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Born from the Northern California punk scene in Ukiah, AFI emerged in November 1991 when highschool college students Davey Havok, Mark Stopholese, Vic Chalker, and Adam Carson shaped a band regardless of none of them understanding the right way to play devices on the time. The band has launched twelve studio albums, one dwell album, and ten EPs since their 1995 debut Reply That and Keep Modern. AFI has maintained a secure lineup since 1998, consisting of Havok, Carson, Hunter Burgan, and Jade Puget, with Havok and Carson being the one remaining authentic members. The band briefly broke up in 1993 when members left for various faculties however reunited after a profitable present on the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, California, prompting them to give up faculty and pursue music full-time.
AFI first achieved substantial industrial success with their fifth album The Artwork of Drowning in 2000, which peaked at quantity 174 on the Billboard 200. Their mainstream breakthrough got here with Sing the Sorrow in 2003, which reached quantity 5 on the Billboard 200, remained on the chart for 51 weeks, and was licensed Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 after promoting over 1.26 million copies. The band’s seventh album Decemberunderground debuted at primary on the Billboard 200 in 2006, promoting over 182,000 copies in its first week and incomes Platinum certification in 2013. The only “Miss Homicide” from that album topped the Scorching Fashionable Rock Tracks chart for 5 weeks, reached quantity 24 on the Billboard Scorching 100, and gained the 2006 MTV Video Music Award for Greatest Rock Video.
AFI additionally gained the MTV2 Award on the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for “Lady’s Not Gray.” The band’s subsequent albums Crash Love (2009), Burials (2013), and AFI (2017) peaked at numbers twelve, 9, and 5 respectively on the Billboard 200. After releasing The Lacking Man EP in December 2018, AFI launched their eleventh album Our bodies on June 11, 2021, by way of Rise Data. Their twelfth studio album Silver Bleeds the Black Solar… was launched on October 3, 2025. All through their profession, AFI has transitioned from hardcore punk to include horror punk, post-hardcore, emo, various rock, gothic rock, new wave, and post-punk parts into their sound.
Davey Havok
Davey Havok, born David Paden Passaro on November 20, 1975, in Rochester, New York, co-founded AFI in November 1991 whereas attending Ukiah Excessive Faculty in California alongside Mark Stopholese and Vic Chalker. After his father died when Havok was three years previous, his mom remarried and he took his stepfather’s surname Marchand. Havok moved to Ukiah, California at age six and attended Catholic faculty by way of eighth grade earlier than graduating from Ukiah Excessive Faculty in 1993.
Following highschool, Havok attended the College of California, Berkeley, the place he wrote lyrics that later appeared on AFI’s first two albums. He left after his sophomore 12 months when AFI grew to become a full-time band following their profitable reunion present in December 1993. Havok has been AFI’s lead vocalist on all twelve studio albums from Reply That and Keep Modern (1995) by way of Silver Bleeds the Black Solar… (2025). He’s the band’s major lyricist, dealing with all vocal duties and contributing to the band’s evolving sound throughout three a long time.
On Sing the Sorrow (2003), Havok’s vocals helped propel singles “Lady’s Not Gray” and “Silver and Chilly” to quantity seven on the Scorching Fashionable Rock Tracks chart, whereas “The Leaving Music Pt. II” reached quantity sixteen. His efficiency on Decemberunderground (2006) included the chart-topping single “Miss Homicide,” which grew to become AFI’s highest-charting music on the Billboard Scorching 100 at quantity 24. Havok’s vocal vary and theatrical supply have been central to AFI’s evolution from hardcore punk by way of their later gothic rock and new wave-influenced work on albums like Our bodies (2021).
Exterior AFI, Havok shaped the digital music duo Blaqk Audio with bandmate Jade Puget in 2007, releasing their debut album CexCells on August 14, 2007. The duo has launched six albums: CexCells (2007), Shiny Black Heaven (2012), Materials (2016), Solely Issues We Love (2019), Beneath the Black Palms (2020), and Trop d’amour (2022). All three of their first albums debuted atop the Billboard Prime Dance/Digital Albums chart.
