A.F.I. fans should check out the import section of their favorite record store for the upcoming Australian CD-single release of “The Leaving Song Part II,” from the band’s current album Sing The Sorrow. The Australian CD, which will be released on August 4 to coincide with the band’s tour there, includes three additional tracks-demo versions of “This Celluloid Dream” and “Synthesthesia,” plus a CD-ROM video for the band’s first single from Sing The Sorrow, “Girl’s Not Grey.” On the home front, “The Leaving Song Part II” is currently at Number 25 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart.
A.F.I. has been touring as part of the Warped Tour, but will leave after Tuesday’s (July 29) show in Virginia Beach, Virginia. (The Warped Tour wraps up on August 10 in Asbury Park, New Jersey.) Following two shows in Japan on August 2 and 3, A.F.I. heads for Australia for a series of four shows starting on August 6 in Brisbane.
Last week, A.F.I.’s video for “Girl’s Not Grey,” earned a nomination for the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards on August 28. The event, at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, will be another grand, star-studded affair celebrating the best videos of the year. Ironically, A.F.I. singer Davey Havok and guitarist Jade Puget revealed that the actual work that went into making the video for “Girl’s Not Grey” was anything but grand.
“It was dirty. It was uncomfortable,” Havok said. Puget added, “We were painted black for like 15 hours. (Drummer) Adam (Carson) and I were anyways.” “So was (bassist) Hunter, right?” Havok interjected. “Weren’t you guys all black?”
Puget continued, “So it was me and Adam and then you guys came a little later.” “I was definitely last,” Havok responded. “It was a long time anyway, it’s black paint on us….,” Puget said. “…covered in Vaseline,” Havok said. “The set was really neat.”
A specially chosen group of 500 industry professionals determine the winners of the MTV Video Music Awards. Only two categories are chosen by fans-the Viewers Choice Award and the MTV2 Award. A.F.I. is competing with Queens Of The Stone Age, Common (featuring Mary J. Blige), Interpol, and the Roots (featuring Cody ChestnuTT) for the viewer-chosen 2003 MTV2 Award.
