Against Me! answer your questions

Sorry if I didn't ask your question, there were a lot so I tried to pick ones that had never been asked before.

Quote :

1. What's the meaning behind the "The Ocean" line "If I could have chosen/I
would have been born a woman/My mother once told me/She would have named me
Laura." Do you really sometimes wish you had been born a woman, or is the
narrator of the song someone other than you? Also, are "The Ocean" and the
song "Searching for a Former Clarity," with the cross-dressing singer, in
any way linked?
Eric - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

I'd prefer to leave the actual meaning of the line open to interpretation, but I will say that had I been born a girl my mother has told me she would have named me Laura. Are the lyrics from "Searching" and "The Ocean" related? Yes. In fact the lyrics to the song "Disco Before the Breakdown" are also related to these two songs.
The lyrics to that song came to me all at once, I didn't really think about what I was writing I just put my pen to paper and went with it. I know they're kind of awkward lyrics, but to me I like the fact that writing them was such an effortless, spontaneous moment, I didn't want to change them.

2. What is it like having your logos/cover art seeing tattooed permanently
on people?
-Phil Manley
Omaha, NE

Its a subject that gives me really mixed emotions. On the one hand I'm flattered that anyone would feel so strongly about my band that they would get a tattoo related to it. On the other hand I would never advise anyone to get a band related tattoo, but then again I have a couple band related tattoo's, so who am I to tell anyone what to do with their body. At the end of the day if the image or band means that much to someone and they want to get a tattoo on their body, more power to them. Its not like its permanent or anything.

3. Based on the singles from ATEC and various bootlegs, you've recorded
different versions of a lot of your songs. Is there a chance that you're
ever going to release these different versions of songs?
-Adam
Boca Raton (soon to be Gainesville), FL

It's definitely something that I would love to do someday but it's a question of time really. I have a huge tupperware container filled with cassette tape recordings I/we've made over the years on my four track. We also have tons of cds from various demo sessions we've done at Golden Tone Studios. We literally have a different versions of every album we've ever recorded, and then there's also the songs that never made it past the demo point, like the songs from the now infamous leaked demo. Hopefully we'll get around to releasing them all someday. If people are interested in hearing them, I'd love for them to have the chance.


4. What happened to "This Song Never Had A Name"? Did it just not end up the
way you wanted it? Is there/will there be a studio version of it?
-Ross, U.K.

The live recording of that song is the only evidence of it ever having existed. It was the only time I ever played it live. I wrote the song right after Kevin quit the band. He was my best friend and things were falling apart. It was painful. Sometimes you write songs that make you feel a little too exposed when you play them live. This was one of those songs.

5. What's Warren's favorite song to drum? What song is the hardest to drum?
-James, MN

Right now my favorite song to drum to is "Full Sesh". The hardest is "White People For Peace", just for the endurance factor. -Warren



6. Tom is just about the coolest dude out there, but what about James? Every
now and then we get a glimpse of his wonderful opera-esque voice, but never
for more than thirty seconds. Is there any possibility we may get a track
from our backup vocalist any time?
-Jason Bradhold

If James came to practice with a song that he had written and said he wanted to sing it we would go for it. Don't tell James I said this, he's really shy.

7. Did you ever get a chance to party with Dave Grohl on the Foo Fighter
tour?
John
-Birmingham AL

Dave Grohl is a really busy man. There's a couple hundred people backstage each night that are trying to get a little bit of his attention. The fact that he makes any kind of effort at all to have interactions with the bands he tours with is commendable in my book. We played some foosball (I won) and he definitely shotgunned some beers with everyone.

8. Can you remember the first time you guys heard a room full of people
singing the lyrics to your songs back to you?
-Jamie
New Brunswick, Canada

It was in Baltimore, Maryland. The second time we played there everyone knew all of the words to every song off of Vivida Vis. There was maybe 30 people in the room. I felt like we were the Beatles.

9. Is there any particular tour or event you remember playing that really
inspired you to keep going strong and start touring non stop?
-Ross from Arkansas

While I already knew this was what I wanted to do with my life before playing my first show, after our first tour I was completely addicted. It wasn't just the shows, it was the adventure of it all. Traveling to different places, meeting new people. You never knew what was going to happen each day. Once I had that taste I knew I would never be able to get enough.


10. Is there any truth to the reissues of Demos or the Thanksgiving Acoustic
Show DVD?
-Cameron

We would love to rerelease all of our old demos. Again, it's a question of time. We really haven't had a block of time off from touring in the past 4 years where we could take on the project. As far as the Thanksgiving show goes, I don't know what we'll end up doing with the footage. We have no immediate plans of releasing it though, other than what's already available online.


