"as soon as the public ear pricks up to AM!s music and message, fans of DIY music turn their backs. People scrawling hate messages on AM!s tour bus really shows how much the bands' politics and meaning really ever meant to them."

And by "meant to them" you mean the members of against me!, right?

When it comes time to throw rocks through the windows of starbucks, AM! has left me all alone, 'cause their CD is playing inside the coffee shop as a "featured selection".

Your argument almost made sense until you typed it like a 12 year old girl on her celphone. Nearly unreadable at the end.

...evildeadalive

I hate the way people keep referencing the song 'reinventing axl rose'as proof that AM! are hypocrites. If u think that then u obviously never understood the subtly and irony in those lyrics.

The way I see it Tom was describing his vision of an ideal music scene, it was a fantasy, not a description of reality. A fantasy that the band may well have lost faith in because of pathetic scene politics.

"don't CARE how many people are counted at the door" - Punk scenes are never like that are they, because kids want to keep music exclusive to their cliques. And so they do care, even if the band doesnt. The smaller the venue the better as far as the 'cool' kids are concerned.

These are the people who have to "shit talk and impress" becaus they dont respect "honesty and emotion"

Its fucking idiots who cry sellout AS WELL AS the corporate machine that prevent the vision in reinventing axl rose becoming a reality. AM! want a music scene so free and unpretentious that it could grow into something huge that potentially changes the way people think "lets make everybody sing...that we are all stronger than everything threy taught us we shud fear"

But it never happend because as soon as the public ear pricks up to AM!s music and message, fans of DIY music turn their backs. People scrawling hate messages on AM!s tour bus really shows how much the bands' politics and meaning really ever meant to them.

If u feel that against me! have screwed u over then mayb ur just being selfish, and u cant hav been touched that deeply by their songs, because if u wer ud understand and wudnt b bithcing abou their success.

"Why the fuck are you people reading AMP anyway? Shit's like MTV in written form."

No doubt. That and Alternative Press. I've seen that mag before - it's 90% ads of bands posing. The most intelligent thing said in the entire issue came from one of the guys in Locust, and thats pretty fucking bad.

Posted by icecreamwiththeenemy on 2006-01-03 14:14:03
My Score:

I love the songs on this 7" done electric and the cover art is simply amazing.

This review came at a terrible time in the news of AM!, but we shouldn't be blinded by recent events and we should be able to take the music for what it is.
I am an Against Me! fan who is distinctly disappointed, but this 7" didn't fail me and never will.

Great job, Scott.
We're going to Philly right?

No one on FAT is rich or middle class...

LOL, Dumb shit, you ever hear of a guy by the name of Fat Mike? despite owning the label, the members of NOFX are all
doing quite well for themselves.

i know this won't end any of these stupid debates on against me, but I had the pleasure of interviewing tom gabel a couple months ago for a small entertainment rag and he was the most genuine, no-bullshit people i've ever talked to. he gladly went over the 20 minutes we had allotted for the interview and probably talked for close to 45.

the thing is: the man is trying to survive and if you think 2 records on FAT puts Tom Gabel in a Mercedez Benz and a million dollar house, you are out of your mind. He told me that he thought punk was all about finding a way to sustain yourself and your life with as little help from the 'regular' world as possible. the dude loves to make music, but he also needs to eat. no one on FAT wreck is rich or even middle class.

This will blow your mind: i also talked to the bassist from Bad Religion for the same paper. that guy drives like a 12 year old station wagon and his band was on fucking Atlantic. the only reason he's not destitute is because he saved his money.

These are human beings who decided to forgo their regular lot in life for something artistic, meaningful and different. and I think we all figure that becuase you can find a FAT records release in Best Buy that means everyone's a millionaire now. all the Lawrence Arms guys still live in the same shitty apartments in Chicago. Its a fact. These are all guys who are barely squeaking by - they want to make music and be able to eat. that's all.

are bands supposed to sabotage themselves and set quotas for how many fans they can have? I dunno.

and i know its not all about the FAT thing for AM! the rest of you will be blah blah blah'ing about DIY and all that jazz.

