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EspañolAFI (BAND)
'AFI' (short for 'A Fire Inside'), is an American Rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991.
History
Early years
While still in high school in Ukiah, California, Davey Havok (vocals), Mark Stopholese (guitar) and Vic Chalker (bass) formed an outfit called AFI in 1991. At the time, the band did not know how to play any instruments. Stopholese suggested his friend Adam Carson, who had a drum kit, join the band.[1] Stopholese learned guitar and Chalker learned bass, but Chalker was soon replaced by Geoff Kresge and AFI made their first EP in recording ''Dork'' (1993) with the now defunct Loose Change, which included future AFI guitarist Jade Puget.
AFI disbanded when its members attended different colleges, including UC Berkeley. Kresge moved to New York where he played with Blanks 77. After reuniting to perform a live show, the other members decided to drop out of college to play full-time with AFI. Between 1993 and 1995 they released several vinyl EPs (''Behind the Times; Eddie Picnic's All Wet; This Is Berkeley, Not West Bay; AFI/Heckle; Bombing the Bay; Fly in the Ointment;'') independently. Their first full-length, ''Answer That and Stay Fashionable'' was released in 1995. In 1996, the band released their second album, ''Very Proud of Ya'', on Nitro Records. The songs "Cruise Control" and "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing" from ''Very Proud of Ya'' were used in the 1996 independent film ''Mary Jane's Not a Virgin Anymore'', which was first screened in 1997 and also featured Havok in a small role.
After several tours in support of the album ''Very Proud of Ya'' Kresge decided to leave the group. His spot was filled by Hunter Burgan for the remaining ''Very Proud of Ya'' tour dates. Burgan went on to help AFI record ''Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes'' (1997) and was invited to become the full-time bassist. Future AFI guitarist Jade Puget also provided background vocals on ''Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes'', making it the first album to feature all four current members of the band.
''Black Sails'' and ''Art of Drowning'' era
After recording the ''A Fire Inside EP'' (1998), Stopholese left the band and was replaced by Jade Puget, his close friend. Following the ''A Fire Inside'' EP, the band recorded ''Black Sails in the Sunset'' (1999), a musical turning point which introduced AFI fans to a much darker sound.[2] On this album, their original hardcore roots were still the base of their sound, but with Dark Romantic influences (a poem by Charles Baudelaire, "De profundis clamavi," is present in the hidden track "Midnight Sun"). The influence of the Deathrock & Horrorpunk scenes was also apparent. As a result, since then AFI's genre has been often described as "Gothic punk". [3]
The ''All Hallows EP'' (1999) spawned the single "Totalimmortal," a track later covered by The Offspring for the ''Me, Myself and Irene'' soundtrack. It received a fair amount of radio play and exposed AFI to larger audiences. Offspring frontman Dexter Holland was featured as a backing vocalist on a number of ''Black Sails'' tracks.
In 2000, AFI released ''The Art of Drowning'', which debuted on the Billboard Charts at number 174 [4]. "The Days of the Phoenix" was released as a single and video in order to promote the album. "The Days of the Phoenix", like "Totalimmortal", had some moderate mainstream success, garnering the band both TV and radio airplay.
Mainstream success
In 2002, AFI left Nitro Records and released ''Sing the Sorrow'' (2003) on DreamWorks Records. The songs ''Girl's Not Grey'', ''The Leaving Song Pt. II'', and ''Silver and Cold'' had some Billboard chart success and exposed the band to even larger audiences. They were 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.
In June 2006, their newest album, ''Decemberunderground'', was released on Interscope Records. Reviewers have noted an even progression in sound for AFI in this album, featuring ColdPop and New Wave[5] elements. The album's first single "Miss Murder" reached #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts. [6]The release reflects the continually changing and growing fan base of the band, and the album debuted as No. 1 on the Billboard charts.[7] The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies of the album, and is expected to go platinum later this year. Also, the band's second single, "Love Like Winter", enjoyed tremendous success on MTV's Total Request Live and was retired after 40 days on the countdown.
