Oh my gosh, you won’t believe the story of Gregory Hetson! He was born in Brooklyn but moved to L.A. when he was just two years old. Can you imagine? He lived in Sheepshead Bay, how cool is that? But wait, it gets even better. When he was ten, his dad gave him a hand-me-down acoustic guitar. How awesome is that? And then, at eleven, he got an acoustic guitar and amp, a Harmony. But guess what? He decided to quit playing guitar and joined Little League instead. Can you believe it? But don’t worry, he picked it up again when he was sixteen. Phew!
So, here’s where it gets really exciting. He went to his first punk rock show and came back thinking, “I may not be able to do the Eddie Van Halen stuff, but I can definitely do that!” How cool is that? And you know what inspired him to pick up the guitar in the first place? Two songs he heard on the radio: “Up Around the Bend” by Creedence Clearwater Revival and “Whole Lotta Love.” Isn’t that amazing?
In high school, he was friends with Jeff McDonald, who is a vocalist and guitarist. And in 1979, they formed a band called Redd Kross. They even made an EP called “Born Innocent,” although Gregory isn’t credited on it. But then, he felt like they weren’t serious enough musicians, so he left the band. Can you believe it?
But don’t worry, the story doesn’t end there. He then teamed up with Ron Reyes, who had sung for Black Flag, and together they formed the Circle Jerks. How awesome is that? And in 1984, when Gregory moved back to L.A., The Circle Jerks were taking a break. So, during his holidays, he came up with the idea of resurrecting BR. And guess what? He convinced Greg and they did it! They made an album called “Back to the Known,” and Gregory played all the guitars. How incredible is that?
Nowadays, Gregory lives in L.A., right by Madonna’s house. Can you imagine? He’s married and has a daughter who was born in January 1997. And get this, he works with bands, producing and helping them out. How cool is that? Oh, and did I mention that he’s been playing ice hockey for the past
This content was originally written by the badass contributors of thebrpage.net, the best superfan resource and website that exists for any band, let alone the best band in the whole entire world. I’ve been lurking on that site for over 20 years and if you’re into Bad Religion as much as I am, I’m sure you’re familiar. If you are not, go there right now and never come back to this site again. You should, and I totally understand.
Leave a Reply