In 2012, Grace publicly came out as transgender. After a long period of line-up changes and uncertainty surrounding the band's future, their sixth studio album, Transgender Dysphoria Blues, was released independently in January 2014 to critical acclaim. The band's seventh album, Shape Shift with Me, was released in 2016. In addition, the band have four well known EPs: Crime as Forgiven by Against Me!, The Acoustic EP, The Disco Before the Breakdown, and New Wave B-Sides. They have released numerous singles, two live albums, and demo versions of the three of their studio albums.
Band members:
Laura Jane Grace – vocals, guitar
James Bowman – lead guitar
Andrew Seward – bass
Atom Willard – drums
Former members:
Kevin Mahon – drums (1998–2001)
Dustin Fridkin – bass (2000–2002)
Warren Oakes – drums (2001–2009)
George Rebelo – drums (2009–2010)
Jay Weinberg – drums (2010–2012)
Inge Johansson – bass (2013–2018)
Discography:
• Reinventing Axl Rose (2002)
• As the Eternal Cowboy (2003)
• Searching for a Former Clarity (2005)
• New Wave (2007)
• White Crosses (2010)
• Transgender Dysphoria Blues (2014)
• Shape Shift with Me (2016)
Up the Cuts
Against Me! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dry red eyes wide open
Starin' at the white stucco ceiling
Turn on the TV
Watch music on television
Have I heard this song before, did this already happen?
Derived influence
Similar trends in camera technique and editing
Sync up the cuts (sync up the cuts)
To the bass drum kick (to the bass drum kick)
All the taste-makers drinking from the same glass
Is there anybody thinking what I am?
Is there anybody thinking what I am?
Are you restless like me?
Are you restless like me?
Are you restless like me?
And all the insiders rumor
About a decline in sales
All the buzz is happening in the new digital market place
FBI warning
Printed on the flip side
Under penalty of law piracy will be prosecuted
And in MRR (and in MRR)
Someone asks the question (someone asks the question)
With the instant availability of information
And content so easily obtainable
Is the culture now a product that's disposable?
Are the punks still singing the same song?
Is there anybody thinking what I am?
Is there any other alternative at all?
Are you restless like me?
Are you restless like me?
Are you restless like me
Like me?
The lyrics to Against Me!'s song "Up the Cuts" explore themes of restlessness and the commodification of culture. The song begins with the singer unable to sleep, staring at the ceiling and searching for some kind of distraction to fill the void. They turn on the TV, but the music they see appears formulaic and repetitive, leading them to question if they've heard it before or if it's all just blending together.
The second verse touches on the homogeneity of contemporary cultural trends, with "taste-makers drinking from the same glass" and similar styles of dress and editing. The lines "sync up the cuts to the bass drum kick" also suggest a kind of conformity in media, with all the music videos adhering to the same formula. The bridge addresses industry rumors of declining sales and the rise of digital piracy, questioning whether punk and countercultural movements are still viable in a landscape where everything can be easily duplicated and sold back to consumers.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't sleep
Feeling restless and unable to sleep
Dry red eyes wide open
Eyes being open and dry due to not sleeping
Starin' at the white stucco ceiling
Looking at the blank ceiling while being unable to sleep
Turn on the TV
Switching on the television
Watch music on television
Watching music videos on TV
Have I heard this song before, did this already happen?
Questioning the familiarity and originality of the music being played on TV
Derived influence
Influenced by something else
In style of dress
In the way someone dresses
Similar trends in camera technique and editing
Similarities in the way videos are shot and edited
Sync up the cuts (sync up the cuts)
Matching the music cuts to the video edits
To the bass drum kick (to the bass drum kick)
Syncing up with the beat of the music
All the taste-makers drinking from the same glass
Followers copying the style and taste of the few trendsetters
Is there anybody thinking what I am?
Wondering if anyone else has similar thoughts
And all the insiders rumor
Insiders spreading rumors
About a decline in sales
Speculation about sales decreasing
All the buzz is happening in the new digital market place
The hype is all around the new digital platform for music
FBI warning
Message about piracy being illegal
Printed on the flip side
Presented on the back of something
Under penalty of law piracy will be prosecuted
A warning that piracy is a punishable offense
And in MRR (and in MRR)
Mentioning the music fanzine MRR
Someone asks the question (someone asks the question)
A question being asked
With the instant availability of information
With the easy and quick access to information
And content so easily obtainable
And the fact that content is easily accessible
Is the culture now a product that's disposable?
Questioning whether culture has become disposable and easily replaceable
Are the punks still singing the same song?
Questioning whether the punk culture remains true to its roots
Is there any other alternative at all?
Questioning if there are any other choices or options available
Are you restless like me?
Asking if the listener is similarly restless
Like me?
Asking if the listener is feeling the same way as the singer
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: THOMAS JAMES GABEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind