Anti-Flag Interview
Question: How did you get your name?
Chris #2: Basically, Pat, Justin, and Andy (the original bass player). More so Justin I believe thought of the name. A lot of times in the punk rock scene in Pittsburg and all over, there are people saying the pledge of allegiance at shows and it was very cool and very in to be patriotic in punk rock. They kind of wanted to do the opposite and they saw a lot of holes in what was going on in being a patriot and being gung ho for the flag. So basically Anti-Flag came out of that.
Question: How did you all meet?
Chris #2: Pat and Justin met in playing soccer when they were 10 and they started some bands and nothing really happened. Then they met Andy because they were both Unitarians and they messed around and got to be together and bought a van, toured made a record. Chris #1, we got him to play bass, but he sucks at bass, but he played a really good guitar, so we said, we love you, and we are going to keep you around. Then we had a girl for bass, but she was from Canada so she became too much of a problem to smuggle over the border. So then #2 came and lied and said he knew how to play the bass, and he didn't and they went on tour with Paul of the Unseen while I stayed home and learned how to play the base. There we go. Present day.
Question: Wat do you think of the internet and music today?
Chris #2: I think the internet is way overrated. I think the internet is a good thing in the sense that there is a lot of information transmitted back and forth. As far as music being broadcast over the internet, I think it is totally a double-edged sword. A, it's good for a band like Anti-Flag that has something to say, the person downloads a song on the internet and gets turned on to punk rock music and the political side of music because they heard it over the internet. That's a great thing. It hurts to have your record on the computer before it comes out. Then people aren't buying it. It sucks to play the card that the musician gets burned, but someone has to eat. Especially for smaller bands who make more money off of CD's. When you are on a huge label and you are selling millions of records, the actual money that you get is so little. But when you are smaller, you get more money per reord. It actually puts a dent in your pocket. It kind of sucks, but I also think it's a good thing. I am kind of in the middle.
Question:
Who do you like to tour with?
Chris #2: Right now we are on tour with 1 Man Army, The Unseen, and Jersey. I have had a good experience with all of the bands we have toured with. It's so hard to pick.
Question: Where do you like to tour?
Chris #2: I like Canada. I love Canada. It's pretty cool because music in general is very popular in Canada. If you see people from Canada they go to diffrent shows every night. They just love music. To me that's what is all about. A lot of places there are language barriers but they are so perceptive of what you have to say.
Question: Where would you like to tour in the future?
Chris #2: We have never been to Europe yet. We are planning on going there very soon, but we have not gone yet. I would love to go and play in Itlay or something. And Puerto Rico. I have been to Italy, I'm Italian. I went when I was younger. Justin has been to Ireland. Pat goes to Holland. He has a girlfriend who lives there. Chris has gone to Europe and gotten a huge credit card bill there.
Question: How do you think coming out of Pittsburg effected your music?
Chris #2: I think we had a harder fight coming out of Pittsburg. You never hear of huge rock bands that come out of there. I think we definitely had an uphill battle. I think it really helped us. We are completely self-sufficient. We barely use help from anybody for anything. I think it has helped us put out good records. Our new record, "Underground Network". I think it is our best record yet. It has definitely shaped who we are.
Question: How did you decide you were going to play music?
Chris #2: It kind of fell upon me. I just joined the band. I have always loved music. Anti-Flag was one of the bands that turned me on to heavy political music. I would rather hear Anti-Flag on the radio that Limp Bizkit. Not just in a musical sense. But it means something. That's one less time you hear "Nookie".
Question: How do you think political bands have effected you?
Chris #2: It has always been very political edged. It hurts me to see so many bands doing it, but if you look at where things were before and where they are now, you will see that there are fewer political bands out there. I think it shaped people. It is definitely a harder road for a political punk band. If someone writes us a letter with "Anti-Flag" on it, there is a chance we won't get it in the mail. It's pretty creepy.
Question: How do you go about making a record?
Chris #2: This time, we sat down and wrote the songs and went into a studio and worked with a producer. We have never worked in a studio and have never had a producer. We have always used rented equipment and done it at houses. So this time we worked with Mas Jer Janey(sorry if i butchered the spelling) he's actually is here tonight. He plays with the Screeching Weasels and produces a lot of records. He's a great guy. He kind of took us under his wing and showed us how to get good performances on the tape. I think that is why our record came out as good as it did. We are really happy with what we got.
QuestionWhat was the first concert you went to?
Chris #2: Either Danzig, or ..no. It was Gwar. It was spiritual. I was this little kid with a button-down shirt at a Gwar concert.
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