AFI (band)

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{{infobox band | band_name = A Fire Inside | image = Image:608516934 l.jpg | caption = Left to right: Davey, Jade, Adam, Hunter. | years_active = 1991– | origin = Ukiah, California | country = United States | music_genre = Punk Rock | record_label = Interscope
DreamWorks
Nitro | current_members = Davey Havok
Jade Puget
Hunter Burgan
Adam Carson | past_members = Mark Stopholese
Geoff Kresge
Vic Chalker | website = www.afireinside.net }} Image:Newafilogo.gif

AFI (A Fire Inside) is an American Punk Rock band. AFI was formed in 1991 by Davey Havok (vocals), Mark Stopholese (guitar), Vic Chalker (bass) and Adam Carson (drums) in Ukiah, California. Bassist Vic lost interest and was replaced by Geoff Kresge. Kresge left AFI eventually becoming part of the band Tiger Army (now plays for The Horrorpops) and the spot was filled by Hunter Burgan. Eventually, guitarist Mark Stopholese was replaced by Jade Puget, who at the time was in the band Loose Change.

Contents

Biography

AFI (short for A Fire Inside ) formed in 1991 when the members were attending high school in Ukiah, California. Adam Carson (drums) and Davey Havok (Vocals) first became friends after playing school soccer together. Adam used his brother's drum kit, Davey (a member of the school choir) exhibited talent as a singer even this early, and they were joined by guitarist Mark Stopholese. A Fire Inside made their first foray in recording with the EP "Dork" (1993), split with the band "Loose Change" featuring future AFI guitarist Jade Puget. Soon after, AFI broke up while its members moved to different colleges, including the University of California, Berkeley where Havok began a double major of English and Psychology and the University of California, Santa Barbara. Geoff Kresge moved to New York where he played with with the band "Blanks 77". After reuniting to perform a very successful live show, the members decided to drop out of college and play in the band full-time. Between 1993 and 1995 they released many independently made vinyl EP's ("Behind the Times", "Eddie's Picnic All Wet", "This is Berkeley, Not West Bay", "AFI/Heckle", and "Fly in the Ointment"), and eventually released their debut full-length album Answer That and Stay Fashionable in 1995 on Wingnut Records, later re-released in 1997 on Nitro Records. Their second album, Very Proud of Ya, was released in 1996 by the Nitro Label, after which their bassist Geoff Kresge decided to leave the group for personal reasons. The bassist, Hunter Burgan, formerly of The Force (and currently, also taking part in side projects "The Frisk" and "Hunter Revenge") filled in for Kresge for the tour in support of Very Proud of Ya. He went on to help AFI record Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes and was subsequently invited to become the full time bassist.

After the recording of the A Fire Inside EP in 1998, Mark left the band to be replaced by guitarist Jade Puget, formerly of Redemption 87 and Loose Change, who was critical in forming the band's new sound over the following albums. The song 'Lower It' is rumored to be about straight edge kids who do not stay straight edge. Following on from the new approach they had taken on the aforementioned A Fire Inside EP (released on Adeline records) the band recorded their Black Sails in the Sunset (Nitro 1999), a musical turning point. On this album, and the following All Hallow's EP (Nitro 1999), other EPs and the seminal The Art of Drowning album (Nitro 2000) their original hardcore roots were still quite apparent in their musical approach, but more 80s horror punk seemed to appear in the lyrics. However, many fans feel their latest album Sing the Sorrow which was released on the much larger DreamWorks label on March 11, 2003 displays a different musical approach which has lost some of the punk aggression in favour of a more dance orientated approach to writing. The fans spent some time trying to work out the meaning of the album, and even some aspects remain under question.

Other Notes

  • AFI was nominated in the MTV Video Music Awards 2003 in the MTV2 award category for the video Girl's Not Grey, which came to be the first VMA they won.
  • They are followed by a devoted fan base called the Despair Faction. Consisting of fans old and young, the Despair Faction are privy to many added band bonuses which include contacting the band on their website.
  • Some claim that the bands initials do not stand for A Fire Inside. Although Davey Havok claims that the meaning of AFI has always been A Fire Inside, earlier AFI records such as Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes list contact information addressed to "Asking For It." They have also used the moniker "Anthems For Insubordinates".
  • AFI was also featured on the "Godmoney" (1997)Soundtrack with "Wake Up Call"
  • 2004 saw AFI record two cover songs: The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" for the MTV Icon television show and Nine Inch Nails' "Head Like A Hole" for the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack: this song appears only as the bonus track in the 2-disc set, and is not present in the game.
  • On October 7th, 2005, AFI went on KROQ for an interview on the radio. They released an unreleased song from the Sing the Sorrow sessions, entitled "Rabbits are Roadkill on Route 37". This can somewhat explain the picture of a rabbit on the second to last page of the Sing the Sorrow lyric booklet.
  • The seventh AFI album is due out June 6th 2006 and will be entitled Decemberunderground. Guests on the album include Nick 13, members of Throwdown, Day Of Contempt, Eighteen Visions and Bleeding Through, as well as some electronic programming from Ronan of VNV Nation, and vocals from fans. Members of the band have announced that one song will be titled "Endlessly, She Said." The new single Miss Murder premiered on KROQ on 13th April 2006. Davey was also on the phone during the show. The video was filmed in April and will be premiered 24th April.
  • AFI are playing a show in London on May 25th. The gig is taking place at the Electric Ballroom, in Camden Town. Tickets are sold out.

Discography

Full Length Albums

The Nitro Records and DreamWorks Records releases were all released in Cassette, 12" vinyl and CD formats.

EPs

Singles

Promotional releases

  • Totalimmortal Promo Single 1999
  • Totalimmortal 1999
  • Wester Promo Single 2000
  • The Art of Drowning Promo mid 2000
  • The Art of Drowning Promo Cassette July 14 2000
  • The Days of the Phoenix Radio Promo 2000
  • AFI: A History early 2003
  • Sing the Sorrow Advance CD early 2003
  • Girl's Not Grey Radio Promo January 2003
  • Sing the Sorrow 4-Track Sampler early 2003
  • Sing the Sorrow 6-Track Sampler early 2003
  • Sing the Sorrow Sampler (Australia) early 2003
  • Sing the Sorrow Test Pressing early 2003
  • Girl's Not Grey Advance Promotional Single January 6 2003
  • Girl's Not Grey March 2003
  • Girl's Not Grey March 2003
  • Girl's Not Grey Single Promo mid April 2003
  • Rockline Promotional Radio Interview CD Set April 21 2003
  • The Leaving Song Pt. II Radio Promo mid 2003
  • The Leaving Song Pt. II Australian Promo mid 2003
  • The Leaving Song Pt. II July 2003
  • Silver and Cold Promotional Single late November 2003
  • Live at the Hard Rock Cafe Promotional CD late November 2003
  • Head Like a Hole Radio Promo 2004
  • Head Like a Hole Australian Promo September 2004

Compilations


Videos

  • He Who Laughs Last... 1996 Video-Single (only)
  • Third Season 1997 Video-Single (only)
  • Totalimmortal 1999 Video-Single (only)
  • The Days of the Phoenix 2000 Video-Single (only)
  • Girl's Not Grey 2003 CD/Video Single
  • The Leaving Song Pt. 2 2003 CD/Video Single
  • Silver and Cold 2003 Video-Single (only)
  • Miss Murder May/June 2006

Footnotes

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See also

External links

et:A Fire Inside es:A Fire Inside fr:AFI gl:A Fire Inside sl:AFI fi:AFI sv:AFI (musikgrupp)