Havok and Puget additionally shaped the straight edge hardcore band XTRMST, releasing their self-titled debut album on Dim Mak Data on November 25, 2014. In 2017, Havok joined Dreamcar, a brand new wave supergroup that includes No Doubt members Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont, and Adrian Younger, releasing their self-titled debut album that 12 months with the only “Kill for Sweet.” He beforehand sang lead vocals for the horror punk supergroup Son of Sam, showing on their album Songs from the Earth launched on Might 8, 2001, by way of Nitro Data alongside Todd Youth, Steve Zing, and London Might.
Havok appeared within the 1996 impartial movie Mary Jane’s Not a Virgin Anymore, wherein two AFI songs “Cruise Management” and “Love Is a Many Splendored Factor” have been featured. He joined the forged of Inexperienced Day’s Broadway musical American Fool in March 2011, enjoying the function of St. Jimmy. Havok has additionally pursued voice appearing, voicing characters within the animated movie Reside Freaky! Die Freaky! (2006) and the sequence Godkiller (2009). He’s an writer, publishing the novel Pop Children by way of Black Sweet Publishing in April 2013 and Love Quick Los Angeles in February 2018. Havok has launched clothes traces together with Glitterboy (2007), Zu Boutique (2008), and Eat Your Personal Tail (2016). He’s a vocal advocate for veganism and the straight edge way of life.
Adam Carson
Adam Alexander Carson, born February 5, 1975, and raised in Ukiah, California, grew to become AFI’s drummer in November 1991 when his buddy Mark Stopholese urged he be part of the newly shaped band as a result of he owned a drum set. Carson met future bandmate Davey Havok in fifth grade, however the two didn’t turn out to be shut pals till highschool. Carson developed an curiosity in drumming at age three when he started amassing 45-rpm information, and by age eight or 9 he was impressed to pursue drumming after buying Def Leppard’s Pyromania album. He performed drums in his faculty band throughout sixth and seventh grade, utilizing scorching pink drumsticks.
Carson and the opposite AFI members briefly break up up in 1993 after graduating highschool, with Carson attending UC Santa Cruz whereas Havok attended UC Berkeley and Stopholese attended the College of Southern California. The band reunited in December 1993 for a present on the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, California, the place the enthusiastic response from roughly 200 followers satisfied them to give up faculty and pursue AFI full-time. Carson has been AFI’s drummer and backing vocalist on all twelve studio albums from Reply That and Keep Modern (1995) by way of Silver Bleeds the Black Solar… (2025), making him one in every of solely two authentic members nonetheless within the band alongside Havok.
He conceived the title for AFI’s second album Very Pleased with Ya (1996) and wrote the lyrics for the music “Key Lime Pie,” a tribute to one in every of his favourite meals, whereas contributing a number of traces to “Rizzo within the Field.” Carson’s drumming advanced considerably from the quick hardcore punk model of early albums to extra advanced preparations on later releases. On The Artwork of Drowning (2000), his drumming helped the album turn out to be AFI’s first to chart on the Billboard 200 at quantity 174. His technical proficiency has been famous by critics, along with his work on AFI (2017) praised for inventive drum components and explosive tones throughout the album’s fourteen tracks. Carson makes use of DW drums, Zildjian cymbals, Vater drumsticks, and Remo drumheads.
Carson crammed in as drummer for the psychobilly band Tiger Military in 1996, along with his drumming featured on Tiger Military’s The Early Years EP and their self-titled debut album Tiger Military launched in 1999. He was additionally a member of Affect 13, a band that included Nick 13 of Tiger Military, Jade Puget, Geoff Kresge, and different pals, although the group by no means gained vital traction. Carson shaped The Reckless Sort in 2011, described as a five-piece heavy soul band, and the group recorded a debut album and performed a number of exhibits.
Carson is a fan of baseball, significantly the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres. He’s vegetarian however doesn’t comply with the straight edge way of life like bandmates Havok and Puget, and he’s a smoker. Carson married British mannequin Eirinie Hamil on August 3, 2013, and the couple has two daughters: Luka Lily Carson, born April 22, 2017, and Selah Marigold Carson, born April 17, 2021.
Hunter Burgan
Hunter Lawrence Burgan, born Might 14, 1976, in Lengthy Seashore, California, and raised in Grass Valley, California, joined AFI in 1997 as a brief substitute bassist for Geoff Kresge throughout the Very Pleased with Ya tour dates. On the time, Burgan was enjoying bass in a band known as The Pressure. He was initially meant to fill in just for touring and recording Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997), however his efficiency satisfied the band to ask him to turn out to be their full-time bassist in November 1997. The Pressure broke up in September 1998.
