Justin Sane

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Justin Sane
Anti-Flag - Reload Festival 2017 12.jpg
Sane performing live at Reload Festival 2017
Background information
Birth nameJustin Cathal Geever
Born (1973-02-21) February 21, 1973 (age 51)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres Punk rock, hardcore punk, skate punk, anarcho-punk
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1988–present
Labels RCA, Fat Wreck Chords, A-F, Sideonedummy
Website justinsane.net

Justin Cathal Geever (born February 21, 1973), known professionally as Justin Sane, is an American singer and guitarist. He was the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of Anti-Flag, a punk rock band formed in 1988 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that was known for its left-wing political views.

Contents

In 2023, Anti-Flag abruptly disbanded following multiple rape allegations made against Sane. He is currently being sued for rape under New York's Adult Survivors Act. Sane holds dual United States and Irish citizenship. [1]

Music career

Sane in 2008 Justin Sane.jpg
Sane in 2008

In 1988, Sane formed Anti-Flag with friend Pat Thetic. [2] In a 2014 interview, Sane claimed that their first performance as a band occurred at his high school, that the band truly solidified in 1993, and that the 1988 iteration had "very little similarit[ies]" with "what Anti-Flag later became." [3]

In 1996, they released their first album, Die for the Government . Later that year, Andy Flag left the band as a result of personal disputes. Various band members came and went during 1997 and 1998, after which they finally settled on a permanent line-up consisting of Sane as lead guitarist/vocalist, Thetic as drummer, Chris Head as guitarist/backing vocalist, and Chris "#2" Barker as bassist/second vocalist. [4] In 1998, the band released their second album, Their System Doesn't Work For You .

In 1999 Anti-Flag released their third album, A New Kind of Army , and founded their own label, A-F Records. In 2001, they signed to Fat Wreck Chords after discussions with the label's owner, "Fat Mike" Burkett. [5] Following their switch to Fat Wreck Chords, the band released Underground Network .

Mobilize , recorded shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, was released early 2002. [6] Anti-Flag released a split CD with Bouncing Souls seven months later. 2003 saw the release of The Terror State , produced by Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine. Anti-Flag's first DVD, Death of a Nation , was released in 2004. The DVD includes live footage, three music videos, an interview with the band, behind-the-scenes tour footage, and three montages compiled by the band. [7]

In 2006, Anti-Flag released For Blood and Empire on RCA Records. The Bright Lights of America was released in 2008.

On March 4, 2009, Sane jumped into the crowd at a concert at the LCR in Norwich to stop a scuffle which broke out and landed awkwardly, breaking his collar bone. This caused Anti-Flag to cancel the remainder of their tour with Rise Against and their upcoming headlining tour of Europe. [8] The same year, a 2-track split album with Rise Against was released, originally given away with any merchandise purchase on the 2009 Rise Against/Anti-Flag/Flobots UK tour.[ citation needed ]

Discography

Sane performing with Anti-Flag in 2010 Anti-Flag @ Steel Blue Oval (1 3 2010) (4416922678).jpg
Sane performing with Anti-Flag in 2010

Anti-Flag:

Solo:

Rape allegations

On July 19, 2023, Anti-Flag abruptly disbanded via a brief Patreon statement in the middle of a European tour. [9] Publications including Stereogum and Us Weekly linked the breakup to sexual assault allegations made on a podcast against an anonymous "singer in a political punk band", believed to be Sane. [9] [10] [11] On July 21, the mental health nonprofit organization Punk Rock Saves Lives severed ties with Sane. [12]

On July 26, Sane denied the accusations as "categorically false" through a statement on his reactivated Instagram account. In a separate statement, his bandmates said Anti-Flag broke up as Sane's alleged behavior contradicted the band's values. [13]

On September 5, Rolling Stone published an exposé revealing twelve more women and girls, the youngest at 12 years old, who accused Sane of predatory behavior, sexual assault, and statutory rape in alleged incidents dating from the 1990s to 2020. [14] Following the release of the article, Sane's former bandmates, Thetic, Head, and Barker, released a statement directly condemning Sane, stating they believed he was "in need of serious professional help" and that "it appears you used our beliefs as a cover for egregious activities that you clearly knew we would never condone." [15]

