Brian Baker (musician)
Brian Baker is an American punk rock musician. He is best known as one of the founding members of the hardcore punk band Minor Threat, and as a guitarist in Bad Religion since 1994. In Minor Threat, he originally played bass guitar before switching to guitar in 1982 when Steve Hansgen joined the band, and then moved back to bass after Hansgen's departure. He also founded Dag Nasty in 1985, was part of the original line-up of Samhain, and has had stints in Doggy Style, The Meatmen, Government Issue, and Junkyard.
In 1994 Baker was offered a spot as a touring musician with R.E.M. but declined, opting instead to accept a position in Bad Religion as Brett Gurewitz's replacement. He also experimented with a more pop direction influenced by U2, with a band called 400. Baker briefly toured with Me First and the Gimme Gimmes in 2005 and appeared on Canadian punk band Penelope's second album. He has been a frequent guest guitarist on many songs and albums by artists as varied as Blood Bats, Tesco Vee, Ric Ocasek, Teenage Time Killers, Mind Over Four, Dangerous Toys, Pollen Art, Unwritten Law, Travis Cut, Lickity Split, Hot Water Music, Down By Law, Bash & Pop, Middle Aged Brigade, Careless, and many others.
In 2020, The band Fake Names, composed of Baker, Swedish vocalist Dennis Lyxzén, guitarist Michael Hampton and bassist Johnny Temple, released its first album.Discography
Bad Religion
- The Gray Race
- Tested
- No Substance
- The New America
- The Process of Belief
- The Empire Strikes First
- New Maps of Hell
- The Dissent of Man
- True North
- Age of Unreason
Doggy Style
- The Last Laugh
Dag Nasty
- Can I Say
- Wig Out at Denko's
- All Ages Show 7"
- Field Day
- Trouble Is 12"
- 85-86
- Four on the Floor
- Minority of One
- Dag with Shawn
- Cold Heart 7"
The Meatmen
- War of the Superbikes
Government Issue
- Make An Effort EP
Minor Threat
- Minor Threat EP
- In My Eyes EP
- Out of Step
- Salad Days EP
Junkyard
- Junkyard
- Sixes, Sevens & Nines
- Shut Up – We're Trying To Practice!
- Tried and True
- Faded/The River 7"
- High Water
- Old Habits Die Hard
Foxhall Stacks
- The Coming Collapse
Beach Rats
- Wasted Time 7"
Fake Name
- Fake Name