Burgan has been AFI’s bassist, backing vocalist, and keyboardist since becoming a member of, showing on all albums from Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) by way of Silver Bleeds the Black Solar… (2025). Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes was additionally notable for that includes background vocals from future AFI guitarist Jade Puget, making it the primary album to incorporate all 4 present members of the band. Burgan’s bass work has been integral to AFI’s sound throughout a number of albums and genres.
On Black Sails within the Sundown (1999), his bass traces contributed to the band’s darker, horror punk-influenced sound on tracks like “Medicate” and “Narrative of Soul Towards Soul.” His enjoying on Sing the Sorrow (2003) featured outstanding bass traces in hits “Lady’s Not Gray” and “The Leaving Music Pt. II.” On Decemberunderground (2006), Burgan expanded his function to incorporate programming and extra instrumentation alongside bass and vocals. His multi-instrumental talents allowed him to contribute keyboards, synthesizers, and programming on later albums, serving to form AFI’s incorporation of digital and new wave parts. Burgan performs Fender American Jazz Basses and makes use of Ampeg amplifiers. He’s a proficient multi-instrumentalist able to enjoying drums, bass, guitar, saxophone, clarinet, and piano.
Burgan was the drummer and founding member of The Frisk, a Berkeley-based punk rock band shaped in early 2000 with former members of The Criminals, together with vocalist Jesse Luscious, bassist Mike Sexxx, and guitarist Zach Assault. The Frisk launched two albums on Adeline Data: Rank Restraint (2001) and Audio Ransom Notice (2003), with Burgan serving as major songwriter alongside Luscious. The band performed their last present in December 2005.
Burgan created a solo aspect mission known as Hunter Revenge in 2001, devoted to early Eighties-style R&B and funk impressed by Prince’s Minneapolis sound, the place he wrote, produced, sang, and performed all devices. In Might 2011, Burgan acknowledged he stopped recording with Hunter Revenge as a result of he wished to write down in several types past that particular style. He joined Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba and My Chemical Romance’s Jarrod Alexander to kind Matt Skiba and the Sekrets, which launched their debut album Babylon on Might 8, 2012.
Burgan was featured on Tegan and Sara’s 2007 album The Con, enjoying bass on songs written by Tegan, and appeared with them on Late Night time with Conan O’Brien enjoying shakers on “Again in Your Head.” He contributed lyrics to 3 songs on Tegan and Sara’s 2009 album Sainthood. Burgan was the drummer for the Nevada Metropolis, California band Badical Turbo Radness within the mid-Nineties and has performed drums for The Eyeliners, Gardening Not Structure, F-Minus, and the Halo Friendlies on tour. In 2019, Burgan signed with Waldman Administration to develop his profession as a music producer, specializing in engineering, mixing, and mastering throughout punk, post-punk, and steel genres. Burgan is vegan, sharing this way of life selection with bandmate Davey Havok.
Jade Puget
Jade Errol Puget, born November 28, 1973, in Santa Rosa, California, joined AFI as lead guitarist on November 2, 1998, changing Mark Stopholese after the recording of the A Hearth Inside EP. Puget had beforehand offered background vocals on Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) whereas nonetheless exterior the band, making that album the primary to characteristic all 4 present members. Earlier than becoming a member of AFI, Puget performed in a number of bands together with Free Change, which recorded a break up seven-inch EP titled Dork with AFI in 1993 when each bands have been first beginning.
He additionally performed in Redemption 87, an East Bay hardcore band that launched their eponymous debut LP in 1997 and their last LP All Weapons Poolside in 1999. Puget was a member of Affect 13 with Nick 13 of Tiger Military, Geoff Kresge, Adam Carson, and different pals. Puget dropped out of highschool at age seventeen however gained admission to the College of California, Berkeley, the place he earned a bachelor’s diploma in sociology in 1996, changing into the one member of AFI to finish faculty. After graduating, he joined AFI.
Puget has been AFI’s lead guitarist, backing vocalist, keyboardist, and first songwriter on all albums from Black Sails within the Sundown (1999) by way of Silver Bleeds the Black Solar… (2025). His first album with AFI was Black Sails within the Sundown (1999), and the primary music he wrote for the band was “Malleus Maleficarum.” Puget’s affect dramatically shifted AFI’s sound from the easy hardcore punk of Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) to the darker, extra atmospheric horror punk model of Black Sails within the Sundown (1999), which launched romantic and gothic parts.
