'TRUE TRANS WITH LAURA JANE GRACE' SERIES DEBUTS ON AOL ORIGINALS ON NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY 11 OCTOBER 2014 // MORE EPISODES 4 AND 25 NOVEMBER

In celebration of National Coming Out Day (11 October), the first four episodes of the highly anticipated series True Trans with Laura Jane Grace can now be viewed via AOL On Originals. Additional episodes of True Trans will be released on 4 and 25 November 2014.

The 10 episode series follows transgender lead singer of the punk band Against Me!, Laura Jane Grace, who came out at the height of her music career in 2012. Her latest album, Transgender Dysphoria Blues deals with this in brutal and honest detail, and is recognised as one of the best albums of this year.

True Trans shares the remarkably real journey of Laura, the most well-known transgender person in music, and other transgender individuals across the country. This unscripted docu-series explores poignant moments from Laura’s life and the overall transition experience.   Each short-form episode will dive deeper into the lives and emotions of this community, revealing the strength in finding who they really are. 

In the first 4 episodes, viewers and fans will get an up close and personal look at people whose stories are only just beginning to be told - from recounting memories of childhood and recognizing moments of gender dysphoria, to finding acceptance and support in the transgender community.

on.aol.com/truetrans / #TrueTrans / @LauraJaneGrace / @AOLoriginals

 

AGAINST ME! NEW SINGLE 'TRUE TRANS SOUL REBEL' OUT 24 NOVEMBER 2014 // AOL ORIGINALS SERIES "TRUE TRANS WITH LAURA JANE GRACE" STARTS 10 OCTOBER

Against Me! release their furious new single 'True Trans Soul Rebel' - taken from the highly-acclaimed album Transgender Dysphoria Blues - on 24 November. Listen to it below. This is preceded by a UK tour on 13th - 19th November, which includes hard-working, folk-rock Canadian Billy the Kid supporting. Tickets are on sale here.

This is the new single from Against Me! Taken from their incredible album 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues' out now on Xtra Mile Recordings You can buy the album from: Xtra Mile Recordings - http://www.xtramilerecordings.com/Shop/DownloadDetails?rid=XMR_RE_142 Amazon - amzn.to/1fLIg5b Banquet Records - bit.ly/1caem7h

Photo by Ryan Russell

Photo by Ryan Russell

In addition to the musical success of 2014 for the band, frontwoman Laura Jane Grace has become the most visible transgender woman in music today. But that doesn’t mean the Against Me! frontwoman has it all figured out. In her upcoming AOL Originals series, 'True Trans With Laura Jane Grace', the rocker travels around the US and meets with a number of transgender men and women to talk about their hardships, coming out, transitioning and just how messy the idea of gender can be.

“The opportunity I had while shooting this show was nothing short of tremendous,” Grace says of the show “Getting the chance to listen to other people tell their stories of how life shaped their identities and views on gender couldn’t help but further inform my own understanding of just how complicated and also how simple all of it really is.”

The 10-part documentary series, which kicks off with four episodes on 10 October in honor of National Coming Out Day (11 Oct), also takes a look at Grace’s life as a mother, wife and rock star since she came out as transgender at age 31 in a 2012 Rolling Stone profile. 

Against Me! bring their punk rock anthems to the UK this November with label mate Billy the Kid as main support. Catch this incredible band at one of the following venues.
 
NOVEMBER
13 Bristol @ Bierkeller
14 Birmingham @ O2 Academy 2
15 Glasgow @ King Tuts
16 Leeds @ Beckett Students Union
17 Portsmouth @ Wedgewood Rooms
18 Manchester @ Academy 2
19 London @ Electric Ballroom
 
As we head toward the end of the year, plaudits for Transgender Dysphoria Blues just keep on coming.  Don’t just take our word on how great this record is...
 
The New York Times  - “Crisp, distinct and vibrant”
Rolling Stone Magazine – "45 Best Albums of 2014 So Far"
TIME Magazine – "25 Best Songs of 2014 So Far" ("Transgender Dysphoria Blues")
SPIN – "50 Best Albums of 2014 So Far"
Alternative Press Magazine – "Best Albums of 2014 So Far"
Sound Opinions – “The Best Albums of 2014…So Far”
Consequence of Sound – "Best Albums of 2014 So Far"
Stereogum – "50 Best Albums of 2014 So Far"
Flavorwire – "25 Best Albums of 2014 So Far"
Mashable – Laura Jane Grace named one of 10 LGBT-Rights Activists to Follow on Twitter.

Transgender Dysphoria Blues is the intense follow-up to the band’s previous full-length album, ‘White Crosses’ (reissued with bonus disc Black Crosses on Xtra Mile Recordings in 2011) and stands as another major benchmark for the band and its career spanning 10+ years.

www.againstme.net

CHEAP GIRLS PRE-ORDER BUNDLES AVAILABLE - ALBUM OUT 12 MAY // TOUR DATES WITH ANDREW JACKSON JIHAD

In advance of the release of Cheap Girls' ear-pounding new album Famous Graves, Xtra Mile Recordings have launched a number of pre-order bundles for those keen and on-the-pulse.

