Jade Puget of AFI sat down with Guitar World Magazine to discuss the band’s new straight rock feel on the new album Crash Love. After releasing Sing the Sorrow in 2003 and Decemberunderground in 2006 and establishing a gothic, post-hardcore sound, the band members of AFI, particularly Puget, wanted to do something different.
“Early on, I came up with the idea to do a rock record, ’cause we had never done just a straight-up rock record before. It went against what everyone was expecting us to do. But doing what everyone wants us to has no attraction to me. I don’t ever want to do what’s predictable.”
When Puget and vocalist Davey Havok created their side project, Blaqk Audio, in 2007, they branched out and used a lot of electronics and plug-in manipulations. According to the guys, this was a very fun and relaxing stage for them and inspired them to explore their musical creativity on Crash Love. But shortly before recording the new album, the band had the misfortune of losing their producer, Jerry Finn in August 2008. But with the help of Joe McGrath, who worked with Finn on Decemberunderground, and new addition Jacknife Lee, AFI produced a new type of rock and roll album.
Puget goes on to discuss his many guitar and amplifier choices on the new album, as well as the production of both the melody and lyrics and the creative teamwork between himself and Havok.
In conclusion, Puget told GW what he has discovered after ten years with the band:
“Sing the Sorrow came out in 2003, and it was a very successful record for us. We could very well have said, ‘This is our sound. We’ve found a successful formula. Let’s repeat it on our next record.’ But we didn’t. Our last record was very successful too. But rather than sticking with one of these formulas that have worked, we keep changing what we’re doing and searching for new things. As long as we’re doing that, then there are always new things to discover and experience.”
To read the full interview, click here.
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