P h i l E t z e l . c o m

Peter Jackson says he will step into the breach and direct The Hobbit himself if it becomes the only way to ensure the US$150 million (NZ$219m) film is made after the sudden departure of director Guillermo del Toro.

Jackson met studio representatives yesterday to begin the search for a new director but wouldn’t rule out directing The Hobbit himself if a suitable person could not be found.

“If that’s what I have to do to protect Warner Bros’ investment, then obviously that’s one angle which I’ll explore,” he said. But stepping in as director would be difficult as he had signed writer and director contracts with Hollywood studios for two other films, with one likely to begin next year. “The other studios may not let me out of the contracts.”

Three decades after recording their first incendiary songs as teenagers reared in the budding hardcore scene in Los Angeles, Bad Religion are marking their 30 year anniversary with a new record, filled with both the free thinking ire that has fueled the band from the very beginning, and a certain introspection that comes only from long-lived experience.

“While we’re celebrating our 30th anniversary as a band this year it’s also a time when Greg and I have embarked on new creative pursuits which have informed our songwriting process. I’m a new parent again and Greg a new author having just completed his first book Anarchy Evolution,” says Gurewitz. “So the songs are a distillation of where we’ve been and who we are now…a natural evolution of creativity.”

Working again with producer Joe Barresi (Queens Of The Stone Age, Tool), Bad Religion entered the studio armed with 16 songs that are filled with deeply personal experiences, cautionary tales and a developing worldview, spanning the gauntlet from their signature high energy punk rock to a more introspective melodic sound.

“We wouldn’t embark on this new creative endeavor, Brett wouldn’t have embarked on parenthood, I wouldn’t have embarked on writing a book, if we hadn’t reached a place in our lives where we felt the confidence that we had something to offer and that’s what these songs represent,” adds Graffin. “They represent a new found confidence that things are starting to make sense to us.”

“Being a new parent has colored my whole world,” continues Gurewitz. “As a result I’ve written songs that at least for me, are somewhat less angsty and more introspective and vulnerable. The experience has emboldened me to take some creative risks as a songwriter that I’ve not allowed myself to take before.”

Risks that nevertheless have already been embraced by the band’s passionate fans, as evidenced by the overwhelming response to two new songs, “Resist Stance” and “Won’t Somebody.” The songs were debuted during a series of live shows celebrating Bad Religion’s anniversary, recorded and given away as part of a free digital album, 30 Years Live, as a thank you to their fans for their support over the last three decades. Rabid fans immediately lit up blogs and message boards with raves about the new material and excitement over the new record, which will be out this fall. In the meantime, Bad Religion continue to tour the world, bringing their amazing live show to more new countries and playing more shows with each passing year.

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