Interview with Jade Puget of AFI and Blaqk Audio by Brett Mathews

Interview with Jade Puget
By Brett Mathews

The world shook, if only for a few hours before rumors were doused. AFI, broken up? Calling it quits? AMP recently sat down with our friend Jade Puget, guitarist and backing vocalist for AFI, and talked to him about the “break-up”, AFI’s upcoming plans, and some new Blaqk Audio shizzzy! Enjoy!

So, AFI broke up last week for a day or two, huh? Was that interesting news to you?
It was definitely news to me. I got to pursue a bunch of solo projects for an hour or so until the rumors were laid to rest.

So, somebody hacked into your message board or something, right?
Someone hacked Davey’s account on our message board. I don’t know why the person didn’t take the opportunity to post some porn or gore.

Didn’t AFI just do a Nor Cal festival date?
AFI hasn’t played since the end of the GREEN DAY tour last year. You’re probably thinking of BLAQK AUDIO. They were fun, the first two shows were at dubstep clubs, but we still went over well, which was strange.

Last I talked to you a couple months ago, you guys were writing and working on BLAQK AUDIO stuff. Is this still the focus, and where is the album at songwriting- wise?
We’re mixing songs right now for the second BLAQK AUDIO record, in our very slow and glacial way. Songwriting-wise, there’s some stuff that has that synthpop and dance vibe similar to the last record, but I wanted to get into some other areas of electronic music that I love but didn’t touch on as well, such as drum and bass, glitch, electro, etc.

Blaqk Audio

The last BLAQK AUDIO album, being your first as that band, you guys were delving into this sound and music that you love for the first time. Having had a few years as said band, have you found the feel or songwriting morphing?
Definitely, as a programmer I still feel like I have so much to learn, which makes it exciting. My style is constantly evolving because I’m learning new things every day. Plus, electronic music is in a state of flux right now, it evolves so quick, especially with the new brand of dubstep that’s gotten huge in the last year or two, and how it’s morphed into every style of EDM.

So, I see Adam up in Nor Cal all the time, saw Davey at a show in Berkeley the other night, and I believe you and Hunter are down south (LA area). Is AFI writing? How is the process now? Does the new world of digital recordings and the ability to digitally send them around come into play?
We haven’t started writing any new material, although I’ve done a few bits and pieces on my own. That’s the way it’s always worked anyway, I’ll come up with some ideas and then sit with Davey and we’ll hammer out some tracks.

It seems Crash Love was even more of a departure from the normal path of progression that AFI has been on for the past several albums. Being a year or so removed from the release of it, how does the album settle with you, and how have the new songs been lining up with this natural progression of the band?
Crash Love was a strange record because it was quite a departure for the band and at the same time it was our most straightforward record ever. I’m happy to have explored that side of the band, but when we make a new record I don’t see us repeating that style.

What albums have you been listening to lately?
I’ve been listening to a ton of electronic stuff. Things like FEED ME, PORTER ROBINSON, WOLFGANG GARTNER, FLUX PAVILION, NERO, ZEDD, MADEON, and hundred others. I haven’t heard much in the rock realm that has really excited me, so if I want to hear something with guitars, I’ll put on some old punk or hardcore.

You spent some time in my favorite Bay Area HC band ever, REDEMPTION 87. You still pull out some old HC albums, or even new ones and crank ‘em up? Which ones, if so?
Definitely, I’ll still listen to my old time faves: BLACK FLAG, BAD BRAINS, MINOR THREAT, etc. Recently I listened to the first SUICIDAL TENDENCIES record for the first time in a long time. It’s so good! I still remember the first time I ever put that cassette tape on in 1986, and I still get the same feeling.

I’m assuming you still love to read. Any books you think people should cram in their mind through their eyes?
I read like crazy- stupid dumb gumby crazy. I was always mainly into fiction, but I’ve read a couple of rock autobiographies lately that are pretty stellar: the Steven Adler book and the new Keith Richards book. Also, if you’re a nerd like me, A Song of Ice and Fire (the Game of Thrones books) are pretty flawless.

What can people expect to see from AFI for the rest of the year?

This year? Nothing major, other than the occasional messageboard/hack/breakup. Next year though, that’s a different story.

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