by Michael Bennett
Daily Lobo
In protest and rejection of the Bush administration, punk bands will be coming to New Mexico and other swing states in the "Rock Against Bush Tour."
Anti-Flag is part of the eclectic assortment of bands.
"Punk rock has always been about dissent and questioning authority," said bassist Chris #2, who declined to give his last name.
Chris said Anti-Flag, formed in 1994, is a politically motivated punk band, addressing issues that are selectively not covered by the mainstream media.
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"The name Anti-Flag came from anti-nationalism, as the punk scene was very nationalistic at the time with things like the pledge of allegiance being sung at punk shows," he said. "Falling in line was something we didn't associate with what punk rock was about."
Chris said band members don't have a particular formula for writing songs.
"Generally it's an idea, something going on, an issue," he said. "Someone walks in and says, 'This is (expletive) up and we need to write a song about it.'"
Chris said in the seven years since Anti-Flag released its debut album Die for the Government, the group watched the depth of its music and the scope of its message grow.
"We 100 percent started with a political message," Chris said. "The early records are more about the politics of the punk rock scene. The next record was more the politics of the United States. Now we're definitely on a global level."
The band received steady recognition from bastions of the underground movement like Rage Against the Machine, which the band played with in the Battle of Los Angeles Tour.
The group's style also generated interest from Fat Mike of Fat Wreck Chords, and band members signed on to the label for their last album, Underground Network.
For its latest album, The Terror State, Anti-Flag worked closely with guitar legend and political activist Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine.
"When we were writing Terror State, I felt we had stumbled onto a Y in the road, and we could either take our band to the next level lyrically and musically, or we could make the same record as we made before," Chris said. "I felt we really needed help. We were looking for a producer, and I suggested Tom Morello."
Chris said Anti-Flag ideologies are similar to those of the members of Rage regarding politics and global affairs, primarily attacking U.S. imperialistic foreign policies and every infringement on civil rights occurring today.
Chris said the government used Sept. 11 against its own people.
"They took the whole firestorm and basically tried to reverse every civil rights push that's happened in the last 20 years with the Patriot Act," he said. "Past that, they used 9-11 as an excuse to have two wars."
A traditional connotation of punk music is radicalism. However, Chris said the issues they fight for aren't radical.
"Policies which are basic human nature - caring and respecting human life - are branded radical when actually, they're not at all," he said.
Chris said the state of the world inspires Anti-Flag to create.
"There's gotta be some influences in the world to keep pen moving on paper to create music or literature or whatever, and it's obviously been politics," he said. "Sometimes society dictates art."
Chris said President Bush isn't just a bad president, but a criminal.
"Frankly, George Bush and his regime has had more of an impact on the world in the last four years than anyone in our lifetime, and I think that's a very unfortunate thing," he said. "If I had my way, Bush would be impeached as a war criminal today."
When it comes to the candidates, Chris said Sen. John Kerry is the lesser evil of the two.
"I think Kerry is slightly better than Bush," he said. "He did still vote for the invasion of Iraq. He still may reinstate the draft. People have no idea of this legislation, and frankly, I think that would motivate this demographic even more than any song we could ever write."
The band was heavily involved with the anti-war movement before the Iraq war, organizing the Student Why protest where students wore white arm bands to school as a peace symbol. If they were sent home, they were immediately put in contact with the American Civil Liberties Union, and their teachers were reminded of the student's rights.
Chris said he is hoping for change and optimistic people will fight for his cause.
"Bush and cronies like him need to realize that we are going to organize this demographic of people to really wake up and question things," he said.
Coming Attraction
Rock Against Bush Tour
Featuring: Anti Flag,Midtown,Strike Anywhere
Where:Sunshine Theatre
120 Central Ave.
When: Friday at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets:$13 in advance. $15 at doors
