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[NOTE:
In nearly 4 years I have conducted over 150 camera interviews with some of heavy
music’s most notable artists. The brightest highlight of those experiences
recently transpired during my interview with Mr. Davey Havok. It was special
(and rare) to meet a “true” artist of self-expression who by his own
standards is honest to his art and life. No fan could meet a more humble front
man, despite the awesome persona he is on stage. It is with an eager heart that
I share this interview with you. – RMW’s]
Robb: Hey San Antonio this is Robb for
the MetalWorks, . . tonight I am on the strip at the White Rabbit, brings me
great pleasure to welcome a band you’ve heard me talk about these last few
weeks, . . . one of my favorites from Berkley, . . . I have with me Mr. Davey
Havok of AFI. How ya doing Davey?
Davey:
Very good, thanks Robb, . .
Robb: It’s definitely a pleasure to
have you on the show, . . . I’ve been talking a lot about the new record, . .
but before we get into that I don’t want to assume that everyone out there
know about AFI. Can you give us brief history on the band for those people who
don’t know?
Davey:
Sure, AFI was formed in the summer of ’91 in a small town called Ukia,
California, which is 2 hours north of east bay, . . of the San Francisco bay. We
started when I was 15 years old, we couldn’t play our instruments, . . we all
called dibs, . . I called dibs on singing. We’ve had a few line up changes,
but we’ve been together ever since. We have 5 full-length records on Nitro
Records, multiple 7 inches, 2 EP’s, . . one on Adaline Records, one on Nitro.
We’ve been touring for years.
Robb: Definitely, all the hard work
seems to be paying off, because I was telling the guys outside, . . I can’t
stop listening to “Art of Drowning”. Its been in my CD player for weeks, . .
. lets go ahead and jump into the new records. It’s a progression in what the
band has been doing these many years, . . but what separates this record in your
opinion from all the others?
Davey:
I think that this record has the most continuity. I think it’s our most
complete record that we’ve ever recorded. Throughout the record you can see
all sides of our band and there’s just a really good flow. It has I believe
the hardest song we’ve ever written on it, . . . it has the most subdued,
melancholy song that we’ve ever written and it really covers all of AFI. I’m
extremely, extremely happy with it.
Robb: The title and the cover art are
something to touch upon. The ‘art of drowning’ and the cover has the stone
angel with the water. Can you touch on the theme, . . . is there a theme for the
record?
Davey:
There’s not a theme, . . . the title does correlate to the lyrical content of
the album. If you read the lyrics there’s an overall feeling of despondence or
isolation in a lot of the music. At the same time there’s a comfort that lies
in that, . . . as opposed to complete despair. So
that’s the ‘art of drowning’.
Robb:
No doubt, . . . it seems that with each record you guys are building and
building upon a very vast cult following across this country. Tell me a little
bit, . . . how do you feel about where you’re at right now musically and with
the band as a whole?
Davey:
I really couldn’t be happier, . . . I couldn’t be more satisfied. It’s
amazing to me how far we’ve come as a band. We have some of the most loyal and
dedicated fans that a band could ever ask for. At every show, everyone’s
singing along, everyone’s moving around, . . everyone takes time to pay
attention to our words and what we’re all about and that’s great. I still
think back to the day that we put out our first 7inch ourselves and couldn’t
believe it. And now it’s amazing to me to play, . . . last night we played in
Houston and there were 900 people there, all singing along. Musically I
couldn’t be happier, . . . I’m very happy with where we are. I’m really
excited to write more and see where we’re going, cause we never know.
Robb:
I listen to the record and I say some of these songs are songs I could hear on
the radio. Would the commercial cross over be something that you would like to
see happen for AFI?
Davey:
I would like as many people to hear our music as possible and by whatever means
that is whether it’s the internet or radio or Mtv or what have you. It
doesn’t bother me that people that most our fans don’t want to hang out with
listen to our music. I just want our music to be heard. Actually, in the bay in
SF and Sacramento and Cincinnati, . . oddly enough, I’m not sure why
Cincinnati, but it’s cool, . . . they’ve been playing one of the songs off
the ‘art of drowning’. The way I see it is, . . I would rather turn on the
radio and hear bands that I like, than bands that I hate. I just want to hear
good music and if bands like Green Day, the Offspring, NIN, and a Perfect Circle
and the Deftones are being played, then that’s great cause people are being
exposed to good music as opposed to garbage. The only reason that radio and Mtv
are looked down upon so much is because the majority of the stuff they play is
really bad. If the underground could break through that and put a lot of good
music out there, then it would change everything and that would be great.
Robb:
Part of your success has been the time you guys have put on the road. You just
got off a tour with Rancid. Tell me a little bit about that tour, cause I know
you’re gonna hook up with them again in a few weeks.
Davey:
It was an amazing tour. The Rancid tour was so good. All the shows were just
packed, kids went crazy, . . kids were so excited about the bill, cause it was
the Distillers, us and Rancid. Its was really, really fun. We love those guys, .
