After weeks of speculation, Bad Religion drummer Brooks Wackerman confirmed on his Twitter account this morning that he has left the band after 15 years of touring and recording, as he decided to “pursue another path”. He explains:
“After 15 years, 6 records and countless tours- I’ve decided to move on from Bad Religion.
This wasn’t an easy decision to make after spending a good chunk of my life in such an iconic band, but after reassessing my future in music it was time for me to pursue another path.
As I’m writing this, my mind is flashing back to my audition with these guys in 2000. I’ll never forget how exhilarating it was to play “Stranger Than Fiction” (my first song) with them and how well we all jelled, as I was doing my best to camouflage my nerves while walking into Cole Studios in Los Angeles, CA.
To have this education and growth has been invaluable to me, and I’m forever grateful to this band for allowing me to be part of a movement that I can honestly look back on our time together and say, “I’m proud of what we accomplished”.
BW”
Bad Religion still plan to tour South America in March and record a new album. The band has not yet announced a replacement for Wackerman, but rumor has it that Bobby Schayer has been asked by fans to rejoin the band. Schayer was the drummer for Bad Religion from 1991 to 2001, when Wackerman replaced him.