The AFI Everything FAQ!
 

New members/fans, please read this thread before making any threads! Chances are any questions you have will be answered in here. If you don't find the info you're looking for, try searching this board and the rest of the internet. Trust us, this will save you from looking foolish for asking a question that has been asked many, many times before!

AFI FAQ
Brought to you by Alli and ixnay

We have strived to make this thread as informative and accurate as possible. If however, we have included information that you know to be incorrect, kindly let us know in this thread so we can fix it. Thanks!

CONTENTS:

The Board and Sites
-"Where can I find the guidelines of this board and basic info on how to use it?"
-"Who is in charge of this board?"
-"Why don't I have access to the "Ask AFI" and "Ask Fritch" forums? Why can't I have an avatar/use private messages?"
-"Why isn't the Secret Site working for me?"
-"Some things on afireinside.net don't work either!"
-"What's going on with the 5th Column?"

The Band and Family
-"Who are the current members of AFI?"
-"Hunter and Jade haven't always been in the band?"
-"Who are Fritch, Mikey, and Smith?"
-"Has AFI always stood for A Fire Inside?"
-"What record labels has AFI been on over the years?"
-"I read in an article that Jade actually writes the songs. Is this true?"
-"Are any of the band members gay?"
-"What is sXe?/Are the band sXe?"
-"What about their dietary choices?"
-"I heard that Davey was sick."
-"How can I communicate with the band?"
-"What's the link between AFI and Tiger Army? AFI and The Offspring?"

The Releases
-"Where can I find a complete list of AFI releases including pressing info and relative rarities?"
-"Was "Answer That and Stay Fashionable" released more than once?"
-"Is "Bombing the Bay" rare?"
-"I just noticed that on my copy of "Black Sails in the Sunset," "The Last Kiss" and "Weathered Tome" are in the wrong order. Is my disc special/why is this?"
-"What are all the different versions of Sing the Sorrow and how rare are they?"
-"Isn't "Synesthesia" incorrectly spelt?"
-"Have there been other mistakes in titles over the years?"
-"Where can I buy "Clandestine?" "
-"What is "Clandestine?" 337?!?!"
-"What are the "Sing the Sorrow" icons' names?"
-"Has anyone heard of the "Hard Rock Live" promo? Is it rare?"
-"When will AFI's next album be released?"

The Songs
-"Where can I find a complete list of AFI songs? I just downloaded an "AFI" song that I've never heard of before..."
-"Where can I find correct lyrics to AFI songs?"
-"How can I listen to "No Dave Party?"
-”Who sings the chorus of "Transference?" "
-"Has anyone else heard the "Chicken Song?" "
-"What are the backing lyrics to that part in "The Despair Factor" and "Wester?" "
-"Does "The Despair Factor" contain a quote from a movie?"
-"Is there a difference between the two "Now The World" tracks?"
-"Does Davey really say "scuking" in "Death of Seasons?" "
-"What are the lyrics to the beginning of the "Synesthesia" demo?"

The Videos
-"Where can I watch/download AFI music videos and live songs?"
-"Where were AFI's music videos shot?"

The Shows
-"Where can I find info on past AFI tours/set lists?"
-"I don't think AFI visits my city/country often enough and I'd like to complain about it."
-"Well when are they touring again?"
-"Will they make up the shows they had to cancel due to Davey's illness?"

The Side Projects
-"Are Davey and Jade working on a side project and when is it due out?"
-"What other bands have the guys played in?"
-"What movies have band members appeared in?"

The Rest
-"Where can I find definitions for words used in AFI's songs?"
-"I think that AFI has sold out with their latest album and would like to complain."
-"I have a question that hasn't been addressed here."

"Where can I find the guidelines of this board and basic info on how to use it?"

• The board's guidelines can be viewed here: http://board.despairfaction.com/faq.php?
  You should definitely read them as they contain important info which can keep you from being suspended or permanently banned!!!

• Other technical info can be found here: http://board.despairfaction.com/faq.php?faq=vb_faq

"Who is in charge of this board?"