On November 23, 2023, Sane was sued by Kristina Sarhadi, the woman who made the initial allegation, under New York's Adult Survivors Act, for allegedly raping her in 2010 when she was 21. [16] In March 2024, Sarhadi's legal team announced that they had learned that Sane sold his Pittsburgh home and transferred funds to an Irish bank account, where he holds dual citizenship, and later claimed that Sane had successfully fled the country, although her legal team could not confirm the country to which Sane moved. Sarhadi's legal team stated that they believed Sane had victimized approximately 60 women and girls since the 1990s, and Sarhadi stated, "They are people, many in the U.S. that I talk to regularly, and many in Europe, Australia, Canada, South America. . . . I talked to dozens and dozens of women who [were] desperate to see something happen." [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-Flag</span> American punk rock band (1993–2023)

Anti-Flag was an American punk rock band formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1988. The band was known for its left-wing political activism. For the majority of the band's career, their members included Justin Sane, Chris Head (guitar), Pat Thetic (drums), and Chris Barker, also known as Chris No. 2.

<i>Die for the Government</i> 1996 studio album by Anti-Flag

Die for the Government is the debut studio album by the U.S. punk rock band Anti-Flag, released in 1996. After this album, bassist Andy Flag played with Anti-Flag on their EP North America Sucks, but left soon after as they couldn't get along as a band. The CD booklet bids farewell to Andy Flag.

<i>Mobilize</i> (Anti-Flag album) 2002 studio album by Anti-Flag

Mobilize is the fourth studio album by punk rock band Anti-Flag. It contains eight new studio tracks, and eight live songs.

<i>The Terror State</i> 2003 studio album by Anti-Flag

The Terror State is the fifth studio album by Pittsburgh punk rock band Anti-Flag, released on October 21, 2003, on Fat Wreck Chords. The album's artwork was regarded as somewhat controversial, and the band was forced to create an alternate version for sale in some larger chain stores, such as Wal-Mart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A-F Records</span> American independent record label

A-F Records was an American independent record label founded by punk rock band Anti-Flag – namely the band's drummer Pat Thetic, their rhythm guitarist Chris Head, and their lead vocalist Justin Sane – and based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was created to help expose more political punk bands to a larger audience.

Aus-Rotten was an American crust punk band formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Active from 1991 to 2001, its members practiced and promoted a philosophy of anarchist politics. The band included lead vocalist Dave Trenga, vocalist/guitarist Eric Good, bassist Corey Lyons, and drummer Matt Garabedian. Spitboy singer Adrienne Droogas would often join the band in their later material. The band's name comes from the German verb ausrotten, which translates to "exterminate" or "eradicate".

<i>Their System Doesnt Work for You</i> 1998 compilation album by Anti-Flag

Their System Doesn't Work for You is a compilation album by punk band Anti-Flag, released in 1998. It was the first album released by the band's label A-F Records.

<i>Underground Network</i> 2001 studio album by Anti-Flag

Underground Network is Anti-Flag's third studio album, released on Fat Wreck Chords in 2001. Widely considered to be the band's breakthrough album, it helped make Anti-Flag a household name in the U.S. punk scene with tracks such as "Underground Network," "Bring Out Your Dead," and "Stars and Stripes."

<i>A New Kind of Army</i> 1999 studio album by Anti-Flag

A New Kind of Army is a punk rock studio album originally released by Anti-Flag on May 25, 1999. It was reissued by A-F Records on October 19, 2004, and is also the only album to feature only Justin Sane as lead vocalist. All other albums featured at least one song sung by either Andy Flag or Chris #2.

<i>For Blood and Empire</i> 2006 studio album by Anti-Flag

For Blood and Empire is the sixth studio album by the American punk rock band Anti-Flag. It was released on March 21, 2006. It was the band's first release on RCA Records, which caused the band to receive criticism from many due to their initially anti-corporate message.

<i>BYO Split Series Volume IV</i> 2002 studio album by The Bouncing Souls and Anti-Flag

BYO Split Series Volume IV is a split album released in 2002 as the fourth entry in BYO Records BYO Split Series. The album features twelve tracks by American punk rock bands the Bouncing Souls and Anti-Flag. Each band covers one song originally by the other, with The Bouncing Souls performing "That's Youth" and Anti-Flag performing "The Freaks, Nerds & Romantics". Other covers are Cock Sparrer's "We're Coming Back" and Sticks and Stones' "Less Than Free" by The Bouncing Souls and the Buzzcocks' "Ever Fallen In Love" by Anti-Flag. The remaining tracks were originally recorded for this album.

