Who Were Anti-Flag? Pittsburgh Punk With a Message
Few punk bands put their whole message into their name. Anti-Flag did, and they spent more than three decades explaining it. Here is the short story of the band behind our designs.
Where did Anti-Flag come from?
Anti-Flag formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1988. The first line-up split after a single show, and the band started again in 1992. From then on they played fast, loud punk rock about war, power and the people in charge.
What does the name mean?
The band answered that on the artwork of A New Kind of Army in 1999: "Anti-Flag does not mean Anti-American. Anti-Flag means anti-war." That line sums up almost everything they wrote.
Which records should I know?
Anti-Flag released 13 studio albums. A few that matter for our designs:
- The Terror State (2003): a Fat Wreck Chords record aimed at the war on terror.
- The General Strike (2012): recorded and produced by the band in their own home studio.
- American Spring (2015): their first album on Spinefarm Records, with one of their most striking covers.
- American Fall (2017): the follow-up, also on Spinefarm.
The first album was Die for the Government (1996), and the last was Lies They Tell Our Children, released in January 2023.
What is the gunstar?
It is the band's best-known symbol: a star made of broken M16 rifles. It first appeared on Mobilize in 2002 and turned up on Anti-Flag merch for years after.
Is Anti-Flag still together?
No. Anti-Flag announced that the band had disbanded in July 2023, in the middle of a European tour. The records and the art are still here, and that is what this store is about.
Quick facts
- Home town: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Formed: 1988
- Studio albums: 13, from 1996 to 2023
- Symbol: the gunstar
Want to wear the art? Shop the Anti-Flag collection.