Against Me!
Encyclopedia
Against Me! is an American punk rock
band formed in 1997 in Naples, Florida
and relocated to Gainesville, Florida
in 1999. Their first full-length album, released on No Idea Records
in 2002, was Against Me! 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 2005, they signed with Sire Records
, and released their major label debut, New Wave
on July 10, 2007. Their second album on Sire, White Crosses
, was released on June 4, 2010.
started the band at age 17 in Naples, Florida
as a solo act with vocals and acoustic guitar. He would only occasionally perform with backup from drummers or bassists. In 1997 Gabel self-released one demo tape titled Against Me! but more commonly known as Tom's First Demo. While copies of the cassette
itself are extremely rare, Internet file-sharing programs have helped circulate the songs among fans.
Another demo cassette was released the following year on Misanthrope Records, with a slightly more complete band featuring drummer Kevin Mahon and bassist Dustin Fridkin, titled Vivida Vis!. Only five hundred copies of the album were made, but file-sharing once again popularized it. Songs from the album are still routinely requested by members of the audience at Against Me! shows. The band rarely, if ever, obliges these requests. Gabel summarized his feelings on the subject in a 2007 interview with Racket Magazine:
In a blog dated November 21, 2008, Tom Gabel further elaborated on the subject, citing his falling out with Kevin Mahon: "A lot of the songs we played I've refused to play for years, and some fans of those songs have never quite been able to understand. They were songs that Kevin and I made together and their association to my broken heart turned me cynical and jaded towards them."
In 2000, a self-titled, vinyl-only 12" EP
was released on Crasshole Records. Due to a mastering error, only 145 copies were ever officially released. In 2001, Against Me! – now chiefly Gabel on guitar and Kevin Mahon on drums – released 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" and "Burn", which have been more or less disowned by the band.
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 departed and was replaced by Warren Oakes. James Bowman joined the band as second guitarist.
Reinventing Axl Rose
, released in March 2002, is the band's first full-length album. The album featured 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 guitar
s, and the presence of 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 next few 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 remained intact until June 2009. Interestingly, the common set-up of the band at live shows featured Gabel (the chief vocalist) at stage right and Seward at center stage. In late 2002, a three-song EP entitled The Disco Before The Breakdown
was released.
, which released their two subsequent studio albums, as well as the band's only official live album to date. The move to a larger label upset many fans. The band found the tires on their tour van slashed, and had it graffiti
ed with the phrase "remember when you mattered." At one concert a protest band called Against Us! played in the parking lot outside the club. Maximum RocknRoll
even suggested ways to disrupt the bands shows like pouring bleach on their merchandise table.
Their second full-length album and Fat Wreck Chords debut, As the Eternal Cowboy
, was released in 2003. Gabel described the album as sounding "more punk" than their previous albums. The album also earned them their first single, "Sink, Florida, Sink
". The divisive effect the record had on their fan base became the topic of their next release, a DVD entitled We're Never Going Home
, a tour documentary produced by Jake Burghart of Transition Video Magazine. The DVD follows the band on a United States tour where they were literally offered "a million dollars to make a record" by Universal Records
. The anticipation for their next album encouraged executives 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), the members of the band, Chris Johnston of Plan-It-X Records, and fans. The DVD derives its name from the final line of "Slurring the Rhythms," the fifth track off of Eternal Cowboy.
The band's third full-length album, Searching for a Former Clarity
, was released on September 6, 2005. It debuted at #114 on the Billboard charts. The band released a music video for the album's first single, "Don't Lose Touch," originally only on 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 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 Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys
on side A, and the album version on side B. Both singles were released on Fat Wreck Chords. Against Me! released their first live album
, entitled Americans Abroad!!! Against Me!!! Live in London!!!
, on August 22, 2006. The album was recorded at the Mean Fiddler in London, England.
. Against Me! announced on their MySpace
on December 29, 2006 their debut album on Sire, New Wave
. It was released on July 10, 2007. The release of New Wave had divided opinion among long-term Against Me! fans. The band lost some fans who labeled the band as sell outs by moving away from independent record labels, and striving for some mainstream success. New Wave debuted at #57 on the Billboard 200 the week of its release. Spin Magazine named it the best album of 2007. The record featured their first charting single, "Thrash Unreal
", which hit #11 on the US Modern Rock chart.
The band 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!" The band was also featured as MTV's artist of the week in December 2007.