Tom is the genuine article and it was blatantly obvious how much all this negativity surrounding his life bothered him. He said he didn't understand why anyone would take the time to shit talk, he said "if you're not interested anymore, than don't listen and just leave it be" I agree. The dude has changed: he's grown up and matured like some of you will eventually. Searching for a Former Clarity is about balancing your need to survive with the uncertainty of trusting record labels and agents and all that bullshit, and to me the record says, "please shut up, you can't understand what its like unless you've been here"

eh.

fall out boy does suck, their music blows, and the only reason anyone likes them is because they are on mtv. i'm an ugly dude, and even i could get laid if i was on mtv.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 at 1:16 AM (EST)
My Score:

Anarchy Burger-HOLD THE GOVERNMENT!!!!

As the Eternal Cowboy is so hot.

Actually BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN! are probably rather sensitive chaps this holiday season, sitting in their posh florida waterfront homes sipping eggnog...

Indeed,it made plenty of sense.

This one will be debated for a LONG time.

I don't feel they should have done it,and I don't mind bands going to majors,just a little odd in this case.Then again,Rage Against The Machine>Same thing,much larger scale.

Plus The Futureheads are on Sire,and that would be one hell of a tour.

How the fuck come idiots like the most recent Anonymous exist? Why the hell do you think people are getting on their asses for nothing? They were the fucking band that sang "Reinventing Axl Rose" and were against the idea of a corporate rock machine. Did you say, "Hey Against Me, life is just an illusion and then you die, and life is life, so just accept shit and quit singing about trying to keep the smaller scene alive"? No, you fucking hung on to them. Yes, I understand that you are referring to the people calling them sell-outs as being corporate whores, but AM! is the one who hung some of those anti-corporate labels on themselves, like it or not.

As a huge Against Me! fan, I acknowledge that what they are doing will seem hypocritical, and I can't figure out for the life of me why idiots like you continue to think that everyone WANTS to be angry at this band. Yes, there are some dicks that will use anything to call a band a "sell-out," but for some of us, AM! represented something the idea that the music can always live on in small arenas, and it hurts to acknowledge their change. They were the ones who claimed to "reinvent Axl Rose" (no, I'm not taking the title literally). Get this shit through your thick skull.

I hope that made sense.

WHY THE FUCK DO ANY OF YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE FIRST PLACE!? fuck off, life's an illusion and then it's pretty real and you die.

you kids could talk about selling out left and right, but you are all drinking sodas and riding in cars...or riding bikes that came from a sweat shop, or eating chips or walking in shoes..or wearing tshirts.. or brushing your fucking teeth with COLGATE.

FUCK OFF> life is life and that's it. fucking do what you want with it.

PROPS TO AGAINST ME FOR BECOMING A WEE BIT MORE PROFESSIONAL!! WAY TO GO!!

"Serious or not? If you are, that excites me and I don't see anything wrong with it... Lucero did it too. I'll just download it. Rather than buy the inferior format of an album thats inferior to "Axl"."

Yeah I think that guy was joking but that would be SWEET if they did.

And they make this band sound like they are the greatest shit ever. Those same people will say that Fall Out Boy sucks, meanwhile they have made it big. I swear there are a bunch of jerks on this site.

Look out for the deluxe edition of S.F.A.F.C with a bonus disc of demo and acoustic songs!And some music videos!

How punx
Serious or not? If you are, that excites me and I don't see anything wrong with it... Lucero did it too. I'll just download it. Rather than buy the inferior format of an album thats inferior to "Axl".

Brokeback Mtn is an appropriate name since most of the scene is finding itself screaming "I WISH I KNEW HOW TO QUIT YOU!" after hearing the Sire news.

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/2117/untitled6tm.jpg

Look out for the deluxe edition of S.F.A.F.C with a bonus disc of demo and acoustic songs!And some music videos!

How punx

Posted by OKSoda on 2005-12-24 13:59:07
My Score:

Against Who?

"Against Me have officially changed their name to
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN!"

That made me laugh. Good for you.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 24, 2005 at 11:35 AM (EST)
My Score:

Against Me have officially changed their name to
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN!