On The Artwork of Drowning (2000), Puget expanded his function to incorporate keyboards alongside guitar and backing vocals, incorporating extra melodic parts. His songwriting partnership with Havok has been central to AFI’s success, with Puget composing the music whereas Havok handles lyrics. Puget’s guitar and keyboard work on Sing the Sorrow (2003) helped create the album’s post-hardcore and emo sound, contributing to its platinum certification. On Decemberunderground (2006), which debuted at primary on the Billboard 200, Puget’s guitar riffs on “Miss Homicide” helped make it AFI’s largest hit. Puget assumed manufacturing duties beginning with Sing the Sorrow (2003), co-producing subsequent AFI albums.
He performs Gibson Les Paul guitars, significantly the Les Paul Studio mannequin in black and white, together with Gibson SG and Fender Telecaster guitars, utilizing Mesa Boogie twin rectifier amplifier heads with Marshall cupboards. Puget and Davey Havok shaped the digital music duo Blaqk Audio in 2007, releasing their debut album CexCells on August 14, 2007, which reached quantity eighteen on the Billboard 200. The duo has launched six albums: CexCells (2007), Shiny Black Heaven (2012), Materials (2016), Solely Issues We Love (2019), Beneath the Black Palms (2020), and Trop d’amour (2022). In 2014, Puget and Havok shaped XTRMST, a straight edge hardcore band, releasing their self-titled debut album on November 25, 2014, by way of Dim Mak Data.
Puget has labored as a remix artist and producer for quite a few bands, together with remixing Marilyn Manson’s “Coronary heart-Formed Glasses (When the Coronary heart Guides the Hand)” in 2007, The Remedy’s “Freakshow” from their album 4:13 Dream, Tiger Military’s “The place the Moss Slowly Grows” from Music From Areas Past, and Tokio Lodge’s UK single “Prepared, Set, Go!” from their album Scream. He offered further manufacturing on The Expensive & Departed’s debut album One thing Fairly Peculiar and produced Scarlet Gray’s music “Fancy Blood.” Puget is vegetarian and straight edge, sharing the latter way of life with Havok. He married his girlfriend of six years, Marissa Festa, on September 22, 2012, in Malibu, California, after changing into engaged in July 2011. Their son Ryder Day Puget was born on February 15, 2023. Puget has a youthful brother named Smith who serves as AFI’s tour supervisor.
Geoff Kresge
Geoff Kresge, born Geoff Tilander, changed authentic bassist Vic Chalker in 1992 and served as AFI’s bassist and backing vocalist from 1992 by way of 1997. Kresge co-wrote nearly all of AFI’s early materials alongside Davey Havok throughout this era. When AFI briefly broke up in 1993 after members left for various faculties, Kresge moved to New York and joined the road punk band Blanks 77 for a six-month tenure from 1993 to 1994. Throughout this time, he changed the band’s earlier bassist Brendan and took part in intense East Coast touring earlier than returning to California to rejoin AFI when the band reunited.
Kresge appeared on AFI’s first two studio albums Reply That and Keep Modern (1995) and Very Pleased with Ya (1996), in addition to a number of early EPs together with Dork (1993), Behind the Occasions, Eddie Picnic’s All Moist, This Is Berkeley Not West Bay, AFI/Heckle, Bombing the Bay, and Fly within the Ointment, which have been launched between 1993 and 1995. A few of these early releases got here out on his personal label, Key Lime Pie Data, which he based in 1993. Kresge’s bass enjoying and songwriting have been integral to establishing AFI’s early hardcore punk sound.
On Reply That and Keep Modern (1995), recorded in simply ten days at Artwork of Ears studio in Hayward, California, and produced by Tim Armstrong of Rancid, Kresge’s bass work helped outline the band’s uncooked, energetic model. After a number of excursions supporting Very Pleased with Ya (1996), Kresge determined to go away AFI in 1997. Hunter Burgan initially crammed in for Kresge on the remaining Very Pleased with Ya tour dates earlier than changing into the everlasting bassist. Regardless of leaving the band, Kresge later contributed background vocals to AFI’s platinum breakthrough album Sing the Sorrow (2003).
