America (band)

Later on his post-America career Dan Peek became a born again Christian and released some marginally selling albums. The How Could Hell Be Any Worse? re-issue also contained all of their first EP, the "Public Service" EP (alternative versions of Bad Religion, Slaves and Drastic Actions from the self titled EP) and "Back To The Known". The remaining duo produced a few more albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s to little fanfare, but had one more significant hit, "You Can Do Magic", in 1982. Additionally, the band has released digitally-remastered versions of several of their early albums, including How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, Suffer, No Control, Against the Grain, and Generator. But then Hideaway marked the beginning of America's decline. Dan Peek left the group. The Empire Strikes First was released on Epitaph Records in June 2004. The next album Hearts featured "Sister Golden Hair," the band's second #1 single in the US. Bobby Schayer left the band and was replaced by Brooks Wackerman (Suicidal Tendencies) and Gurewitz rejoined the band in time to record The Process Of Belief (2002).

The group's third album Hat Trick was a relative failure, but their fourth album Holiday (with new producer George Martin) became a hit. As their popularity was not what it once was, Bad Religion departed from Atlantic Records in 2001 and returned to Epitaph. America won Best New Artist at the 1972 Grammy Awards. Homecoming became a huge hit in the US, and slightly less so in the UK. What followed were a series of moderately successful albums, The Gray Race (1996), No Substance (1998), and The New America (2000) (though The Gray Race in particular was well-received by many fans). "Ventura Highway", the first single off their next album, Homecoming, also became a huge hit. Previously Greg Graffin and Gurewitz had split songwriting duties, which left Greg as Bad Religion's sole songwriter. Their first album, America, reached #14. After the group moved to the United States, "A Horse With No Name" hit #1 there and so did the album soon after. Gurewitz was replaced as a guitarist by Brian Baker, former member of bands such as Minor Threat and Dag Nasty.

"A Horse With No Name" was the group's debut single, and it peaked at #3 in the United Kingdom. Gurewitz, moreover, was fighting heroin and other addictions during this era, as he explains in the Bad Religion video Along the Way. Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley, all singers and guitarists, met in high school and formed a folk rock group called "Daze." After changing their name to "America", the group received a contract with Warner Brothers Records. Gurewitz recorded a song with his new band the Daredevils entitled "Hate You," reportedly directed towards Jay Bentley. America was a light rock band, most popular in the early 1970s and now best known for their #1 hit "A Horse With No Name". Officially he cited the increasing amount of time he was spending at Epitaph's offices as the Offspring became one of the biggest bands of the mid-1990s (see 1994 in music), but it was well-known that the departure was not on good terms, as he later accused the band of selling out for leaving Epitaph for a major label. Horse with No Name - 2002. (In fact, Epitaph sold the rights to that album to Atlantic Records.) 1994's Stranger Than Fiction followed, but right around its release Gurewitz left the band.

Holiday Harmony - 2002. With alternative rock breaking into the mainstream, Bad Religion left Epitaph Records for Atlantic Records and quickly re-released Recipe for Hate on the major label. Hits You Remember Live - 2001. Recipe for Hate (1993) followed shortly thereafter. Live (album) - 1999. Before recording sessions for Generator commenced, drummer Pete Finestone left Bad Religion in 1991 to focus on his other band, The Fishermen, which had signed with a major label, and Bobby Schayer joined the band as his replacement. Human Nature - 1998. No Control (1989) and Against the Grain (1990) further increased the band's popularity, followed by Generator (1992).

King Biscuit Flower Hour - 1996. They reformed in 1987 and released Suffer on the same year, which cemented their comeback in the punk community. Hourglass - 1994. In 1985, they returned to a somewhat mellower, Rock and Roll version of their original sound with the Back to the Known EP, but they disbanded soon thereafter. Ventura Highway & Other Favorites - 1992. A common sign of a pirated version of the LP is the blueish hue on the cover, instead of the reddish hue. In Concert - 1990. It now can be seen going for more than 100 dollars on eBay, and is often pirated.

Perspective - 1984. However, in past years it has become a collectors item, and has gained some acceptance from fans, many of which consider it a good album, just not a good Bad Religion Album. Your Move - 1983. It is now out of print, and generally disowned by the band. The Last Unicorn (movie soundtrack) - 1982. In 1983, the band released Into the Unknown, a keyboard-driven psychedelic rock album that was enormously unpopular with the band's core fanbase. A View from the Ground - 1982. He also denies the existence of free will.

Alibi - 1980. Naturalism teaches one of the most important things in the world: there is only this life—so live wonderfully and meaningfully." And one of the keys to a wonderful and meaningful existence is living free of delusions, which all "bad religions"—traditional churches, political dogmas, conformist social codes—trade in. Silent Lhhhhetter - 1979. Naturalism "is satisfying," Graffin has said, "because it is a teacher. Harbor - 1977. In his doctoral dissertation, "Monism, Atheism, and the Naturalist World-View: Perspectives from Evolutionary Biology," he concludes that there's "no conflict between evolutionary theory and religion on the one important condition that religion is essentially atheistic." One of his beliefs (and he is a man of deep faith), which must have helped him to arrive at his findings, is that naturalism is set to become a new and influential religion. America Live - 1977. in evolutionary biology from Cornell University.

Hideaway - 1976. Greg Graffin, the band's frontman, holds a masters degree in geology from UCLA and Ph.D. Hearts - 1975. During the recording of How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, Jay Ziskrout left the band and was replaced by Peter Finestone. Holiday - 1974. 1982 saw the release of their first full-length album, How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, gaining the band a sizeable following. Hat Trick - 1973. In 1981, the band released their eponymous debut EP on their own newly-formed label, Epitaph Records, managed and owned by Gurewitz.

Homecoming - 1973. Bad Religion is a punk band, known for poignant, erudite lyrics and biting social commentary and formed in Los Angeles, California in 1980 by high school students Greg Graffin (vocals), Jay Bentley (bass guitar) and Jay Ziskrout (drums), and high school drop-out Brett Gurewitz (guitar). America in Concert Live - 1973. The Empire Strikes First (2004). America - 1972. Punk Rock Songs (Europe-only greatest hits). The Process of Belief (2002).

The New America (2000). No Substance (1998). Tested (live album, 1997). The Gray Race (1996).

All Ages (compilation album, 1995). Stranger Than Fiction (1994). Recipe for Hate (1993). Generator (1992).

'80-'85 (1991, compilation of their older albums and EPs). Against the Grain (1990). No Control (1989). Suffer (1987).

Back to the Known EP (1984). Into the Unknown (1983). How Could Hell Be Any Worse? (1982). Public Service EP (1981).

Bad Religion EP (1981).