11. Is there a chance we will see an increase of acoustic sets prior to the
main sets during your next headlining tour? I loved seeing you guys play at
the record store in Nashville before your show in November of '05, and I'm
sure I'm not alone.
-Keith
Columbia, TN

I'm going to be doing all the November dates on the Revival Tour with Chuck Ragan (HWM), Ben Nichols (LUCERO), and Tim Barry (AVAIL). All these shows will be "Acoustic". I want to try and do some more shows before then as well.

12. I understand that you are a fan of vinyl records, but what do you think
of fans who collect different variations of your vinyl releases? Is it
flattering or alarming when you see things like the AM! self-titled 12"
being sold for large amounts of money over the internet?
-Lauren, California


I'm a vinyl enthusiast myself so I totally understand the compulsion. I love collecting records. I do think it's a little ridiculous to spend the amount of money on e-bay that I've seen some people spend on the self titled 12", especially since we still have copies that we are willing to sell to people for $15. All anyone has to do is write to us and ask.

13. Why is Shit Stroll only played in Maryland?
-the entire forum from all over the world

Baltimore was the first place in the world were we felt like we truly had fans, long before anywhere else (see question #8 ). It's a tribute to those first fans we had there that showed us support.

yesss.

I like what he said about band tattoos, haha.

Against Me! win. That's it.
Game Over.

i love that he had to clarify that he won the game with dave grohl. hilarious.

Go Baltimore Go!! I was going to ask if they could play Shitstroll on Wednesday but the shows in Columbia so maybe not. Although its a suburb of Bmore so maybe if i ask real nicely lol.

none of mine got asked sadface

Same here, but I'm sure Tom wouldn't mind answering more like that in the future.
I like email answers, it gives him more time to put his point across

am sure if you send him a question over myspace it'll be answered.

true that

haha, yea I liked that little (i won). We now know Dave Grohl's weakness.

FOOSBALL GODS I tell ya.

I laughed at the end of #12, about being able to buy them from the band for $15. It was just something that never struck me, despite being so obvious. I'm almost tempted to try it... Should I feel guilty because I'm not a die hard collector? I don't think so. They're my favourite band and this is a piece of history to me, there's no way in hell I'd ever sell it on, ever.

The answer to #3 is exciting, but I was jumping up and down at the answer to #1. I'm definitely gonna sit down and listen to those three songs on repeat now just to try gleam even more meaning from them than I get already.

A few people on the boards have already purchased the s/t off them, I don't think they're all die hard collectors either. You shouldn't feel guilty about it, just smart.

In that case, I'm on it.

It's something I've always wanted but never thought I had even a hope of seeing, never mind being able to sit and listen to my very own. I hope it'll be ok.

I wonder if they'd be down with playing my house. I'll tape Shit Stroll for y'all.

pintsogin wrote:

Go Baltimore Go!! I was going to ask if they could play Shitstroll on Wednesday but the shows in Columbia so maybe not. Although its a suburb of Bmore so maybe if i ask real nicely lol.

Don't you live in Columbia?

awww yeahh, Thanks lex, and thank you tom.

These are great questions.

I just emailed them about a s/t 12". I guess now I wait.

Ross wrote:

I laughed at the end of #12, about being able to buy them from the band for $15. It was just something that never struck me, despite being so obvious. I'm almost tempted to try it... Should I feel guilty because I'm not a die hard collector? I don't think so. They're my favourite band and this is a piece of history to me, there's no way in hell I'd ever sell it on, ever.

The answer to #3 is exciting, but I was jumping up and down at the answer to #1. I'm definitely gonna sit down and listen to those three songs on repeat now just to try gleam even more meaning from them than I get already.

i don't know man, the answer to number 3 just made my heart drop in excitement. can you imagine getting your hands on that tupperware? i'd probably shut myself inside with a tape deck and a bottle of whiskey. i imagine i'd eventually cry tears of joy. it's good news, considering that means there could be a chance down the line for an INSANE amount of rarities finding its way to releases.

oh, and i too, definitely plan on e-mailing them about a copy of s/t.

Ditto

Well I guess they'll have a rather large influx of groveling emails tonight then...

I feel kinda daft now. Oh well, if I hadn't asked then I'd never know if it was possible. I'm not gonna get my hopes up at all, the hassle of organising that, especially with me living in the UK, on top of all the touring they're doing seems like a lot to ask from a band that have already given me so much as it is. I can't believe how naive I was to think this could ever be so simple...

Dude, don't worry about it so much. The worst they can do is say "No" or "Not right now." You know that they're completely nice to anyone that sends them a message. Tom keeps his word, and if he says that all someone has to do is e-mail them and ask then I believe him.

yeah dude, don't stress it. you don't think he know that'd happen? he's answering questions from fans that he knew would be posted on a fan forum. i highly doubt they'll turn you away. they'll probably be happy to be rid of them.

kinda sucks that he said $15 for the s/t 12".
i got one a few years back for 10