• Gavin is the main administrator and takes care of DF-related issues. He is helped by the wonderful Salem who does an amazing job of answering people's questions about the board and attempting to keep everyone happy. She can be reached at sonia(at)despairfaction(dot)com. Salem, along with an incredible team of moderators, help keep the board under control by locking threads that break the guidelines. They are not afraid to issue suspensions if you step out of line!

"Why don't I have access to the "Ask AFI" and "Ask Fritch" forums? Why can't I have an avatar/use private messages?"

• The "Ask AFI" and "Ask Fritch" forums are available to DF'ers only and are just one of the many benefits of being a member.

• Avatars and PMs are available only to DF'ers, to conserve bandwidth. This board has a huge amount of visitors each day and accommodating all this traffic costs money.

"Why isn't the Secret Site working for me?"

• The secret is currently not working for anyone. This has been noted so no more topics are required on the issue. You will undoubtedly hear on the board when it is working again. If someone you know has it working, it's most likely due to the fact their cache hasn't been cleared.

"Some things on afireinside.net don't work either!"

• The site doesn't seem to have a webmaster anymore and several things have been left unattended. It is unfortunate but we'll have to wait until someone fixes it.

"What's going on with the 5th Column?"

• The 5th Column – AFI's official street team - is currently not officially active. However, you are encouraged to post your own missions in the 5th Column forum.

"Who are the current members of AFI?"

• Davey Havok (vocals), Adam Carson (drums), Hunter Burgan (bass), and Jade Puget (guitar)

"Hunter and Jade haven't always been in the band?"

• No they haven't. Previous members include Vic Chalker (bass), Mark (guitar, current whereabouts unknown) and Geoff Kresge (bass, now plays for Tiger Army). To find out the rest of the band's more than a decade of history, see the AFI biographies on afireinside.net

"Who are Fritch, Mikey, and Smith?"

• Fritch is AFI's merch guy and DF administrator. He also gives advice in his "Ask Fritch" forum now that the band isn't touring. Be sure to say "hi" next time you see him at an AFI show, and remember to tip!

• Mikey is AFI's sound guy and also tours with the band. He used to post quite a bit on the board but hasn't for a while.

• Smith is Jade's brother and AFI's tour manager. He doesn't post on this board but he's an awesome guy!

"Has AFI always stood for A Fire Inside?"

• Davey, Adam, Hunter and Jade's band has always been called "A Fire Inside."

"What record labels has AFI been on over the years?"

• AFI started on a label called Key Lime Pie Records that was entirely funded by Geoff Kresge. The band's LP labels included Wingnut Records, Nitro Records and Dreamworks Records. The reasons for change are numerous but mostly come down to the success of the band and requiring a larger label with more resources. AFI are currently on Interscope Records (Universal Records sub-label) due to the end of the Dreamworks Records company.

"I read in an article that Jade actually writes the songs. Is this true?"

• Davey is the primary lyricist in the band. Jade writes a large portion of the songs. This means, he writes a lot of the music side. Jade is known to have written the lyrics to the first and third verse of the poem before “This Time Imperfect”, but there has not been official word of him writing any other lyrics.

"Are any of the band members gay?"

• The guys' personal lives are NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS and should not be discussed AT ALL on this board.

"What is sXe?/Are the band sXe?"

• sXe stands for Straight-Edge. "Straight-Edge refers to a philosophy whose most basic tenets promote a drug-free lifestyle. It developed as an offshoot of the punk rock/hardcore scenes of the early 1980's when the term itself is believed to have been coined by Ian Mackaye [Minor Threat]." People put X's on their hands to show that they are straight-edge, and these should not be worn by anyone who isn't. They are not a fashion statement. To find out more, try this sample site. Do not discuss sXe issues in this forum! Davey and Jade are the two sXe members of the band. Discussion of this is also not welcome on this board.

"What about their dietary choices?"

• Members of AFI follow vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. You can find more info on both of these online. Please don't become vegan just because Davey is. There's a lot more to it than simply dropping meat, eggs and dairy products from your diet, and if you haven't done the proper research you could make yourself very ill.

"I heard that Davey was sick."

• Davey had to rest his voice for a while to avoid doing permanent damage to his vocal cords. He is better now, but thanks for your concern!

"How can I communicate with the band?"

• The quickest and easiest way is to join the Despair Faction and make a post in the "Ask AFI" forum. You are more likely to get a response this way (for the time being at least).

