Against Me! Ask Questions, Be Critical, Be Fair

Ahh punk rock. How well we thought we knew yee! In recent years the idea of what is and isn't punk has been the fodder for much debate. On one side you have the young angst ridden, tight jean wearing, and melodies for days emo kiddies. On the other end of the spectrum you have the grizzled veterans with ripped t-shirts, and doc martins who are itching to slam dance at the drop of a hat. Some where in the middle (but leaning towards veterans status) is Against Me! Against Me! don't have pretty haircuts but they know how to write a damn good, tuneful song. They are on a major label but they won't shy away from giving their opinion on the American political landscape. The world of punk is lucky to have Against Me! around and the band is gearing up for a long hot politically charged, punk rock summer, chock full of festivals shows and preaching their gospel.

"I really like playing festivals" relates Tom Gabel, lead vocalist/guitarist for Against Me! "It's really the only time I get to see bands live! Plus the vibe at a festival is so much different than at a regular show. It's like a true gathering for an event!" Gabel and his bandmates will be hitting the festival circuit this summer in support of their latest disc White Cross which drops June 8th. When asked to describe what influenced the writing on his latest disc, Gabel pauses and with a sigh, emphatically states, "In a lot of ways this is a very introspective record. We went to our home state to record this record and we were recording just as the economic collapse happened, so that really informed the writing on the record. Florida is a very culturally diverse area and it's almost like the south meets the Caribbean in some respects -- there is a lot of Florida in this record." The first single off of the new disc "I Was A Teenage Anarchist" may have fans thinking that Tom (29) might be getting jaded with regards to his left leaning political stance. The singer/songwriter is quick to quash such speculation. "Not at all" Tom exclaims with a sense of urgency. "The song is actually about the opposite of that feeling. It's the opposite of being jaded. The song is about holding on to the beliefs, principles and idealism that got you into politics. It's about holding on to those ideas that made you think you could change the world as a kid. I got into anarchist politics when I was fifteen years old. I became an activist in my twenties -- it's about holding on to that original spark that led you to become an activist."

Gabel still indeed has that spark and it shows not only in the music of Against Me! but also in how he views the current political climate of the day. When asked to give his take on the political discourse of the current time, Gabel simply states, "I'm only 29, but I really can't remember an election in my time when the opposition that lost seemed to just stick around, not go anywhere and become more vocal! Usually after an election the losing party just disappears but these guys have just stuck around and are more vocal now than when they were in power! I mean, Dick Cheney? What the hell, he is still around and more prominent than ever! In my opinion the country is more divided than ever! It's really depressing and frightening!" Gabel pulls no punches in letting his thoughts and feelings be heard but one has to wonder if left leaning punk rockers are hard pressed to criticize the president. George Bush Jr. was an easy target for many in the world of political music. Do folks like Gabel find it hard to come out swinging against a guy they kind of want to like? Gabel exclaims, "I think it's important to have a balance. I saw the election of Barrack Obama as a very positive step in the right direction but his election is not the end of the story. Will he be a great president? Only time will tell. For now, I'm not sure. We must be fair, be critical and we must always ask questions. I mean honestly, I still really don't understand the healthcare bill that was passed. I am not sure how it will affect me and I believe it won't even affect me until 2014 right? If that's the case then what the fuck -- why don't we have universal health care, HA?!!?" Gabel is serious about his politics and equally serious about his songwriting. When asked to name check those that influenced him the most with regards to songwriting, Gabel answers, "Joe Strummer and Paul Westerberg have had a huge influence on me. Everyone in the band, are huge fans of The Clash and The Replacements -- they were both two totally different bands but they were both very ambitious in their own way when it came to songwriting" Gabel's own band has seen some changes in recent years. The group has a new drummer (George Rebelo replaced out going Warren Oakes) and the group almost broke up while dealing with life on a massive touring schedule. Gabel laments, "A band is a living, breathing, complex relationship -- you just have to keep working at it -- Warren's leaving was kind of a long time coming. He just didn't want to do it anymore. Believe it or not the transition from Warren to George was smooth. We have known him for years and he is just a kick ass drummer in my opinion so it was easy. Again, it's a relationship like any other and you just have to keep at it."

Against Me! is getting ready to renew their relationship with its fanbase this summer. Pick up White Cross when it comes out June 8, check out the band this summer and don't be afraid to be fair, critical and ask questions! Against Me! will thank you for doing so!