Bad Religion is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1980, the group originally included vocalist Greg Graffin, guitarist Brett Gurewitz, bassist Jay Bentley and drummer Jay Ziskrout. The band consists of Graffin, Gurewitz (who does not tour) and Bentley, alongside guitarists Brian Baker (since 1994) and Mike Dimkich (since 2013) and drummer Jamie Miller (since 2015).
History Ziskrout left the band halfway through the recording of their debut full-length album How Could Hell Be Any Worse? and was replaced for the rest of the sessions by Pete Finestone. 1983's Into the Unknown featured bassist Paul Dedona and Davy Goldman, both of whom left after the album was released. Bad Religion briefly broke up in 1984, as Gurewitz left the band to focus on his record label Epitaph Records and recording studio Westbeach Recorders, before returning with guitarist Greg Hetson, bassist Tim Gallegos and drummer Finestone for the 1985 EP Back to the Known.
Bentley and later Gurewitz returned to Bad Religion in 1986, with the five-piece lineup releasing three albums in three years before Finestone left again in 1991. He was replaced by Bobby Schayer, whose first album with the band was Generator in 1992. After Bad Religion signed to Atlantic Records and released Stranger than Fiction in 1994, Gurewitz left the band again. Shortly after the album's release, Brian Baker took Gurewitz's place in the group. After three more albums, Schayer departed the band in 2001 due to a shoulder injury, and was replaced by Brooks Wackerman. Around the same time, Gurewitz returned to the band for a third time. Longtime guitarist Hetson left in 2013 and was replaced by Mike Dimkich, and in 2016 Jamie Miller replaced Wackerman after he joined Avenged Sevenfold.
Members Current ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsGreg Graffinall Bad Religion releasesBrett Gurewitzall Bad Religion releases from Bad Religion (1981) to Into the Unknown (1983), from Suffer (1988) to Stranger than Fiction (1994), and from The Process of Belief (2002) to presentJay Bentleyall Bad Religion releases except Into the Unknown (1983) and Back to the Known (1985)Brian Baker1994–presentall Bad Religion releases from The Gray Race (1996) to presentMike Dimkich2013–presentguitarall Bad Religion releases from Age of Unreason (2019) to presentJamie Miller2016–presentdrums
Former ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsJay Ziskrout1980drumsPete FinestonePaul Dedona1982–1984bassInto the Unknown (1983)Davy GoldmandrumsGreg Hetson1984–2013all Bad Religion releases from Back to the Known (1985) to True North (2013)Tim Gallegos1984–1985bassBack to the Known (1985)John AlbertdrumsnoneLucky Lehrer1987Bobby Schayer1991–2001all Bad Religion releases from Generator (1992) to The New America (2000)Brooks Wackerman2001–2015all Bad Religion releases from The Process of Belief (2002) to Christmas Songs (2013)
Timeline
Lineups PeriodMembersReleasesMid – late 1980Greg Graffin – lead vocals Brett Gurewitz – guitar, backing vocals Jay Bentley – bass, backing vocals Jay Ziskrout – drumsBad Religion (1981) How Could Hell Be Any Worse? (1982)January 1981 – late 1982Greg Graffin – lead vocals Brett Gurewitz – guitar, backing vocals Jay Bentley – bass, backing vocals Pete Finestone – drumsHow Could Hell Be Any Worse? (1982)Late 1982 – early 1984Greg Graffin – lead vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar Brett Gurewitz – electric guitar, backing vocals Paul Dedona – bass Davy Goldman – drumsInto the Unknown (1983)Band inactive early – late 1984Late 1984 – mid-1985Greg Graffin – vocals Greg Hetson – guitar Tim Gallegos – bass Pete Finestone – drumsBack to the Known (1985)Band inactive mid-1985 – early 1986Early 1986 – September 1987Greg Graffin – lead vocals Greg Hetson – guitar Jay Bentley – bass, backing vocals Pete Finestone – drumsrowspan="2" September 1987 – early 1988Greg Graffin – lead vocals Greg Hetson – guitar Jay Bentley – bass, backing vocals Lucky Lehrer – drumsEarly 1988 – April 1991 Greg Graffin – lead vocals Brett Gurewitz – guitar, backing vocals Greg Hetson – guitar Jay Bentley – bass, backing vocals Pete Finestone – drumsSuffer (1988) No Control (1989) Against the Grain (1990)April 1991 – summer 1994Greg Graffin – lead vocals Brett Gurewitz – guitar, backing vocals Greg Hetson – guitar Jay Bentley – bass, backing vocals Bobby Schayer – drums, percussionGenerator (1992) Recipe for Hate (1993) Stranger than Fiction (1994)Summer 1994 – May 2001Greg Graffin – lead vocals Greg Hetson – guitar Brian Baker – guitar, backing vocals Jay Bentley – bass, backing vocals Bobby Schayer – drums, percussionThe Gray Race (1996) Tested (1997) No Substance (1998) The New America (2000)May – June 2001Greg Graffin – lead vocals Brett Gurewitz – guitar, backing vocals Greg Hetson – guitar Brian Baker – guitar, backing vocals Jay Bentley – bass, backing vocals Bobby Schayer – drums, percussionJune 2001 – April 2013Greg Graffin – lead vocals Brett Gurewitz – guitar, backing vocals Greg Hetson – guitar Brian Baker – guitar, backing vocals Jay Bentley – bass, backing vocals Brooks Wackerman – drums, percussionThe Process of Belief (2002) The Empire Strikes First (2004) New Maps of Hell (2007) 30 Years Live (2010) The Dissent of Man (2010) True North (2013)April 2013 – October 2015Greg Graffin – lead vocals Brett Gurewitz – guitar, backing vocals Brian Baker – guitar, backing vocals Mike Dimkich – guitar Jay Bentley – bass, backing vocals Brooks Wackerman – drums, percussionFebruary 2016 – presentGreg Graffin – lead vocals Brett Gurewitz – guitar, backing vocals Brian Baker – guitar, backing vocals Mike Dimkich – guitar Jay Bentley – bass, backing vocals Jamie Miller – drums, percussion, backing vocalsAge of Unreason (2019)
References
External links Bad Religion official website