Listen: Dreamcar ‘Kill for Candy’ on new ’80s influenced track

Last year, news hit that AFI frontman Davey Havok and No Doubt members Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont, and Adrian Young has joined forces to create a new band. At the time, they didn’t have a name, but were armed with new music and looking for a record label to call home. Late last year, the band unveiled that their name would be Dreamcar and that new music would be on the horizon for them. On Thursday (March 2), the supergroup unleashed their first single from their finally confirmed debut record.
The new track, which is titled “Kill for Candy” made its official debut on KROQ 106.7 FM’s Kevin & Bean Show. During the show, Kevin and Bean spoke to Dumont who revealed that the sound was influenced by the kind of music they listened to during their teenage years. “I think the musical common ground that we share with Davey is very much rooted in that early ’80s, new wave, new romantic era that was such a part of us all growing up, so it felt like very quickly we had a chemistry,” Dumont told the radio hosts. “It was just four guys, being creative and not knowing where it was going to lead us but we kept doing it because it was fun.”

“Kill for Candy” will be featured on the band’s debut, self-titled album. Dreamcar, the album, is set to be released on May 12 through Columbia Records. Prior to the album’s release, the band have two shows scheduled; one on April 5 at the Constellation Room in Santa Ana, California and another on April 11 at the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood. A few days after their Hollywood show the group will pack their bags and head to the desert for their music festival debut at Coachella. Dreamcar will perform during both weekends of Coachella (April 14-16 and April 21-23).

Blaqk Audio release new single, “Waiting to Be Told”

AFI frontman Davey Havok has always been a busy man, but this year, it seems like he’s got more on his plate. Earlier this year, it was announced that he had joined forces with Tom Dumont, Tony Kanal, and Adrian Young from No Doubt to form a supergroup. The group, which still does not have a name, was shopping around for a record label armed with a completed album. A couple of days after, Havok announced that Blaqk Audio, his electronic side project with AFI bassist Jade Puget, would be releasing a new album this spring. Now, we’ve gotten a new song from the duo’s upcoming release.

On Thursday (March 31), Havok joined forces with Billboard to premiere a brand new song titled “Waiting to Be Told.” In conjunction with the song’s released, Havok sat down with the publication to discuss several things including the inspiration behind the song and what is it like to work with the guys from No Doubt.

About “Waiting to Be Told”: “It is the opening track on the record and it really harkens back to a genre that very much influenced Jade and I and that really was a genre that inspired us to start moving on creating Blaqk Audio, which was, at this point, 15 years ago, believe it or not. Around the turn of the century there were so many great artists making so much great music and “Waiting To Be Told,” to me, really spoke to that genre of music and that period of time in my life. Though that period of time in my life is a type of anchor for me lyrically speaking it’s a song of feeling displaced and feeling out of place. So it is a contrast, when I actually articulate that I realize that. But I am so excited for you guys to be premiering it ’cause it is the opening to the record.”

About working with the guys of No Doubt: “Those guys approached me to work with them and I was really honored that they would even consider me. And when we started writing it was just sparks and it’s been great working with them. Like I said it’s a little premature to talk about it, so I can’t go too deep into it. It doesn’t sound like any of the music I’ve worked on before. I can’t say what it sounds like, so it is another outlet for me that is very inspirational and fulfilling.

To read the complete interview, head on over to Billboard here. “Waiting to Be Told” can currently be streamed below.

“Waiting to Be Told” will be featured on Blaqk Audio’s new record, Material. Material is set to be released on April 15 which will be followed by a tour. The tour will kick off on May 4 at the House of Blues in San Diego and wrap up on June 4 at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA. Tour dates can be seen here.

XTRMST Debut “Conformist” Video

AFI side project XTRMST have released the music video for their recently released new song, “Conformist.”

The song which was officially released last month, is the band’s lead single from their upcoming debut album due out later this month.

Check out the music video for the track which features a group of people dressed in red morph-suits and one person in white.

AFI frontman Davey Havok and bassist Jade Puget announced the creation of the new side project back in March, but the information had been minimal since Puget confirmed the group would be made up of him and Havok.

Then, last month after their tour with Linkin Park and 30 Seconds to Mars had ended, they revealed more information about the band including that they were going to be a “straightedge” band with their debut album coming out on Nov. 18.

XTRMST will be the second joint side project Havok and Puget had worked on. A few years ago, they lanced an electro-duo group named Blaqk Audio.

AFI Members Officially Unveil New Project

In March, AFI bassist Jade Puget revealed that he and frontman Davey Havok would be embarking on a new project named XTRMST, their second joint side project.

A confirmation and an audio track release later, there has been no more mention of the “straightedge” act the duo were working on. Chances are XTRMST was put on the backburner, temporarily, because of AFI’s role as supporting act for 30 Seconds to Mars and Linkin Park’s Carnivores Tour.

Today, Havok and Puget have officially released a statement about the act including the inspiration behind the formation of the group (“straightedge philosophy is something that we gravitated toward at a young age”).

The statement also unveils the other members of the group which are not the remaining members of AFI as well as the release date for their debut record which is set to be released on Nov. 18.

The lead single from the album, “Conformist” will officially be released next Tuesday, Oct. 7.

Read the full statement below.

We are XTRMST

“The straightedge philosophy is something that we gravitated toward at a young age, drawn by concepts and ideals that seem almost foreign in modern society. Like much of the other subcultures we were a part of growing up, it put us at odds with 99% of the people around us, which was something we embraced. It seemed natural that this crucial ideology would find a musical expression.

For the release of XTRMST, we are extremely excited to be partnering with Dim Mak and Steve. This record is one of the most important we’ve made. The songs are of purity, passion and truth. May they speak to you.” – XTRMST

Album pre-order + first single “Conformist” available October 7. Digital + vinyl LP in stores November 18.

AFI Members Reveal New Project

Last week, four mysterious tracks made their way onto the internet and for those who listened to the songs, they became instantly interested in who this mysterious group was.

Fast forward to this weekend when it was announced that the masterminds behind the tracks, which can be heard below, were two members from AFI. On Twitter, bassist Jude Puget revealed that he and AFI frontman Davey Havok were the ones behind the straight-edge, hardcore outfit, XTRMST.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, XTRMST is indeed Davey and I. More to come.

— Jade Puget (@jadepuget) March 17, 2014

This isn’t the first time that Puget and Havok have gone on to have a side project together. Beginning in 2001, they put together an electronic duo named, Blaqk Audio which went on to have two studio albums. But even with this new project, things aren’t slowing down for AFI. The band have a full schedule this Summer, playing supporting act for the Linkin Park-30 Seconds to Mars “Carnivores” Tour. As for new music, the band put out their recent album, Burials last October.

https://soundcloud.com/xtrmst-xtrmst/sets/xtrmst