American Jesus I Love My Computer Bad Religion

American Jesus Album: Recipe for Hate (1993)
I Love My Computer Album: The New America (2000)
by Bad Religion

In accordance with their band name, Bad Religion often takes on what they feel is misguided religious sentiment in their songs, and "American Jesus" flogs the concept of a nation believing it more blessed by God than other countries.

Lead singer Greg Graffin and guitarist Brett Gurewitz wrote the song in response to US President George H. W. Bush's comment that the US would win the Gulf War (the first one) because God is on their side. It's pretty much a satirical view on the general American thought that the United States is the most powerful nation in the world because it is "One nation under God."

Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam sang backup on American Jesus.

Gore Verbinski, who also did the Bad Religion clips for "Atomic Garden," "Stranger Than Fiction" and "21st Century (Digital Boy)," directed the American Jesus video, which shows the band performing while various people walk around with giant crosses (which were made of styrofoam).

The New America is the eleventh studio album by Bad Religion. It was released in 2000 and is their last album on Atlantic Records.

The New America is also Bad Religion's last album with Bobby Schayer on drums. Though not yet credited as a member of the band, then-former and now-current guitarist Brett Gurewitz co-wrote and played guitar on the song "Believe It". The album was re-released by Epitaph Records on September 15, 2008. Like its predecessor, none of the album's songs would develop into live staples; only the title track is performed live occasionally. "I Love My Computer" is track 9.

The New America was recorded from October to December 1999 at Victor's Barn, Kauai, Hawaii and produced by Todd Rundgren. Rundgren had been one of the musicians Greg Graffin looked up to while growing up. However, working with Rundgren proved to be a disappointment to the band and especially Graffin, because they did not get along well with each other. Graffin however would later write in his book, Anarchy Evolution, that although Rundgren was difficult to work with, they remain friends to this day. Graffin reflected on the recording of The New America with Rundgren in an even more positive light in his 2023 memoir Punk Rock Paradox, calling it a "great experience."

The New America was released on May 9, 2000 and is the last Bad Religion album distributed via Atlantic Records to date. The release of The New America marked the band's fulfillment of their four-album contract with Atlantic Records, allowing the band to reconvene with former band-mate, Brett Gurewitz, for their next album, 2002's The Process of Belief, released on Epitaph Records.

The album was initially titled The Last Word, before being changed to The New America as a large number of people thought the band was breaking up. The album marks a departure for the band, as some of the songs are personal, rather than political in nature, and more optimism is employed. Topics range from singer Greg Graffin's recent divorce to his past growing up as a punk kid in the early '80s. Apart from Brett Gurewtiz's guest contribution, it is the only Bad Religion album solely written by Graffin.

Bad Religion was formed in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles in 1980 by high school students Greg Graffin (vocals) and Brett Gurewitz (guitar). The band considers their first show to be a gig in 1980 when they opened for Social Distortion in an empty warehouse.

Bad Religion chose their band name because it's provocative and fit their punk rock ethos. "The motivation for the name was pretty juvenile," Greg Graffin explained in the book Rock Names. "However, it was a time when there was a lot of televangelism, if you remember. So it was sort of timely that we would poke fun at some aspect of American culture. And it turns out that the name, although it started out on a juvenile foundation, became actually a pretty good name over the years because we use religion as a metaphor for organized, dogmatic thought - really the opposite of what punk rock is all about, which stresses independence and individuality more than anything else."

Bad Religion
Greg Graffin – lead vocals, backing vocals
Greg Hetson – guitar
Brian Baker – guitar, backing vocals
Jay Bentley – bass guitar, backing vocals
Bobby Schayer – drums