An Interview with wIL Francis of Aiden [08/2007]

On Friday, I had the chance to talk to wiL Francis, the singer of Aiden, about the new album, the upcoming tour, what music means to him, and just how awesome it would be if he had his own personal island. Come get to know him better, and try not to swoon too hard.

The band’s new album, Conviction, is in stores tomorrow. Note: the Best Buy version comes with two bonus tracks, so you may want to go there to pick up your copy. Now, on with the interview.

pixie: So, you did the in-store/signing on Long
Island last night - how did that go?

wiL: Oh, it was awesome. Tons of kids showed up. It was a
lot of fun, we got to play some new songs.

pixie: Was the fan reaction good - did they like the new
songs?

wiL: For some people it was the first time hearing them, but yeah, they liked it a lot. It was really good.

pixie: You had said the album’s sound had changed, but it was still Aiden - writing about that on your MySpace - and you seemed a bit worried about that. Have you been getting a positive response?

wiL: Yeah, I just mainly put that there for the people who think that we want to change for reasons like money, or that we want to change out sound so we could make a million bucks or something. But that’s not the case. I just want to make music that I’m in love with and I can’t keep writing
the same old shit over and over.

pixie: I don’t think anyone could - for example, I know you like Placebo, and their evolution over their albums is why they’ve endured, and I think you’re following that path. You’re just growing up.

wiL: Exactly. I hope so, anyways.

pixie: The “One Love” video just debuted - how did you come up with the concept for it?

wiL: It was a brainstorming conscious effort between the director and myself. We wanted to make something off the wall and wacky, but still have some kind of underlying meaning of hope that I hope is still there.

pixie: It’s pretty and creepy at the same time. I like it. Is that Jeffree Starr in the video?

wiL: It is Jeffree Starr.

pixie: Internet celebrity! How do you know him?

wiL: Oh, I met him a couple of years ago. He came to one of the shows and we’ve been friends ever since.

pixie: I noticed that you have a “Love Will Tear Us Apart” tattoo and have seen comparisons betwee Conviction and Joy Division. How does that make you feel?

wiL: Oh, I think that’s awesome. They’re one of my favorite bands.

pixie: With all the tattoos that you have, how do you feel about Aiden fan tattoos? Do you see them a lot?

wiL: I feel honored. Somebody would take the time to get something like that tattooed on their body, that’s going to be there forever. That’s a big commitment. It makes me feel like, wow… I’m affecting change.

pixie: I think you are. You share so many deep emotions in your songs - how do you manage to put yourself out there like that?

wiL: Well, I just try and be as honest as I can about who I am and where I’ve been, and where I want to go. Who I want to become. I don’t have any ulterior motives, other than to just stand on the stage and talk about what’s happened in my life and try to connect with people in the world around me by playing music. And I think people can see that. There’s a lot of people that can try to pull the wool over your eyes, make you think they’re something that they’re not… but I think it’s the realism and the honesty that people connect with.

pixie: Absolutely, but is it draining to be that honest with people? To give people pieces of your life?

wiL: Not really… I guess I feel like if I can’t be honest in my life and with people that surround me, then what I am really doing?

pixie: People can see through the transparent, processed rock, where people are playing songs they don’t feel. They look uncomfortable. It’s kind of what sucks about rock today. And you guys don’t do that at all.

wiL: Totally. It’s become a marketing tool, a fucking capitalist venture for people who want to cash in. It’s sad because there aren’t very many rock bands out there being honest and doing what they do because they love it… it’s fucking ruined by lust and greed and all sorts of crazy shit. Guys who just want to make a million buck and bang a bunch of chicks. I don’t know man, it’s fucking sickening. But then, there’s a lot of other bands out there who are doing it because they love music and they love making people dance around and sing along.

pixie: You guys are one of those bands that a lot of people say “saved their lives,” and I know you said music saved yours… you need that reality for that to happen, for people to feel things. But how do you deal with that? It has to be so intense….

wiL: It is, but it’s the same exact way I felt about bands growing up. It’s just turned around. I used to be the kid in the audience dancing around to the song and trying to get an autograph at the end of the show and just tell them how much they saved my life… and I guess I just want to re-create that for people and give that feeling back to kids who feel alone or lost.

pixie: There’s a lot of that out there. I think about it, don’t you think being in high school now would be ten times harder than when you were, or I was? I think kids have it so much harder today.

wiL: Yeah, there’s a lot more pressure than there was 10, 20, 30 years ago. Be successful. Be beautiful. Be all these things that magazines tell you you’re supposed to be. It’s a lot harder these days for the kids who aren’t prom queen, or aren’t the big badass football player. I don’t know, man.

pixie: It was always there, but it feels like people are up these kids’ asses with the whole “you’re weird” thing - news reports about “emo” and stuff… I think a lot of bands like you guys, the bands you tour with - you help create a sense of community and belonging that these people need.

wiL: Yeah! I want to live in a world created by people who feel the same way I do, so we can have a place to go, away from all of the places where we’re outcasts. I just want to create a place like that. And I know that there are some bands out there that really stand for that and really believe in that.

pixie: So, if you do make millions, will we see wiL Francis’ island?

wiL: [laughs] Shit, that would be nice.

pixie: What would it be like, if you did have an island?

wiL: There’d be no magazines and no TV and no fucking cars. Just a nice place to hang out. And read books.

pixie: Music?

wiL: There would definitely be music. But only imported from Japan. And only on vinyl.

pixie: Sounds like an interesting island. So, do you have any pre-album release rituals?

wiL: No, just more interviews and press, and we’re going to go overseas and play some secret shows and come back and fucking destroy.

pixie: Where are the secret shows?

wiL: There’s one in London, at the Barfly, which Kerrang! sponsored. Really small show. I hear the cap on the venue is like 200 people, so it’s a special deal.

pixie: Well, you guys are huge in the UK, no?

wiL: Yeah, it’s a lot bigger. When we play the UK, it’s pretty big. I’ll tell you this - the show in London sold out in like 4 hours, so that’s pretty rad.

pixie: So do you still consider yourself a “horror rock band”?

wiL: I just consider us a rock band. People just want to put a label on us and define us by a genre, but I don’t really care about being defined by a genre, or the look of our band - we’re just a rock band and we love to play shows and that’s it.

pixie: Were you surprised how the fans came out and you cleaned house on the Virgin Fest contest?

wiL: Totally. It was a crazy thing to win a contest like that and have that many people vote for us. The bands we were up against are really good bands that have strong followings… so it was really cool to see our fans go balls out and fucking vote like crazy and help us win.

pixie: I was excited for you guys - you blew everyone away. How did that show go for you guys? Was it a good show? [The band won the opening slot at the Virgin Fest in Batimore,
MD]

wiL: Yeah, it was a lot of fun. I had a great time.

pixie: So what can people look forward to on the upcoming tour?

wiL: New songs, old songs, laughing, crying, dancing, moshing, sweating… and singing.

pixie: So, to wrap up, do you have anything to say to the people who will be reading this?

wiL: I just want to say thank you to everyone who has been supporting our band from the beginning, thanks for everything you guys have done to helps us to get where we are today. I hope you like the new record that is coming out on Tuesday, and we’ll see you all soon.

[05/2008 note: I did this interview over the phone, and was almost sick beforehand, I was so nervous. And then it got pushed back three times, and then it almost didn’t happen. I’m not sure I have ever been quite as elated as I was when that telephone rang and the interview began.]

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