. . we’ve known those guys for years. They’ve helped us out so much over the
years. As soon as they invited us on the tour we were so excited. It was a great
tour and I’m really, really excited to do the west coast half of it in about a
week.
Robb:
Will you guys continue to tour as long as possible in support of this record?
Davey:
Absolutely. We finish this tour on December 9th in SF. Then we play a few shows
in between this tour and our European tour with the Offspring. We’re going to
Europe with the Offspring, which will be great.
Robb:
Are you going to Japan this time around?
Davey:
I wish. No, we did Japan once with the Offspring actually and it was amazing. I
would love to go back to Japan. If we have the opportunity at all we’ll
definitely take it. We’re actually really lucky, we get to go to Australia for
the first time. We’re going to do the Australian Warped Tour this year and
that will be our first trip to Australia. If we can fit it, . . . we’re also
going to do a Canadian tour. There’s a snow jam tour that they do every year
and hopefully if it’s not in conflict with the Australian tour we’ll do that.
Then, this summer we’ll be on the U.S. Warped Tour.
Robb:
Let’s talk a little bit about the record label, . . . you mentioned Nitro a
little while ago. They’re putting forth a great effort in your support. I got
the video for ‘Total Immortal’, . . . helping spread the word on the band.
How do you feel about what the label’s been doing for AFI and do you think
that’s a part of your success as well?
Davey:
Oh definitely, they have been very, very supportive of us over the years. They
let us do whatever we want. They really try to push us and get our music out
there. Especially with the “Art of Drowning”, . . . this record has done
far, far better already than any record has for us in the past. I’m really
happy, cause we worked really hard on it.
Robb:
Davey, for shows like mine video medium is still important. Sometimes I feel
that medium is coming back a little stronger right now, especially for some of
the heavy bands. Do you agree with that and would you like to do more videos?
Davey:
Absolutely, absolutely, . . . I think video is a great medium. I mean its just
another artistic form of expression. I love to do them, . . . I want to do more.
We really want to do one when we get back. Hopefully, we’ll have time between
the tours to do another video.
Robb:
One medium that has definitely made in impact in the industry in the last couple
of years is the internet. Now, there’s that big controversy about swapping
music and legal rights. How do you feel about that whole situation?
Davey:
As I said before, I think its cool, cause it allows people to hear our music and
that’s really what our main goal is. I mean it can be a little frightening in
that if everyone stops buying music, then we can’t do anything anymore. I
don’t think that’s the case. I think that the same people that are satisfied
with cassette dubbed copies of music are gonna be the same people that are happy
with downloaded versions of cd’s. When people began to be able to copy tapes
that didn’t kill the music industry. I think there are people who buy music
and people who don’t buy music. I think most people do like to buy music and
go get the whole package. At the same time for a band like us who aren’t
played on the radio or MTV, it allows people who have heard of AFI to go
download a song and if they like it they’ll buy the cd and come out to our
shows.
Robb:
Davey, I want to ask a couple of personal questions from me. First and foremost,
people out there know that people here at Robb’s are big, big fans of AFI. We
love you guys. My question is: one of the songs on the record that always hits
me in a special place is “6 to 8”. Can you talk a little bit about that song
and what’s the vibe behind it?
Davey:
I don’t want you to take any offense to this Robb. I don’t talk about the
lyrics. For a couple of reason, . . . mainly because I don’t really like to
color people’s interpretations of the song. When I grew up there were certain
songs that meant something to me and then I found out that it meant something
entirely different to the writer and it ruined it for me. In a lot of my songs
people need different things from them and take different things from them and
if I were to say exactly what it meant to me, then it would totally change that.
At the same time a lot of my lyrics are quite personal and it’s hard enough to
write them and put them out there for everyone to read let alone talk about
them. Nothing personal.
Robb:
I totally respect that, man.
Davey:
Thank you, . . I’m glad you enjoy that song. What did it mean to you?
Robb:
It made me think about you being on the road and because of the status you have
there are a lot of people who want to be at you and you don’t know who are the
true people at heart. There are a very select few from all the people you meet.
No one really know who their true friends are until it really comes down.
Davey:
Yeah, and that can be on the road or anywhere.
Robb:
Also, I want to talk about an artist I think we both share a passion for and
that’s Glen Danzig. Tell me a little bit about what Glen Danzig has meant to
you musically?
Davey:
I mean he had a huge influence on me just growing up. I love everything he has
ever done from Misfits thru Samhain to Danzig. Just as a songwriter and a singer
he just so amazing. I had the opportunity to tour with Samhain and Danzig last
year, which was something that I never imagined. It was great!
Robb:
Davey, I want to thank you, man. I want to thank for taking the time for the
fans tonight who want to keep up with AFI. Remember San Antonio the latest from
AFI is called the "Art of Drowning”. Its out on Nitro Records, be sure to
go out there and pick it up. I’ll see you all next week and remember AFI fukin
rocks on Robb’s MetalWorks.