US punk rock activists, Anti-Flag, are returning to Australia this week to commence their ‘For Blood & Empire‘ tour marking the ten year anniversary of the classic album.
Australian fans will be the first to witness the band honouring its release by playing the album in its entirety.
Not only will they be performing this incendiary album from start to finish but also an arsenal of hits across their entire catalogue chosen by fans on the night.
“Pittsburgh to Australia isn’t an easy commute… when we get there we want it to be special. This tour is no different, celebrating 10 years of “For Blood and Empire” we will be performing the record and then an encore of all audience requests. It’s going to be a unique show to say the least. As always the emphasis will be on community, solidarity, and empathy. We look forward to sharing this tremendously important record from our band’s life with a part of the world that we have found solace and family in for years.“
Anti-Flag shows are a celebration of a collective that care about more than just their selves. A safe space where all can be free to be who they are. Free from racism, sexism, homo & transphobia, bigotry of any kind.
Anti-Flag are the proud torchbearers for progressive collectivism, radical change, and free expression with heavy social responsibility. Injecting the underground and the mainstream with politically charged, deliberate, smart-but-no-less-visceral neo-punk. Standing against the corporate greed that hurts millions while benefiting the rich few, Anti-Flag fights against mindless nationalism. Their core beliefs have never been more important and on-point than in today’s delicate political climate.
They will be joined by the legendary Scott Reynolds. Scott sang for the highly influential pop-punkers ALL between 1989 and 1993. He has since gone on to spend the better part of 25 years touring the globe fronting bands such as The Pavers, Goodbye Harry, The Bonesaw Romance and Scott Reynolds & The Steaming Beast (featuring Steven Drozd of the Flaming Lips).
Scott will be performing songs from all his incarnations including ALL!
This week in The Hotseat, we caught up with Justin Sane from Anti-Flag to answer our questions. Take a read below while listening to their latest album, ‘American Spring‘.
Band : Anti-Flag
Job In Band : Lead Guitar / Vocal
Website Address : www.anti-flag.com
Hometown is best known for : 6 Time Super Bowl Champion of The National Football League Pittsburgh Steelers! 6 Time Super Bowl Champion of The National Football League Pittsburgh Steelers! At the turn of the century Pittsburgh was the world’s leading producer of steel and had more millionaires per capita than any other place in the world. Pittsburgh is very progressive with a deep labor history. Anarchist and Anti-Flag inspiration Emma Goldman spoke in Pittsburgh many times. Her boyfriend Alexander Berkman attempted to kill Industrialist Henry Clay Frick in Pittsburgh on July 23, 1892. He was successful in shooting Frick, but sadly Frick lived. Today Pittsburgh is technology center. Google, Apple, Bosch, Facebook, Uber, Nokia, Autodesk, and IBM are among 1,600 technology firms generating $20.7 billion in annual Pittsburgh payrolls. Wikipedia will tell you the following: “Pittsburgh was listed among the “eleven most livable cities in the world”;[10] The Economist’s Global Liveability Ranking placed Pittsburgh as the first- or second-most livable city in the United States in 2005, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2014.” And it ain’t no joke! PITTSBURGH FUCKING RULES! Pittsburgh has a colorful local dialect known as Pittsburghese. Natives are knows as “Yinzers”. When greeting a group of people you will say, “Hey Yinz! What are up to?!” A pejorative in Pittsburghese is the term “jag off”. “Man, that guy is a real jag off!”
Best venue in your hometown : Mr. Smalls. A converted church and is run by the best people on the planet!
Favourite show you’ve seen in your hometown : Bruce Springsteen.
Favourite show you’ve played in your hometown : Mr. Smalls, War Sucks, Let’s Party Tour.
How long has the band been going? FOREVER!!!!!!!! Is that actually possible? The answer is… YES!
Is there an interesting story behind the name? Local skinheads in town would come to punk shows wearing American Flag patches on their jackets. We wanted them to know that our brand of punk was anti nationalist and pro human. So we choose the name Anti-Flag and made our first symbol a punk rocker burning the American flag. You better believe a few fist fights ensued…
What’s your most recent release? Tell us a little about it… American Spring. It’s one of our records that I am most proud of. We question people’s inherent bias and ask a lot of questions which actually help explain the election of the orange menace, aka America’s new president. To full experience this record you need to hold the art work in your hands. If you don’t you’re missing out. It’s a brilliant concept conceived realized by our friend and fellow Yinzer, Doug Dean. Musically it is as good as Anti-Flag gets. If you haven’t listened to it then get your shit together!
