The Road

About the Book

THE ROAD is an illuminating selection of photographs spanning iconic punk rock guitarist Brian Baker's many years of global touring with Bad Religion, Dag Nasty, and other bands. The images are intelligent and arresting, reflecting time spent both inside and outside the bubble of backstages and tour buses.

While touring is easily glamorized, all traveling musicians know that twenty-two hours of every day lack the lights, glitter, and other rock-and-roll trappings. For Baker, some of that time is spent photographing what interests him most in his surroundings. As revealed in The Road, his fascinations range from bizarre highway signage; to unsettling figurines, mannequins, and statuettes; to religious iconography that carries extra weight when one considers the ethos of a band called Bad Religion; to steaming cups of espresso and classic diner meals; to guitars, guitars, and more guitars; and so much more.

The Road is designed in collaboration with award-winning photographer and curator Jennifer Sakai. Music lovers across the globe will revel in a Brian Baker's-eye view of the landscapes he inhabits, and gain insight into the sometimes disquieting and always beautiful imagery that seizes his attention and engages his obsessions.

About the Author :
BRIAN BAKER is a punk rock icon who grew up in Washington, DC. Hailed in a 2024 Alternative Press fan poll as one the five greatest punk guitarists of all time, he has been a pioneer of multiple styles and continues to influence and inspire new generations of listeners and players. Baker is most widely recognized for his significant contributions with legendary bands Minor Threat, Bad Religion, and Dag Nasty. He lives in Neptune, New Jersey.

Review :
As a guitarist, Brian Baker has punk rock and hardcore credentials that are unparalleled. From effectively launching "hardcore" as a genre with Minor Threat when he was a teenager to bringing in the more melodic side of the scene with Dag Nasty and then joining Bad Religion in the mid '90s, it's hard to argue that any guitarist has been more influential to their scene than Baker . . . Baker recently released a new project--one that he's worked on for almost 20 years during his ongoing run with Bad Religion. Every time the legendary Los Angeles punk band goes on the road, Baker (like most touring musicians) finds himself with entirely too much time to kill before and after their nightly performances. To fill those long hours in strange cities . . . Baker discovered a new passion for photography, constantly using each and every camera lens on the iPhones that have been in his pocket since the original released in the late 2000s . . . Aside from his photography skills, the release of The Road has also allowed Baker to flex his storytelling muscles at the various bookstores, record shops and more that he's hitting this fall.-- "Los Angeles Times" A highly recommended and unique pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Photography collections, this large format (11.2 x 0.9 x 8.8 inches, 2.07 pounds) hardcover edition of The Road from Akashic Books showcasing the photography and visually documented the career of rock musician Brian Baker is essential reading for this legions of fans-- "Midwest Book Review" Brian Baker is a versatile guitarist whose CV is bursting with stints in Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, Government Issue, Bad Religion, and beyond. 'This whole journey is based on right place, right time, and luck, for the most part. I didn't realize I was a professional musician until I'd been one for 20 years, ' he told Guitar World in 2022. That journey mainly started when he joined Carlos Santana onstage in Detroit when he was 12, jamming along to 'Black Magic Woman' and bolstering the idea that becoming a working musician was a possibility.-- "Alternative Press's Fan Poll: 5 Best Punk Guitarists of All Time" (3/4/2024 12:00:00 AM)