• You can also write to them at the following address:
  
  A F I
  PO Box 4522
  Berkeley, CA 94704
  USA

• Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you'd like a reply, but don't get your hopes up too high for a personalized response. The band is extremely busy most of the time.

• Yes, the box has been reopened, and no, the band does not have an email address for fan mail.

"What's the link between AFI and Tiger Army? AFI and The Offspring?"

• Nick 13 has been a friend with the band for a long time. Geoff used to be AFI's bassist. AFI helped Tiger Army get off the ground, and Davey sings background vocals on some Tiger Army songs, and Nick 13 does the same for AFI. Adam also played drums on their first release.

• AFI used to be on Dexter's label: Nitro Records. The two bands toured together more than once, and remain good friends.

"Where can I find a complete list of AFI releases including pressing info and relative rarities?"

• Go to www.liberty-lyrics.8k.com to see The Complete AFI Discography - the original and undoubtedly most complete AFI discography on the net!

"Was "Answer That and Stay Fashionable" released more than once?"

• Yes it was. It was originally released in 1995 when AFI was on Wingnut Records. They switched to Nitro and released "Very Proud of Ya" in 1996. In 1997, they re-released "ATASF" on Nitro. For this reason, "ATASF" is sometimes listed after "VPOY" in discographies.

"Is "Bombing the Bay" rare?"

• The original batch is relatively rare. However, it has been re-released, so if you found it on eBay, at Hot Topic, etc. chances are you have a new pressing that is very common. More info on this can be found in ixnay's discography.

"I just noticed that on my copy of "Black Sails in the Sunset," "The Last Kiss" and "Weathered Tome" are in the wrong order. Is my disc special/why is this?"

• Every "Black Sails in the Sunset" CD is the same with this issue. It's like this because of a mistake made at Nitro Records.

"What are all the different versions of Sing the Sorrow and how rare are they?"

• Black cover, silver ink - Half of the first batch/pressing of CDs were like this - they will never be made again! Most, if not all, discs feature a sea urchin.

• Black cover, red ink - The other half of the initial batch, and the colour that will continue to be made until the end of time... Discs may picture sea urchins, dead birds, octopi, or possibly other illustrations!

• Black cover, black ink - Very rare (only 2500 made!) - These were available only on tour and a very small number were sent to record stores. These discs have octopi on them.

• Limited edition w/ bonus DVD - Features a hardcover book with lyrics and illustrations, a Sing the Sorrow disc, and a DVD containing the short film "Clandestine" as well as select songs off "STS" in 5.1 surround sound. These discs can have sea urchins or dead birds.

• US vs. Uk - These are the main different editions, the difference being that the UK edition contains the songs "Synesthesia" and "Now the World." The UK edition may have red or silver printing on the cover, but the contents are the same.

"Isn't "Synesthesia" incorrectly spelt?"

• No. No matter what you may have seen - even on official releases (Synthesthesia) - "Synesthesia" is the song title's correct spelling. Mistakes happen.

"Have there been other mistakes in titles over the years?"

• Simply put – Yes. A good example is "Reiver's Music." Spelt three different ways on official releases – "Reivers' Music," "Reivers Music, " and "Reiver's Music." On the "Short Music for Short People" compilation, AFI's song was listed as "Hearts Frozen Soil Sod Once More by the Spring of Rage Despair and Hopelessness." This was a mistake. The song's actual title is "Hearts Frozen Solid, Thawed Once More by the Spring of Rage, Despair, and Hopelessness."

"Where can I buy "Clandestine?" "

• A number of people have found them at Borders recently. If you can't get one there, eBay is your best bet. $50 is the average going price these days, and watch out for bootlegs!

"What is "Clandestine?" 337?!?!"

• Clandestine is a short film DVD made by AFI. Clandestine means "done is secret."

• There are many theories to what Clandestine means in terms of the DVD. The number "337" relates to the entire mystery as well. No one's quite sure how yet!

