Against Me! is an American punk rock group from Gainesville, Florida, formed in 1997. They released their first three albums through independent record labels before moving to Sire Records for their album “New Wave” in 2007, and in 2011 they created their own record label called Total Treble Music which all albums since have been released under.
The band have come under a lot of public attention due to their founder and lead singer, Laura Jane Grace. She was born as Thomas James Gabel in 1980, but in 2012 came out publicly as Transgender. She struggled with gender dysphoria since childhood, and although well before the transition, “The Ocean” from 2007's New Wave album features the lyric “If I could have chosen, I would have been born a woman, my mother once told me she would have named me Laura” which suggests that she was struggling with gender association for some time. in 2014, after Grace's transition, the band released the album “Transgender Dysphoria Blues” which takes a strong stand against prejudices and unfair treatment of the LGBT community.
It was a very brave move for Grace to come out publicly after already establishing herself as a successful musician before, and apparently came after a transgender fan of her music inspired her to come out publicly, and she soon after announced her intentions to transitioning. Her strong following of fans, although mostly in support, have been dichotomised over such a strong decision, and for many it was the first time they ever had to consider such topics as gender dysphoria, and as such a popular public figure, it has been excellent for raising awareness of gender related issues in the rock community. While now presenting herself as a woman, she has retained her grungy and distinct voice from before the operation, and still makes the same music, challenging political issues and standing up for equal rights, proving that gender is irrelevant when producing iconic rock music and standing up for what one believes in.
Against Me! are a very energetic and entertaining live act, bringing a lot of passion and emotion to the stage. Since their album Shape Shift With Me in 2016, the band have been playing shows all over the US and the world. There is a detailed breakdown of all of their upcoming shows on their official website (againstme.net) including festival slots and smaller, more intimate shows. The four person act deliver a very memorable show, every night they hit the stage. Their Spring Tour 2020 in the USA started on 13 December 2019.
For any fans of punk rock music, not only have Against Me! provided excellent, high energy, talented music since 1997, but they have also become a very important part of punk history, taking a strong stand against some major social issues, and are spreading awareness for the LGBT community globally as they release more music and tour. Highlights and fan favourites from their back catalogue include “Thrash Unreal”, “Borne on the FW waves of the heart” and “I was a teenage anarchist”.