Anti flag
| Anti flag | |
|---|---|
 Anti-Flag (2017) |
|
| General information | |
| origin | Pittsburgh (United States) |
| Genre (s) | Punk rock , melodic hardcore , hardcore punk |
| founding | 1993 |
| Website | www.anti-flag.com |
| Current occupation | |
| Justin Sane (Justin Geever) | |
| Pat Thetic (Patrick Bollinger) | |
Rhythm guitar, background vocals
|
Chris Head (since 1997) |
Vocals, electric bass
|
Chris # 2 ( Chris Barker ) (since 1999) |
| former members | |
Electric bass |
Jamie Cock (Jamie Towns) (1997-1999) |
Vocals, electric bass |
Andy Flag (Andy Wright) (1993-1996) |
Anti-Flag [ æntaɪflæɡ ] is a punk - band from the US Pittsburgh .
Band history
After various small band projects and a trip through California and an insight into the local scene, friends Justin Geever and Patrick Bollinger decided in 1993 to start a band. Andy Wright joined the band as bass player, which now appeared under the name "Anti-Flag" at regional concerts. Bollinger called himself Pat Thetic , Geever Justin Sane and Wright appeared as Andy Flag . After a few EPs and split CDs with other Pittsburgh bands, Anti-Flags' debut album Die for the Government was released in 1996 , which thematically focused on the development of the punk scene and the police state. However, Andy Wright left the band that same year due to disputes with the other band members. He was replaced in 1997 by Chris Head, who switched to guitar in 1998.
With the new edition of North America Sucks , which was supplemented with unreleased tracks on Their System Doesn't Work for You , Pat Thetic, Chris Head and Justin Sane founded the label AF Records . Jamie Cock joined Anti-Flag for two years. After leaving in 1999, Christopher Barker (Chris # 2), a fan of the band, took over the position of bassist. The band's second album, A New Kind of Army , was originally recorded with Jamie Cock on bass, but the full long player was later recorded again with Chris # 2. A New Kind of Army is also the band's only album on which all songs are sung exclusively by Justin Sane, as either Andy Flag or Chris # 2 were involved in the lead vocals on the pieces before and after.
The band's breakthrough and national success came with Underground Network , which was released in 2001, and the EP Mobilize , which followed a year later. The Gunstar , the band's logo designed by Chris Head, was also shown for the first time on the cover of Mobilize . The logo represents a star made up of five centrally broken M-16 assault rifles and is intended to express the band's pacifism . To this day, the symbol can be found on many merchandising items.
With The Terror State , the quartet spoke out heavily against the Bush administration. In addition, the band's fourth album was not offered for sale by many record stores due to the statements against the government and in relation to the Iraq war and the cover, which was supposed to show a young girl as a shot soldier. Then the band members engaged in other projects, including a. Chris # 2 with his side project Whatever It Takes and Justin Sane with his solo project.
In 2005 Anti-Flag decided to switch to the major label RCA Records , which earned the band a lot of criticism from some fans who described the band as commercial (see review for more). For Blood and Empire was able to place itself in the American and German charts for the first time in 2006, when it appeared on the same label. The Canada support tour for Billy Talent was canceled in February 2007 because Chris # 2's sister and boyfriend were murdered. Musically, the band processed this incident with the EP A Benefit for Victims of Violent Crime , which contained the B-sides of For Blood and Empire and some live recordings. All proceeds from this record went to the Center for Victims of Violence and Crime in Pittsburgh.
In autumn 2007 the band re-entered the studio with producer Tony Visconti to record their new album The Bright Lights of America , which was released on March 28, 2008 in Germany. In an interview, Justin Sane emphasized that this should be a much more varied album that is atypical for Anti-Flag and that the focus is on social issues. They then announced that they would be the support act for the Rage Against the Machine concert on June 10, 2008 in Berlin.
The 2009 European tour was canceled at short notice after singer Justin Sane broke his shoulder at a concert in Norwich, UK. This is said to have been caused by a quarrel with a visitor who repeatedly pelted Justin Sane with glow sticks during the concert. Another reason for the early end of the tour is a death in the family of guitarist Chris Head, who shortly before had flown back to the USA from Glasgow. In addition, drummer Pat Thetic had broken three ribs in advance. In the same year the band announced their move to SideOneDummy Records and the release of the seventh studio album in June 2009, which would be called The People or the Gun .
After a world tour, Chris Head and Chris # 2 founded the band White Wives together with friends from other music groups , with whom they toured extensively after the release of their debuts. Justin Sane also went back to his solo project and released an EP, which was followed by a tour in Germany. The band's next studio album was originally supposed to be released in autumn 2011, but this date had to be postponed due to the side project of Chris Head and Chris # 2. In early 2012 the band announced that their eighth studio album would be called The General Strike and will be released again on SideOneDummy Records. The release date in the USA was March 20th, in Germany March 17th.