<i>A Benefit for Victims of Violent Crime</i> 2007 EP by Anti-Flag

A Benefit for Victims of Violent Crime provided funds to The Center for Victims of Violence and Crime and features five new Anti-Flag studio tracks along with five live songs recorded at Pittsburgh's Mr. Smalls in April 2007. Bassist Chris #2's family experienced the horror of losing a family member when his sister and her boyfriend were both murdered, leaving behind a young daughter and son. Anti-Flag’s reaction when faced with tragedy was to put together this limited edition benefit EP in hopes that it would help others who have gone through similar situations.

<i>Kill Kill Kill</i> 1995 EP by Anti-Flag

Kill Kill Kill is the debut 7-inch EP by Anti-Flag. They had released a couple of splits before this and had appeared on a compilation or two, but this was their first solo release. It was recorded and released "around 1995" and is now long out of print. Most of the songs can be found on their first full-length Die for the Government.

<i>The People or the Gun</i> 2009 studio album by Anti-Flag

The People or the Gun is Anti-Flag's eighth studio album. The album was released on June 9, 2009. It was their first album released on independent label SideOneDummy Records after the band's two-record contract ended with RCA Records. The first track, "Sodom, Gomorrah, Washington D.C. ", was released on the band's MySpace page prior to the album.

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<i>A Document of Dissent: 1993–2013</i> 2014 compilation album by Anti-Flag

A Document of Dissent: 1993–2013 is a compilation album by the punk band Anti-Flag. The album was released on July 21, 2014, on Fat Wreck Chords. It marked the band's first release on the label since The Terror State, in 2003.

<i>American Spring</i> (Anti-Flag album) 2015 studio album by Anti-Flag

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<i>Lies They Tell Our Children</i> 2023 studio album by Anti-Flag

Lies They Tell Our Children is the thirteenth and final studio album by American punk rock band Anti-Flag from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was released on January 6, 2023, via Spinefarm Records. Primary production, recording, and mixing was handled by Jon Lundin, while the mastering was done by long-time Anti-Flag producer and mastering engineer Mass Giorgini. It is also the band's first concept album, and features multiple guest musicians from notable acts such as Rise Against, Bad Religion, Bad Cop/Bad Cop, Pinkshift, and Silverstein.

References

  1. ↑ "Anti-Flag Interview @ Taubertal 2008 by festivals2go.com". Archived from the original on December 13, 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
  2. ↑ Malkin, John (April 27, 2005). "Justin Sane's Military Free Zone". WireTap Magazine. Archived from the original on June 16, 2008.
  3. ↑ Jones, Corey (September 5, 2014). "The Anti-Flag Interview: Justin Sane Speaks". The Inertia. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  4. ↑ Stoffel, Michelle (December 3, 2007). "Interview with Anti-Flag". Punkbands.com. Archived from the original on September 7, 2008.
  5. ↑ Harlow, Luke (2001). "Anti-Flag - Justin Sane". Decapolis. Archived from the original on September 28, 2001.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ↑ Mobilize liner notes, 2002.
  7. ↑ Death of a Nation DVD liner notes
  8. ↑ Mervis, Scott (June 4, 2009). "Anti-Flag rages back with punkest record in years". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  9. 1 2 Simpson, Kaitlin (July 20, 2023). "Punk Band Anti-Flag Abruptly Breaks Up After 35 Years Amid Their European Tour". Us Weekly . Archived from the original on July 21, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  10. ↑ Breihan, Tom (July 20, 2023). "Anti-Flag Announce Break Up Following Possible Rape Accusations Against Frontman". Stereogum . Archived from the original on July 20, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  11. ↑ "enough. podcast 40: Kristina Sarhadi: "People don't hang their lives on a music scene, but we do."". YouTube . July 19, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Punk Rock Saves Lives cuts ties with Justin Sane of Anti-Flag". Punknews. July 21, 2023. Archived from the original on July 23, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  13. ↑ Monroe, Jazz (July 26, 2023). "Anti-Flag Issue Statements on Breakup and Sexual Assault Allegation Against Justin Sane". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  14. ↑ "The Punk-Rock Predator". Rolling Stone . September 5, 2023. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Ex-Anti-Flag Members Address Disgraced Singer Justin Sane In New Statement". Stereogum . September 7, 2023. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  16. ↑ Monroe, Jazz (November 23, 2023). "Anti-Flag's Justin Sane Sued for Raping Fan in 2010". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  17. ↑ Waltz, Amanda (March 29, 2024). "Under mounting allegations of sexual misconduct, Pittsburgh's Anti-Flag has become a disappearing act". Pittsburgh City Paper. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
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