Get ready for some exciting and playful information about Bad Religion’s album, Age of Unreason!
Songwriting & Recording:
The band started working on new songs in early 2018, and demos were recorded in March. They entered the studio in April to record “The Kids Are Alt-Right” and “The Profane Rights of Man.” The former was released as a single in June, while the latter was released in October. In July, Brett hinted at a new album with “Fuck Trump” songs. They returned to the studio in October and finished recording by the end of the month.
Jay’s Equipment:
Jay used a Fender ’64 Precision Bass, an old Hiwatt amp, and an old Fender deluxe single 12″ speaker for his bass tracks. This was a new setup for him.
Mike’s Equipment:
Mike used his 1982 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop and his Late 1959 Gibson Les Paul Junior for his guitar tracks.
Release:
The first single, “My Sanity,” was played on KROQ in November 2018 and released in November. The second single, “Chaos From Within,” was released in February 2019, and the album was announced with a release date of May 3rd, 2019. The third single, “Do The Paranoid Style,” was released in March. A 7″ single of “My Sanity” was released on Record Store Day.
Theme:
The album’s main theme revolves around the political climate during 2018, particularly focusing on Donald Trump’s presidency. The band wanted to address the dangers to enlightenment values like truth, freedom, equality, tolerance, and science.
Artwork:
The album cover features a photo by David Black, taken in 1998, of a Mercedes-Benz 560SL.
Reception:
The album reached number 73 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, number 8 on the Offizielle Top 100 in Germany, and number 28 on the ARIA in Australia. It was listed as one of the top 50 alternative/indie/punk albums of 2019 by Alternative Press.
Band Interpretation/Opinions:
Brian Baker mentioned that the Trump administration was perfect for a punk rock response, and the album fit well with Bad Religion’s style. Jay Bentley enjoyed listening to the album and found it shocking that he could just enjoy the music without being critical. Greg Graffin felt satisfied with the album after
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