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Against Me!

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Against Me!

Against Me! is a punk rock band formed in 1997 in Gainesville, Florida. Their first full-length album, released on No Idea Records in 2002, is Reinventing Axl Rose. They have released music on Misanthrope Records, Crasshole Records, Plan It X Records, Sabot Productions, No Idea Records, and Fat Wreck Chords. In December of 2005, they signed to Sire Records, and released their major label debut, New Wave, on July 10, 2007.

Biography

Earlier years (1997–2000)

Tom Gabel started the band at 16-years-old, as a solo act with vocals and acoustic guitar. He would only occasionally perform with backup from drummers or bassists. This period in the band was marked by playing a guerrilla show in a college apartment complex laundromat, emphasizing the punk aspect of their work. He put out one demo tape by himself, officially entitled Against Me!, but more commonly known as Tom's First Demo. While copies of the cassette itself are extremely rare, Internet file-sharing programs help to circulate the songs amongst later fans.

Another demo cassette was released the following year on Misanthrope Records, with a slightly more complete band, titled Vivida Vis!. Only five hundred copies of this album were made, but file-sharing once again popularized it. Perhaps the most well known song on the record, "Shit Stroll," is still routinely requested by the audience at Against Me! shows. Against Me! rarely, if ever, obliges these requests. Gabel summarized his feelings on this subject in a 2007 interview with Racket Magazine writer, Aaron Hale:[3]

NO ONE fucking liked us. (laughs) No one! Our first year of shows was just like us showing up, me and Kevin and unloading my acoustic guitar, and Kevin unloading his drums; which was like this weird home made kit, and people were like "What the fuck is this?" and making fun of us. No one liked us at first, and now there's all these people saying "I've loved you since (Vivida Vis)." “No, you didn't. No one liked us when (Vivida Vis) was around. I was there at the shows! There were TEN people there, what are you talking about? I know you weren't there."

...

[It's] awesome to play something that would make somebody happy to hear. But sometimes there are songs that we don't necessarily play anymore, and when people ask for 'em it's like "God, we don't want to play them anymore." An example would be the song (Burn) (chuckles) we uh, we don't play it anymore and it's like "Hm... sorry." (laughs)

Next, an obscure, self-titled, five-song vinyl-only 12" EP surfaced on the ill-fated Crasshole Records in 2000. Due to a mastering error, only 150 copies were ever officially released.

Reinventing Axl Rose (2001–2002)

In 2001, Against Me! - now chiefly Gabel on guitar and Kevin Mahon on drums - celebrated their first widely successful release in Crime as Forgiven By. The four song 7" and six song CD-EP was joint-released on Plan-It-X Records and Sabot Productions. The 7" came first; the CD that followed included two bonus tracks: "Impact", which remains a staple of live shows, and "Burn", which has been more or less disowned by the band. Both versions of the record are considered to be some of Against Me!'s best work.

After Crime, a four-song acoustic 7" was released. While technically untitled, the album is most commonly referred to as The Acoustic EP, or less commonly as the Jordan's First Choice EP. In a similar manner as Crime, this record was re-released as a CD-EP with two extra songs. It contains no electric guitar or drums; only Gabel's acoustic guitar and bass by Dustin Fridkin.

Shortly after the release of The Acoustic EP, Against Me!'s lineup shifted when Mahon officially left the band. Warren Oakes took Mahon's place, and James Bowman joined the band as a second guitarist.

Reinventing Axl Rose is the band's first full-length album. The album features five brand new tracks; the other six were re-recorded from their original appearances on Crime and The Acoustic EP. This album was considered a shift because of the addition of electric guitars, and a full band. The title track and "Baby, I'm an Anarchist!" earned significant notoriety in punk rock circles and began to spread Against Me! to a larger fan base, a fan base that would prove difficult to please with their few next releases.

After Axl Rose, Against Me!'s lineup changed once again. Fridkin left the band, and was replaced on bass guitar by Andrew Seward. This lineup of Gabel, Oakes, Bowman, and Seward has remained constant since. Interestingly, the common set-up of the band at live shows features Gabel (the chief vocalist) stage right, while Seward takes center stage. In late 2002, a three-song EP entitled The Disco Before The Breakdown was released. The title track is a marked departure from the earlier sound, incorporating friends and musicians from their label, No Idea Records, as a horn section for the first time. "Tonight We're Gonna Give it 35%" shows the band's greatest transition towards a more rock sound that would carry the rest of their discography. "Beginning in an Ending" is the only track hearkening back to the band's earliest days, and even it was a change of pace.