In early 2008, the band supported the Foo Fighters
on their American tour. During the tour, they also played three separate shows in smaller venues to support the Harvest of Hope Foundation
. In May 2008, Rolling Stone named Against Me! "Best Punk Band" on a list entitled The 125-Plus People, Places and Things Ruling the Rock & Roll Universe.
On November 20, 2008, Gabel reunited with former band member Kevin Mahon for a performance at The Knitting Factory in New York City. They played the Crime as Forgiven By
EP in its entirety along with a few other old favorites. On June 8, 2009, drummer Warren Oakes
announced that he would be leaving Against Me! after eight years with the band. His statement indicated the split was amicable, as he left the band to focus his efforts on his Mexican restaurant, Boca Fiesta. He was replaced by Hot Water Music
drummer George Rebelo.
On July 7, 2009 Fat Wreck Chords
released The Original Cowboy, an album consisting of unreleased demos recorded prior to the As the Eternal Cowboy
session. The demos were recorded by Rob McGregor in Gainesville on July 15, 2003. On August 17, 2009, Against Me! headed into the studio with New Wave producer Butch Vig. Their fifth studio album, White Crosses, was released on June 8, 2010. Against Me! joined Billy Talent on tour in Canada in March 2010, and also supported the Silversun Pickups
during a US tour starting June 2010 . The band for this tour includes former keyboardist for The Hold Steady
and World/Inferno Friendship Society, Franz Nicolay
.
Against Me! released their second album with Sire, White Crosses, on June 4, 2010. The band announced the release of an EP for the song "I Was A Teenage Anarchist" to be released on April 20, 2010. However, on April 7 the EP was released on iTunes for users in the US and Canada, with the previously stated April 20 release date for those in other countries.
On September 29, 2010, just over a day before the start of their Australia/ New Zealand tour, Against Me! cancelled all of their upcoming shows, due to a "culmination of circumstances" and having "to take some time off from touring to go home and sort things out." November 28 saw the arrival of a new post on Gabel's blog, saying that Against Me! have cut ties with Sire.
cover for George Rebelo on drums, as he toured with Hot Water Music
.
Throughout December 2010, Gabel spoke of George Rebelo's intentions to record an album with his primary band Hot Water Music
. In January 2011, Weinberg was officially confirmed as Against Me!'s new drummer. Total Clarity, an album of demos and unreleased songs from the Searching for a Former Clarity sessions, was released on May 24, 2011 through Fat Wreck Chords
.
Gabel has expressed his desire to release at least one album per year for the next decade and that he hopes to record Against Me!'s sixth studio album in Winter 2011. As well as this, he spoke of releasing a 7" on Sabot Productions before Summer 2011, featuring two original songs. This was announced as being Russian Spies / Occult Enemies
, which was released on June 14, 2011. In the same studio session, the band recorded a cover of the theme song
for a season 8 episode of One Tree Hill
, which aired May 3.
On June 3, 2011 the band announced that they started their own record label, Total Treble Music. In September 2011, Gabel built a recording studio in Gainesville for future Against Me! projects. The first band to record in the new studio are Cheap Girls from Lansing
, Michigan
.
The band have started work on their sixth studio album, which is expected to be recorded in their Gainesville studio, exactly one year after announcing their departure from Sire.
Former members
Touring members
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band formed in 1997 in Naples, Florida
Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of July 1, 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 21,653. Naples is a principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated total population of 315,839 on July 1, 2007...
and relocated to Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
in 1999. Their first full-length album, released on No Idea Records
No Idea Records
For other uses, see No Idea .No Idea Records is an independent record label based in Gainesville, Florida which produces both vinyl records and compact discs...
in 2002, was Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose. They have released music on Misanthrope Records, Crasshole Records, Plan It X Records
Plan It X Records
Plan-It-X Records is an independent record label in the United States. Originally based in Georgetown, Indiana, PIX is currently based out of Bloomington, Indiana following brief stints in Olympia, Washington, Gainesville, Florida and Cairo, Illinois. Some consider the label most notable for...
, Sabot Productions, No Idea Records
No Idea Records
For other uses, see No Idea .No Idea Records is an independent record label based in Gainesville, Florida which produces both vinyl records and compact discs...
, and Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
. In December 2005, they signed with Sire Records
Sire Records
Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...
, and released their major label debut, New Wave
New Wave (Against Me! album)
New Wave is Against Me!'s fourth full-length studio album and their debut album on Sire Records. Produced by Butch Vig of Nevermind fame, it was released on July 10, 2007. The album debuted at #57 on the Billboard 200 on the week of its release. The album's first single, "White People for Peace",...
on July 10, 2007. Their second album on Sire, White Crosses
White Crosses (album)
White Crosses received generally favourable critical acclaim, despite being leaked three months before its retail release date. The album was mainly praised for its success in merging Against Me!'s long-time punk rock style with, according to critics, a new found ethos of "arena-" or "radio rock",...
