I grew up sleeping on my best friend’s couch like many others, in the shadow of his big brother. We were students of his music tastes and after he introduced us to the Art of Drowning, we were hooked. Soon after our walls and wardrobes were covered with images of all things AFI. 

In 2003, myself and my best friends Pat Cush, and James eagerly anticipated the release of Sing the Sorrow only to discover a concert in Canada soon after its release. Our parents all agreed to allow us to go together with James’s father for the epic adventure. We stayed the night at James’s house, woke up crazy early for the 6 hour drive to Canada. We were the first in line for the show with AFI and the Explosion, so early in fact we were able to see the tour bus arrive with our idols and enjoy a small intimate meeting before they began to prepare for the show. We sang every song from the front barricade with arms around each other, and went home with our autographed clandestine books.

In 2018 I lost my best friend Pat in a limousine accident, and most recently James lost his father to Covid. Neither of us were prepared to handle these tragedies, and both found ourselves turning to the familiar for comfort, the love of AFI. The experience we had that day in Canada is now embedded in our skin as we carry their memories with us. 

In darkness together, we’re bringing the light.