Following numerous concerts, Anti-Flag announced a best-of album for 2014, on which 26 songs from the band's 20 years of history should appear. The album A Document of Dissent was released on July 22, 2014 via Fat Wreck Chords. A special feature of this release is the booklet. It contains a biographical chronicle with in-depth notes on the genesis of individual songs and references to the historical world events that were the inspiration and model.
The band's ninth regular studio album, American Spring , was released on May 26, 2015 on the Finnish label Spinefarm Records. In the same autumn, she went on a world tour, which was continued in the summer of 2016.
In August 2017, the band announced their tenth studio album, entitled American Fall , which was released on November 3, 2017 via Spinefarm Records.
The band announced the third release in the American series for September 28, 2018. American Reckoning will be the band's first acoustic album and will feature acoustic versions of songs from the American Spring and American Fall albums, as well as covers by John Lennon , Buffalo Springfield and Cheap Trick .
With Hate Conquers All , the band released the opener of their eleventh studio album 20/20 Vision in autumn 2019 , which was released on January 17, 2020 via Spinefarm Records.
criticism
The band often expresses an anti-capitalist stance in their lyrics, but was under contract for a while with the major label RCA , which belongs to the Sony BMG group . In an interview with The Guardian , Justin Sane explained this step:
"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."
Due to the income from the album For Blood and Empire , Anti-Flag was able to found the non-profit organization Military Free Zone, which fights against the recruitment of the military in schools. After fulfilling the contract for two albums, Anti-Flag turned their backs on RCA and switched to SideOneDummy, an independent label. The band justified this with the fact that over the course of their time at RCA, the employees responsible for them had gradually been replaced and the cooperation with the new employees was no longer satisfactory.
Others
- The opening song Turncoat of the 2003 album The Terror State was the first anti-flag song to be broadcast on MTV in Germany .
- At the beginning of the Iraq war, Anti-Flag, together with bestselling author and Bush critic Michael Moore, organized the largest national anti-war demonstration of its time in the United States .
- Some songs released by Anti-Flag, such as Post-War Breakout on The Terror State album , were originally written by Woody Guthrie .
- In August 2008, Anti-Flag recorded the song Turn Your Back with Billy Talent .
- In the course of the Austrian student protests in 2009, anti-flag singer Justin Sane performed maximum in the occupied Vienna auditorium .
- In October 2011, Anti-Flag played in the "Occupy Wall Street" protest to support it. Recordings can be found on YouTube.
- The band's first festival, the ANTIfest , took place at the beginning of March 2012 with The Bouncing Souls and The Menzingers in England.
- In June 2012 the band offered a cover of the song Virgin Mary, Redeem us of Putin to the band Pussy Riot for free download. The band took part in the Free Pussy Riot campaign .
- Bass player Chris # 2 bears the eponymous lettering on his bass based on their song This Machine Kills Fascists (Underground Network), this is also a homage to Woody Guthrie
- The single This Is the End (For You My Friend ) can be heard in the credits of the film Cold Prey 2 Resurrection - Kalter als der Tod (Fritt Vilt II).
- In February 2016 Justin Sane and Chris # 2 took part in the exhibition project "Victory is Peace", realized by the art association Positive Propaganda together with the renowned street art activists Shepard Fairey and NoNÅME in Munich. a. who have appeared in the exhibition rooms of the Kunstverein and at a panel discussion in Café Jasmin .
