Carolina punk band AFI are a testament to patience as, after forming in 1991, they didn’t receive their first major commercial break until 12 years into their career but since then they have continued to flourish.
The band formed in high school and picked the name AFI as an acronym for everything from ‘Asking for it’ to ‘Anthems for Insubordinates’. The band had something of a jumbled existence at this point as none of the members really knew how to play their instruments. The band briefly disbanded as members went off to various colleges however the positive reaction they got from a reunion show was enough to spur them into reforming.
The band slowly began building its following through releasing albums, with the mind-set of doing music for the rest of their lives, regardless of how much commercial success they encountered. During the late 90s the band began toying with its sound, adding darker and more romantic flavors. It paid off as 2000’s ‘The Art of Drowning’ became the first glimpse of the success the band were set to achieve, going on to sell over 100,000 copies, unheard of for an underground record.
With labels now jumping at the chance to be involved with the band, they signed to Dreamworks and released their first major label album ‘Sing for Sorrow’ scoring a top ten position in the album charts and receiving mass critical acclaim. Since then the band have continued to chart with every album and play shows to their dedicated fans round the world.
Beverly Glenn-Copeland
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