Kresge joined the psychobilly band Tiger Military in 1999 as upright bassist, shortly after the discharge of their self-titled debut album. He appeared on Tiger Military’s subsequent two full-length albums, Tiger Military II: Energy of Moonlite (2002) and Tiger Military III: Ghost Tigers Rise (2004), and within the music movies for “By no means Die,” “Incorporeal,” “Cupid’s Sufferer,” and “Rose of the Satan’s Backyard.” Kresge left Tiger Military in September 2004 for private causes.
He then shaped the band Viva Hate in late summer season 2004 and joined the psychobilly band HorrorPops on guitar, co-writing and acting on their second album Carry it On! (2005), produced by Brett Gurewitz of Unhealthy Faith for Epitaph Data. Kresge toured North America, Europe, Australia, and components of Asia with HorrorPops and appeared prominently within the music video for “The place You Can’t Observe.” In January 2008, Kresge rejoined Tiger Military following the departure of bassist Jeff Roffredo, including backing vocals to Music from Areas Past (2007) and a canopy of “Oogie Boogie’s Music” for Disney’s Nightmare Revisited compilation.
Kresge spent all of 2008 on the highway with Tiger Military however introduced his second and last departure from the band in February 2014, stating that Tiger Military had been off the highway for the reason that finish of 2008 with out releasing new music, prompting him to maneuver on as a full-time musician. From 2018 to 2023, Kresge performed bass for the California hardcore punk band Worry. He was additionally part-owner of Useless Physique Data and based Key Lime Pie Data. Kresge has labored as a producer for bands together with Nekromantix, 12 Step Rebels, and Graveyard Shift.
Mark Stopholese
Mark Stopholese co-founded AFI in November 1991 alongside Davey Havok and Vic Chalker whereas attending Ukiah Excessive Faculty in California. On the time of the band’s formation, not one of the members knew the right way to play devices. Stopholese urged that his buddy Adam Carson be part of as drummer as a result of Carson owned a drum set, and Stopholese himself realized to play guitar. Stopholese served as AFI’s guitarist and backing vocalist from the band’s formation in 1991 till 1998.
He appeared on AFI’s first three studio albums: Reply That and Keep Modern (1995), Very Pleased with Ya (1996), and Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997), in addition to quite a few early EPs launched between 1993 and 1998. When AFI broke up in 1993 so members might attend totally different faculties, Stopholese attended the College of Southern California whereas Carson went to UC Santa Cruz and Havok attended UC Berkeley. The band reunited throughout their Christmas break to play a present on the Phoenix Theater, and the enthusiastic response from followers satisfied them to give up faculty and pursue AFI full-time.
Stopholese’s guitar work outlined AFI’s early hardcore punk sound throughout their first three albums. On Reply That and Keep Modern (1995), produced by Tim Armstrong and launched on Wingnut Data, Stopholese’s guitar helped set up the band’s uncooked, aggressive model. His enjoying on Very Pleased with Ya (1996), launched on Nitro Data, contributed to songs “Cruise Management” and “Love Is a Many Splendored Factor,” which have been featured within the 1996 impartial movie Mary Jane’s Not a Virgin Anymore.
After recording the A Hearth Inside EP in 1998, Stopholese left AFI and was changed by his shut buddy Jade Puget, who had beforehand offered background vocals on Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997). Stopholese’s departure marked a major turning level for AFI, as Puget’s arrival introduced a dramatic shift within the band’s musical path from simple hardcore punk to the darker, extra atmospheric sound of Black Sails within the Sundown (1999). No vital details about Stopholese’s profession after leaving AFI is publicly accessible.
Vic Chalker
Vic Chalker was one of many 4 founding members of AFI, becoming a member of Davey Havok and Mark Stopholese when the band shaped in November 1991 whereas they have been attending Ukiah Excessive Faculty in California. Chalker was the band’s authentic bassist, although he needed to study to play the instrument after becoming a member of since not one of the founding members initially knew the right way to play their devices. Chalker’s tenure with AFI was extraordinarily transient, lasting solely roughly eight months earlier than he was changed by Geoff Kresge in 1992.
Chalker appeared on AFI’s earliest recordings and performances however left earlier than the band recorded any of their official EPs or studio albums. By the point AFI recorded their first EP Dork in 1993, Geoff Kresge had already taken over bass duties. No vital details about Chalker’s profession in music after leaving AFI is publicly accessible, and his transient time with the band occurred throughout their formative interval earlier than they started releasing recorded materials.
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