For Against

For Against
For Against in 2008.
Background information
Origin	Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
Genres	Alternative rock, shoegaze, post-punk, dream pop
Years active	1984-present
Labels	Republic Issue, Independent Project, Rainbow Quartz, Words on Music, Captured Tracks
Associated acts	Cartoon Pupils, Hymn to Joy, the Millions, the Gladstones, Holiday
Members	Jeffrey Runnings Harry Dingman III Nick Buller
Past members	Liz Panarelli John Fynbu Greg Hill Jeff Gaskins Steve Schultz Steven "Mave" Hinrichs Paul Engelhard

For Against is a United States post-punk/dream pop band from Lincoln, Nebraska. Despite numerous lineup shuffles and some periods of dormancy, the band has produced material steadily from its 1984 inception to the present.

Something of an anomaly in Midwestern America, For Against—especially early in its career—has looked to a distinctly British aesthetic for inspiration, most obviously the post-punk scene exemplified by the early rosters of the Factory and 4AD record labels.

Featuring members of underground Lincoln bands Cartoon Pupils and Hymn to Joy, the band first called itself Glue, and then D.B.L., finally settling on Four Against One, a name that reflected its status as a quintet at the time. Bassist Liz Panarelli's early departure gave way to keyboardist Jeffrey Runnings' shift to bass, as well as the band's truncation of its name to For Against. By 1985, singer Jon Fynbu had departed as well, leaving the core trio of guitarist Harry Dingman III, drummer Gregory Hill and bassist Jeffrey Runnings. The latter would become (with very few exceptions) the band's sole vocalist and lyricist.

In 1985, For Against debuted on vinyl with the "Autocrat"/"It's a Lie" single, released in a limited run on the band's own Republic Issue label. This single has become highly collectible among the group's fanbase. Additional early material was later released as the In the Marshes 10" EP (recorded 1985, released 1990) and Black Soap EP (recorded 1984, released 2011).

In 1987, the band signed to Independent Project Records, issuing its first full-length album, Echelons. That year the band undertook its only full tour to date, promoting Echelons at clubs across the U.S. including CBGB, Maxwell's and Chicago's Cabaret Metro. Echelons received a Grammy nomination for its jacket design by IPR head Bruce Licher; each LP in the initial pressing of 1000 came with an actual shaft of wheat integrated into the cover illustration. Promotional videos were made for two of the album's songs, "Autocrat" and the title track; both were included as bonus material in the reissue of their second album, December.

Having received favorable press for the melodic post-punk of Echelons, For Against released follow-up December the next year, to equally rave reception. The band lost considerable momentum, however, when Hill left, followed shortly thereafter by Dingman after a brief attempt at a retooled, four-piece lineup. Hill and Dingman would soon form the Millions, a melodic alt-rock outfit with more mainstream leanings than For Against.