In The Studio 

“This one has been a bit of a challenge,“ says Brett Gurewitz, guitarist for seminal punks Bad Religion, on writing the band’s 14th album – his third since returning for 2001’s The Process Of Belief. The Challenge? Gurewitz’s business card also reads: Owner, Epitaph Records. “I have to put aside these rare blocks of free time, do something that isn’t writing and hope inspiration strikes,” he explains. “If it doesn’t, I’m shit out of luck.” He does, however, have a pretty capable writing partner in vocalist/UCLA science professor Greg Graffin. “Greg and I did most of the writing apart as we always do,” says Gurewitz. “And the songs he’s done are some of the best he’s ever written – he’s really coming into his own in expressing and understanding his world view very poetically.” While the last album was openly political, this currently untitled effort won’t be. “The lyrics are much less topical,” says Gurewitz. “But it’s typical Bad Religion junior college Philosophy 101.” And although Gurewitz hinted on the band’s 2006 DVD Live At The Palladium that this would be double-disc, he says though 27 songs were conceived, only 15 will make the Epitaph release on July 10. Musically, he hopes the band will experiment with “new room sounds and ambiences” along with novel guitar tones and vocal arrangements at Los Angeles’ Grand Master Studios. “We wanna go over the top with the background harmonies,” he says. “You know, really have some fun.”