, was released on June 4, 2010.
1997–2002: Formation and Reinventing Axl Rose
Tom GabelTom Gabel
Thomas James "Tom" Gabel is the lead vocalist, songwriter, and a guitarist for Gainesville, Florida punk rock band Against Me!, as well as a solo artist. He was born on Fort Benning, Georgia a US Army post, where his father was stationed. At age 17, he dropped out of high school and formed Against...
started the band at age 17 in Naples, Florida
Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of July 1, 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 21,653. Naples is a principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated total population of 315,839 on July 1, 2007...
as a solo act with vocals and acoustic guitar. He would only occasionally perform with backup from drummers or bassists. In 1997 Gabel self-released one demo tape titled Against Me! but more commonly known as Tom's First Demo. While copies of the cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
itself are extremely rare, Internet file-sharing programs have helped circulate the songs among fans.
Another demo cassette was released the following year on Misanthrope Records, with a slightly more complete band featuring drummer Kevin Mahon and bassist Dustin Fridkin, titled Vivida Vis!. Only five hundred copies of the album were made, but file-sharing once again popularized it. Songs from the album are still routinely requested by members of the audience at Against Me! shows. The band rarely, if ever, obliges these requests. Gabel summarized his feelings on the subject in a 2007 interview with Racket Magazine:
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]
In a blog dated November 21, 2008, Tom Gabel further elaborated on the subject, citing his falling out with Kevin Mahon: "A lot of the songs we played I've refused to play for years, and some fans of those songs have never quite been able to understand. They were songs that Kevin and I made together and their association to my broken heart turned me cynical and jaded towards them."
In 2000, a self-titled, vinyl-only 12" EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
was released on Crasshole Records. Due to a mastering error, only 145 copies were ever officially released. In 2001, Against Me! – now chiefly Gabel on guitar and Kevin Mahon on drums – released Crime as Forgiven By
Crime As Forgiven By
Crime as Forgiven by Against Me!, or just Crime, was the second real release by the folk punk band Against Me!, but the first to actually achieve any level of circulation, due to their previous self-titled 12" only ever having 145 copies sold...
. 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" and "Burn", which have been more or less disowned by the band.
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
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
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 departed and was replaced by Warren Oakes. James Bowman joined the band as second guitarist.
Reinventing Axl Rose
Reinventing Axl Rose
Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose is the debut album by the Gainesville, Florida punk rock band Against Me!, released in March 2002 by No Idea Records. It was the group's first release as a full band with electric guitars, bass guitar, and drums. The album was produced by Rob McGregor, who would...
, released in March 2002, is the band's first full-length album. The album featured 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 guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
s, and the presence of 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 next few 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 remained intact until June 2009. Interestingly, the common set-up of the band at live shows featured Gabel (the chief vocalist) at stage right and Seward at center stage. In late 2002, a three-song EP entitled The Disco Before The Breakdown
The Disco Before the Breakdown
"The Disco Before the Breakdown" is the first single by the Gainesville, Florida-based punk rock band Against Me!, released in November 2002 by No Idea Records. It was the band's first release with bassist Andrew Seward, replacing original bassist Dustin Fridkin who had left the group several...
was released.
2003–2005: As the Eternal Cowboy and Searching for a Former Clarity
In 2003, Against Me! signed to Fat Wreck ChordsFat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
, which released their two subsequent studio albums, as well as the band's only official live album to date. The move to a larger label upset many fans. The band found the tires on their tour van slashed, and had it graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
ed with the phrase "remember when you mattered." At one concert a protest band called Against Us! played in the parking lot outside the club. Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum rocknroll is a widely distributed, monthly not-for-profit fanzine based in San Francisco, USA. It features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors...
even suggested ways to disrupt the bands shows like pouring bleach on their merchandise table.
Their second full-length album and Fat Wreck Chords debut, As the Eternal Cowboy
As the Eternal Cowboy
Against Me! as the Eternal Cowboy is the second album by the Gainesville, Florida punk rock band Against Me!, released on November 3, 2003 by Fat Wreck Chords. It was the group's first release for the label and their first album with bassist Andrew Seward, who had replaced original bassist Dustin...