Got a personal stand out achievement of your band to date? Not being dead yet is something I’m proud of. We’ve been through some sketchy shit over the years. In Florida we were almost killed by skinheads, which is all you need to know about Florida. I’m proud of the fact that we have never backed down from our core message, that flags and nationalism are tools used by politicians to control people. This was a really difficult stance to have in the days after 9/11 when people wanted to beat us up and in some cases kill us. But a few years later and a lot of those people apologized and said that they were now on our side. The band has given us the chance to do and see some amazing things… Playing to 340,000 people at a festival in Poland, opening for Rage Against the Machine on their Battle of Los Angeles tour and then their reunion tour, working with law makers in Washington to pass bills that put people before profit. The list is getting long because we have been a band for a long time… One of the best things about being in the band is all of the people we’ve met all over the world. The friends we’ve made.
Any band, album, or song that you personally credit as a major influence? MANY! Top influences that made me wanna have a band: Black Flag, Sex Pistols, Clash, Ramones.
Your first band name, and what style did you play? Fellatio Lock Jaw. We played awful punk. We were no good.
Most prized music related item you own? The first electric guitar my sister bought me when I was a teenager.
When you’re not doing band related stuff, what are you usually found doing? I grew up working as a carpenter with my dad. So I work on people’s houses a lot. Usually family and friends. Small projects that need fixing. I enjoy it and it helps people out.
The thing you most look forward to just before a tour is… Finishing packing.
The thing you least look forward to before a tour is… Packing.
Any item you seem to always forget to take on tour? No. But these days if I forgot my phone I’d shoot myself in the head.
When on offer, what’s your one must have item on the rider? I like beer a lot. I also love hummus and all good veggie/vegan food.
Got a favourite place you’ve toured… and why? These days I love Europe. There is so much interesting history and so much to see and experience. And great beer.
Got a favourite venue you’ve played… and why? I loved playing The Astoria in London, UK. But now it is gone. R.I.P.
Any embarrassing on stage moments come to mind? Fell of the stage Easter Day in Pittsburgh while playing “Drink, Drank, Punk”. Felt really dumb!
Any pre-show rituals? Nothing cool. I jut warm up and drink some unicorn blood.
What do you find is the hardest aspect of touring in a band today? Making enough money to pay for the tour. Touring is expensive. Unless you’re a band that has reached an elite level of success to the point that you can afford to travel nicely and stay in decent accommodations, touring is an ass kicker. Most bands don’t achieve this level of success. Especially punk bands!
Last album you picked up? Skinny Lister’s ‘The Devil, The Heart, The Fight’.
Which band or album is currently on high rotation? Haha!!! Answer is obvious!
Tell us an up and coming band or artist you think we should go and listen to right now? Obviously Skinny Lister! Also, The Homeless Gospel Choir. He’s one man and genius! Listen to his record, ‘I Used To Be So Young’. Punk as fuck!
What’s on the cards for the next few months for the band? Tour, write, record, fuck, repeat. See our website.
You can pick any one band / artist to cover one of your albums in full, what would it be, and why? Less Than Jake. I wanna hear all of our songs in Ska punk form!
One band you wish you were able to see live but never had the chance? The Sex Pistols circa 1977
One venue you have yet to play that you would love to? Saturday Night Live
The chance comes up to fill in for a member of a band for one tour, which band would it be, and why? Rancid is currently the best punk band in the world and in my top 4 punk bands of all time, so I have to go with Rancid. But I just wanna see Rancid kick ass as is, so I’ll leave it there!
A headline tour overseas comes up, tell us two bands you’d take along to support your band. Strike Anywhere because they are the most under rated band in punk and Skinny Lister because they are an amazing live band!
DESTROY ALL LINES, CHUGG ENTERTAINMENT and BOMBSHELLZINE PRESENTS
ANTI-FLAG
With guest SCOTT REYNOLDS
DECEMBER
5th – The Triffid, Brisbane [18+] w/ Shutup! Shutup! Shutup!
6th – The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle [18+] w/ Introvert & Liberation Front
8th – The Factory Theatre, Sydney [18+] w/ Liberation Front & Nerdlinger
9th – Uni Bar, Adelaide [Lic/AA] w/ Stabbitha & The Knifey Wifeys
10th – Max Watts, Melbourne [18+] w/ Wolfpack
11th – Amplifier Bar, Perth [18+] w/ The Decline
—> Tickets available now.
—> For more information, visit [Here].
I’d Tell You But…
The Press Corpse
Emigre
The Project For A New American Century
Hymn For The Dead
This Is The End (For You My Friend)
1 Trillion Dollar$
State Funeral
Confessions Of An Economic Hit Man
War Sucks, Let’s Party!
The W.t.o. Kills Farmers
Cities Burn
Depleted Uranium Is A War Crime
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Anti-Flag photo by Megan Thompson
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