Since their inception in 1988, Sane and Anti-Flag have made a name for themselves on the strength of their charged punk rock, always paired with an innate understanding of social issues, class warfare and American imperialist doctrines.
2012 is no different, as the band finds themselves touring behind The General Strike, their latest full-length. Ripe with socially-conscious and enlivening tracks, Sane himself is following the American Presidential election as he’s reached on the phone from his Pittsburgh home. Packing before leaving for a tour the next day, Sane is given a hypothetical scenario in which he has both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney’s ears for five minutes. What then, would he ask the two Presidential candidates?
“Well, I’ll be honest,” he says, after a long pause. “I think it would just be a total waste of time to talk to Mitt Romney,” he laughs. “I just don’t think the guy has any moral fibre at all. He’ll say whatever he has to, in order to become President.
“When it comes to Obama,” he continues, “I think he’s done the best he’s been able to do under the given circumstances.” Still, when considering the recent televised Presidential debates, Sane finds fault.“No one is asking the candidates questions about the environment. That’s shocking,” he says.
Anti-Flag has always made it their inherent mission to deal with the shocking. Punk rock may have roots in the upheaval of the routine, but Anti-Flag has always taken it one step further. And in an American election year, when many are getting comfortable with their President, the presence of Anti-Flag has never been more vital.
As Sane and the band ask the pertinent questions and strive towards social justice, it’s worth wondering – can Justin Sane imagine a time when Anti-Flag won’t have anything to sing about? Can they imagine a world where a punk band that demands answers of their political leaders is not necessary?
“Well I hope so,” he says in earnest.
“I’d love to write an album about puppies and rainbows because there are no problems left in the world. It’s just hard to imagine. But there are inspirational people that we can look to and write about. For example, on the new record, there’s a song (1915) about Joe Hill, the labour organiser. The song does touch on issues of exploitation, but not every song we’re writing these days necessarily is incredibly negative. The song was a tribute to a man that tried to change the world for the better.”
Sane speaks with an impassioned belief that the world he lives in can actually be changed for the better. It’s that belief which has propelled the band to release ten full-lengths since their 1996 debut, Die For The Government.
Yet one thing Anti-Flag has always avoided, even during pivotal times such as election years, is preaching to crowds. Sane is, and always has been, mindful of how to engage a crowd without sounding overbearing. It’s a delicate balance that the 37-year-old has worked hard to achieve.
“We get that people don’t want to be told what to do. I mean, I don’t. I think if you put a topic out to people in a way that’s engaging and gives them credit for actually having their own point of view and being intelligent, it’s possible to have a conversation with people instead of just having them turn off,” she says.
Setting totally matters for us,” he continues. “If we’re playing a show to three or four hundred people, there’s a likelihood that it’s our core audience. In that setting, I can really extrapolate on important issues. But if you’re playing a bigger, festival show, you’ve got to be very careful how you present things. You can’t just get up there and make speeches or you’ll lose the crowd after a minute or two. You can only hope that one or two people will pick up what you’re saying and be compelled to pick up the ball and run with it.”
As Anti-Flag prepare to descend upon Australia for the second time in less than a year, Sane’s distinction becomes that much more relevant. The smaller, headline shows they played in May and their upcoming Pyramid Rock festival slot are quite varied, though they’re both a testament to the band’s dedication to their craft. Upcoming election or not, Anti-Flag is still compromised of touring musicians who must endure the vagaries of touring life to get their message to the masses. Sane can’t predict who’ll be President on the morning of November 7. But then again, he can’t predict much.
“I do really enjoy [touring] but it’s not the life for everybody. I’ve found the trick is to expect that nothing will happen as you want it to happen. If you have expectations that things are going to happen in a certain way, then you’re going to be miserable. Nothing ever happens as its planned on tour.”
BY JOSHUA KLOKE
