Anti-Flag

Pittsburgh punk band Anti-Flag booked their first national tour in 1995, after bassist Andy Flag’s grandfather gave them a “nearly brand new” van. ∙ Their debut album, Die for the Government, influenced a generation of politically charged bands and earned the respect of pioneering punk outfits The Exploited and The Circle Jerks. ∙ They reached a mainstream audience after appearing on 2000’s Warped Tour and releasing their breakthrough album, Underground Network, the following year. ∙ Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello produced their controversial album The Terror State, which sold more than 100,000 copies. ∙ US Congressman Jim McDermott praised the band for encouraging fans to vote in 2004’s Presidential election and supporting progressive causes. ∙ Songs from their 2006 album, For Blood and Empire, were used in the games Madden NFL 07, Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam, and Shaun White Snowboarding. ∙ They added a children’s choir and cellists to their 2008 album, The Bright Lights of America, which was produced by Tony Visconti (David Bowie, Iggy Pop, T. Rex). ∙ A documentary about the band, Beyond Barricades: The Story of Anti-Flag, was released in 2020.