, was released in 2003. Gabel described the album as sounding "more punk" than their previous albums. The album also earned them their first single, "Sink, Florida, Sink
Sink, Florida, Sink
"Sink, Florida, Sink" is a song by the Gainesville, Florida-based punk rock band Against Me!, released as the second single from their 2003 album Against Me! as the Eternal Cowboy...
". The divisive effect the 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
"We're Never Going Home" is the first DVD release of the Gainesville folk punk band Against Me!, produced by Jake Burghart of Transition Video Magazine and presented by Fat Wreck Chords...
, a tour documentary produced by Jake Burghart of Transition Video Magazine. The DVD follows the band on a United States tour where they were literally offered "a million dollars to make a record" by Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
. The anticipation for their next album encouraged executives 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
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
executives (including Fat Mike), the members of the band, Chris Johnston of Plan-It-X Records, and fans. The DVD derives its name from the final line of "Slurring the Rhythms," the fifth track off of Eternal Cowboy.
The band's third full-length album, Searching for a Former Clarity
Searching for a Former Clarity
Searching for a Former Clarity is the third album by the Gainesville, Florida punk rock band Against Me!, produced by J. Robbins and released on September 6, 2005 by Fat Wreck Chords. Supported by singles and music videos for the songs "Don't Lose Touch" and "From Her Lips to God's Ears ", it was...
, was released on September 6, 2005. It debuted at #114 on the Billboard charts. The band released a music video for the album's first single, "Don't Lose Touch," originally only on MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
. 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
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
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 2005, the band released a 12" single for "Don't Lose Touch
Don't Lose Touch
"Don't Lose Touch" is a song by the Gainesville, Florida-based punk rock band Against Me!, released as the first single from their 2005 album Searching for a Former Clarity. Like the second single "From Her Lips to God's Ears ", it was released exclusively on twelve-inch vinyl with a remixed...
," which featured a remix of the song by Mouse On Mars
Mouse on Mars
Mouse on Mars is a duo from Germany who have been making electronic music since 1993. Their music is a sometimes quirky blend of IDM, krautrock, disco, and ambient with a heavy dollop of analog synth sounds and cross-frequency modulation...
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
From Her Lips to God's Ears
"From Her Lips to God's Ears " is a song by the Gainesville, Florida-based punk rock band Against Me!, released as the second single from their 2005 album Searching for a Former Clarity. Like the first single "Don't Lose Touch", it was released exclusively on twelve-inch vinyl with a remixed...
" on April 4, 2006, with a remix by Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
on side A, and the album version on side B. Both singles were released on Fat Wreck Chords. Against Me! released their first live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
, entitled Americans Abroad!!! Against Me!!! Live in London!!!
Americans Abroad!!! Against Me!!! Live in London!!!
Americans Abroad!!! Against Me!!! Live in London!!! is Against Me!'s first live album, released on Fat Wreck Chords even though the band was signed to Sire Records at the time. It was recorded on March 21, 2006 at the Mean Fiddler venue in London, England...
, on August 22, 2006. The album was recorded at the Mean Fiddler in London, England.
2005–2010: New Wave and White Crosses
On December 21, 2005, it was announced that the band had signed a deal with Sire RecordsSire Records
Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...
. Against Me! announced on their MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
on December 29, 2006 their debut album on Sire, New Wave
New Wave (Against Me! album)
New Wave is Against Me!'s fourth full-length studio album and their debut album on Sire Records. Produced by Butch Vig of Nevermind fame, it was released on July 10, 2007. The album debuted at #57 on the Billboard 200 on the week of its release. The album's first single, "White People for Peace",...
. It was released on July 10, 2007. The release of New Wave had divided opinion among long-term Against Me! fans. The band lost some fans who labeled the band as sell outs by moving away from independent record labels, and striving for some mainstream success. New Wave debuted at #57 on the Billboard 200 the week of its release. Spin Magazine named it the best album of 2007. The record featured their first charting single, "Thrash Unreal
Thrash Unreal
"Thrash Unreal" is a single by punk group Against Me!. It is the second single from their album New Wave. It was their first single to chart in the United States, hitting #11 on the US Modern Rock Chart, and is their highest charting single. The title of the song was coined by the album's producer,...
", which hit #11 on the US Modern Rock chart.
The band 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!" The band was also featured as MTV's artist of the week in December 2007.
In early 2008, the band supported the Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
on their American tour. During the tour, they also played three separate shows in smaller venues to support the Harvest of Hope Foundation
Harvest of Hope Foundation
The is a 501 non-profit foundation which provides emergency and educational financial relief to migrant farmworkers and their families. Federal, state and other public aid to migrant farmworkers has become increasingly restrictive, and in many cases, not available at all...
