Anti-Flag was first formed in 1988 by singer/guitarist Justin Sane and drummer Pat Thetic. Guitarists and Bassists came and went. The band played a single show, but could not come together, and fell apart immediately. In 1993, Sane and Thetic decided to try again, this time with bassist Andy Flag. In 1996, Anti-Flag released their first album, Die for the Government. The album did not hit the charts, but it did attract a following and helped them begin to build a fan base.

Anti-Flag

Anti-Flag does not mean Anti-American. Anti-Flag means anti-war. Anti-Flag means the common people of the world are better off living in unity and peace. Anti-Flag means to stand against corporate greed that hurts millions while benefiting a handful of extremely rich. Anti-Flag means to fight against mindless nationalism. Anti-Flag means unity.

A Slow Start

Anti-Flag was first formed in 1988 by singer/guitarist Justin Sane and drummer Pat Thetic. Guitarists and Bassists came and went. The band played a single show, but could not come together, and fell apart immediately. In 1993, Sane and Thetic decided to try again, this time with bassist Andy Flag. In 1996, Anti-Flag released their first album, Die for the Government. The album did not hit the charts, but it did attract a following and helped them begin to build a fan base.

Shortly after the release, Flag left the band, and was replace with Sean Whelan, and later, Chris Head. They released two more albums in the 1990s, Their System Doesn't Work for You and A New Kind of Army. Both were politically charged albums, dealing with such topics as political corruption, rascism, fascism, and unity.

Building Momentum in a New Millennium

The band kicked off 2000 by taking part in the Vans Warped Tour, which is a music and extreme sports tour sponsored by Vans Shoe Manufacturer. During the tour, they met NOFX's Fat Mike, owner of Fat Wreck Chords, and signed with the with the label for their next two albums. In 2001, Anti-Flag released Underground Network. The album broke the band out of the underground punk scene and into a more mainstream genre. The album, however, still addressed fascism and political corruption.

Soon after the attacks of September 11, Anti-Flag's albums were pulled off of music shelves in a lot of stores because they were deemed anti-American. Ironically, three years later, they were praised by US Representative John McDermott in a speech to the House, for encouraging young people to get involved and vote.

Establishing a Niche

For Blood and Empire was released in 2005, followed by a tour, with Anti-Flag headlining. The huge War Sucks, Let's Party United States tour wrapped up in the spring of 2006. Their next album, The Bright Lights of America, was released in 2008, exclusively on iTunes. Fans can download the entire album or pick and choose mp3 recordings of specific singles. The People or the Gun, the band's most recent album to date, was released in the summer of 2009.

Anti-Flag opened 2010 with a two-month The Economy Sucks, Let's Party Tour with Aiden, Cancer Bats, and Fireworks. The band regularly supports Democracy Now!, PETA, Amnesty International, and Greenpeace. Greenpeace sponsored the band's recent tour.

Did you know . . .

• Anti-Flag has worked in conjunction with Greenpeace to persuade world leaders to attend the climate conference in Copenhagen.
• The Gun Star is a symbol for Anti-Flag. It was designed by Chris Head and is made up of a number of broken M-16 rifles shaped into a star.
• Lead singer Justin Sane chose his stage name because it is a play on the words, Just Insane.

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