Official Afi Links
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The origins of AFI (A Fire Inside) are humble-- four high school students making noise in a garage in the early 90's, looking for some way to alleviate boredom in a small town between skateboard sessions. As they learned to play their instruments with each practice, even they couldn't imagine what the band would become.
In addition to original members Havok and drummer Adam Carson, the band has seen its share of lineup changes, bassist Hunter (ex-The Force) entered the fold as a tour stand-in before recording on the band's third album "Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes," while guitarist Jade Puget (ex-Redemption 87) joined for the fourth full-length, "Black Sails in the Sunset," as well as the subsequent "All Hallows E.P.," a four-song release that contains the original version of "Totalimmortal" (a song which received heavy radio airplay all over the nation when it was recorded by The Offspring for the soundtrack to the film Me, Myself & Irene). Puget's task was not easy-- in addition to assuming guitar duties he became a primary writer of the band's music. Still, no one better understood where AFI had been musically and where they should go-- he'd known the band since the very beginning and had played guitar on the flip side of their first ever release, a split 7" with Loose Change released in 1992. Things coalesced quickly, Jade the perfect complement to Havok's brooding lyrics and accomplished vocal talents. There's no weak link in this chain-- to say that Hunter and Adam are accomplished in their respective rhythm section duties would be an understatement.
Such lineup changes might have destroyed another band, but the opposite has occurred with AFI -- with each new album and E.P. the band has bravely forged ahead into new musical territory, all the while maintaining their original energy and intensity.
Over 10 years on and counting, the same inner flame that fueled four teenagers making a primal noise in a Ukiah, Calif., garage has propelled AFI to unforeseen musical and professional levels, as evident on Sing The Sorrow, due out March 11, 2003, on DreamWorks Records. "We've been doing this for a long time, and we love it more than anything," says AFI singer Davey Havok"To play music you're passionate about every night - it's like a dream. Sometimes you get sick; sometimes you get really tired, but I can't imagine doing anything else with my life".
"It also comes from never having any other choice but to do everything ourselves," Havok adds. "We never planned or had any expectation of assistance from anyone else. And thanks to that work ethic, we were able to grow slowly and naturally so that when others gradually took an interest in what we were doing, whether it was Nitro or DreamWorks or whoever, they realized they couldn't change us even if they wanted to"
"I was completely in awe then - and still am now - to hear any of our songs on the radio," says Hunter. "The fact that radio would pick up on us based solely on the quality of the music is still difficult for me to fathom, as is everything positive that's happened for us. It all seems to have come naturally from our efforts, and honestly, that's really hard for me to comprehend"
In the meantime, AFI's live draw increased exponentially, and with good reason: To witness the AFI live experience is to understand both that unique internal chemistry and the undeniable bond between band and audience that has been honed and strengthened through nearly seven years of non-stop worldwide touring.
The days of honing their craft in the garage are now a long ago memory, but one thing has not changed-- the fire inside AFI still burns, more strongly than ever. With each new record, each tour, each show, the flames spread-- ever igniting in new people and places, threatening to someday engulf the world.
Drums:
Drum Workshop (Black Lacquer)
bass drum 18" x 24"
rack tom 9" x 12"
floor tom 14" x 16"
floor tom 16" x 18"
(sizes are depth x width)
Hardware:
Drum Workshop
Snares:
6.5" x 14" Pork Pie (Brass)
5.5" x 14" Ayotte "Keplinger" (Steel)
5.5" x 14" Ludwig "Black Beauty" (Brass)
6.5" x 14" Legend (Maple)
Sticks:
Vater "Power" 5B (Woodtip)
Cymbals:
Assortment of 18", 19" and 20" Crashes. Mostly Zildjian A, some K's. I'm
breaking them constantly.
22" Zildjian A Custom Ping Ride (really washy, check out Ever and a Day)
22" Zildjian Z Custom Power Ride (super dry and pingy, listen to Wester)
22" Zildjian A Ride (the middle of the road ride, hear Lost Souls)
14" Ziljian Rock Hi-Hats
15" Ziljian K Bottom and
15" Ziljian Quickbeat Bottom Hi-Hat Combo
Heads:
Remo coated Emperors on toms and snares
Remo Powerstroke III for bassdrum=================================================================================
Furman PL8 Power Conditioner and Light Module
Palmer ADIG-ST Advanced Direct Injection
Sabine RT-1601 Rack Tuner
Sony MB-806 Wireless
Lexicon MPX G2 Effects Processor
Mesa Dual Rectifier
I have 3 Les Paul Studios that I use mainly for touring and a Les Paul Standard that I use for writing. I also have an old acoustic, I have no idea who made it, that I use to write. In fact, most of Black Sails and All Hallows was written on that acoustic=============================================================================================
I have a whole bunch of Fender American Jazz basses (including a '75 reissue that I do not tour with), and one American Deluxe Jazz. Some of my basses have custom bridges and I've replaced the pickups in half of them (with stock pickups) but other than that, they are standard stock basses*. The Deluxe has never been on tour and is completely stock.
I have a Mesa/Boogie 400+ head and an Ampeg SVT-2 Pro head. The Ampeg is my main head now and the Mesa is just a back up. I haven't used the Mesa in the studio since the All Hallows EP.
I have a Sans Amp bass D.I. that I use on tour, but it hasn't seen the studio since the All Hallows EP.
I have a Nady wireless setup, and a special custom transmitter installed inside one of my basses. You can't even tell it's there. It looks like I'm not plugged in when I use it. The rest of my basses use regular transmitters.
I use orange .60mm Tortex picks.
I hate strings. ==============================
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I'd also like to add as webmaster that I have personally met members of this band, and some cooler people there have never been. For them to be as big as we know they are, yet not turn to the mentality of "I'm a rock star and I'm famous so I'm God now" is one of the things I respect the most about this band. You know, besides all the talent and stuff...
Also, if you have anything that you'd like to see on this page that's missing, or you have pics you want me to post or what ever it may be, feel free to email me and I'll do my damndest to get those things taken care of. In the meantime,remember...Crazy beats big, and =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
"Girl's Not Grey" Audio and Video Links
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