Generator (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Generator
Type = Album
Artist = Bad Religion

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Released = March 10, 1992
Recorded = May 1991 at Westbeach Recorders, Hollywood, California
Genre = Punk rock
Length = 30:04
Label = Epitaph
Producer = Bad Religion
Reviews =
*Allmusic rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:5m6atr7lkl7x link]
*Pop Matters [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/b/badreligion-generator.shtml link]
*Robert Christgau Rating-Christgau|hm1 [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=bad+religion link]
*Ultimate Guitar rating|10|10 [http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/compact_discs/bad_religion/generator/index.html link] |
Last album = "80-85"
(1991)
This album = "Generator"
(1992)
Next album = "Recipe for Hate"
(1993)|

"Generator" is an acclaimed album by the punk rock band Bad Religion. Although the album was completed in the spring of 1991, it was not released until 1992. It was also the band's first release with drummer Bobby Schayer, who replaced Pete Finestone during the "Against the Grain" tour. Today, "Generator" has been remembered as one of the best albums to emerge from the early 90s punk scene, and one of the most enduring works of Bad Religion's career.

The album was originally planned for release sometime around mid to late 1991, but the band had decided not to release it. The had decided to take a break after the "Against the Grain" tour ended, so its release was forced to be delayed until early 1992.

Like Bad Religion's first four 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" with Noam Chomsky issued by Maximum Rock'N Roll in 1991. These versions feature Finestone on drums, making it his final recordings with Bad Religion. As of 2008, the original CD version of the album is out of print.

A video was made for "Atomic Garden". It is available for watching [http://www.epitaph.com/videos/search/?q=bad+religion&artist= here] . This was the first video Bad Religion ever released.

Musical style

"Generator" is considered the band's most ambitious and mature effort to date, slowing tempos on songs like "The Answer" and "No Direction," and experimenting with darker lyrics and, on "Two Babies in the Dark," bluesy guitar work.

Production and marketing

Writing sessions for "Generator" began around late 1990/early 1991. After Schayer joined Bad Religion 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 in May of that year.

"Generator" was recorded almost live in the studio,cite web | last = | first = | url = http://www.thebrpage.net/answer.asp?heading=Generator%20-the%20album&letter=g | title = Generator -the album| format = HTML| work = The Bad Religion Page | publisher = | accessmonthday = November 15 | accessyear = 2007] because, at the time, guitarist Brett Gurewitz 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".

According to The Bad Religion Page, 100,000 copies of the album were shipped.

Track listing

† = Exclusive to the 2004 remastered version of "Generator". Prior to the recording of the album, these tracks were part of the 7" split with Noam Chomsky, issued by Maximum Rock 'N' Roll as part of an anti-Gulf War benefit.

Personnel

* Greg Graffin – lead vocals
* Greg Hetson – guitar
* Brett Gurewitz – guitar, backing vocals
* Jay Bentley – bass guitar, backing vocals
* Bobby Schayer – drums, percussion

* Eddie Schreyer – mastering
* Norman Moore – art direction

References