[list]Here is a collection of possible clues:

• AFI's 10” Picture Disc was titled "336"

• Gavin told us that 336 was not important – it was just what comes before 337, and 337 was what we had to figure out

• "337" was written inside a pentagram on a tour shirt[/link]
  • Jade told someone this was the next piece of the puzzle
  • The old AFI message board style was named "337"
  • Gavin told us we should think of 337 as 3 and 37
  • Numbers relating to 337 make numerous appearances in "Clandestine"
  • While the message board was being upgraded, Gavin left links to sites on astrology, numerology, and Chinese zodiac
  • The "Girl's Not Grey" promo 7” had "how many?" and "seven" etched into it.
  • The "Sing the Sorrow" 12” had "seven out with the gypsiness" etched into it.
  • People connected with the band have posted things such as "The answer is seven" on the message board.

[list]Check out the following links for board members' theories:

http://despairfaction.ca/origtheories/

337

Daveys Rabbit Sign

in an atempt to uncover the truth about clandestine

clandestine figured out

...Listen to the start/end of TTI again..."The answer is seven"

"What are the "Sing the Sorrow" icons' names?"

• There are no "official" names of the icons. Our Administrator (Gavin) came up with some names when he had to label the icons. These names are great and are a good way to let people know which icon you are talking about. They are (from left to right as seen on afireinside.net): "Soaring," "protecting," "flowing," "singing," "reaping," "perfecting," "disintegrating."

"Has anyone heard of the "Hard Rock Live" promo? Is it rare?"

• Info can be found here. It is an official release and was given out free to stores to either hand out or bundle as a bonus with AFI CDs.

"When will AFI's next album be released?"

• Adam said that their contract called for a new album around August to be released or recorded. However, due to unforeseen circumstance, this date has been pushed back. We should have a new LP comfortably by early-mid 2005. No one but the band knows and circumstances can change this.

"Where can I find a complete list of AFI songs? I just downloaded an "AFI" song that I've never heard of before..."

• Check out www.timefall.com/afi for a complete list of AFI songs. Songs that don't appear on this list - such as "Jade Song" and "99 Red Balloons" - aren't AFI songs but have rather been mislabelled. If a song appears more than once, there is more than one version of it.

"Where can I find correct lyrics to AFI songs?"

• There is no resource with 100% correct lyrics. Listed here are some sites to get you started. But we stress that you should make your own opinion on the lyrics! Many of these are COMPLETELY wrong – don't deny yourself the chance to make a song mean more to you by interpreting and understanding the lyrics the way YOU hear them. Don't fall for power of suggestion. Official AFI Lyrics, Fan-Submitted Lyrics, Fan Site Lyrics.

"How can I listen to "No Dave Party?"

• "No Dave Party" is actually before "He Who Laughs Last" on your "Very Proud of Ya" CD. To listen to it, start playing "He Who Laughs Last," and then push the rewind button so the time goes into negative numbers. When it stops rewinding, release and the song should start playing.

"Who sings the chorus of "Transference?" "

• Hunter does.

"Has anyone else heard the "Chicken Song?" "

• Yes, we all know about it. If you want to hear it, it should be easy enough to find, and the lyrics should be on most lyrics websites as well.

"What are the backing lyrics to that part in "The Despair Factor" and "Wester?" "

• "The Despair Factor:" "For sensation, for elation, for the time when I ascend. For the ecstasy, for tragedy, for the point of my ascension."

• "Wester:" "One world away. We were just one world away. In silent rapture let us stay… one world away."

"Does “The Despair Factor" contain a quote from a movie?"

• Yes it does. The quote "My whole life is a dark room, one… big… dark… room" was originally said by Lydia (Winnona Ryder) in the movie "Beetlejuice." According to Jade, "The whole time we were recording, we were trying to get permission from Winona Ryder to use her "My whole life is a dark room" part from Beetlejuice but we never heard from her so we said fuck it, we'll use our own spooky dark-haired girl and called in Davey."

"Is there a difference between the two "Now The World" tracks?"

• Yes. But firstly, the "Now The World" appearing on the "Now The World Picture Disc"/"336" 10" is NOT a demo. It is the original. The lyrics to the chorus were changed slightly for the UK release of "Sing the Sorrow." It is a completely new recording.

"Does Davey really say "scuking" in "Death of Seasons?" "

• No. He says "fucking." It was changed to "scuking" (more recently "****ing") in the "STS" booklet, presumably to avoid a parental advisory sticker on Sing the Sorrow's classy black cover.

