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.
vanity
Bad Religion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gimme a club and I will have myself a riot
I'm a monkey with a brick on my shoulder
And I'm getting bolder
Let's deny and defame
Let's destroy and recreate in our glorious name
And when the joke of our centrality is upon us
Our vanity
Disgraced to face our own humanity
In a world that mocks our tragedy
Hyper-aware and impaired
Terrified by natures mocking stare
Yearning for significance beyond our animal ken
On which we do depend
Such vanity
Isolated with our own inanity
Entangled by our callow gravity
Disgraced to face our own humanity
The song "Vanity" by Bad Religion explores the human condition and our innate desire for significance and recognition. The lyrics in the song suggest that we are all a little selfish and self-centered, and we are constantly seeking ways to stand out and be noticed in a world that can sometimes feel indifferent and apathetic. The line "Let's deny and defame, let's destroy and recreate in our glorious name" suggests that we are willing to do whatever it takes to make ourselves feel important, even if it means tearing others down or causing chaos.
The use of the metaphor of a monkey with a brick on their shoulder represents the primal nature of humanity and our willingness to fight and defend ourselves. This imagery is balanced with the line "Terrified by natures mocking stare, yearning for significance beyond our animal ken" which highlights that while we are animals, we also possess a consciousness that allows us to reflect on our actions and see our need for growth and change.
The chorus of the song, "Our vanity, disgraced to face our own humanity, in a world that mocks our tragedy" suggests that our need for recognition and importance can ultimately lead to our own downfall. This vanity can become an obsession that blinds us to our true selves and the world around us, leaving us feeling isolated and alone.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll strike it if I don't like it
I will immediately reject anything that does not conform to my liking.
Gimme a club and I will have myself a riot
I am willing to incite violence to promote my own interests.
I'm a monkey with a brick on my shoulder
I am an animal with a dangerous weapon and a chip on my shoulder.
And I'm getting bolder
I am becoming increasingly confident in my aggressive behavior.
Let's deny and defame
Let's reject and slander anything that goes against our beliefs.
Let's destroy and recreate in our glorious name
Let's tear down existing structures and rebuild them in our own image.
And when the joke of our centrality is upon us
When we realize that we are not as important as we thought we were...
Grovel and decry
...we will beg for mercy and criticize ourselves.
Our vanity
Our excessive self-importance.
Disgraced to face our own humanity
Having to confront our own flaws and limitations.
In a world that mocks our tragedy
Living in a society that does not take our suffering seriously.
Hyper-aware and impaired
Being overly observant but lacking the ability to respond effectively.
Terrified by natures mocking stare
Feeling afraid and helpless in the face of natural disasters or phenomena.
Yearning for significance beyond our animal ken
Desiring to be more important or powerful than our natural state allows us to be.
On which we do depend
Despite our arrogance, we still rely on the natural world for our survival.
Such vanity
This excessive pride and self-importance...
Isolated with our own inanity
...leads us to become isolated in our own foolishness.
Entangled by our callow gravity
We are trapped by our own shallow and selfish impulses.
Disgraced to face our own humanity
We are ashamed to acknowledge our own humanity and limitations.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRETT W. GUREWITZ, GREG GRAFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Santi Baad Religion
Cruel and Short, as life itself.. Good job guys..
Hocopor
Ok, this is enough. Pre-ordered the album on iTunes.
John Deane
They still got it!!
kingsteprevolution
I hope the person who disliked this song did so because it's too short and they wanted its sheer awesomeness to go on forever. Damn it!
Zach Helton
Thanks. I needed this today. Ordered my copy, too.
LachoDroogie
Brooks stands out so much on this record...
Alejandro Mp3
es como los viejos tiempos.. y me siento como jugando a una partida de Tony Hawk Pro's Skater
last chance blueprint
One of the best one minute Bad Religion songs along with Do What You Want, Can't Stop It, Change of Ideas.
Corn Pone Flicks
It didn't hurt that he's also an incredibly badass drummer. Not just fast, but the guy's got style.
shavero ferrier
Just found my favorite song off the album ^_^