a mostly self indulgent post about AFI.
Encouraged by justanothermyth I'm going to post a part of many, many AFI related rants. That is how much I adore them. Wow.
I started listening to AFI when I was twelve years old. The first song I heard was "...but home is nowhere" and I fell in love with every aspect of it. Since I wasn't a musician at the time (though musical, I lacked most abilities), I experienced the song as a whole. What stood out to me was the lead singer's voice. The ease with which he slid between singing and screaming amazed me. Before even seeing what he looked like, I was enamored. I had to get more. I had to. It was a need for music that I'd never known before.
The next week, I was with my friend Jackie at an independent record store in my hometown, which has since been converted into a dollar store. I found an album called Sing The Sorrow wedged between Aerosmith and another A band. Not knowing what was on it, I bought it with what little money I had. The second I got home I put it in my dinky stereo. Miseria Cantere, the lyric booklet said. It was dark. It was atmospheric. It was a bit dramatic, which even in my junior high stupidity I recognized. I was hooked. As I listened to the entire album, I found the song I had heard before. And the spoken word afterword. And "This Time Imperfect" after it.
I was speechless. I cried. I pressed repeat. My journey began.
I got each of their albums out of order. Black Sails, Art of Drowning, Answer That, the EPs, Very Proud of Ya, all of it. I fell in love with it all. I mapped the progress. I researched and found out as much about them as I possibly could, both the music/history and the people behind the music. I developed a huge crush on Davey Havok, which probably had a lot to do with shaping my leanings. The contradiction of his body type with his somewhat feminine representation (pleather pants and falsies paired with a ripped body covered in tattoos) turned me onto androgyny, something that is still a huge factor in my life today.
I went on for a long time without seeing them. Then opportunity struck. I was cutting school with a a girl named Rin Shen (who said I was a saint?) when I was approached by a guy who gave me the offer of my lifetime so far -- seeing AFI for free at MTV in promotion of their new album. I jumped at the chance. It was May 8th, 2006, about a month before Decemberunderground would hit stores that I first saw AFI in person do an interview and perform. The rush was incredible. These were real people I got to see. These four guys who had influenced who I was in many ways were ten feet away from me. I was shaking. It was worth missing another day of school to see.
I got to see them again a month later and they played a more complete set. I heard many of my favorites off their earlier releases and I was enthralled. The were conscientious of their fans' favorites and covered their newer material as well. I was inspired. I was all sorts of things that I can barely describe. I was happy. Happy to be alive and feel the music envelope me. I still feel that with them today. Through their ups and downs and twists and turns, I have always had faith in them. I saw Blaqk Audio. I've seen them a number of times. I plan to tattoo the falling leaves from the Sing The Sorrow cover on my ankle. Potentially "of blue and grey" near it. They will permanently be in my life.
That's the first part of my AFI rant. The second part will be their role in the development of my identity! Fun stuff.
I started listening to AFI when I was twelve years old. The first song I heard was "...but home is nowhere" and I fell in love with every aspect of it. Since I wasn't a musician at the time (though musical, I lacked most abilities), I experienced the song as a whole. What stood out to me was the lead singer's voice. The ease with which he slid between singing and screaming amazed me. Before even seeing what he looked like, I was enamored. I had to get more. I had to. It was a need for music that I'd never known before.
The next week, I was with my friend Jackie at an independent record store in my hometown, which has since been converted into a dollar store. I found an album called Sing The Sorrow wedged between Aerosmith and another A band. Not knowing what was on it, I bought it with what little money I had. The second I got home I put it in my dinky stereo. Miseria Cantere, the lyric booklet said. It was dark. It was atmospheric. It was a bit dramatic, which even in my junior high stupidity I recognized. I was hooked. As I listened to the entire album, I found the song I had heard before. And the spoken word afterword. And "This Time Imperfect" after it.
I was speechless. I cried. I pressed repeat. My journey began.
I got each of their albums out of order. Black Sails, Art of Drowning, Answer That, the EPs, Very Proud of Ya, all of it. I fell in love with it all. I mapped the progress. I researched and found out as much about them as I possibly could, both the music/history and the people behind the music. I developed a huge crush on Davey Havok, which probably had a lot to do with shaping my leanings. The contradiction of his body type with his somewhat feminine representation (pleather pants and falsies paired with a ripped body covered in tattoos) turned me onto androgyny, something that is still a huge factor in my life today.
I went on for a long time without seeing them. Then opportunity struck. I was cutting school with a a girl named Rin Shen (who said I was a saint?) when I was approached by a guy who gave me the offer of my lifetime so far -- seeing AFI for free at MTV in promotion of their new album. I jumped at the chance. It was May 8th, 2006, about a month before Decemberunderground would hit stores that I first saw AFI in person do an interview and perform. The rush was incredible. These were real people I got to see. These four guys who had influenced who I was in many ways were ten feet away from me. I was shaking. It was worth missing another day of school to see.
I got to see them again a month later and they played a more complete set. I heard many of my favorites off their earlier releases and I was enthralled. The were conscientious of their fans' favorites and covered their newer material as well. I was inspired. I was all sorts of things that I can barely describe. I was happy. Happy to be alive and feel the music envelope me. I still feel that with them today. Through their ups and downs and twists and turns, I have always had faith in them. I saw Blaqk Audio. I've seen them a number of times. I plan to tattoo the falling leaves from the Sing The Sorrow cover on my ankle. Potentially "of blue and grey" near it. They will permanently be in my life.
That's the first part of my AFI rant. The second part will be their role in the development of my identity! Fun stuff.