It is indeed possible for both Against Me! and those fans feeling betrayed by a band who must never, ever change, to be wrong.

The purist anarchist fans need to move on. The band needs to accept they compromised on their ideals and live with themselves.

Yeah, matt you must have really been annoying the band. I’ve been friends with them for years and despite having food and a place to sleep they are the same people they’ve always been. Every time they come to town we hang out. I’ve never paid for a show since they started making money even though I’d be more than happy to buy a ticket. As much as I’d like to deny it, my ideals have changed in the last few years and as anyone that has ever been in a band knows, you can’t keep writing the same shit over and over again, people grow as musicians and people with new ideas. I like the older stuff better too but I’d probably be pretty bored with them if they were still writing the same old stuff they were ten years ago.

It doesn’t matter if they’re making money, they’ve worked hard and as much as I hate that people who haven’t loved them as long as I have are getting into them (like I went to a show the other day and most of the people only knew New Wave stuff, WTF?), I’m glad they’re finally getting some money, because really, they deserve to eat stuff other than condiment sandwhiches. Haha But when their views change, and their music changes, thats when I have a problem.

I don’t know about anyone else, but if I was my age now when their first demos came out, I’d love it. Vivida Vis, some amazing stuff. So don’t give me that crap about how no one cared about them then, when it was JUST Tom. They really gave me something to believe in, and I sang my heart out and just felt the music. But now at shows, I don’t WANT to sing along to crap like Thrash Unreal (damn them for making a catchy song that I can’t get out of my head despite my dislike for it).

Early summer I told Tom that they NEED to play acoustic shows and he just brushed me off; “Yeah we do them once in a while.” he said. And then that bitch of a fiance came up and acted like everyone should back away. Sorry, I’m bitter. And I’m getting off topic.

Anywho…I still have some faith in the band. It just breaks my heart when Tom says things that shows he CLEARLY doesn’t care about his fans anymore, like what he said in this RS article.

Who gives a shit if they did sell out? It’s still good music.

And he slammed a dudes head into the counter? Do we know the full story? Nope. More power to him for still having the back bone to slame a dudes head into the counter.

people grow a lot in ten years. especiallyfrom the ages of 17 to 27. the band signs with a major label and is called a sell out. not because of the money, im sure its nice to eat a sandwich with meat in it though, im sure it was a multi faceted deal which allowes them to reach more fans while touring, make more albums for these fans around the world for cheaper. they did it for you dumbasses! and now they are getting hung out to dry for it. for those of you claiming to have been die hard A.M. fans whove been listening from the beginning, fuck off. there was barely anybody at the shows back then. no one liked them. i even thought they sucked. they were just gimmick screamers. all of you happened to get on after they had shifted sound and band mates 2 or 3 times.

I checked out this album based on this and several other site’s reviews…weak. Three-and-a-half out of five, and that’s mostly just because they can play. They’re no Spoon…and certainly no Gogol Bordello!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, We hate it when our friends become sucessful - Morrissey

Dear anarchistic romance, You’re right. Things can be taken the wrong way. But you always run the risk of offending someone, but people need to see the humor in things. If you read the posts by McKeon and Bukowski (both me), it’s completely over the top, and I think, funny.

That’s too bad, Matt…but maybe one day you’ll receive a memo to patch things up.

I give mad ZJ’s.

Me and Tom Gabel’s deteriorated over an IM.

I said “This conversation is over.”

He said “No, it isn’t.”

And then reached through my screen and smashed my head into my keyboard. The letter “T” got stuck in my eye. It hurts.

I can see the comedy. Though sometimes the written word can be taken out of context. Many friendships out there have deteriorated through email. Not everyone can read minds.

It’s a complete comedy. Why do people have such a hard time seeing this?

I assume and hope that is meant as sarcasm.
~ yinyang ~

Come on Matt, don’t be like that. Lupe’s an idiot, we all know that. Sometimes, I just feel guilty keeping him under the house in that box. But if you’re going to be mad, be mad at me. You’re right, I don’t listen. I only think of myself. Come on, man. Don’t be like that. T, say you’re sorry. (I smack him on the back of his head.) Say you’re sorry, T. I’m Sorry, Matt. Lupe, say you’re sorry. Uggh…moo, moo, moo, moo. You see, Lupe says he’s sorry too. Come on, . .Matt. . .

I just realized how INSANE it is that I am arguing this on rollingstone.com.

Have fun at the next My Morning Jacket concert.

And this whole argument is pointless. Tom admitted to selling out. And him smashing someones face against a counter simply for asking why he was angry about the backlash is rediculous. If you are going to turn on your old fanbase, expect them to turn on you.

“Our arenas just basements and bookstores across an underground America.”

As performed at Giants Stadium.

“I threw a brick through that Starbucks window.”

As performed at a Starbucks-sponsored festival.

So….they sound like EVERYBODY else?
Is that the story? Because they do…
Seriously, what is the point in doing a story about a band who puts out crap like this? It’s got the same exhausted chord-progression as every other scream-o song out there. COMPLETELY unoriginal and boring. Sorry.

