For Against

Did You Know?

• For Against undertook its only full tour in 1987, playing clubs across the U.S. including CBGB, Maxwell's, and Chicago's Cabaret Metro.
• Jeffrey Runnings died of cancer on March 3, 2025, at the age of 61.

History

For Against drew early inspiration from the British post-punk scene, particularly the sounds of Factory and 4AD Records. The band formed from members of Lincoln underground groups Cartoon Pupils and Hymn to Joy, initially calling itself Glue, then D.B.L., before settling on Four Against One—a name reflecting its then-quintet lineup. After bassist Liz Panarelli left early on, keyboardist Jeffrey Runnings moved to bass, and the band shortened its name to For Against. Singer Jon Fynbu departed by 1985, leaving the core trio of guitarist Harry Dingman III, drummer Gregory Hill, and bassist Jeffrey Runnings, who became the primary vocalist and lyricist.

For Against debuted on vinyl in 1985 with the "Autocrat"/"It's a Lie" single on their own Republic Issue label, a release that later became highly collectible. Additional early material appeared on the In the Marshes 10" EP (recorded 1985, released 1990) and the Black Soap EP (recorded 1984, released 2011). In 1987 the band signed to Independent Project Records and issued its first full-length album, Echelons, undertaking its only full tour that year, which included stops at CBGB, Maxwell's, and Chicago's Cabaret Metro. The album received a Grammy nomination for its jacket design by IPR head Bruce Licher; each of the initial 1000 LPs came with an actual shaft of wheat integrated into the cover. Promotional videos were made for "Autocrat" and the title track.

Momentum was lost when Hill left, followed shortly by Dingman after a brief attempt at a four-piece lineup. Hill and Dingman later formed the Millions, a melodic alt-rock group with more mainstream leanings.