the fire is still burning inside
A band that has changed their sound to an extreme degree over the years. A band that creates the music that resounds in their own souls unaltered by the music around them. A band that strives to be understood and truly appreciated and accepted. A band that yearns to be true to the music and treasure their chosen, or destined, profession. A band that represents the “passion that burns inside of all of us”; that represents a unique sound in an oversaturated music market; that represents an honest musical effort: AFI. The band’s name was always an acronym; the meaning now associated with the letters, a fire inside, was simply an answer to the fans’ indefatigable search for a deeper meaning. The initials have been rumored to stand for many monikers including: “Asking For It." and "Anthems For Insubordinates”, but “A Fire Inside” brings the most passion and recognition to the band.
Formed in between skate sessions out of boredom and need for a creative outlet, AFI has been inactive, production-wise, for about three years and fans were growing eager for a new release and a new anthem to blast from their speakers – or privately enjoy within their iPods. The band, frequently played on the radio, stands out in those electrical currents with music that provides a healthy addition to the scene. Radio typically plays generic, high-finance music, but AFI is given airtime solely on their merit, talent, and the quality of the music. There are many different ways to take pleasure in music but as long as the music is enjoyed nothing else matters. And AFI’s new album is surely destined to be enjoyed. Days after just releasing the new album, decemberunderground, on the much talked about date of 6-6-06, bassist Hunter Burgan took the time to answer a few questions addressing his music, the industry, The Despair Faction, and his personal take on the events surrounding the release of the album.
After a year of intense production, AFI’s seventh album has been released and gives a glance of a musical future filled with even more evolution, success, and genuine amazement. Decemberunderground, paired with the raw talent of the band and renowned producer Jerry Finn, creates a distinctly dynamic album that builds on its successful predecessor, Sing the Sorrow. The change from indie label to major representation can be full of obstacles. There are “theoretically” drawbacks and Hunter feared that they would go from being a “relatively big band on a small label to being quite the opposite.” The journey from indie to major reached its current end at Interscope records where “everyone knows their jobs” and is excited to help artists and use their own talents to benefits others.
Interscope has provided the band members with a positive experience and they have been “fortunate enough to grow between records.” One has to be true to oneself and stand out. There should be no imitation – “no bandwagons” because “if you do that people will realize that you are unique because you are yourselves.” And AFI has stayed true to their own personalities and in “every aspect of the career” they’ve been able to evolve, even if slowly. “It’s kept things new and exciting” when every aspect of an album cycle is different. The band chooses not to listen to others opinions and their fans accept their independence and allow AFI to exercise a great creative freedom.
The music industry poses many challenges and some bands are intimidated with the possibility of confrontation and failure - but not AFI. They have met every challenge with a hard-working attitude. The “hardest has been getting people to” believe in them as a band and “understand” what they’re trying to do and accomplish through their music. It “wasn’t too hard fortunately” because there was already a concerned and supportive fan base. But to prove themselves they “keep doing the same thing…persistence.” Persistence shows that AFI possesses a sense of caring for the scene. And caring equals dedication. A dedication that AFI has always promised to labels, the scene, and their fans.
Favorite tracks change almost as much as their sound. Hunter, at this point in time, has an affinity for the track “The Killing Lights” simply because it has a tendency to get stuck inside his head. Intoxicating rhythms, entrancing melodies, and poetic lyrics are what one will undoubtedly find on decemberunderground. Decemberunderground is “a solid album and doesn’t really repeat itself musically.” The strongly goth-influenced band still continues to reign in the oversaturated world of pop-punk with hard lead guitar riffs as demonstrated on the anthem, “Miss Murder.” But experimentation is not out of the range of the band’s agenda or ability for on “Love Like Winter” there are techno undertones that are present and successful in their musical execution. The brooding track, “37mm” even has a bit of a Depeche Mode vibe – not such an obvious pairing with front man Davey Havok.
The title, which happens to be relatively “self-explanatory”, represents not only a location but a time period as well. The fans, in the short time since the album’s release date, have reacted to the album with enthusiasm and acceptance. “Few people got the album before the release” and the reaction has been encouraging thus far: through face-to-face interaction, e-mails, and phone calls. But “the real test” is after they start playing shows because before an album is released there’s “not a chance to really talk about it.”
The reaction of the fans somewhat affects the records that the band produces. Hunter says, “we write music that we love to play and music that makes us happy in some way. But if it was just for us there would be no reason to release it or record. The fans have to be kept in mind.” The acknowledgement of fans in essential if a record is to be cherished and consumed; The Despair Faction, a devoted following of fans, is proof that the audience is allowed to play an integral part in the success of AFI: the interaction, the devotion, the love. AFI is only getting started – there will be much more musical ingenuity to come.
