Anti-Flag

Anti-Flag is a group of Punk hardcore States-unien formed with Pittsburgh in 1993. In 1994 they signed with the label New Red Archives for their first album: Die for the govermment which leaves on September 12th 1995, they signed then with A-F Records for their following albums. The music of Anti-Flag contains a vast display of libertarian ideals and expresses a strong resistance against the Fascisme; religious organizations and the Nationalism. Politically, Anti-Flag is comparable with the group of Los Angeles: Rage Against the Machine. One of some groups boycotted following the terrorist attacks of the September 11th, 2001. The calls of Anti-Flag with peace and the unification after these attacks were unpopular in the climate of fear and the dash of nationalism maintained by the government Bush. The group is often assimilated like anti-patriotic and anti-American by much, but the determination of Anti-Flag only became hardened. Anti-flag is an increasingly popular group with the the United States in spite of its political position. This group is also very popular in Europe, with the Canada (especially with Montreal) and in other countries of the world.

Biography

In the beginning, Anti-Flag was formed by " Justin Sane" and " Stalemate Thetic" with Pittsburgh, their birthplace, in 1988. The name of the group comes from the experiments that Justin and Pat could have in this city. When they went to concerts of Punk, they often saw the directors in these concerts stressing slogans like " freedom not the fascisme" , by agitating the flag of the United States, which they even sometimes pinned on their jacket. However, all these directors were always violent one with those which did not share their opinions. Justin and Pat thus noted rather often that the American flag was in itself a form of Fascism.

In 1993, Justin and Pat formed a " new groupe" , if one can say, while trying to consolidate the line-up, since this one was far from stable. Andy Flag became bass player then. In 1996, the group recorded its first album, Die For The Government on the label New Red Achives. Andy Flag left the group during the summer 1996, because of the frequent arguments which it had with Justin.

In 1997, Chris Head became bass player in the place of Andy Flag; in 1998, Jamie Cock was the new bass player of the group, making it possible Chris Head to become guitarist. The current line-up was definitively acquired when in 1999, Chris Barker (alias Chris #2) replaced Jamie Cock to low.

This same year, Anti-Flag recorded the album has New Kind Of Army at Go-Kart Records/A-F Records (A-F Records which is the proper label of the group). The album touches on various subjects such as the Racisme, the Fascisme, the problems of the young people and the violence of the police force. The small pocket of CD is extendible: she becomes a poster where the sentence " is registered; Too much crafty one to fight. Too much crafty one to kill. You register now. A new form of armée."

In 2000, Anti-Flag was invited to take part in Vans Warped Tour. During this festival, the members of the groups met several of the great names of the Punk modern rock'n'roll, like Fat Mike (the bass player and singer of NOFX), owner of the label Fat Wreck Chords. From this meeting was born a friendship which led later to the recording of two albums on the label of Conceited person Mike.

In 2001, Anti-Flag recorded the album Underground Network in Fat Wreck Chords. This recording clearly symbolizes the passage of the group of the statute " undeground" with that of new figure of the punk rock'n'roll. This Album continuous on the impetus of has New Kind Of Army : he speaks about Fascisme (in particular of small groups of Néo-Nazis which then tried to infiltrate the scene Punk) and about the foreign policy of the United States. This album was the first to be contained in its booklet of the tests of historians and specialists in policy, like the professor Howard Zinn.

In 2002, the group recorded Mobilize on its own label. The album contained new songs and eight titles live. After the attacks of September 11th to the World Trade Center, the group made a speech on the " rush with the guerre" US government. After that, much of stores of discs the music of Anti-Flag bus they refused to sell defined it as " anti-américaine".

In 2003, it is The Terror State which was recorded on the label Fat Wreck Chords. The album sets a priority: to denounce the mode of the president Bush and her ministers and advisers, and their obstinacy in their " war of the terrorisme". Again, the album contains in its booklet of the tests of specialists in policy, but also of the members of the group themselves. The Terror State contains a song whose words were written by Woody Guthrie; it is entitled " Post-war breakout". The music was arranged by the group, since Guthrie had never written its own arrangements. A particular edition of the album contained also a song entitled " Fuck the flag".

October 8th, 2004, the American representative Jim McDermott made a speech with the Room of the representatives, supporting and thanking Anti-Flag. Indeed, he appreciated the fact that the group fights to convince the young people to vote.

In 2005, Anti-Flag signed a contract of two albums with the label RCA Records. The first of these two albums, For Blood And Worsens (left in June 2006), was finished recording on March 21st, 2006. The main subject of the album is the criticism of the policy of the government of the United States, in particular its foreign policy.

The signature of Anti-Flag on important a Major of the disc with sucitée of critical sharp within the fans of the group. The formation of Pittsburgh it is seen reproaching for disputing the capitalist model, while working at the sides of a major. Of dimensioned sound, the group explains to want to touch public the broader, in order to better convey its ideas. On the other hand, Anti-Flag with obtained RCA Records the authorization to publish its discs with the support vinyl, via A-F Records.

Throughout the career of Anti-Flag, much of other groups were added to label A-F Records, such as for example The Unseen, The Code and Much The Same. At the beginning of 2007, the group organizes a great American round War Sucks, let' S Party tower! . On the official site the group affirms that it begins the recording of their next album, preventing them from taking part in the Warped Tour 2007 . However, it will be necessary to be patient for the exit of their next album because they are subjected to no condition of time in spite of the major RCA Records. However according to certain source, their next opus should arrive from here 2008.

The assassination of the sister of the bass player of the group, Chris#2, causes the exit of a Maxi (extended play) has Benefit for Victims And Violent Crime. In this one, is 5 pieces rare and 5 live. It will leave on October 2nd.

Discography

Rock' NR With Father Mike (1994) Split with The Bad Genoa
Split (1995) Split with God Squad
Reject (1996) Split with Against All Authority
Kill Kill Kill (1996)
I' D Rather Be In Japan (1996) Split with Obnoxious
Die For The Government (1996)
North America Sucks (1996) Split with d.b.s.
Split (1997) Split with The Dread
Their System Doesn' T Work For You (1997)
has off New Kind Army (1999)
Underground Network (2001)
Mobilize (2002)
BYO Split Series vol. 4 (2002) Split with The Bouncing Souls
The Terror State (2003)
For Blood and Empire (2006)
has Benefit For Victims And violate Crime Ep (2007)

Members of the group

Justin Sane (Justin Geever) - Guitar and song
Chris #2 (Chris Barker) - Low and song
Chris Head - Guitar and song
Stalemate Thetic (Stalemate Robenson) - Battery

Former members:

Lucy Fester - Song, of 1988 to 1989
Andy Flag (Andy Wright) - Low and song, of 1993 to 1996
Jamie Cock - Low and song, of 1996 to 1998

See too

External bonds

Anti-Flag.com
Anti-Flag.com No-claims bonus, MP3, etc
Die For The Government.net - Fansite French
Anti-Flag Words
The people united Fan very complete site in English.

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