Artist News

Anti-Flag split

By Andy Malt | Published on Friday 21 July 2023

US punk band Anti-Flag have abruptly split up without explanation, deleting their social media accounts and website in the process.

The split was announced via the band’s Patreon page, with a statement saying: “Anti-Flag has disbanded. The Patreon has been switched into a mode where it will no longer charge the monthly fee. I will begin to process refunds to all patrons in the coming weeks. Once all refunds are processed the Patreon page will also be removed”.

Formed in 1988 and known for their leftwing political lyrics and activism, Anti-Flag released thirteen albums during their career – most recently ‘The Lies They Tell Our Children’, which came out in January.

With confusion surrounding the sudden and unexpected split, there has been much speculation online as to the reasons for both the break up and the decision to wipe out the band’s online presence. Many have linked the move to a podcast episode published earlier this week that made serious allegations about the singer of an unnamed political punk band.

Although the band and its members have remained silent, their longtime photographer Josh Massie said that news of the split had been as much a surprise to the band’s crew as it had their fans.

“It’s difficult to figure out where to start and go from here”, he wrote in an Instagram story post. “Now that news is breaking and we all know what’s happening, it all feels like a bad dream, or like the start of another pandemic or something, and my world has once again come to a screeching halt”.

Alluding to the aforementioned allegations, he said that he has so far chosen not to “listen to the story that’s out there“, adding that “besides the notice that something was going down yesterday, I haven’t received any other news on anything concerning the band, the other members, [the band’s label] A-F Records, anything”.

The band were set to tour the US In October.