Discography
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Albums
- 1996: Die for the Government (New Red Archives)
- 1999: A New Kind of Army ( AF Records )
- 2001: Underground Network ( Fat Wreck Chords )
- 2003: The Terror State (Fat Wreck Chords)
- 2006: For Blood and Empire ( RCA Records )
- 2008: The Bright Lights of America (RCA Records)
- 2009: The People or the Gun (SideOneDummy Records)
- 2012: The General Strike (SideOneDummy Records)
- 2015: American Spring (Spinefarm Records)
- 2017: American Fall (Spinefarm Records)
- 2020: 20/20 Vision (Spinefarm Records)
EPs
- 1995: Kill, Kill, Kill (7 ", Self-Serve Records and Ripe Records)
- 1998: Their System Doesn't Work For You (EP, AF Records )
- 2002: Mobilize (EP, AF Records)
- 2006: Emigre (7 ", AF Records)
- 2007: A Benefit for Victims of Violent Crime (EP, AF Records )
- 2009: Which Side Are You On (EP, SideOneDummy Records)
- 2010: The Second Coming Of Nothing (7 ", Paper and Plastick)
- 2012: Bacon / All Cops Are ... AZ (7 ", AF Records)
- 2013: Toast To Freedom (7 ", AF Records)
- 2015: Cease Fires (7 ", AF Records)
Compilations
- 2013: Archives Vol.1: The Covers, Vol.2: The Demos, Vol.3: The B-Sides
- 2014: A Document of Dissent: 1993-2013
Splits
- 1993: Rock'n with Father Mike (split with The Bad Genes )
- 1996: Reject (split with Against All Authority )
- 1996: Split with God Squad
- 1996: North America Sucks (split CD with dbs , Nefer Records)
- 1997: I'd Rather Be In Japan (Split with Obnoxious , NAT Records)
- 1998: Split with The Dread (SixWeeks Records)
- 2002: BYO Split Series, Vol. 4 (Split CD with Bouncing Souls , BYO Records )
- 2009: Split with Emily, Rentokill & Clint (SideOneDummy Records)
- 2009: Split with Rise Against (SideOneDummy Records)
- 2013: Split with Hostage Calm (Run for Cover Records)
- 2013: 20 Years Of Hell Series, Vol. I-VI (Split EPs with World's Scariest Police Chases, All Dinosaurs, Worship This !, One If By Land, Excluded and Antillectual ) ( AF Records )
Live and acoustic albums
- 1998: Live at the Fireside Bowl (Liberation Records)
- 2004: Death of a Nation ( AF Records )
- 2011: Complete Control Recording Sessions (SideOneDummy Records)
- 2016: Live and Acoustic in Vienna (AF Records)
- 2016: Live Acoustic at 11th Street Records (AF Records)
- 2017: Live Volume 1 (AF Records)
- 2018: American Reckoning (Spinefarm Records)
Singles
- 2003: Turncoat
- 2004: Death of a Nation
- 2004: Post-War Breakout
- 2006: The Press Corpse
- 2006: $ 1 trillion
- 2006: This Is the End (For You My Friend)
- 2006: War Sucks, Let's Party!
- 2008: The Bright Lights of America
- 2009: When All the Lights Go Out
- 2010: The Economy Is Suffering, Let It Die
- 2012: This Is the New Sound
- 2013: Broken Bones
- 2015: Fabled World
- 2015: Brandenburg Gate (ft. Tim Armstrong )
- 2015: All of the Poison, All of the Pain
- 2016: Without End (ft. POS & Tom Morello )
- 2017: American Attraction
- 2017: When The Wall Falls
- 2017: Liar
- 2017: Digital Blackout
- 2018: Finish What We Started
- 2018: Trouble Follows Me
- 2019: Hate Conquers All
- 2019: Unbreakable
- 2020: The Disease
Video albums
- 2004: Death of a Nation
Side projects
In the beginning of 2000 Justin Sane began his solo project, which completely dispensed with bass and drums.
- 2000: These Are The Days… We Will Never Forget (EP, AF Records)
- 2002: Life, Love & The Pursuit of Justice (Album, AF Records)
- 2011: Gas Land Terror (EP, Flix Records, Ashes Records)
Chris # 2 was guitarist and singer in the now disbanded punk band "Whatever It Takes".
- 2003: A Fistful of Revolution / Stars & Skulls EP (AF Records)
- 2003: The Code / Whatever It Takes (Split EP, AF Records)
During the Vans Warped Tour in 2009 Chris # 2 started the tour project "Wharf Rats" together with the rapper POS, Wade MacNeil from Alexisonfire and Chachi Darin, who released a limited single.
- 2011: Capital Gains / Oh No! (7 ", No Sleep Records)
Chris Head and Chris # 2 started the band "White Wives" in 2010 together with Roger Harvey (Dandelion Snow), Andy T. (The Code) and Tyler Kweder (American Armada). The first CD of the band Situationists EP was released on February 15, 2011. The cover is made entirely of recycled material and limited to 1000 copies.
- 2011: Situationists EP (Lock and Key Collective)
- 2011: Happeners (Adeline Records)
- 2013: Live at 222 Ormsby (EP, Lock and Key Collective)
- 2013: Howls For Sade (EP, Lock And Key Collective)
- 2013: White Wives (7 ", AF Records)
Web links
- Official website (English)
- Anti-Flag at Discogs (English)
- Anti-Flag at AF Records
Individual evidence
- ↑ The-Pit.de: Anti-Flag cancel all dates in Europe , accessed on March 10, 2009
- ^ Anti-Flag Announce Acoustic Record 'American Reckoning'. Soinefarm Records, July 27, 2018, accessed August 30, 2018 .
- ↑ Mark Brown: Anti-Flag to incite May Day masses. The Guardian , April 29, 2006, accessed March 24, 2016 .
- ↑ ZurPolitik.com: Anti-Flag play "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" in the main auditorium (video) accessed, November 2, 2009
- ↑ Chart sources: DE AT CH US