Category: | Interview - Internet | Publish date: | 1/1/2005 |
Source: | billboard.com | With: | Jay Bentley |
Synopsis: |
Bad Religion Impresses Itself With Live DVD
billboard.com, 2005
Admittedly not astounded by much, Bad Religion bassist Jay Bentley tells says he was amazed at the performance his veteran punk act turned in for its upcoming live DVD, due Feb. 14 via Epitaph.
"When you think about a live video, you just think about some live video. Whatever," Bentley tells Billboard.com. "But there just seems to be something about the way that it was shot and the way that it was edited. I can't really explain it. I'm not usually impressed by things these days, especially by us, but when I put that in and saw it, I was like, 'Wow, this is way better than I thought it would be.'"
Tentatively titled "Bad Religion: Live at the Palladium," the DVD was recorded over two nights at the Hollywood venue last November. Directed by Zach Merck (Cold, Converge), the DVD features such uncommon happenings as singer Greg Graffin performing a piano version of "Cease" (from 1996's "The Gray Race"), as well as recently discovered vintage television interviews and performances.
"When we got the footage back, it was so amazing," Bentley says. "We were like, 'Let's not kid around on this.' What I mean was, [initially] we just kind of wanted to do it, because, why not? And when we got it back, we thought, 'This is really good. Let's just not half-ass it. Let's really make the sound good, the cuts good and really focus on this because it is way better than we thought it would be.'"
Currently, the veteran punk act is finishing up its last touring leg in support of its 2004 Epitaph release, "The Empire Strikes First." As for its next studio project, Bentley said the band may reconvene in March but nothing is certain at this point.
"The pressing need is to get material out but it has to be something that we want to do," Bentley says. "In the history of this band, I think we put out a couple of records that you probably could have labeled 'Contractual Obligation one and two.' And I'm sure we don't want to do that again."