THIS PODCAST STRIKES FIRST!

Happy Bad Religion Day!!!!!!! (Or is it...?)

It is an annual tradition in this time to celebrate the hatching of both Greg Graffin and Bad Religion; however, for many, the celebrations are somewhat clouded by the announcement of Donald J. Trump's presidential second term.  jamilah responds to this announcement, as well as adds context to the conditions that created an environment where a Trump could (and would) be elected. 
Album: https://teodorasfist.bandcamp.com/album/one-day-i-slipped-and-fell-on-a-thought
We'd love to hear your thoughts!  Contact us at: thispodcaststrikesfirst@gmail.com 

Our Favorite Greg Graffin Vocal Moments (with jesse)

Not only is Greg Graffin one of jamilah's all-time favorite songwriters; he is also one of her all-time favorite vocalists.  He is ignored among the cacophony of best of lists, but we are here to give the man his flowers, even if others aren't aware of his amazingness.
This episode was incredibly challenging, as there are too many great songs and moments to choose from, to narrow down in an episode.   But of course she, along with jesse, made it work.  There were commonalities and differences; there were surprises and well-known favorites.  
This is the first of a series of 'favorites' episodes; we will also be giving some love to the drums, bass, guitars...  and even the Ooozin' Aahs. 
Thanks so much for listening!  What are some of your favorite Professor Graffin moments? Let us know at: thispodcaststrikesfirst@gmail.com 

An Educator's Perspective On Bad Religion (feat. Dennis Hill)

Our objective to connect with others who may not be familiar with Bad Religion's music always gives us various perspectives we may not have actually thought about, given our familiarity with the music.  And even with our knowledge, there are things we don't necessarily know.  This is why we do this podcast- to learn from others, and expand our analytical horizon.  We were happy to have friend, educator (and science fiction fanatic) Dennis Hill on an episode, to share some thoughts!  Despite holding similar sociopolitical ideas, our methods of processing Bad Religion's music held some variances/differences, which was actually a major surprise for us.  Songs Featured:
-The World Won't Stop-All Fantastic Images-Bored And Extremely Dangerous-Let Them Eat War-Flat Earth Society-Part II (The Numbers Game)-Markovian Process-Chaos From Within-Inner Logic-Hear It(This episode was recorded on June 21, 2024- of course there have been inevitable social and political shifts (and life events) since this conversation.  However, the primary points haven't changed.)
Thanks so much for listening!  We'd love to hear from you: thispodcaststrikesfirst@gmail.com 
 

In Defense of Into The Unknown

Anyone who has listened to this podcast at any point may be aware of our adoration for Into The Unknown, an album we feel has been unfairly maligned.  While we understand on some level that some don't connect with it (and why they may not), we still feel it's attacked on unnecessary levels, especially because it laid the groundwork for every single thing that came after it.   
This episode is our love letter. 
Thanks so much for listening!  What are your thoughts on Into The Unknown? Let us know at: thispodcaststrikesfirst@gmail.com 

We went to see Bad Religion in concert! (+RIP Steve Albini), feat. jesse j.

The moment (which has been discussed on a few episodes) has finally arrived- Bad Religion (plus Social Distortion and Lovecrimes) came to town.  jamilah was incredibly excited, but what did jesse think about his first live experience with all of the bands?  They discuss song wish fulfillment, navigating unfamiliar environments, meeting Jay Bentley, receiving setlists, as well as sudden pleasant (and not so pleasant) surprises. 
In the middle of all of this we discovered that Steve Albini (jamilah's favorite producer of all time) passed; we discuss his philosophy, some of his works, as well as his evolution as a human. Special thanks to Rob and Carly.(Also, editor's note number 5!!!  It was tonsil cancer, not tongue cancer.  We wanna be respectful, and get it right!  Apologies for the error.  A lot of editors notes for this episode!)
Thanks so much for listening!  We'd love to hear any thoughts you've had about any of the shows you've seen on this tour, any thoughts about Steve Albini, or whatever queries or comments you have: thispodcaststrikesfirst@gmail.com 