. In May 2008, Rolling Stone named Against Me! "Best Punk Band" on a list entitled The 125-Plus People, Places and Things Ruling the Rock & Roll Universe.
On November 20, 2008, Gabel reunited with former band member Kevin Mahon for a performance at The Knitting Factory in New York City. They played the Crime as Forgiven By
Crime As Forgiven By
Crime as Forgiven by Against Me!, or just Crime, was the second real release by the folk punk band Against Me!, but the first to actually achieve any level of circulation, due to their previous self-titled 12" only ever having 145 copies sold...
EP in its entirety along with a few other old favorites. On June 8, 2009, drummer Warren Oakes
Warren Oakes
Warren Oakes is an American drummer best known for his eight years spent as the drummer for the punk rock band Against Me!.On June 8, 2009 he announced that he was leaving the band to pursue a career as a restauranteur...
announced that he would be leaving Against Me! after eight years with the band. His statement indicated the split was amicable, as he left the band to focus his efforts on his Mexican restaurant, Boca Fiesta. He was replaced by Hot Water Music
Hot Water Music
Hot Water Music is a punk rock band from Gainesville, Florida. The members of the band are Chuck Ragan, Chris Wollard, Jason Black, and George Rebelo. HWM first formed in 1993...
drummer George Rebelo.
On July 7, 2009 Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
released The Original Cowboy, an album consisting of unreleased demos recorded prior to the As the Eternal Cowboy
As the Eternal Cowboy
Against Me! as the Eternal Cowboy is the second album by the Gainesville, Florida punk rock band Against Me!, released on November 3, 2003 by Fat Wreck Chords. It was the group's first release for the label and their first album with bassist Andrew Seward, who had replaced original bassist Dustin...
session. The demos were recorded by Rob McGregor in Gainesville on July 15, 2003. On August 17, 2009, Against Me! headed into the studio with New Wave producer Butch Vig. Their fifth studio album, White Crosses, was released on June 8, 2010. Against Me! joined Billy Talent on tour in Canada in March 2010, and also supported the Silversun Pickups
Silversun Pickups
Silversun Pickups is an alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2002. The band comprises Brian Aubert, Nikki Monninger, Christopher Guanlao, and Joe Lester....
during a US tour starting June 2010 . The band for this tour includes former keyboardist for The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2004. The band consists of Craig Finn , Tad Kubler , Galen Polivka , Bobby Drake , and Steve Selvidge...
and World/Inferno Friendship Society, Franz Nicolay
Franz Nicolay
Franz Nicolay is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer currently based in Brooklyn, New York. He is perhaps best known for playing the accordion and the piano in The World/Inferno Friendship Society and playing keyboards in The Hold Steady from 2005 to 2010...
.
Against Me! released their second album with Sire, White Crosses, on June 4, 2010. The band announced the release of an EP for the song "I Was A Teenage Anarchist" to be released on April 20, 2010. However, on April 7 the EP was released on iTunes for users in the US and Canada, with the previously stated April 20 release date for those in other countries.
On September 29, 2010, just over a day before the start of their Australia/ New Zealand tour, Against Me! cancelled all of their upcoming shows, due to a "culmination of circumstances" and having "to take some time off from touring to go home and sort things out." November 28 saw the arrival of a new post on Gabel's blog, saying that Against Me! have cut ties with Sire.
2010–present: Recent activity
November 2010 saw Against Me!'s departure from Sire Records, their first (and only) major label. Following a two-month hiatus from touring, the band spoke for the first time since their tour cancellation, talking of their upcoming December 2010 shows, which saw Jay WeinbergJay Weinberg
Jay Weinberg is an American drummer and the son of drummer Max Weinberg. He has played with the punk band The Reveling and toured in 2009 as a drummer with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, substituting for his father. During 2010, he was briefly the drummer for Madball...
cover for George Rebelo on drums, as he toured with Hot Water Music
Hot Water Music
Hot Water Music is a punk rock band from Gainesville, Florida. The members of the band are Chuck Ragan, Chris Wollard, Jason Black, and George Rebelo. HWM first formed in 1993...
.
Throughout December 2010, Gabel spoke of George Rebelo's intentions to record an album with his primary band Hot Water Music
Hot Water Music
Hot Water Music is a punk rock band from Gainesville, Florida. The members of the band are Chuck Ragan, Chris Wollard, Jason Black, and George Rebelo. HWM first formed in 1993...
