Last Updated on March 5, 2023
Originally published in Beat Motel issue 3
Anti-Flag have been one of our ‘Fist In The Air’ faves for a good while here at Beat Motel HQ, we loaded up Iain with our trusty Dictaphone and 20p for the bus, here’s what he came back with…
Interview Date: 29th June 2005 @ The London Astoria
For people who don’t know who Anti-Flag are, could you tell them who you are, and what you play in the band?
Yes. My name is Path Thetic, I play drums in a band called Anti-Flag. We are a punk rock band from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.
What do you like and enjoy about being in anti-flag?
The thing I like about being In Anti-Flag is talking to other people from different places all over the world, it’s a good time, get to share ideas and get different prospective on the world. And why is it important to be in a band who promotes their views and opinions? Its important because we are in very, sketchy place In the US right now, were more to the right than we’ve ever been and my understanding of history and I think we need to get more voices heard In the national debate and because the only voices that are being heard are the voices of right wing.
I feel I have to ask about your label move. Fans and the industry find it strange you have moved to a major label company, Im sure people are saying that your music may be watered down with less meaning than in the past, or it would be completely the opposite and you will say that, yes we’re on a major record label but no, we are going to say we don’t care we have not changed?
I think that it’s more of the latter, I think that’s the exciting thing about it, we get a chance to really piss off some people and get so much, and get that idea out to people, and to make people really think about here lives and see the world in a different way.
Do you think it was important to move to a major then to do this?
I think that somebody need to be getting some opinions out, there’s so much crap out in the industry right now, that there need to be something out there that has some substance and value out there, it doesn’t have to be me but there needs to be something out there for god sake let there be something out there!
How is the tour going at the moment?
Yeah It’s going great, We’ve had a lot of great times, met a lot of great people, played a couple of festivals and played some shows with a band called Die Toten Hosen, a band from Germany, great band they are and its been a good time.
So what happened with the Gig in Middlesbrough?
We actually don’t know, we were told it was burnt down that’s all we got told.
So you weren’t even there that night?
No not at all, was a shame.
What can we expect from the new album, future tour and anything else?
Oh yeah we will definitely be back over in Europe when the new record is out, hopefully it will piss some people off, and we should be back 2006, early 2006, February.
You’ve toured with Strike anywhere and Rise against a few times before, can we expect support from either in the future, maybe on future tours?
Hopefully, we will bring one of those over with us to Europe in the future, we are trying to come back over in October with Rise against but we are not sure if that’s going to happen, but ya’ never know.
For you, or the band, what song or album really defines what Anti-Flag is all about, musically and lyrically?
I think the song ‘Die for Your Government’ is definitely one, I think ‘Anatomy Of The enemy’ is another one that really defines what Anti-Flag is all about. ‘Operation Iraqi Liberation’ is also another good one. Those would be some of my choices for sure.
Younger people, and our generation are starting to listen more to Anti-Flag and political music in general. Do you think they listen to it for the music or for the meaning?
I don’t really know but I know that people who listen to Britney spears get crap out of that so Id rather have them listen to a Anti-Flag, a NOFX, Rise Against or Strike Anywhere record and just for the music and hopefully get a little bit of meaning out of it then. Than listen to some crap Britney Spears record that teaches you crap.
What do you think about the future for America and how it will go for the next few years?
*Laughs* Right now its more to the right than its ever been were fighting the same battles as you are over ID cards, Personal, and Civil liberties, these things are very important to us and right now the American people are just letting the Bush administration do what ever it wants, I think its pretty fucked up, And I think one of these days the American public will wake up and think what the fuck did we let this guy do to us. I think its tragic, I think that I wish that more people would have realised what was going on while it was going on rather than waiting until later when its far to difficult to change it.
So that’s it from me, I hope you enjoy the rest of the tour, the show tonight and thanks, any last comments for your fans?
Yes. Check out our website at www.Anti-Flag.com and it has some links to some of the other organisations that we are working with so yeah, thanks.
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