On December 12, 2006, AFI released their first DVD ''I Heard a Voice'', featuring a live performance shot in Long Beach, California.
On January 20, 2007, AFI played "Miss Murder" and "Love Like Winter" on ''Saturday Night Live''. Although the band performed "Love Like Winter" according to plan, technical difficulties occurred during their set of "Miss Murder", in which Davey sounded mute during various points of the song. However, in later reairings of the episode, Davey's voice is very audible during "Miss Murder".
Though "The Missing Frame" was originally supposed to be the third single off ''Decemberunderground'',[8] Davey Havok has confirmed in the "Ask AFI" section of the Despair Faction message boards that there will not be a video for the song.[9] It is unknown if there will be a video made for another song. Havok also confirmed on the same boards that there will be no summer tour.[10] Puget has begun writing some material for a new album.[11] Furthermore, Puget has spoken of a possible EP for late 2007, which would cull together unreleased songs from the ''Decemberunderground'' sessions.
On July 7, 2007 AFI performed at the American leg of Live Earth. They performed "The Missing Frame", "Love Like Winter", "Miss Murder" and a cover of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust".
Band members
Current
★ Davey Havok - vocals (1991-present)
★ Jade Puget - guitar, backing vocals, programming, keyboard (1998-present)
★ Hunter Burgan - bass, backing vocals, programming, keyboard (1997-present)
★ Adam Carson - drums, backing vocals (1991-present)
Former
★ Mark Stopholese - guitar, backing vocals (1991-1998)
★ Geoff Kresge - bass, backing vocals (1992-1997)
★ Vic Chalker - bass (1991-1992)
Discography
Studio albums
| Date of Release | Title | Label | US Billboard Peak | US Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | ''Answer That and Stay Fashionable'' | Wingnut Records re-released in 1997 by Nitro Records | - | - |
| 1996 | ''Very Proud of Ya'' | Nitro Records | - | - |
| 1997 | ''Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes'' | Nitro Records | - | - |
| 1999 | ''Black Sails in the Sunset'' | Nitro Records | - | - |
| 2000 | ''The Art of Drowning'' | Nitro Records | #174 | - |
| 2003 | ''Sing the Sorrow'' | Dreamworks Records | #5 | Platinum |
| 2006 | ''Decemberunderground'' | Interscope Records | #1 | Platinum |
The Nitro Records and DreamWorks Records releases were all released in Cassette, 12" vinyl and CD formats.
Compilations
| Date of Release | Title | Label | US Billboard Peak | - | 2004 | ''AFI (Retrospective)'' | Nitro Records | #88 | - |
|---|
This compilation, however, was not released with the band's permission. After AFI left Nitro Records, it was released (while they were still on Nitro's contract.)
