Against Me! : A Study in Disappointment

I broke out some of my old(er) against me 7 inches over the holiday break. They were both smaller releases by small labels. At the time, Against Me! was a group of crusty kids (with roots in Towson, MD) touring basements keeping the stinking punk/anarchist tradition alive. They played all acoustic sets. They were inspiring (though it sounds cheesy to say). One of my favorite songs was the acoustic version of "Reinventing Axl Rose":

"Reinventing Axl Rose"

We want a band that plays loud and hard every night
That doesn't care how many people are counted at the door
That would travel one million miles and ask for nothing more than a plate of food and a place to rest
They'd strike chords that cut like a knife
It would mean so much more than t-shirts or a ticket stub
They'd stop at nothing short of a massacre
Everyone would leave with the memory that there was no place else in the world
And this was where they always belonged
We would dance like no one was watching
With one fist in the air
Our arena just basements and bookstores across an underground America
With this fire we could light
Just gimme a scene where the music is free
And the beer is not the life of the party
There's no need to shit talk or impress
'Cause honesty and emotion are not looked down upon
And every promise that's made and bragged
is meant if not kept
We'd do it all because we have to, not because we know why
Beyond a gender, race, and class, we could find what really holds us back
Let's make everybody sing
That they are the beginning and ending of everything
That we all are stronger than everything they taught us that we should fear

Idealistic and possibly unrealistic? Yes. Honest and inspired? For sure.

In the following years Against Me! made a surprising transition. They moved from the small labels and 7 inches to Fat Wreck Chords and then to Sire Records. They ride in a tour bus these days, play rock clubs and music festivals. They are a different band. I believe this in a recent single. I heard it on the Sirius "PUNK" channel and had to turn it off after one chorus.

"Unprotected Sex With Multiple Partners"

Everyone's a critic, but hey they really respect your talent.
Have your manager call my manager, and we'll make records together.
At this level of success in entertainment, there are certain connotations.
It's a "you give we take" relation.
No the kids wouldn't understand it.
Come on now, how long do think this is really gonna last?
How long can you hold their attention before they move on to the next band?
On the inside.
On the inside.
On the inside.
Do you wanna know how it feels on the inside?
On the inside.
On the inside.
On the inside.
Do you wanna know how it feels on the inside?

Coordinate the marketing, label, publicity, touring.
Consult on, timing and presentation.
Go ahead put this in context.
It's 3 points on production, 15% to management,
10% to the agent, 5% to legal representation.
We call it our insurance plan to stretch the inevitable as far as we can.
Gotta make your money while you got the chance,
do whatever it takes to sell it.

On the inside.
On the inside.
On the inside.
Do you wanna know how it feels on the inside?
On the inside.
On the inside.
On the inside.
Do you wanna know how it feels on the inside?
(Let's go)
Just how desperate can we be?
Go buy our record and see.
Just how angry can we seem?
Go buy our record and see.
Just how fucked up can it get?
Go buy our record and see.
Just how much can we bleed?
We're completely irrelevant on LP and compact disc.

On the inside.
On the inside.
On the inside.
Do you wanna know how it feels on the inside?

Actually, I don't want to know what its like on the inside. I'm not there, and Against Me! never used to be. The complaining about the ills of fame are hollow. The talk about a loss of relevancy is enough to induce laughter. Against Me! have seen this "dissatisfaction with our major rock career" situation before play out with numerous bands. They also had seen examples of ways to increase distribution and exposure without giving away autonomy (Fugazi and Dischord Records come to mind). Against Me! made their choice and now they are complaining about all the strings attached to that money they are rolling in. I don't feel sorry for them in the least.

Sorry to my readers looking for political content. I had to post this somewhere. And if you are looking for some solid music with a political message, check out Fucked Up and The Hope Conspiracy.