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.
Ten in 2010
Bad Religion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sun-baked pavement encroaches on us
Haves and have-nots together at last
Brutally engaged in mortal combat
Ten in 2010
What kind of God orchestrates such a thing?
Ten in 2010
Ten in 2010
Truth is not an issue just hungry mouths to feed
Ten in 2010
Forget what you want, scrounge the things you need
Happy and content it can't happen to you
Ten in 2010
Fifteen years we'll think of a solution
Ten in 2010
It won't just appear in one day
Ten in 2010
For ten in twenty-ten we're well on our way
Like piercing ear darts, I heard the news today
Ten in 2010
Ten billion people, coming your way
The lyrics of Bad Religion's Ten In 2010 contain powerful and thought-provoking social commentary. The song deals with the issue of overpopulation and the consequences of a rapidly increasing human population. The first stanza depicts the suffering and misery of people struggling to survive in a world of limited resources. The use of contrasting imagery - parched mouths and swollen guts, sun-baked pavement and mortal combat - highlights the stark reality of life for those living in poverty. The chorus questions the existence of a benevolent God in a world where so many people are forced to suffer. The line "Truth is not an issue just hungry mouths to feed" suggests that survival becomes the primary aim in a society struggling to meet the needs of such a large population. The final stanza calls for a solution to the inevitable problems of overpopulation, and the urgency of the issue is underscored by the chilling repetition of the phrase "Ten in 2010" throughout the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Parched, cracked mouths, empty swollen guts
People are suffering from thirst and hunger, with nothing to eat or drink.
Sun-baked pavement encroaches on us
The environment around us is becoming less hospitable and more polluted.
Haves and have-nots together at last
The rich and the poor are finally forced to face each other in a brutal struggle for survival.
Brutally engaged in mortal combat
The struggle for survival has become violent and deadly.
Ten in 2010
The grim reality of the world we live in, where ten billion people will be suffering from hunger and thirst in the year 2010.
What kind of God orchestrates such a thing?
The writer questions the morality of the world we live in, and the God who would allow such suffering to occur.
Truth is not an issue just hungry mouths to feed
In the face of suffering and hunger, the truth becomes irrelevant. The only thing that matters is finding food to survive.
Forget what you want, scrounge the things you need
In times of desperation, survival trumps personal wants and needs. People must scrounge and beg for the bare necessities of life.
Happy and content it can't happen to you
Those who are fortunate enough to not suffer can't comprehend the reality of those who are struggling to survive.
Fifteen years we'll think of a solution
The writer hopes that in fifteen years, humanity will have found a way to alleviate the suffering of ten billion people.
It won't just appear in one day
Finding a solution to world hunger and thirst won't be easy or quick. It will take time and hard work.
For ten in twenty-ten we're well on our way
By the year 2010, humanity is already on the path to this grim future, with ten billion people facing hunger and thirst.
Like piercing ear darts, I heard the news today
The news of the world's suffering strikes the writer with a sharp and painful realization.
Ten billion people, coming your way
The writer is warning the listener that the world's problems will only become more pressing, and that they will soon be faced with the same struggles as everyone else.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GREG GRAFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Wow
on You
Everybody needs a slogan in their pocket or two
It never hurts to have a strategy you can go to
Sometimes I have no sense at all
As most flawed men are one to do
Just say fuck you
Pavlovian rude
A menace too
Pay homage to
Your bad attitude
You can even get cerebral if you want to
Make a radical assessment that sticks like glue
Sometimes it takes no thought at all
The easiest thing to do
Is say fuck you
Pavlovian rude
A menace too
Pay homage to
Your bad attitude
The reaction it brings, just one of those things
Your friends might not want you around
If the impulse is right you might get in a fight
Even though you can't hold your ground
But all rest assured, sometimes just a word
Is the most satisfying sound
Sometimes it makes no sense at all
The easiest thing to do
Is say fuck you
Pavlovian rude
A menace too
Pay homage to your bad attitude
Just say fuck you
What you gonna do to your attitude
Just say fuck you
Wtf is this shit, what retard wrote the wrong spng down….