"Also, whatever happened to that Lucero split? Is it completely dead?"

No,they're doing a three way one with Mandy Moore and Green Day now.Lucero weren't deemed popular enough by Sire to bother with the 7".

SFAFC has much stronger songwriting than the other LPs. it doesnt get lost in one-dimensional politics or the same songwriting formulas over and over.

i'd argue that the simple, straightforward politics expressed in that "Condoleeza" song are far more "one-dimensional" than those exhibited in Cliche Guevara or 8 Full Hours Of Sleep.

And the lyrics on this album are easily, in general, Against Me!'s worst lyrics. "What are you gonna say when she picks up the phone? Should you leave a message if she's not at home?" Fucking deep, guys. "We'll give the money back to the record label, fire the agent, fire the manager"... can you see a roomful of kids singing along to that?

Posted by sXenester on 2005-12-24 01:40:14
My Score:

My vinyl's marbled pink.

i didn't enjoy As the Eternal Cowboy, it was too short and it just lacked something

If by good you mean cheesy, boring, and awkward sounding...then we agree! Good for you!

Whatever. Its all subjective anyway. I dont enjoy it at all. As the Eternal Cowboy is much much better then SFAFC.

i heard this band signed to a major. any truth?

i love comments!!!

Damn, a two-song-long 7" has a longer review than most LPs get on this site

To the kid who said both holy shit and SFAFC suck, god are you wrong. Those two songs are both amazing. I would say SFAFC is one of the best tom has ever written

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 23, 2005 at 3:35 PM (EST)
My Score:

This 7" does indeed kick ass, as does the Cavalier Eternal 7". I recommend both of them.

As for the whole "selling out" thing, fuck you guys. Against Me! will still kick ass. I don't really care whether or not a band is on a major label or not. I pay more attention to whether or not the band is good, rather than what record label they're on.

I wonder if AM! will play the Fest again next year. I sure hope so.

Also, whatever happened to that Lucero split? Is it completely dead?

sellouts. oi oi oi

Propaghandi is HORRIBLY boring live. That's why they don't deserve a tour review.

Posted by etwiels88 on 2005-12-23 14:20:21
My Score:

I love this albums artwork.

Anyone who thinks searching for a former clarity is their best release is dilusional. Its mature? No, its not. Its ATTEMPTING to be mature and failing miserably. Its like they are trying to expand their sound in these artificial and forced directions and its just not working. That whole album feels forced and tired and the lyrics are the worst he has ever written. Holy shit is the worst song they have ever written and the closing track is right behind it.

The title of the album is so appopriate that its kind of funny. In their attempt at growing they lost what made them great and I really hope they can find it again because no one is going to remember SFAFC in 2 years. I cant believe you said it is more mature...have you red the lyrics to walking is still honest? That was one of the first songs Against Me! ever recorded and it is 1 million times more insightful, energetic, and moving then this entire record.

Fucking kids.

This record rocks the fucking house though. I LOVE the electric version of Sink, FLorida, Sink.

Hey, did you hear that Against Me signed to a major? Ba-dump-bump!

P.S.- Speaking of Joe Strummer, I'm hosting the 4th Annual Joe Strummer celebration on KALX 90.7FM (San Francisco Bay Area) and http://kalx.berkeley.edu tomorrow (Saturday 12/24/05) from 6am-noon Pacific time. 6 hours of The 101ers, The Clash, The Mescaleros, and more!

d00dz u ferg0t the sIre (eff corporations!11) logo!!!

- |

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 23, 2005 at 1:24 PM (EST)
My Score:

SFAFC has much stronger songwriting than the other LPs. it doesnt get lost in one-dimensional politics or the same songwriting formulas over and over. its a mature, well thought out album. and it makes fun of idiots. i like that part a lot.

