Not as muscular a sing-a-long as “Rapid Decompression,” “I Was A Teenage Anarchist” is a flame-stoking one-band “New Direction” anthem for Against Me!’s post-major label detractors. In the video, Tom Gabel runs from the police, gets beaten by the police, keeps running, etc., while dropping lines like “I was a teenage anarchist, but then the scene got too rigid / It was a mob mentality, they set their rifle sights on me / Narrow visions of autonomy, you want me to surrender my identity / I was a teenage anarchist, the revolution was a lie.” The cops eventually catchup, of course. In the meantime, the late ’80s hardcore scene is suing Gabel for plagiarism.
White Crosses is out 6/8 via Sire.
You Might Also Like
 Against Me! Frontman To Change Genders |  Øyafestivalen 2010 In Photos |  Silversun Pickups, Against Me!, Henry Clay People @ Greek… |  Against Me! – “White Crosses” (Stereogum Premiere) |
 |
 |
%s1 / %s2
not funny.
Tommy Gabel is a star.
the chorus of this song is unbelievably bad. auto-tuned to hell, and just shitty. god.
I hear no auto-tune.
there most definitely is auto-tune in the chorus. mostly on the upper-range background vocals…
(“auto-tuned” doesn’t always mean it sounds like T-Pain – its usually a little more subtle than that)
sorry i have got to admit to having this song in my head at least once a day for the past month
upsetting this post doesn’t pick up on the fact that they’ve been copying ideas from past videos (“new wave” takes a stab at “bastards of young,” this video borrows from “california” by wax)
so when ever someone runs its wax?
I mentioned the “Bastards Of Young” thing when it happened. I forgot about Wax … for some reason………….
whenever someone runs in extreme slow motion in one single take, yeah, it’s wax
you guys should probably complain some more. fun song.
The production is kind of annoying. I caught one of their shows last week and thought they were much better life. Catchy though
Video would be better if you couldn’t see the massive protective pads under TG’s jeans. Come on, take a few for the team… artistically!
wow. i hadn’t heard anything new from these guys since The Eternal Cowboy… until now. its hard to believe this is the same band… i just listened to “we did it all for don” right after this video and it was pretty amusing comparing the two songs!
and i’m not complaining, i’m not into that kind of music anymore so i really don’t care. i just think its crazy that in like 5 years they started making music that sounds like, uh i dunno, My Chemical Romance?? haha. and with a chorus The Killers would be jealous of! but i guess i’ll always have a soft spot for all those old Against Me! albums…
That acoustic punk thing was ridiculed by many back around 2001 and 2002. No matter what a punk band does, they’ll have more critics than fans.
You’re right about one thing though: The Killers – and just about any rock band that tries to be catchy – would be jealous of that chorus.
Yes, Tom Gabel. You WERE.
The fuck……….I mean I like this song but its not Against Me! at all. I knew this day would come. RIP Against Me!
We dont know who these guys are because of their great singing voices and spot on musicianship. Getting in the studio with a budget isnt the best thing for all bands. The charm is gone.
Didnt he punch a kid in starbucks? That’s not punk- neither is this.