Anti-Flag
from volume 02 issue 12 // Scott Harrell
Words: Louis Steffy
Anti-Flag does not mean Anti-American. Anti-Flag means anti-war.
Making their debut at a local Pittsburgh radio station in 1993, Anti-Flag got together for the sake of channeling their disgust at religion, nationalism, and fascism. Justin Sane (vocals/guitar), Andy Flag (bass/vocals), and Pat Thetic (drums) bopped around their hometown – much to the dismay of local skinheads – while recruiting a following who proudly wore torn-up upside-down flags as patches. In 1997, after releasing a handful of singles, opening for their idols the U.K. Subs, the Exploited, and the Circle Jerks, and briefly touring the East Coast – a trip that led to the departure of Andy Flag – Die for the Government was released, and 20,000 copies, four bassists, and four North American tours later, Anti-Flag had gained their reputation for recapturing the old-school ethics of punk with a new message-oriented breed of hardcore.
Chris Head was added to the lineup in 1997; two years later, Chris #2 joined on as well to complete the four-piece. They released A New Kind of Army in 1999 on Go Kart Records, hoping to spread their message further and wider. A summer stint on the Warped Tour brought an expanded audience and new friends, including “Fat Mike” Burkett of NOFX Fat Wreck Chords. The label put out 2001's Underground Network. Their next effort, Mobilize, was a combination of new tracks and tracks that were recorded live in their hometown. The disc came out in February 2002, the most notable track being "911 for Peace," a song that reflected the recent World Trade Center terrorist attacks.
Their relationship with Fat Wreck continued for their next full-length, The Terror State. Not surprisingly, the band also became involved with Punk Voter, a coalition of punk bands and artists working to raise voter awareness and participation within the punk scene leading up to the 2004 election. The band also headlined the Rock Against Bush tour. In a somewhat unexpected move, Anti-Flag next signed to RCA in April 2005; they issued For Blood and Empire the following March.
Anti-Flag's decision to sign to RCA Records was a major source of criticism among critics and fans alike, since RCA is owned by Sony BMG. Some fans found this decision hypocritical due to Anti-Flag's previously overtly anti-capitalist lyrics. Responding to this in an interview with English newspaper The Guardian, Justin Sane said, "We've been approached by the major labels over the past seven or eight years but we thought we were having an impact where we were. They were never willing to give us complete control. This time they were willing to give us complete control over what we record, the artwork, who we tour with. We won't be censored. If there was ever a time to take a chance to be heard on a mass scale then this is the time. I feel like we've been a voice in the wilderness for too long." Another defense of the band's decision to move to a larger label was a practical solution to the problem of communicating the band's message to new and more widespread audiences.
Lately the band has been gearing up for their North American tour in support of their new album, Bright Lights of America, and remaining hard at work for non-profit groups such as PETA, Amnesty International, and the ACLU. Anti-Flag is also working campaigns of their own, such as MilitaryFreeZone.org, which tries to make people aware of, and attempt to counteract, the aggressive recruitment policies of the military in and around high schools and universities.
Bright Lights of America mixes the old hardcore punk standard with a myriad of different musical instruments not used before by the band. Cellos, violins, pianos, horns, and even a xylophone are thrown in.
“We really tried to get a different feel to this record” says Chris #2, adding that the new record is also taking a step in a more positive direction compared to the last two Anti-Flag releases. “We just wanted to get the point across that not everything about the U.S. is horrible, that this is a good country, but it is up to us to make it better”.
Opening to a chant-along track championing the rights of animals everywhere, Bright Lights of America is shot through with themes of hope and dismay for the state of the punk rock scene, the government, and the country. It all culminates with songs of protest with which we may or may not agree. But we can get behind the fact that the members of Anti-flag know what they're doing in the studio. And live as well; their shows are filled with chanting, fist pumping and ideas that will make you think.