"What are the lyrics to the beginning of the "Synesthesia" demo?"

• Nobody knows for sure. There is one hyped up guess of the lyrics found on timefall, however this is NOT correct. Try make out the lyrics for yourself – it's much more rewarding and makes the song mean more to you.

• Also note that the lyrics which contain the line "Please let me understand I'm your pillow" are WRONG! They were people's best guess before Davey gave us the real lyrics. These can be found on timefall.com/afi

"Where can I watch/download AFI music videos and live songs?"

• Sites such as www.launch.com and www.nitrorecords.com will allow you to stream AFI's music videos (for "He Who Laughs Last," "Third Season," "Totalimmortal" "The Days of the Phoenix," "Girl's Not Grey" (keep an eye out for the "prelude" version as well!), "The Leaving Song Pt. II," and "Silver and Cold.")

• File-sharing applications such as kazaa will also allow you to download dozens and dozens of live mp3s and videos. People up for a challenge and the rewards that come with a bit of hard work can check out #afi-vids on DALnet on IRC. For more info on how to use the channel click here.

"Where were AFI's music videos shot?"

• "He Who Laughs Last" was shot at The Berkeley Square. Parts of "Totalimmortal" were filmed in the band's practice studio. "The Days of the Phoenix" was filmed at 14 Below in Santa Monica. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was filmed in an old theatre in the industrial skirting of L.A. "Silver and Cold" was shot in Prague, Czech Republic.

"Where can I find info on past AFI tours/set lists?"

• www.liberty-lyrics.8k.com is also the home of The Complete AFI Set list and Tour Guide - the most complete collection of past AFI tour dates and set lists (including images!) known to the online world. Contributions are always welcome!

"I don't think AFI visits my city/country often enough and I'd like to complain about it."

• The guys are very grateful for all their fans and would like to play for all of you as much as possible. If they don't play a show near you when you'd like them to, or if you don't get tickets, complaining in this forum will do little more than make you seem impatient and selfish, so please restrain yourself.

"Well when are they touring again?"

• AFI will embark on their next major tour once they've finished recording their next album.

"Will they make up the shows they had to cancel due to Davey's illness?"

• AFI will hopefully play most if not all of the cities in which they had to cancel shows once they start touring again, but there are no known plans to "make up" the cancelled dates.

"Are Davey and Jade working on a side project and when is it due out?"

• Davey and Jade are indeed working on a side project called "Blaqk Audio" which will feature their passion: electronic music. You can see their site at www.blaqkaudio.com. They don't yet know when it will be released. However, this project, like all the members' other present and past side projects is not AFI-related and shouldn't be discussed in AFI Everything.

"What other bands have the guys played in?"

• Davey: Son of Sam (http://www.nitrorecords.com/sonofsam.html), he has also DJ'ed on a number of occasions.

• Adam: Tiger Army (www.tigerarmy.com)

• Hunter: The Force, The Frisk (www.thefrisk.com), Hunter Revenge (www.hunterrevenge.com)

• Jade: Redemption 87, Loose Change, Influence 13

• There may very well be other bands that we don't know about, or that they played with only a few times.

"What movies have band members appeared in?"

• Davey had a small part in "Mary Jane's Not A Virgin Anymore," and he will be the voice of "Hay" in "Live Freaky! Die Freaky!" (www.livefreakydiefreaky.com).

"Where can I find definitions for words used in AFI's songs?"

• You can read the "AFI Dictionary" thread here.
  You can also try this site here.

"I think that AFI has sold out with their latest album and would like to complain."

• While the band, admin, moderators, and the rest of the AFI family recognize your right to freedom of speech, they would also like to remind you that this is AFI's official message board which is run as a courtesy to AFI fans, and to request that you do not post comments which can be seen as disrespectful to the band on this board. We would also like to remind you that it is just about impossible for a band to keep the same sound for over a decade. The band tries to progress with each album and has asked that fans accept this if not embrace it.

"I have a question that hasn't been addressed here."

• Please do a search before making any threads on this board. Remember that you may be new, but this board contains many months' worth of posts, and the majority of topics you'll want to talk about will already have threads that you can contribute to.