And if you’re going to say “you have no ground to stand on” you dispute my argument. Not go on some diatribe about what they used to mean to you. Learn how to construct a decent argument you illiterate knuckle-dragger

Matt, it sounds like you were a fanboy tool that annoyed Against Me! I can’t blame them for ignoring you. What’s the difference between signing to an indie or major, neither are anarchy, but structured businesses. Why do people act like indie musicians and labels aren’t out there to get big/make money respectively? The bands have to start somewhere and the labels are a business, just a smaller one. If you like an indie act, good on you, but don’t bitch and moan when they’re good enough and have built enough of a fan base to get signed to a major. And there’s a lot more casual music listeners out there who may have varied tastes, but don’t get into every scene and don’t know of a band until they get bigger. To them, this is a band being broken. No one gave a shit about Against Me! at their first show, it’s a long trip to notoriety, and RS is bringing them to the masses, just like Sire is and Against Me! wants. If you’re going to rip RS, rip them for their abysmal album reviews, cover stories, and writing.

Did I ever say I was an anarchist? I was simply stating that because they went directly against their anarchist lyrics, the rest come into question.

You are the one defending the “anarchist,” not me. So maybe I should rape your mother.

Hey, Mr. T, if anarchy is indeed cool, why don’t you take Matt’s mother to dinner first, and refuse to pay for it, and THEN rape her? Where your sense of anarchistic romance?

Hey Matt S. If anarchy is so cool, then maybe I’ll rape your mother.

“A good producer and a major label brings them to a wider audience, and sometimes more money. They’re trying to get out there to as many people as possible. Sorry they don’t want to be nobodys on your obscure underground music list you selfish dickheads.”

You have no ground to stand on. AM! used to be my favorite band. Words cannot describe what this band meant to me. They were more than just a great band, they symbolized an underground, DIY movement, and they wre successful at it. No, they weren’t rich like they are now, but they got by, and thats all they needed. They sang incredsibly inspirational songs about staying true to yourself and your personal beliefs.

When Tom goes directly against his previous anarchist lyrics (he stills claims to be an anarchist, as big of a joke as that is on Sire), everything else he said, and that I believed in and screamed until my throat bled, is no longer valid.

We went on tour with them, and became great friends with Tom and Andrew. A week after the signing with Sire, we saw them in Boston and they wouldn’t even aknowledge us. They completely played the underground for fools, and used them to become rockstars. Anyone who listens to them and takes themselves seriously and isn’t 14 needs to take a little time to think things out.

PS- I have nothing against a band making money. Example: AFI finally broke huge a few years ago, and I couldn’t be happier. They are making the best music of their careers, and there are few bands who worked harder or deserve it more than they do.

I was at O’Hare Airport, and I punched the lead singer of The Romantics in the face, breaking his jaw. True story.

To anyone complaining about RS breaking an artist that has been around for awhile, what are you really complaining about? Sour grapes that a band you have liked for awhile is going to be making some real money for a change? That their message will reach a broader audience?

To many people this is a breaking act, especially if they are not from Gainesville, or are not buying Fat Wreck samplers at Warped Tour every year.

Either way I am glad to see a band I used to watch in college making it on a bigger stage.

All of their CD’s are enjoyable. New Wave is definitely the weakest though. I’ve grown to love Searching as much as any of their earlier stuff.

RS is way behind the curve on this though. Everyone go buy their stuff despite that. Terrific, creative band.

Against Me! has been around for a long time…next RS will inform us about the new band Anti-Flag.

Breaking artist?

I hate this type of reporting. Who cares if this guy hit someone’s head into a counter. People do stupid shit all the time. This could have been a one time thing or a pattern of conduct and it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t deserve national media attention.

Wow. This is another example of RS finding some guys who have been around for a DECADE and claiming they are a “Breaking Artist” *after* they sign a major record deal.

These guys rock. I saw them with Mastodon and were the first act I checked out at Lolla. They are awesome live. Whoever calls them a sellout is a tool. A good producer and a major label brings them to a wider audience, and sometimes more money. They’re trying to get out there to as many people as possible. Sorry they don’t want to be nobodys on your obscure underground music list you selfish dickheads.

new wave is nothing. the disco before the breakdown was the last of the good against me releases.

If you want to get into Against Me, go with the early stuff.
Not a fan of the new album. They had a great acoustic punk rock edge to their first albums that they’ve ditched in favor of sounding like every other “canned” band out there.
Album aside, great live act, lots of energy.

This band is the definition of “sell out.” I am not one to give that cry at a band for going major, but these guys should be ashamed of themselves. Read any of their lyrics pre-”Searching For A Former Clarity” for evidence.

These dudes are great. I saw them with Mastodon a few months back. Then I downloaded the album for free. Then I bought it because it’s that good. Get it on vinyl! It’s lime green and comes with the CD for free so you can put it on your iPod!