Whether regularly denouncing their nation’s leader during live shows or encouraging autograph-seekers to donate warm coats to outreach shelters, the guys from Pennsylvania punk-rock outfit Anti-Flag are as provocative as they are socially active.

But even for these most serious of political cattle-prodders, both activism and late-night interviews are best tempered with a bit of fun.

At 1:30 a.m., London time, on the phone from a hotel room bustling with background chatter, bassist-singer Chris #2 agrees to switch gears from talking about homelessness, homophobia, the war in Iraq, and the free Anti-Flag show happening during the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis next month, to uncovering the meanings behind presidential-campaign theme songs.

It’s a topic shift welcomed by his companions, who eagerly assist him in distinguishing between Van Halen’s “Right Now” and Jesus Jones’s “Right Here Right Now”—the latter being one of Hillary Clinton’s top picks.

John McCain’s camp wanted ABBA’s “Take a Chance on Me” for their man’s music, but found themselves mired in licensing red tape and abandoned the idea. It’s a song choice that Chris #2 says would have definitely fit the candidate and his mandate.

“That’s great, because it is far less flamboyant than John McCain actually is,” he says with a laugh. “I think that it says he’s looking for the Australian vote. Is that where ABBA’s from? They’re Finnish or something, right? He’s playing into the melting-pot side of America by using that.”

Chris #2 offers a suggestion for Barack Obama, who he says is by far the best candidate, despite his inability to support gay marriage. “His theme song should be ‘Rock You Like a Hurricane’, because it’s very easy to say ‘Barack You Like a Hurricane’.”

While McCain and Obama have been busy holding babies and getting set to do battle, Chris #2 and his bandmates—frontman-guitarist Justin Sane, rhythm guitarist Chris Head, and drummer Pat Thetic—were busy doing some good for their punk-rock countrymen: polishing their eighth studio album and second major-label release, The Bright Lights of America.

The album is a hodgepodge of steel-toed moshers, arena-ready scorchers, and unpunky pop diversions with radio-friendly elements like chanting children, big brass, harmonica and string accompaniments. Musical eccentricities aside, the band’s tackling of hot-button social issues hasn’t changed.

“I think every person that is an artist is creatively inspired by something,” explains Chris #2. “For us, it just happens to be the political landscape and fighting for some, what we think, are very simple ideas, but ideas that are not getting as much light shed on them as they should be–especially in 2008.”

Anti-Flag plays the Croatian Cultural Centre on Sunday (August 31).