But “New Wave,” the band’s 2007 major label debut, is a “sellout” in only the right ways. The record, produced by Butch Vig (Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins) and featuring a guest appearance by Tegan of Tegan & Sara, breaks down the music industry in minute detail, offering up razor-sharp critiques of big record companies, digital distribution and old-school punk rock—and doing it with a swagger and groove not heard since the early days of the Clash. Singer Gabel, one of the nicest guys in music, offered up his reasons for going big-time…and why women really rule the world.
As of late, your band has been doing some more non-traditional tours—going out with a metal group (Mastodon), and now headlining with an indie-pop group (Matt & Kim) and a blues-rock duo (Two Gallants). Have you been doing this on purpose?
Well, first, we definitely have to like the bands we tour with. I mean, we have to hear them every night! And then there’s the idea that we want to share music we like with our fans. We did make a conscious effort this time out to play with bands from different genres. It’s nice not to always preach to the converted, you know?
How did you decide on “New Wave” as an album title? That’s a loaded phrase.
I felt it summed up what we wanted to do with this album—we’re on a new label, working with a new producer, and it’s a new beginning. And Seymour Stein, the guy who started Sire—our record label—was credited with coming up with the phrase in the first place.
I was just afraid you were going to get big feathery hair and cover A Flock of Seagulls.
Oh, that’s in the works, too.
This is a very economical album—10 songs, 33 minutes. Was that the point?
We wrote 25, but from the get-go, I was dead set on 10. It’s the perfect amount. Zero fat. A very lean record that gets your attention.
A lot of songs you write deal with how people receive music and record industry, whether it’s on music videos, major vs. minor labels, etc. How did this become such a big topic for you? Why not write about girls?
Well, no one has broken my heart [laughs]. It’s something I’m interested in, and I spend so much time involved in it. I play in a band, and being in the music world, I know a lot about what’s going on. As a fan of music, I feel very passionate about these things. And it’s not just music—it’s how we look at art in general.
Can you explain the song “White People for Peace”? And can I get a t-shirt with that slogan?
Actually, we do sell a t-shirt with that on it. But the song itself is pretty self-explanatory; it’s an anti-war song. The title was meant to poke fun at ourselves. I mean, we’re four middle-class white kids from privileged backgrounds. We have the luxury to protest the war and then go on with our lives and not be affected by it.
Your lyrics, and choruses, can be convoluted. How do you possibly write a song and think a line like “protest songs in response to military aggression” will work as a chorus?
I write the lyrics first, then put the music to it. It opens up the possibilities of what you can do. If you write the music first, you have this really limited structure to work with.
There’s a bit of rockabilly vibe going on here—is this new?
Yeah, we’re getting funky [laughs]. A lot of these songs were written on the road, and we wanted to do only songs that are fun to play live. If we’re touring for a year, and have to hear the songs night after night, we want them to be fun. It’s fun to dance. Our fans shouldn’t be miserable!
In the album closer, “The Ocean,” you talk about your desire to have been born a woman and settle down near the beach with a family. That’s a pretty radical declaration—what prompted that?
We were on tour in France, and we had checked into hotel near the beach. It was gorgeous, and I remember sitting there watching sun go down, and the music and words just starting pouring out. The first part of the song is about heaven being in the water, being connected by water…very abstract hippie-ish stuff.
The second verse, the one you mention…well, I was raised by females. My family divorced, so I was also just around the women in my family. I remember we’d all go to the beach when I was young, have picnics, then at night, I’d sit out on the balcony and have a fan blowing on me. It was so my favorite childhood memory. I was trying to communicate that, and hopefully someday my children, if I have them, can have the same sort of memory.
You ever read reviews of your work?
For sure. I definitely get into that habit. Especially because Mom wants to know what magazines we’re in. Obviously, I like good reviews, and I’ve read bad reviews where I’ve agreed somewhat with what the writer had to say.
What was it like working with Butch Vig? Did he tell you stories about Nirvana?
Amazing. Best decision we ever made as a band, and it was the best opportunity we ever had. You know when you read those stories about how a record “almost broke up a band”? That was the opposite here. I went into the studio every day very, very happy.
You’re doing a benefit show for Harvest for Hope in your home state of Florida later this month. What’s that about?
It’s through a friend of mine who works with migrant farm workers. There’s a large migrant farm worker population in Florida, and if you do any research, the struggles they’ve gone through…it’s horrific.
When I spoke with you about two years ago, you were extolling the virtues of belonging to this hotel chain reward program. Is this some trade secret that all bands know about?
No! I don’t think enough bands take advantage of these opportunities. If you travel or fly a lot, there are all these places you can go. I was able to live in a hotel for a year using my points. I guess the idea of buying a house is scary or something.
Against Me! plays Terminal 5 on November 17 .
