Bad Religion

Bad Religion have the distinction of being the longest lasting Punk band from Los Angeles. For nearly twenty years now, they've upheld their tradition of thoughtful and intelligent lyrics (prompting some to call them "lexicon punks") and aggressive play. The chip on this band's shoulder might read "Perseverance Pays" -- despite self-releasing their debut How Could Hell be Any Worse? in 1980 on founding guitarist Brett Gurewitz's Epitaph label, it wasn't until 1988 when Suffer's (empowering anthem "You are (the Government)" taught more than a few young punks the meaning of "jurisprudence") that the band made a significant splash and settled in for the long haul with a somewhat steady lineup and musical vision. Since then, audiences have received a new earful of gruff-voiced singer Greg Graffin's rants set to frenetic power-chording on a yearly basis. A fine example of staying power gleaned from remaining true (with minor tweaks for maintenance) to an original sound and intent.