As the Eternal Cowboy and Searching for a Former Clarity (2003–2005)

Their second full length album, As the Eternal Cowboy, was released on Fat Wreck Chords. Gabel himself describes the album as sounding "more punk." This album also earned them their first single, "Sink, Florida, Sink". The divisive effect this record had on their fan base became the topic of their next release, a DVD entitled We're Never Going Home.

We're Never Going Home is a tour documentary, produced by Jake Burghart of Transition Video Magazine. The DVD follows the band on a US tour where they were literally offered "a million dollars to make a record" by Universal Records. The anticipation for their next album sent executives off to wine and dine the band with offers of fortune and fame. The video offers insight into how the band handled these offers and also gives a peek at what it's like to live life on the road with the band. It also features candid interviews with Fat Wreck Chords executives including Fat Mike, band members, Christopher Johnston of Plan-It-X, and fans. The DVD derives it's name from the final line of "Slurring the Rhythms," a song on Eternal Cowboy.

In between these two releases, an unofficial release, a demo, was stolen from someone affiliated with the band at a joint Against Me!/Lucero show. The tracks were leaked to the Internet and some of the fan-given names included: "Miami," "How Low," "Joy," "Holy Shit," "Exhaustion", "Ed Is Sexy" and "Problems". When these songs appeared on Against Me!'s next album, they had the same names that were given to them on the demo by the band's listeners. This was a knowing snub to the thieves and an acknowledgement of the act on the part of Against Me!, a band generally known for their more lengthy and cryptic song titles.

This album Searching for a Former Clarity was released on September 6, 2005. It broke them into the mainstream, debuting at #114 on the Billboard charts. The band released a music video for the album's first single, "Don't Lose Touch", originally specifically for MySpace. The video can now be seen on the television music station Fuse. The band also performed the song on an episode of Late Night With Conan O'Brien which aired on September 30, 2005. "Don't Lose Touch" went on to air on the MTV 10 Spot on November 11, 2005.

In November of 2005, the band released a 12" single for "Don't Lose Touch", which featured a remix of the song by Mouse On Mars on side A and the album version of the song on side B. They released another 12" single for "From Her Lips To God's Ears" on April 4, 2006, with a remix by Adrock of The Beastie Boys on side A, and the album version on side B. Both singles were released on Fat Wreck Chords.

On December 21, 2005, it was announced that the band had signed a deal with Sire Records. This decision alienated some of Against Me!'s longtime fans, who felt that the band finally signing to a major label betrayed their anarchistic ethics and longtime beliefs, but other fans remain supportive of the band's decision.[4] Against Me! has stated, however, that a large factor in the decision to switch to Sire was the opportunity to work with Butch Vig, producer for Nirvana's Nevermind.

Americans Abroad!!! and New Wave (2006–present)

Against Me! frontman Tom Gabel performing in Québec City in 2008.

Against Me! released their first live album (and last album before their 2007 Sire release) - titled Americans Abroad!!! Against Me!!! Live in London!!! - on August 22, 2006. The album was recorded at the Mean Fiddler in London, England. It features one previously unreleased song named "Americans Abroad".

Against Me! announced on their MySpace on December 29, 2006 their debut album on Sire, New Wave. The album is ten songs, stretching just over 30 minutes, and it was released on July 10, 2007.[5] It debuted at #57 on the Billboard 200 the week of its release. The record featured their first chart single, "Thrash Unreal", which hit #11 on the US Modern Rock chart.[6]

On August 13, 2007, Gabel was charged with battery in Tallahassee, Florida for an incident in which Gabel allegedly entered into a confrontation with a cafe patron, resulting in Gabel allegedly bashing the man's head against a cafe table, but Gabel claims nothing happened, except for a spilled drink. Gabel was permitted to perform at Against Me!'s concert that night, but was taken into custody immediately after. He was released on a $500 bail the next morning.[7]

In support of New Wave , the band most recently appeared on Late Night with Conan O' Brien for the second time on July 10, 2007, playing their single "Thrash Unreal", as well as appearing on The Late Show with David Letterman on August 29, 2007, playing the song "Stop!"

Spin magazine recently named New Wave the best album of 2007. Ben Lee released his own tribute cover of the whole album on his website, and has performed selections from it on his late 2007 tour of the United States.

