Suffer (album)
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| Suffer | ||||
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| Studio album by Bad Religion | ||||
| Released | September 8, 1988 | |||
| Recorded | April 1988 at Westbeach Recorders, Hollywood, California | |||
| Genre | Punk rock | |||
| Length | 26:14 | |||
| Label | Epitaph | |||
| Producer | Bad Religion | |||
| Professional reviews | ||||
| Bad Religion chronology | ||||
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Suffer is the third album by American punk rock band Bad Religion, released on the Californian independent record label Epitaph Records on September 8, 1988.[1] It was the label's first album that was both released and distributed by the label. Following the release of the EP Back to the Known (1985), Bad Religion went on a temporary hiatus, then reunited with its original members and went to work on its first full-length studio album in five years.
Although Suffer was not charted in Billboard, it is considered by many to be one of the best punk albums of the 1980s, as well as its follow-up No Control. After its release, Suffer quickly became Epitaph Records best seller and was the label's best-selling third album for a number of years, until the release of The Offspring's 1994 highly acclaimed album Smash. A plethora of third-wave punk bands cite this album as a major inspiration; NOFX's Fat Mike has called it "the record that changed everything."
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[edit] Background
Bad Religion was formed in Southern California in 1980 by vocalist Greg Graffin and guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The pair hired Jay Bentley on bass and Jay Ziskrout on drums and began writing songs. In 1981, the band released their eponymous debut EP on the newly-formed label, Epitaph Records, which was and continues to be managed and owned by Gurewitz. 1982 saw the release of their first full-length album, How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, gaining the band a sizable following. During the recording of that album, Ziskrout left the band and was replaced by Pete Finestone. After experiencing more lineup changes and releasing their second album, Into the Unknown (1983), to lukewarm response, Bad Religion called it quits in 1984.
In 1984, Greg Hetson of Circle Jerks fame, who had played the guitar solo for "Part III" on How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, teamed up with Graffin on the song "Running Fast" for the soundtrack of the film Desperate Teenage Lovedolls. Soon after, Graffin reassembled Bad Religion with Hetson replacing Gurewitz, who had gone into rehab for his drug problem. Bad Religion returned to a somewhat mellower, rock and roll version of their original sound with the EP Back to the Known (1985), but disbanded temporarily soon after.
By 1987, Gurewitz had cleaned up his drug issues and struggled to find some kind of employment. After taking some vocational courses and a raft of odd jobs, he became a studio engineer and owner of a recording studio. Gurewitz noted, "I really enjoyed, still enjoy, being a recording engineer, but I had a terrible time trying to make any money. And my hours were horrible. I just knew I wanted to be in music. Then, in 1987, Bad Religion said, 'Hey man, why don't we get the group back together?".[2] After Bad Religion finally reunited, they began writing new material and entered Westbeach Recorders in April 1988 to record their next album.
[edit] Reception and legacy
The album received the following reviews:
- Alternative Press (3/02, p.96) - Included in AP's "Essential Punk Influences '02 Style" - "...Their definitive album....they'd never eclipse this fireball of creative energy."
- Kerrang! (p.51) - "[With] sonorous, soaring vocal hooks. The melding of power and melody proved a statement of absolute power."
In a fan poll, "Do What You Want" was cited as one of the best Bad Religion songs of all time, along with "American Jesus" and "Along The Way." Rancid's Tim Armstrong has said that "What Can You Do?" is his favorite Bad Religion track.
In 2006, Suffer was ranked as the top punk album of 1988 on Sputnikmusic.[3] The album was also named the 99th most influential rock album of all time by Kerrang! magazine. As of July 2009, it is #2543 on Rate Your Music's Top Albums of All Time list and #47 on their Best Albums of 1988 ranking.[4]
[edit] Artwork
The album cover features a drawing of a teenager on fire wearing a t-shirt of Bad Religion's crossbuster logo, designed by Jerry Mahoney. The person on the cover has been taken by the band as a mascot, "Boy on Fire" is the name and can also be seen on Bad Religion accessories, including t-shirts. The cover art was also parodied for NOFX's Surfer EP, which depicted a surfer on fire.
[edit] Accolades
The information regarding accolades attributed to Suffer is adapted from AcclaimedMusic.net.[5]
| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundi | Finland | The 50 Best Albums of All Time + Top 10 by Decade | 1995 | 35 |
| Rock Hard | Germany | Top 300 Albums | 2001 | 222 |
[edit] Track listing
| Side one | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Title | Writer(s) | Length | ||||||
| 1. | "You Are (The Government)" | Graffin | 1:21 | ||||||
| 2. | "1000 More Fools" | Gurewitz | 1:34 | ||||||
| 3. | "How Much Is Enough?" | Gurewitz | 1:22 | ||||||
| 4. | "When?" | Graffin | 1:38 | ||||||
| 5. | "Give You Nothing" | Graffin, Gurewitz | 2:00 | ||||||
| 6. | "Land of Competition" | Graffin | 2:04 | ||||||
| 7. | "Forbidden Beat" | Graffin, Gurewitz | 1:56 | ||||||
| 8. | "Best for You" | Graffin | 1:53 | ||||||
| Side two | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Title | Writer(s) | Length | ||||||
| 9. | "Suffer" | Graffin, Gurewitz | 1:47 | ||||||
| 10. | "Delirium of Disorder" | Gurewitz | 1:38 | ||||||
| 11. | "Part II (The Numbers Game)" | Gurewitz | 1:39 | ||||||
| 12. | "What Can You Do?" | Graffin | 2:44 | ||||||
| 13. | "Do What You Want" | Gurewitz | 1:05 | ||||||
| 14. | "Part IV (The Index Fossil)" | Graffin | 2:02 | ||||||
| 15. | "Pessimistic Lines" | Graffin | 1:07 | ||||||
[edit] Release History
| Label | Release Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Epitaph Records | November 1, 1988 | On the CD version, the inside cover features an image of a groupshot of the band behind CBGB. On the vinyl version, the same image appears on the back cover. The inside cover also features the lyrics written on the wall of an empty room where Greg Hetson's SG, a pair of Converse and a leather jacket is by the door. Also on the CD version, the back cover features the credits and the band members are listed next to the groupshot the band. |
| Epitaph Records | April 6, 2004 | Remastered along with How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, No Control, Against the Grain and Generator. |
[edit] Personnel
- Greg Graffin – vocals
- Brett Gurewitz – guitar
- Greg Hetson – guitar
- Jay Bentley – bass guitar
- Pete Finestone – drums
- Donnell Cameron – engineer
- Legendary Starbolt – engineer
- Jerry Mahoney – artwork
[edit] References
- ^ (1995) Album notes for All Ages by Bad Religion [liner notes]. US: Epitaph Records (86443).
- ^ Diehl, Matt. My So-Called Punk. St. Martin's Griffin, 2007. ISBN 9780312337810, p. 39
- ^ "Highest Rated Albums: 1988" (HTML). Sputnikmusic. http://www.sputnikmusic.com/charts.php?genreid=3&year=1988&type=1. Retrieved November 11 2006.
- ^ Main Page for Bad Religion's Suffer at Rate Your Music
- ^ "List of Suffer Accolades". Acclaimed Music. http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/Current/A3217.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-08.
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