Jade Puget: AFI, Creating Their Signature Sound & Surviving Mainstream Success

In this highly anticipated next chapter with one of our favorite bands, HardLore is finally joined by Jade Puget (instagram.com/jadepuget/?hl=en): the man who was instrumental in defining the iconic AFI (instagram.com/afireinside) sound. Featuring special guest co-host Alec Faber (instagram.com/tightbrigade/?hl=en) of God’s Hate (instagram.com/godshate818/?hl=en), Twitching Tongues (instagram.com/twitchingtongues/?hl=en) and Holy Blade (instagram.com/holyxblade/?hl=en).

Following our legendary two part special with Davey Havok (open.spotify.com/episode/01ZSOpDBLoO1eTEvt9l9y…), we’re honored to share Jade’s side of the greater AFI story… Starting from the beginning with Jade discovering punk & hardcore in Ukiah, CA alongside his brother Smith, his days in Redemption 87, joining AFI and creating their definitive sound with his work on Black Sails in the Sunset, the surprising legacy of the All Hallows EP, his (and the band’s) frustrations with Nitro Records, the opportune timing of Art of Drowning, the cultural phenomenon of Sing the Sorrow and continuing success of Decemberunderground, the agony of Crash Love, the triumph of Burials, all the way to re-defining the AFI sound with Silver Bleeds the Black Sun.

It was an honor and a joy to finally chat about all things AFI and hardcore with Jade, and we can only hope you enjoy this 3 hour chat as much as we did.
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HardLore: A Knotfest Series, fueled by Monster Energy.
Shot, edited and mixed by Steven Grise (instagram.com/iamonenineseven)
Title sequence by Nicholas Marzluf (instagram.com/marzluf)
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00:00:00 - Start
00:01:38 - Jade Puget
00:03:10 - Discovering Punk and Hardcore in Ukiah
00:06:28 - Skateboarding & The Muhammad Ollie
00:12:57 - Straight Edge & The Way It Is Compilation
00:18:05 - Redemption 87
00:24:21 - Becoming Aware of AFI
00:28:04 - Joining AFI & Writing BLACK SAILS IN THE SUNSET
00:34:30 - Jade’s Favorite Fret & Restraint in Songwriting
00:38:03 - The AFI Sound
00:43:10 - All Hallows EP
00:51:01 - AFI, Danzig, Samhain Tour
00:57:38 - Art Of Drowning
01:06:36 - Commercial Success And Overall Shock
01:09:20 - SING THE SORROW & Slowing Down the AFI
Sound
01:13:20 - Jerry Finn & Butch Vig
01:21:21 - Sing The Sorrow’s Electronics (Fruity Loops)
01:26:48 - Leaving Song 2 & Initially Hearing Sing the Sorrow Finished
01:31:34 - MTV New Years Eve With Three Six Mafia
01:32:59 - Leaving Song 2 Video
01:37:46 - Sing The Sorrow’s Release Into DECEMBERUNDERGROUND
01:44:17 - Picking the Singles for DECEMBERUNDERGROUND
01:47:59 - Butch Vig Declining to Work on the Album
01:50:54 - Writing 120 Songs & The “Hardcore Club”
01:57:00 - The Whirlwind of Decemberunderground into the Agony of CRASH LOVE
02:01:15 - Blaqk Audio/Crash Love Coinciding and “Stripping Down” AFI
02:11:51 - Sing The Sorrow At The Forum
02:17:25 - The Triumph of BURIALS
02:24:13 - The Blood Album & Producing AFI
02:28:18 - Silver Bleeds the Black Sun & Evolving the AFI Sound
02:39:22 - BODIES & AFI in 2020
02:43:05 - Birdlegs & Getting His Revelation Star
02:46:23 - Jade's Insane Chipotle Order lololololol
02:51:51 - Top 4 Hardcore Records
02:54:22 - A Les Paul Epilogue For Bo