Against Me! still tours regularly, through America and internationally. It was announced in mid January of 2008 that Against Me! would support the Foo Fighters in their upcoming American tour. During this tour, they also played three shows in smaller venues separate from the Foo Fighters tour to support the Harvest of Hope Foundation. All proceeds from these shows go directly to the organization.[8]


In the week Mar 24 - Mar 28 2008, "Stop!" was selected as the Record of the Week by BBC Radio 1's Scott Mills, apparently on the recommendation of the same radio station's prolific punk show host Mike Davies and the song was played every single day during his show from 4pm to 7pm.

Members

Current

  • Tom Gabel – guitar, lead vocals, (1997–present)
  • James Bowman – guitar, vocals (2000–present)
  • Andrew Seward – bass, vocals (2002–present)
  • Warren Oakes – drums (2001–present)

Former

  • Dustin Fridkin – bass, vocals (2001–2002)
  • Kevin Mahon – drums (1998–2001)

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

EPs

Demo Tapes

Singles

Compilation appearances

  • We're Here to Ruin Your Fun Cassette/Newspaper - 1998, Crasshole Records (songs: "National Myth" and "Burning Bridges")
  • Experiments In Audio Rocketry CD - 2003, 1234 Go! Records (song: "Untitled")
  • Nice Guys Finish Last CD - 2003, Nice Guy Records (song: "Baby, I'm an Anarchist!")
  • Go-Kart MP300 Raceway CD - 2003, Go Kart Records (songs: "Pints of Guinness Make You Strong" and "Reinventing Axl Rose")
  • Against Police Injustice,(song: "Baby, I'm an Anarchist!") Non Commercial, 2003.
  • The Shape Of Flakes To Come CD - 2003, No Idea Records (song: "Pints of Guinness Make You Strong")
  • Anti-Floyd - The Terrier State CD - 2004, Fat Wreck Chords (song: "Cliche Guevara")
  • Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1 CD - 2004, Fat Wreck Chords (song: "Sink, Florida, Sink (Electric)")
  • Rock Against Floyd CD - 2005, Fat Wreck Chords (song: "Problems")
  • PROTECT: A Benefit for the National Association to Protect Children CD - 2005, Fat Wreck Chords (song: "Wagon Wheel")
  • MySpace Records Volume 1 CD - 2005, MySpace Records (song: "Don't Lose Touch")
  • Take Action! Vol. 4 (Disc 1) CD - 2005, Sub-City/Hopeless Records (song: "Don't Lose Touch")
  • Throw Up Your Horns: A Compilation To Benefit Rhino's (Disc 2) CD - 2005, independently released by Rhino's All Ages Club (song: "Cliche Guevara")
  • Punk Rock Mix Tape 2006 CD - 2006, Fastmusic (song: "Problems")
  • We'll Inherit the Earth: A Tribute to The Replacements CD - 2006, 1234 Go! Records (song: "Bastards Of Young")
  • 2006 Warped Tour Compilation CD - 2006, Side One Dummy (song: "From Her Lips To God's Ears (The Energizer)")
  • iFloyd Download - 2006, Fat Wreck Chords (song: "Pints of Guinness Make You Strong (Live)")
  • Take Action! Vol. 5 (Disc 2) CD - 2006, Sub-City Records (song: "Dont Lose Touch")
  • Shine Some Light: A Benefit for Dan Lang-Gunn CD - 2006, Asbestos Records (song: "Don't Lose Touch (Live at WCSU)")
  • Remember Your Roots CD - 2006, Twelve Stepper Records (songs: "Take Aim" and "Clap, Clap")
  • Fat X-Mas Bonus Download - 2006, Fat Wreck Chords (song: "Don't Lose Touch (acoustic)")

DVDs

References

  1. ^ MySpace.com - Against Me! - GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - Punk / Rock / Folk Rock - www.myspace.com/againstme
  2. ^ MySpace.com - Against Me! - GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - Punk / Rock / Folk Rock - www.myspace.com/againstme
  3. ^ Racket Magazine
  4. ^ Punknews.org | Against Me! sign to Sire Records
  5. ^ Punknews.org | Against Me! reveal release date, talk about new album
  6. ^ Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - Against Me!
  7. ^ http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070814/BREAKINGNEWS/70814012
  8. ^ Undercover - Against Me Support Foo Fighters
  9. ^ "Chart details". Billboard charts.
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