am damned to find a way to
But I am determined to find a way to stop this trend
Revolve the other way,
To turn back and head in the opposite direction
Every time I scrutinize I just say "screw it",
Every time I examine the situation, I feel defeated and disheartened
We're on a ride down a blind conduit and I just want to get off
Our path is leading us nowhere good, and I just want to find a way out before it's too late
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GREG GRAFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Slender 100
I feel this song is so underrated, one of my favorites.
Maria Grace
One of my favorite bad religion songs ever made.
Niki Fajar S
had a band of my own during high school called "BlenderHeaD" inspired by this album...really loved those old days
Thelastfirewatcher
That sounds a pretty great life.
Niki Fajar S
@Thelastfirewatcher indeed mate
Muppet Show
my favourites for nearly 35 years?!
Christy Palmer
I’m so