I discovered AFI by accident, clicking through YouTube videos in 2008. I was 13 years old. The song was Prelude 12/21. AFI was the starting point, the catalyst for my love of all music, but especially punk, darkwave, and gothic rock. AFI’s music was an immense comfort to me in my tumultuous mid/late teens, where I struggled with my sexual orientation and gender identity. Davey’s activism inspired me to go vegetarian at 14, vegan at 16 (I am still vegan today, 10 years later), as well as to abstain from alcohol and recreational drug use; given my family history of alcohol abuse, a choice that may very well have saved my life. Seeing AFI live for the first time on the Burials tour in 2013 was nothing short of magical. I was fortunate enough to attend several dates on that tour, and have seen them many times since. Always looking forward to the next date (though I live in Canada now, so a flight may be in order. Worth the trip!)

Thank you for the music, for everything.