AMERICAN punks Bad Religion have been confirmed as one of the headline acts for Lancashire’s 2017 Rebellion Festival.

Bad Religion never scaled the commercial heights of pop punksters Green Day, or gained the status of Henry Rollins’ Black Flag, but the Californian grind merchants remain hugely influential with their bristling social commentary and ferocious live shows.

“Bad Religion had such a massive influence on punk, not only their playing but in their close association with Epitaph Records, and all the bands they signed like Total Chaos, Rancid and Descendents,” said Rebellion curator Jennie Russell-Smith.

“It’s easy for us Brits to lump them in with modern American punk, but Bad Religion played their first gig in 1979 and having them back at Rebellion for the first time for many years is very exciting.”

Last year’s Rebellion, based at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, saw the festival celebrate the 40th anniversary of punk with veterans Slaughter and the Dogs, The Damned, Stiff Little Fingers, Buzzcocks and Jilted John rolling back the years to 1976.

Rebellion line-ups often read like a Who’s Who of punk, bringing together British and American acts from the scene’s various eras and the four-day festival is now the biggest punk gathering in Europe with 350 bands playing live.

The 2017 cast will feature the first wave punk bands such as 999, The Drones and Alternative TV alongside American punk heroes Bad Religion who will top the bill on the opening day.

For a band like the UK Subs, who still play around 100 gigs a year and led by punk pensioner Charlie Harper, Rebellion is a key date in the calendar.

Other acts reunite specially for the event and then go back to their day jobs.

But 71-year-old Harper spends six months a year on the road and Rebellion, he says, is one of the highlights.

“Rebellion celebrates punk’s continued appeal and relevance,” said Harper who returns with the UK Subs to Rebellion this year.

“Our 1980 single Warhead was about a little war in Afghanistan back then.

“When I hear crowds singing it today and realise it’s still current, it brings a tear to my eye.”

Burnley punk veterans The Not Sensibles are also on the bill with TV Smith and the Bored Teenagers, Sham 69, DOA, Eddie and the Hot Rods, The Mekons, Angelic Upstarts, Brains All Gone, Rattus and the delightfully named Bar Stewards Sons of Val Doonican, plus many more to be announced.

Scottish punk legends The Skids have reformed for a nationwide tour to celebrate their 40th anniversary and Richard Jobson’s band will make their first appearance at Rebellion.

The Rebellion Festival, Winter Gardens, Blackpool, Thursday, August 3 to Sunday, August 6. Tickets and information from 02476 601678 or rebellionfestivals.com