Anti-Flag Feel 'Let Down' by the Obama Administration -- NXNE

Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pa., Anti-Flag released their first split seven-inch in 1993, going on to Fat Wreck Chords superiority, a brief stint on major label RCA, and a return to indie punk turf with their most recent full-length, 2009's 'The People or the Gun.' Outspoken and politically charged, Anti-Flag have always taken an aggressive activist role in their music and performances, working regularly with groups like Amnesty International and PETA, while preaching themes of anti-homophobia, anti-misogyny and anti-racism from the stage.

Recently, vocalist and bassist Chris #2 began hitting the road hard with a new side project, White Wives (which also includes Anti-Flag guitarist Chris Head), while also recording a seven-inch of old-school hardcore with a second new band, Wharf Rats. Somewhere between that, a European Anti-Flag tour, and a stint at this year's NXNE, Spinner caught up with #2 to chat about Obama and X-rated tweets.

Given how active you've been recently with side projects, has there been any progress towards new Anti-Flag material?

Actually, we've been writing the entire time. It's kind of cool, because we own our own studio, so we have the ability to flesh out ideas and then come back to them. Even when we're just rehearsing for tour, if someone has an idea, we're always running through the studio. So it's just a matter of hitting "record" to capture that idea. We actually have ten or eleven songs already written. Some of them are about 80 percent tracked, some are 100 percent tracked. Most are 30 percent tracked.

As we get to finishing them, we'll start to have a time frame for a record. We're looking at the fall, but I don't want to rush it. It will be done when it's done. The luxury of where Anti-Flag is at in our life is that we have a catalogue we look back on fondly; we enjoy playing those songs. So there's not a rush for us to get a record out to appease ourselves. More so, we want to make sure we do not tarnish the catalogue that we enjoy by just s---ting out a record. There's no reason for us to put out another Anti-Flag record unless it's the best Anti-Flag record. While that's a challenge, it's a good reason to work as hard as we can until it's done.

Have there been recurring themes popping up a lot in the songs that are already done?

It's definitely predicated upon some of the letdown of the Obama administration. This whole thing happened with such fire, piss and vinegar. He walked in, and in the first week he signed a predication to close down Guantanamo Bay. And it's still open. That kind of, "Holy s---, we're on the path of something new and exciting," followed by, "Oh, we're kind of in the same spot we were." It made us shift our focus from talking about a left or a right. There is no left or right. We continue to find that the opposition they have towards each other is controlled.

It's interesting when the entire political news cycle can be hijacked by someone tweeting a photo of their penis.

That's the modus operandi of American politics. The issues these people are fighting about are gay marriage and abortion. You have to wonder if they're throwing these hot buttons in our face because they're really in cahoots on 90 percent of everything else -- the stuff that's really detrimental to our society.

While you're off doing all these other musical projects, what's everyone else up to?

[Singer-guitarist] Justin [Sane] has been doing his own stuff. He's been working on a solo record. In that, he's also been writing Anti-Flag songs in the same way I'll be working on White Wives stuff and end up writing something that I know would be great for Anti-Flag. [Drummer] Pat [Thetic] has always had a really full plate. He's our business manager for Anti-Flag so, essentially, he's always working. It may not be seen like some of the stuff that we're doing, but the fact that we're able to live by being in a band is greatly due to the time he puts in when we're not on the road.

That sounds pretty important.

Yeah, it is. It means I can gallivant around.

Watch Anti-Flag's 'This is the End (For You My Friend)'

Anti-Flag play the Phoenix on Friday, June 17 @ 9:00PM

See Spinner's Complete Coverage of NXNE 2011
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