Generator is the sixth studio album by the punk rock bandBad Religion. Although the album was completed in the spring of 1991, it was not released until 1992. The reason that the album's release date was pushed back was because Bad Religion was not happy with the artwork and packaging, and in order to release it, they went through ideas that were scrapped. Generator was the band's first release with drummer Bobby Schayer, who replaced Pete Finestone during the Against the Grain tour. Generator includes some fan favorites and concert staples, such as, "Generator", "No Direction", "Heaven Is Falling", "Atomic Garden", and "The Answer". The album was promoted with Bad Religion's first music video, which was filmed for the song "Atomic Garden".
Production and marketing
Generator marked a shift in songwriting-style for the band. Although many songs hold true to their hardcore-punk roots, select tracks suggested the band moving towards a slower, more experimental route, as well as a much darker one. While not as dark, this experimental period would continue through the next album, 1993's Recipe For Hate. 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, 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".
Reissue
Along with Bad Religion's first five albums, 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.
Reception and awards
According to The Bad Religion Page, 100,000 copies of the album were shipped. By April 1992, Generator had sold approximately 85,000 copies, becoming Bad Religion's second best-selling album at the time. In October 2011, the album was ranked number three on Guitar World magazine's top ten list of guitar albums of 1992.
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.