. In January 2011, Weinberg was officially confirmed as Against Me!'s new drummer. Total Clarity, an album of demos and unreleased songs from the Searching for a Former Clarity sessions, was released on May 24, 2011 through Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
.
Gabel has expressed his desire to release at least one album per year for the next decade and that he hopes to record Against Me!'s sixth studio album in Winter 2011. As well as this, he spoke of releasing a 7" on Sabot Productions before Summer 2011, featuring two original songs. This was announced as being Russian Spies / Occult Enemies
Russian Spies / Occult Enemies
"Russian Spies / Occult Enemies" is a single from Against Me!, released as a 7" vinyl single on June 14, 2011 on Sabot Productions.-Background:After Against Me!'s break in late 2010, the band returned with a new drummer, Jay Weinberg...
, which was released on June 14, 2011. In the same studio session, the band recorded a cover of the theme song
I Don't Want to Be
"I Don't Want to Be" is a song by Gavin DeGraw appearing on his 2003 debut album Chariot. It was released as a single in Australia in 2004, and in the UK in 2005....
for a season 8 episode of One Tree Hill
One Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
, which aired May 3.
On June 3, 2011 the band announced that they started their own record label, Total Treble Music. In September 2011, Gabel built a recording studio in Gainesville for future Against Me! projects. The first band to record in the new studio are Cheap Girls from Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
The band have started work on their sixth studio album, which is expected to be recorded in their Gainesville studio, exactly one year after announcing their departure from Sire.
Band members
Current members- Tom GabelTom GabelThomas James "Tom" Gabel is the lead vocalist, songwriter, and a guitarist for Gainesville, Florida punk rock band Against Me!, as well as a solo artist. He was born on Fort Benning, Georgia a US Army post, where his father was stationed. At age 17, he dropped out of high school and formed Against...
– guitar, lead vocals (1997–present) - James Bowman – guitar, vocals (2001–present)
- Andrew Seward – bass, vocals (2002–present)
- Jay WeinbergJay WeinbergJay Weinberg is an American drummer and the son of drummer Max Weinberg. He has played with the punk band The Reveling and toured in 2009 as a drummer with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, substituting for his father. During 2010, he was briefly the drummer for Madball...
– drums, percussion (2010–present)
Former members
- Kevin MahonKevin Mahon (musician)Kevin Mahon is an American drummer. He was the first drummer for Against Me!, appearing on their Vivida Vis! demo, Against Me! EP, and Crime as Forgiven By EP. He lives in Brooklyn, NY and plays drums in forgetters.-Equipment:...
– drums, percussion (1998–2001) - Dustin Fridkin – bass, vocals (1998, 2001–2002)
- Warren OakesWarren OakesWarren Oakes is an American drummer best known for his eight years spent as the drummer for the punk rock band Against Me!.On June 8, 2009 he announced that he was leaving the band to pursue a career as a restauranteur...
– drums, percussion (2001–2009) - George Rebelo – drums, percussion (2009–2010)
Touring members
- Franz NicolayFranz NicolayFranz Nicolay is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer currently based in Brooklyn, New York. He is perhaps best known for playing the accordion and the piano in The World/Inferno Friendship Society and playing keyboards in The Hold Steady from 2005 to 2010...
- piano, keyboards, accordion, vocals (2010) - Tyson Yerex - piano, keyboards, guitar (2009–2010)
- Adam Trachsel - bass (2010)
Discography
Studio albums- Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose (2002)
- Against Me! as the Eternal Cowboy (2003)
- Searching for a Former ClaritySearching for a Former ClaritySearching for a Former Clarity is the third album by the Gainesville, Florida punk rock band Against Me!, produced by J. Robbins and released on September 6, 2005 by Fat Wreck Chords. Supported by singles and music videos for the songs "Don't Lose Touch" and "From Her Lips to God's Ears ", it was...
(2005) - New WaveNew Wave (Against Me! album)New Wave is Against Me!'s fourth full-length studio album and their debut album on Sire Records. Produced by Butch Vig of Nevermind fame, it was released on July 10, 2007. The album debuted at #57 on the Billboard 200 on the week of its release. The album's first single, "White People for Peace",...
(2007) - White CrossesWhite Crosses (album)White Crosses received generally favourable critical acclaim, despite being leaked three months before its retail release date. The album was mainly praised for its success in merging Against Me!'s long-time punk rock style with, according to critics, a new found ethos of "arena-" or "radio rock",...
(2010)