Talking Divorce (songs and more), with Lisa Loving

Podcasting of this type is an interesting, sometimes vulnerable space; on one end, it allows you more opportunities to 'be yourself', without the constraints of corporate instruction.  On another end, you don't want to divulge so much information about yourself that it ends up isolating and uninteresting.  When you think about it, this is not unlike the process of a songwriter. 
This delicate balance was explored on our latest episode, as jamilah (who at the time of recording was experiencing a mental health crisis) spoke with Lisa Loving, a fellow writer (who wrote the book Street Journalist: Understand & Report The News In Your Community) and long time friend.  As Lisa has experienced the end of a marriage, the premise of this episode was to connect her experiences with select songs from the Bad Religion (and Greg Graffin) catalog; but it ended up being a larger conversation about how capitalism (and all its appendages) pervades so many of our interactions and unconscious choices.  It was ultimately unexpected, but anyone who has heard this podcast knows this route shouldn't be a surprise. 
Surprise or not, it was something that took jamilah out of the head space that started the episode, and that is much appreciated. 
(Note: The episode was recorded on April 6, so there are some things discussed in the episode that have come to pass.  There are a series of events currently happening that may have been touched on, but we also did not foresee).
Thanks so much for listening!  We'd love to hear from you: thispodcaststrikesfirst@gmail.com 

20 Favorite Bad Religion Songs... for now.

First thing's first- this episode is being uploaded the same day as the 32nd anniversary of Generator- so...  HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! 
Secondly, this was an incredibly difficult list to do.  This band has too many great songs.  i don't know if i'm the only person on earth who loves all of the albums (i hope i'm not!!!), but this was definitely a great challenge, thinking about all of the songs and their significance, either personally or in accordance to the subject matter.
Thanks so much for listening!  We'd love to hear what your favorite songs are!  Are they staples in your life, or a current love, based on an experience or live performance?  Let us know: thispodcaststrikesfirst@gmail.com 
(p.s.  When talking about the North Star paper, i think i said it was published in the year 1947, but i meant 1847!!!  This is one of the things that happen when you record at 3am!!!)

Bad Religion, as interpreted by a Preacher's Kid (featuring jesse j.)

Though music is generally seen as a universal experience, not everyone shares the same ways of experiencing it.  THIS PODCAST STRIKES FIRST! is an outlet for folks to come on and share their feelings and interpretations of Bad Religion's music, particularly if it's something new for them. Since we love and know the catalog, it's exciting for us to share in the excitement of a person's first listening experience.
jamilah's occasional co-host of the podcast Music And We, jesse, was kind enough to jump into the pit, so to speak.  In the episode we discuss jesse's feelings on and interpretations of ten songs he randomly picked (out of a list of 27).  Throughout, we discover jesse's (subconscious) love for Brett Gurewitz, we ask the question of why Graffin and Gurewitz are not on 'greatest songwriter' lists; jamilah hears about strange Pentecostal songs, and of course...  there's a political and musical hot take (or two).
Thanks again for listening!  If you want to contact us with any questions, comments and/or suggestions, the address is: thispodcaststrikesfirst@gmail.com

A Conversation With Emily Davis

This is one of the best post-inaugural episode gifts we could have.  We are incredibly appreciative for Emily Davis, El Paso, Texas-based singer-songwriter (and MASSIVE Bad Religion appreciator) taking some time out and spending some of it with us.  You may be familiar with them from being in the BR community, by finding their covers of Bad Religion on Youtube...  or by hearing their band, Emily Davis And The Murder Police. 
Emily and jamilah speak on various topics such as the importance of intersectionality in music, how BR's music inspires a creative process, the pitfalls of a 'Vote Blue No Matter Who' perspective, the humanism and empathy of the band's lyrics, tour experiences (and the kindness of the band and crew), the positive qualities of being in the BR community, and of course...  Into The Unknown.
If you want to contact us with any questions, comments and/or suggestions, the address is: thispodcaststrikesfirst@gmail.com
Thanks so much for listening!

The Inaugural Episode!

Greetings!  jamilah is a giant nerd when it comes to music she likes, and after recording a somewhat in-depth episode for another podcast, she came up with the idea to center a whole podcast around appreciation for the music and experience of Bad Religion.  Who knows where this podcast will go; that said, there's no real harm in sharing the joy of music that inspires people to ask some poignant questions, and sing along at the same time. 
We hope you (yeah you, your name here) will be able to take something positive with you in this episode, as well as moving forward.  Thanks again!