Singles
| Year | Title | Billboard Hot 100 | Billboard Pop 100 | Modern Rock Tracks | Mainstream Rock Tracks | UK Singles Chart | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "He Who Laughs Last..." | - | - | - | - | - | ''Very Proud of Ya'' |
| 1997 | "Third Season" | - | - | - | - | - | ''Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes'' |
| 1999 | "Totalimmortal" | - | - | - | - | - | ''All Hallow's EP'' |
| 2000 | "The Days of the Phoenix EP" | - | - | - | - | 152 | ''The Art of Drowning'' |
| 2003 | "Girl's Not Grey" | - | - | 7 | 33 | 22 | ''Sing the Sorrow'' |
| 2003 | "The Leaving Song, Pt. II" | - | - | 16 | 31 | 43 | ''Sing the Sorrow'' |
| 2003 | "Silver and Cold" | - | - | 7 | 39 | - | ''Sing the Sorrow'' |
| 2006 | "Miss Murder" | 24 | 28 | '1' (5 weeks) | 13 | 44 | ''Decemberunderground'' |
| 2006 | "Love Like Winter" | 68 | 71 | 4 | - | 76 | ''Decemberunderground'' |
| 2007 | "The Missing Frame" | - | - | 17 | - | - | ''Decemberunderground'' |
EPs
★ ''Dork'' (1993)
★ ''Behind the Times'' (later-1993)
★ ''Eddie Picnic's All Wet'' (1994)
★ ''This Is Berkeley, Not West Bay'' (1994)
★ ''AFI/Heckle Split'' (1995)
★ ''Bombing the Bay'' (1995)
★ ''Fly in the Ointment'' (1995)
★ ''A Fire Inside EP'' (1998)
★ ''Black Sails EP'' (1999)
★ ''All Hallow's EP'' (1999)
★ ''The Days of the Phoenix EP'' (2001)
★ ''336/Now the World Picture Disc'' (2002)
Videography
DVDs
★ ''Sing the Sorrow'' DVD edition (2003)
★ ''I Heard a Voice'' (2006)
Videos
★ He Who Laughs Last... from ''Very Proud of Ya'' (1996)
★ Third Season from ''Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes'' (1997)
★ Totalimmortal from ''All Hallow's EP'' (1999)
★ The Days of the Phoenix from ''The Art of Drowning'' (2000)
★ Girl's Not Grey from ''Sing the Sorrow'' (2003)
★ The Leaving Song, Pt. II from ''Sing the Sorrow'' (2003)
★ Silver and Cold from ''Sing the Sorrow'' (2003)
★ Miss Murder from ''Decemberunderground'' (2006) (Director's Cut contains Prelude 12/21)
★ Love Like Winter from ''Decemberunderground'' (2006) (Director's Cut contains the ending of The Interview)
Televised performances
★ ''MTV Hard Rock Live'' performing a half-hour set (2003)
★ ''MTV Icon: The Cure'' performing a cover of "Just Like Heaven" (2004)
★ ''MTV2 Live'' performing a one hour set (2006)
★ ''MTV 2006 Movie Awards'' performing their #1 hit "Miss Murder" (2006)
★ ''Spike Video Game Awards'' performing "Summer Shudder" (2006)
★ ''MTV Goes Gold: New Year's Eve 2007'' performing a cover of Blur's "Song 2", their then latest single "Love Like Winter", and collaborating briefly with rap group Three 6 Mafia. (2007)
★ ''Saturday Night Live'' performing "Love Like Winter" and "Miss Murder". (2007)
★ ''AOL Sessions Under Cover'' performing David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" and "Endlessly, She Said" Acoustically (2007)[12]
★ ''Telehit, aired a 1 hour special featuring live footage from Mexico City: Prelude 12/21, Girl's Not Grey, Kill Caustic, The Leaving Song Pt. II, Summer Shudder and File 13.
★ ''Live Earth'' performing four songs including Love Like Winter, Miss Murder, The Missing Frame and a cover of David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust. (2007)
Soundtracks
★ ''Mary Jane's Not a Virgin Anymore'' (1997) - "Cruise Control" and "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing"
References
1. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10466716/more_havok/3
2. http://www.afireinside.net/bio
3. http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/afi/albums/album/10483520/review/10500531/decemberunderground
4. AFI's Billboard Album Chart History
5.
Allmusic.com Decemberunderground review
6. AFI's Billboard Singles Chart History
7. AFI burns brightly with #1 debut
8. http://www.fmqb.com/article.asp?id=16771
9. http://board.despairfaction.com/showthread.php?t=101218
10. http://board.despairfaction.com/showthread.php?t=101216
11. http://media.www.californiaaggie.com/media/storage/paper981/news/2007/02/28/ArtsEntertainment/Afi-To.Play.Freeborn.Hall.On.Thursday-2747867-page2.shtml
12. http://music.aol.com/sessions-under-cover/afi
External links
★ AFI Series
★ AFI's official site
★ AFI's official myspace
★ AFI official fanclub
★ AFI Biography and Lyrics
★ Blaqk Audio official site
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