The acoustic version of this was on Rock Against Bush Vol. 1.

i think searching for a former clarity is by far their best release.

wtf, i'm still in awe that people not only liked searching for a former clarity, but thought it was by far their best release....i've listened to it 5 times and it still sucks compared to the first two

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 23, 2005 at 12:31 PM (EST)
My Score:

this record is neat. i think searching for a former clarity is by far their best release. they're making the best decision of their band's life by attempting to get away from the narrow minded musical conservatives who are branding them "sellouts." they've been working hard for a long time and tom's an extremely talented songwriter. i'm glad they're getting away from the limits of the punk scene.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 23, 2005 at 12:19 PM (EST)
My Score:

Gingerbread sex!

Best artwork ever.

clicky for picy

Posted by Godfather on 2005-12-23 10:08:28
My Score:

omfgzzz how cud against me! betray us like this omgzzz selloutz lolzzz

thomas! from strike anywhere!!

*giddy!!!*

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 23, 2005 at 8:40 AM (EST)
My Score:

STK MTN artwork, scores for that.

SELLLLLLLLLLLLOUTS!!

Actually, I like the electric version of Sink.Florida.Sink. I think it's pretty good... but I also agree that the acoustic version of Rumours was better. So, therefore my comment makes no bit of headway at all.

This band made some of the best music I own,and I will continue to listen to this 7" among others,but I feel they fucked everyone over in a way,and that alternative music labels/fans etc. have all been used as a stepping stone.I thank them for years of great concerts,albums and just being nice folks.
So Cheers to Against Me! for everything they did,they gave me a reason to like new punk again,but still I'm a little annoyed with the move.Each to their own?

Can't wait to see them on Cribs or something....kidding.

Why the fuck are you people reading AMP anyway? Shit's like MTV in written form.

'Eternal Cowboy''s still a golden record for me.

Acoustic version of Rumours was better, electric of Sink was better.

Still, Eternal Cowboy sounds pretty tired now. Only song that still grabs me is Rice and Bread.

"it looks likes the punk scene died with Joe Strummer and AM! were just wannabes at the funeral"

Joe Strummer was a primitivist? Oh wait, he was a normal guy, but feel free to butcher his humanity by making him an icon.

Joe Strummerloved diet coke yo.

wyzo

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 23, 2005 at 6:06 AM (EST)
My Score:

i think this and the other 7 inch illuminate why eternal cowboy was such a strange and for me disappointing record.

The b-side of this 7 inch, as an electric version, is an amazing song, and completely grabs your attention.

On Cowboy, it seemed like they were unsure about how to structure the record, which version to use. The final tracklist seemed like they had no confidence in the switch to full band electric songwriting, and what versions to put where.

So the record seemed uneven, or random. This is why, even though I don't think its amazing, Former clarity is a step up. They have full confidence of the full band setup, and seem more sure of what songs to rock out on and which to slow down.

So I like this 7 inch very much.

I would also like to add that while I disagree with their Sire records signing, it is a part of today's music scene where in order to play in a band you almost have to be a careerist, and selling shirts as opposed to recording songs in order to even have some type of a living. So I sympathize with them, but I think it will end badly for them.

wyzo

posers at AMP mag may say AM! is the next Clash, but it looks likes the punk scene died with Joe Strummer and AM! were just wannabes at the funeral.

before all the shit starts.
against me! rock if ya dont like em dont listen to em then they cant hurt ya

damn, i must be tired... for a second i read that as chuck norris. but instead it's some kid who played on my little league team.

back to my point, that'd be hot shit if they worked with chuck norris. maybe now that they have the major label money...

real anarachists play warped tour

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 23, 2005 at 4:49 AM (EST)
My Score:

Hey, I love this band...

but how come there was not one goddamn Propagandhi review from anyone for the tour they just went on? Fuck, I come to this site and NOT absolutepunk.net so I can hear about good bands like Propagandhi.

And fuck punkrocks.net for no mention of Propagandhi in their year end awards (fall out boy was mentioned in one year end, however)

score's for the lack of Prop respect

PS. Prop's never sold out like Against Me, amirite?

Posted by AlmostPunkEnough on 2005-12-23 04:07:17
My Score:

1300 comments here we come!!!!!!! fucking morons.

good shit though.

hahahaha @ the first post

i guess now we want to go for the most commented on news story and review in the same week?

here, i'll do the obligatory:

selloutz.

yea good idea posting this review.