Bad Religion "Infected"

You gotta love a band that names themselves "Bad Religion" and kicks off their debut album with the likes of "We're Only Gonna Die from Our Own Arrogance." "Infected" is an all-time great song from what I believe is BR's best, most consistent record album. Ace Andy Wallace production too. This will have to tide me over until I find my copy of Stranger Than Fiction. Get yours here.

Some twenty years-and-change ago, in my incarnation as commercial Radio Boy v. 2.0, I spent much time kicking against the pricks. As the station's Music Director, I had to deal all record company representatives. There was a certain unbelievably obnoxious & totally relentless VP/Promotion from a label that shall go unnamed (hint: rhymes with bArista). He wouldn't stop jamming me (and I do mean jamming me) to play records songs that there was no fucking way we were ever going to play.

I was new in the job so I tried my hardest to be patient and polite. One day, I had had enough. During an especially exasperating conversation about some particularly foul piece of AOR fodder, I snapped at bArista Records' VP of National Promotion:

Me:"I don't know how to get it through to you, we're not that kind of radio station. Fer chrissakes I played The fucking Wipers' "When It's Over" on-the-air last nite! Ever heard of them?"

VP: "Did you know that I was the original drummer for Bad Religion?"
Me: "Get the fuck out! Really?"
VP: "Really"
Me: "Then why are we even having this conversation?"

We had reached an understanding. VP was only mildly obnoxious from then on out.

When I last ran into him he was a helluva lot more mellow. Ex-VP had an absolutely stunning Brazilian or Argentinian girlfriend on his arm and had started his own alt-Latin company. I had never seen him happier. How could he be not?

More on The Wipers soon come.

-AF