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.
Yesterday
Bad Religion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stop, don't wait too long, make up your mind.
The end is almost here,
The sky, the air, so nice and clear,
The sound of your decay,
And the ringing in the air is the sweet debris of yesterday.
There, now that you know it's not so bad.
So if you try to enhance,
We don't deserve another chance.
Just laugh along the way,
And kiss your ass goodbye with a shadow dream of yesterday.
Yesterday, the good old days.
Yesterday, the way we used to play.
Yesterday, it just got worse and worse.
Yesterday, the future's been rehearsed.
Run, but don't be scared to look behind.
Stop, don't wait too long, make up your mind.
The end is almost here,
The sky, the air, so nice and clear,
The sound of your decay,
And the ringing in the air is the sweet debris of yesterday.
Yesterday.
Yesterday
The Bad Religion's song Yesterday seems to be dealing with themes of decay and looking back on the past with a sense of nostalgia. The opening lines encourage the listener to move forward and run, but not to be afraid to look back - suggesting that the past still matters and has a hold on us. The chorus repeats the word "yesterday" and refers to it as the good old days, but also acknowledges that things have gotten worse and the future is already predetermined. The lyrics seem to suggest that the present moment is fleeting and that we should enjoy it while we can, even if it means acknowledging the decay that surrounds us.
There's a certain resignation to the lyrics that suggests that things are already out of our control and that we can't do much to change the course of events. The chorus suggests that we should "laugh along the way, and kiss your ass goodbye with a shadow dream of yesterday". This seems to suggest that we should enjoy the moment as much as we can, but also come to terms with the fact that our fate is largely out of our hands.
Overall, the song seems to be grappling with the idea of change and the fact that things are always in flux. It acknowledges the bittersweet sense of nostalgia that comes with looking back on the past, while also encouraging listeners to embrace whatever comes next.
Line by Line Meaning
Run, but don't be scared to look behind.
Keep moving forward, but take time to reflect on your past and learn from it.
Stop, don't wait too long, make up your mind.
Make decisions quickly and confidently, or risk missing out on opportunities.
The end is almost here,
Life is short and time is running out.
The sky, the air, so nice and clear,
The present moment is beautiful and should be appreciated.
The sound of your decay,
The consequences of your actions will catch up to you eventually.
And the ringing in the air is the sweet debris of yesterday.
Memories of the past can be bittersweet, but they shape who you are today.
There, now that you know it's not so bad.
Things may seem difficult, but it's important to keep a positive perspective.
See, the good meet soon for ?
It's unclear what the future holds, but there's hope for better things to come.
So if you try to enhance,
If you strive to make improvements, good things can happen.
We don't deserve another chance.
There's no guarantee of second chances, so make the most of the opportunities you're given.
Just laugh along the way,
Humor and laughter can make even difficult times more bearable.
And kiss your ass goodbye with a shadow dream of yesterday.
As you move forward in life, hold onto the memories of the past, but don't let them hold you back.
Yesterday, the good old days.
The past is often idealized, but the present can be just as good, if not better.
Yesterday, the way we used to play.
Childhood memories can be some of the most cherished, but it's important to live in the present.
Yesterday, it just got worse and worse.
Sometimes things don't go as planned, and it can feel like life is getting worse instead of better.
Yesterday, the future's been rehearsed.
Outcomes can seem predetermined, but it's important to keep an open mind and be adaptable.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GREG GRAFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Morgan Howard
This entire EP is my favorite song.
Peter Peña
The good old days were yesterday , the way we used get high and drink lots of beer was yesterday . I miss those days , bad religion playing Godzillas or Devonshire Downs !
I can at least say I was there when the whole punk rock mess started !
Luis Ramirez
Reminds me of my skateboarding days.
Emmanuel Viana
tosco, mas ducarai!!! como uma banda pode ser tão boa até hoje, véi???
Pussy Ripper
seen these dudes in Santa Cruz badass
floppa s YouTube
amazing
Gasu Trías
😍
John Redcorn
It looks like pepe took a walk across this album art
AstroBoy Cum
they had a song called frogger on it so thats probably why theres frog foot prints
Humphrey Smiggens
so fkn punk