Photo by Lance Nelson

Photo by Lance Nelson

Once described by Laura Jane Grace of Against Me!, who produced their third album Giant Orange, as "an authentic Midwestern rock band in the vein of The Replacements, Soul Asylum, Sugar and early Smoking Popes", Famous Graves really drives those comparisons home. Loud, with soaring melodies built on chiming and (over)driven guitars, punching the air ecstatically is the only acceptable reaction. Those who saw them on tour with Against Me! in March and The Hold Steady in April will attest to that.

Famous Graves can be pre-ordered from the Xtra Mile Recordings shop and is available on CD, coloured 12" vinyl, and as a download. To add to those already attractive standard options, check out the Xtra Mile-exclusive Cheap Girls t-shirt, and the vinyl & t-shirt or CD & t-shirt bundles too. What's more, the first 100 USA pre-orders will get an exceptional Cheap Girls beer koozie. 

You can feast your eyes on these treats below in our picture gallery.

Want more reasons to pre-order? Well, you can listen to three tracks from the record right now - Man In Question, Amazing Grace, and Knock Me Over.

Taken from the forthcoming album 'Famous Graves' out 12th May UK/Europe and 13th May North America on Xtra Mile Recordings. Pre-order album here: Xtra Mile Recordings - http://bit.ly/1hGOhiY Amazon - http://smarturl.it/FamousGravesAmazonCD iTunes - http://smarturl.it/FamousGravesiTunes

Taken from the forthcoming album 'Famous Graves' out 12th May UK/Europe and 13th May North America on Xtra Mile Recordings. Pre-order album here: Xtra Mile Recordings - bit.ly/1hGOhiY Amazon - smarturl.it/FamousGravesAmazonCD iTunes - smarturl.it/FamousGravesiTunes

Pre-order album here: Xtra Mile Recordings - http://bit.ly/1hGOhiY Amazon - http://smarturl.it/FamousGravesAmazonCD iTunes - http://smarturl.it/FamousGravesiTunes

In addition to all this album excitement, Cheap Girls will be supporting the stupendous Andrew Jackson Jihad in the US. Tour dates are below.

JUNE

05 Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits
06 Tampa, FL @ Crowbar
07 Orlando, FL @ The Backbooth
08 Gainesville, FL @ High Dive
09 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
11 Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter
12 Washington, DC @ Rock N Roll Hotel
13 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
14 New York, NY @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
16 Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
17 Buffalo, NY @ Waiting Room
18 Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop
19 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
21 Chicago, IL @ Green Music Festival
22 St Louis, MO @ The Firebird
23 Oklahoma City, OK @ Conservatory

cheapgirls.net
 

AGAINST ME! NEW SINGLE 'UNCONDITIONAL LOVE' OUT 26 MAY // DOWNLOAD ANNOUNCEMENT // FULL ACOUSTIC SET BY LAURA JANE GRACE

Against Me! unleash the incredible new single ‘Unconditional Love’ on 7” picture disc on 26 May and digitally on 9 June. The single will be backed by the beautiful brand new track ‘500 Years’.

This single coincides with the band’s welcome return to the UK at this year’s Download Festival. They join the line-up on the Pepsi Max Stage on Sunday, 15 June. The band have also announced their slot at Hellfest on Saturday, 21 June.

Full European dates are as follows: 

MAY
31   Germany @ Huenxe, Ruhrpott Rodeo

JUNE
1     Belgium @ Aarschot, JH Klinker
3    Czech Republic @ Prague, Lucerna Music Bar
4    Germany @ Hamburg, Knust
5    Germany @ Berlin, Lido
6    Germany @ Dresden, Beatpol
8-9 Germany @ Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park
10   Austria @ Vienna, Arena
11    Austria @ Dornbirn, Conrad Sohm
12   Switzerland @ Bern, Reitschule
13   Luxembourg @ Den Atelier
14   The Netherlands @ Ysselsteyn, Jera On Air Festival
15   UK @ Donington, Download Festival
17    Spain @ Madrid, Sala Riviera (with Bad Religion)
18    Spain @ Barcelona, Sala Razzmatazz (with Bad Religion)
19    Spain @ Vitoria Sala, Jimmy Jazz
21    France @ Clisson, Hellfest Festival

Last month, Laura Jane came over to Europe and stopped by Banquet Records for a packed out and emotional instore and signing. Queues snaked through the streets of Kingston, London and the wonderful folk at Punktastic were on hand to film the event. You can check out LJ's interview with them here, and feast your eyes on the full acoustic set below. Please enjoy.

Transgender Dysphoria Blues is out now!

Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! performed an exclusive set at Banquet Records. Punktastic was there to capture the entire intimate gig. Subscribe to the Punktastic YouTube channel for acoustic sessions, interviews and content from bands across the punk/hardcore/rock spectrum. http://pnkts.tc/13Fqxov Head to punktastic.com for the latest news, reviews and features on everything from AFI to Zebrahead.