Generator (Bad Religion Album)
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''Generator'' is the sixth studio album by the
punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...
band
Bad Religion Bad Religion is an American punk rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1980. The band's lyrics cover topics related to religion, politics, society, the media and science. Musically, they are noted for their melodic sensibilities and ...
. Although the album was completed in the spring of 1991, it was not released until 1992; the band was not happy with the artwork and packaging, and went through several ideas that were eventually scrapped. ''Generator'' was the band's first release with drummer Bobby Schayer, who replaced Pete Finestone during the '' Against the Grain'' tour. ''Generator'' includes some fan favorites and concert staples, such as, "Generator", "No Direction", "Heaven Is Falling", "Atomic Garden", and "The Answer". The album was promoted with Bad Religion's first music video, which was filmed for the song "Atomic Garden".


Background and production

Following the release of Bad Religion's fifth studio album '' Against the Grain'' (1990), drummer Pete Finestone left to focus on his other band the Fishermen. His position was filled by fan Bobby Schayer.Thompson 2000, p. 169 Writing sessions for ''Generator'' began around late 1990/early 1991. After Schayer joined in April 1991, the band immediately started work on their follow-up to ''Against the Grain''. With an intended release date of mid-to-late 1991, they recorded it at Westbeach Recorders in
Hollywood, California Hollywood, sometimes informally called Tinseltown, is a List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles, neighborhood and district in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles County, California, within the city of Los Angeles. ...
in May of that year. ''Generator'' was recorded almost live in the studio, because, at the time, guitarist
Brett Gurewitz Brett W. Gurewitz (born May 12, 1962), nicknamed Mr. Brett, is an American musician and record producer, best known as the co-founder and guitarist of the Punk rock, punk band Bad Religion. He is also the owner of the music label Epitaph Records ...
had moved Westbeach to larger premises, and for the first time, the entire band could play in the studio at the same time. He stated that it was "time to change" and the band "did it in a different studio, but as far as the songwriting, it was a deliberate effort to try something different". ''Generator'' marked a shift in songwriting-style for the band. Although many songs hold true to their hardcore-punk roots ("Generator", "Tomorrow", "Fertile Crescent"), select tracks suggested the band moving towards a slower, more experimental route ("Two Babies In The Dark", "The Answer"), as well as a darker one ("Atomic Garden"). While not as dark, this experimental period would continue through their next album, 1993's '' Recipe For Hate''.


Reissue

Along with Bad Religion's first five albums (minus '' Into the Unknown''), Epitaph Records released a remastered version of ''Generator'' on April 6, 2004, with two exclusive tracks that were taken from the split 7-inch with
Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American professor and public intellectual known for his work in linguistics, political activism, and social criticism. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is also a ...
, ''New World Order: War #1'', issued by '' Maximum Rock'N Roll'' in 1991. These versions feature Finestone on drums, making it his final recordings with Bad Religion.


Reception and awards

Author Dave Thompson, in his book ''Alternative Rock'' (2000), wrote that the band "offer up complexity and experiment while the slower tempos actually let you hear what the band are singing about — a valid consideration for a band with so much to say." According to The Bad Religion Page, 100,000 copies of the album were shipped. By April 1992, ''Generator'' had sold approximately 85,000 copies, becoming Bad Religion's third best-selling album at the time (their previous album '' Against the Grain'' had sold 90,000 copies, while '' Suffer'' and '' No Control'' sold approximately 88,000 and 80,000 respectively). In October 2011, the album was ranked number three on ''
Guitar World ''Guitar World'' is a monthly music magazine for guitarists and fans of guitar-based music and trends. The magazine has been published since July 1980. ''Guitar World'', the best-selling guitar magazine in the United States, contains original a ...
'' magazine's top ten list of guitar albums of 1992.


Track listing


2004 CD reissue bonus tracks

*Prior to the recording of the album, these tracks were part of the 7-inch split with
Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American professor and public intellectual known for his work in linguistics, political activism, and social criticism. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is also a ...
, issued by '' Maximum Rock 'N' Roll'' in 1991 as part of an anti-
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benefit.


Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes, except where noted. ;Bad Religion * Greg Graffin – lead vocals, backing vocals, additional guitar on track 12 * Greg Hetson – guitar *
Brett Gurewitz Brett W. Gurewitz (born May 12, 1962), nicknamed Mr. Brett, is an American musician and record producer, best known as the co-founder and guitarist of the Punk rock, punk band Bad Religion. He is also the owner of the music label Epitaph Records ...
 – guitar, backing vocals, piano on track 7 * Jay Bentley – bass guitar, backing vocals * Bobby Schayer – drums, percussion ;Additional musicians * Pete Finestone – drums, percussion on tracks 12 and 13 ;Technical *
Bad Religion Bad Religion is an American punk rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1980. The band's lyrics cover topics related to religion, politics, society, the media and science. Musically, they are noted for their melodic sensibilities and ...
 – production * The Legendary Starbolt – engineering * Donnell Cameron – engineering * Joe Peccerillo – assistant engineering * Eddie Schreyer – mastering * Norman Moore – art direction, design, photography * The Douglas Brothers – cover photography * Merlyn Rosenberg – photography * Gregor Verbinski – photography


Charts


See also

* List of anti-war songs


References

Citations Sources *


External links


''Generator''
(reissue) at
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(streamed copy where licensed) {{DEFAULTSORT:Generator (Bad Religion Album) Bad Religion albums 1992 albums Epitaph Records albums