Q: What does Bad Religion, Minor Threat & Dag Nasty Have In Common?
A: Brian Baker
When I started listening to punk rock in the early eighties it was nowhere near
the monster it is today. Bands didn't sell records in the hundred thousand
range, bands didn't have buzz clips on MTV, and Bad Religion didn't play
arenas. Last night I saw them open for Pearl Jam. A lot has changed.
I would argue that the mega-success of punk rock is something that no one could
have foreseen but newly appointed Bad Religion guitarist Brian Baker doesn't
think so. He argues over the phone from a hotel in San Francisco, "I think
that there is some logic to it...also, let's realize that it's huge
right now because it's really the flavor of the month...It's not going to stay
this way." And if anyone would have a valid opinion concerning such matters it
would be Baker.
He's basically a rock legend in his own time, having been a member of such
influential bands as Minor Threat and Dag Nasty, and with a style kids are
still ripping off today. Which is why seeing him play with Bad Religion was so
cool. Baker takes riffs written by founding Bad Religion guitarist, Brett
Gurewitz, and rewrites them Baker-style. That's why you don't need to see him
so much as you do hear him to know that it's him. On the post-humous Dag Nasty
release Four on the Floor he wasn't listed as the guitarist for legal
reasons, but the thing was, you knew it was him. Baker claims it's
because "I only know one solo. You could pretty much tell it was me because I
play the same one every time. I'm not joking either! On every record I've
ever played on, I know one."
I wonder some times, that because punk rock is so huge now, if it's weird for
the old-schoolers to play the bigger arenas. I mean, to go from playing dingey
little clubs, or small theaters at most, it must be weird. Baker
agrees, "There's pros and cons to it, you know. I always thought that when
people like Slash say, `We're taking it to the clubs, man', it means that
nobody will go see them at those places anymore, but now that I've done a bunch
of these, I really do see that it's not total bullshit when they say it kind of
sucks not being able to get any energy off the audience or even basically see
them. I really agree with that. In a perfect world I would rather play to two
thousand people who want to see Bad Religion than play to twenty-five thousand
people who think they've heard the name somewhere. But it's certainly nothing
to complain about, it's really a great experience. It's neat because I've
never done anything like it before, but as far as getting the artistic
gratification, if there is any in this world, then it's definitely not to be
found in that situation." And it's not like you could argue with him,
especially knowing what kind of people you're bound to run into at the big,
arena rock shows; namely, mustache sportin', 4x4 driving dolts who hang out at
the beer garden "waiting for `Jeremy' ", as Baker put it.
But that's exactly who he feels "Are the perfect people to play these songs
to". And it makes perfect sense when you think about the kind of band Bad
Religion is and how it really is those people who need to be exposed to
songs like "You are the Government" and "Stranger Than Fiction". Personally, I
think it would be kind of frustrating playing to people who don't really give a
fuck whether you're there or not, but Baker disagrees, "I don't think about
that way at all...I care about the people who do give fuck, I don't need to
rock the entire arena".
-Sean Schroeder