Against Me!

Laura Jane Grace launched Against Me! as a lone acoustic endeavor prior to its transformation into a complete punk ensemble, taking the stage for the first time at age 17 in Gainesville, Florida. From 1997 onward Grace appeared solo at any venue that would host the performances, absorbing inspiration from pioneering acoustic protest songs. By 2001 the project had expanded into a full band featuring guitarist James Bowman, drummer Warren Oakes, and bassist Andrew Seward, although traces of anarchism and Billy Bragg persisted amid the raucous braggadocio. Following several early 12" and 7" releases, Against Me! delivered the fan favorite Reinventing Axl Rose in 2002. The underground hit fused punk, folk, and country elements into socially conscious, impassioned anthems. Maintaining their reputation for constant touring, the musicians accumulated innumerable road dates nationwide behind the initial recordings.

A somewhat more refined effort, As the Eternal Cowboy, arrived in 2003 via the independent imprint Fat Wreck, succeeded by a collection of that album’s demos issued as The Original Cowboy. After the appearance of a DVD titled We’re Never Going Home and an additional 7", the group unveiled its most developed work yet, Searching for a Former Clarity in 2005. An ensuing headline run supporting the introspective, politically charged album found Against Me! visiting every U.S. state, after which the band signed with Sire Records in December 2005. They subsequently released a raw version of Searching for a Former Clarity under the title Total Clarity. By spring 2006 they were back on the road, this time supporting the Alkaline Trio, and devoted the summer months to the main stage of the Warped Tour. Although officially attached to Sire, they issued their final independent album as Americans Abroad!!! Against Me!!! Live in London!!!, a concert recording captured during a London engagement alongside Murder by Death.

In July 2007 the band’s major-label debut, New Wave, emerged as a decidedly more rock-focused album produced by Butch Vig. New Wave marked the first Against Me! release without acoustic material and the first issued under a major label. Critical notices proved largely positive, prompting extensive touring in its wake. By summer 2009 Warren Oakes had departed to pursue a career as a restaurateur, later establishing a Tex-Mex establishment in Gainesville. George Rebelo of Hot Water Music stepped in on drums, and the revised lineup once again enlisted Butch Vig to produce White Crosses, which surfaced in mid-2010. White Crosses entered the Billboard 200 at number 34, after which Against Me! prepared an international itinerary that was curtailed when they canceled a planned Australian and New Zealand leg in September 2010. Two months later the band parted ways with Sire and scheduled year-end performances with Jay Weinberg substituting for Rebelo, a change made permanent early in 2011. That spring the demos collection Total Clarity surfaced on Fat Wreck Chords; while beginning work on a new album, Against Me! founded their own imprint, Total Treble Music, and Grace opened an Elkton, Florida recording studio sharing the same name.

During a May 2012 Rolling Stone interview Laura Jane Grace disclosed her gender dysphoria, revealing intentions to transition and retire the birth name Tom Gabel. Against Me! commenced work on Transgender Dysphoria Blues in 2012, and several months after the announcement the group resumed live appearances. Toward year’s end Weinberg exited, and the following May Against Me! confirmed bassist Andrew Seward’s departure. Laura Jane Grace continued alongside guitarist James Bowman, and the band released Transgender Dysphoria Blues to widespread acclaim in January 2014. The album represented a commercial breakthrough, attaining the group’s highest chart position to date at number 23 on the Billboard 200 while earning strong reviews. On the supporting tour Against Me! captured material that became the 2015 live album 23 Live Sex Acts. During those dates bassist Inge Johansson and drummer Atom Willard joined as full-time members, the configuration that recorded 2016’s Shape Shift with Me.