Vince (Afghan Raiders) – I met Mikey in High school in 10th grade and we sat next to each, we both had the same music interest, so we became friends and we would play guitar and jam, but we never really did anything to peruse a band with each other back then.

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) – After High school I moved to LA and I went to College out there, that’s where I met Drew. We played in bands together mostly rock bands, thrash bands. I ended up staying in LA for about 4yrs and one day I get a call from Vince in Vegas and he tells me “hey man we should definitely start a band out here, an electronic band it’s an up and coming scene out here and we could take advantage of it”. At that point I moved back to Vegas Drew stayed in LA and that’s kind of like the birth of Afghan Raiders.

The Nite Visions – How many years ago was this?

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – This was 3yrs ago mid 2007, but before that Mike and I were in a band called Golden Axe.

Drew (Afghan Raiders) – And before that Mike and I were in a band called Reed in LA, but it had some of the same members as Golden Axe funny enough ha-ha.

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – Mike and I were in Golden Axe, but before that broke up we were even deciding of doing a side project that was more electronic based and then when Golden Axe broke up we were just like well ok we might as well do Afghan Raiders as our main thing now, that was in like July 2007 and then In August/September we started cranking out singles. Solid Gold was one of our first complete songs and that was completed February 2008. We got Drew in the mix the beginning of January 2010. The first show with Drew was at the Beauty Bar Las Vegas anniversary.

The Nite Visions – Yeah right before you guys went on I was thinking to myself oh shit who’s the new guy?

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) – We came to the decision on bringing Drew in after playing the Muse show. Playing the Muse show in December made me think we looked to tiny up there on that big stage and I thought to myself man we need a drummer and I know the best drummer ever!

Drew (Afghan Raiders) – Aww dude ha-ha

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – Funny enough the idea of Drew being in the band was brought up even before we did our first live show, Mike was like if we do need a drummer and we choose to go that route I got the guy.

The Nite Visions – Drew how did you meet these guys?

Drew (Afghan Raiders) – I met Mike in college and we were in a band called Reed, and when he took Reed to the Golden axe level he kind of brought Vince In and I kept on playing with different bands in LA, a band called “Open Hand” which was kind of like Emo hardcore.

The Nite Visions - I hear you were part of the band “Finch”?

Drew (Afghan Raiders) - ha-ha yeah I was in Finch for 3 years and while on tour with them which was last year I started talking to Vince more and everyone was kind of throwing my name in the pot and I would mention to Vince hey this electronic band you got, it would be great with a drummer ha-ha. I would mention it to him all the time just throwing my name in the hat sort of and he was like yeah dude definitely if we ever go on tour id like to have drums. It was cool because right around the same time Mike and Vince wanted to bring another member in the group was pretty much the exact same time I was getting out of Finch. I played my last show with Finch in January 2010.

The Nite Visions - Are there any plans of bringing in anymore members in the future.

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – It’s not out of the question, we definitely want to bring in different elements, like live bass, but it may not require another member, but you never know.

The Nite Visions – What were some of your guy’s main influences musically coming up to the point when you started Afghan?

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – For me I started playing the keyboard because I was really into “The Faint” but I also listened to LCD Soundsystem, Soulwax, The Rapture, stuff like that got me going.

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) - I was way more into thrash rock, like Blood Brothers, or Thrawl. Then when I reconnected with Vince he introduced me to Simian Mobile Disco, LCD SoundSystem, and Digitalism. When we first started we wanted to mix elements of Punk Rock, Disco and Electronic music.

The Nite Visions – When you guys first started the group who’s idea was it that you were gonna sing Mikey? Or was it like Vince “saying hey were doing this Electronic group now Mikey you should sing.

Vince (Afghan Raiders) - I actually wanted to sing, but Mike was actually a dick about it ha-ha, so I said fine Mikey you can sing.
The Nite Visions – I’m sure Mikey had all the dance moves so it made the choice a little easier.

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) – Well I sang in all the other bands I was in and we had made a few tracks already for Afghan Raiders, so I thought well hey this track can use some vocals and we tried it, honestly it could have gone any direction, but that’s the way it went.

The Nite Visions – What’s the story behind the name Afghan Raiders?

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – I had watched the French movie Amelie like a year before afghan raiders and there was one part of the movie I heard that phrase and I jotted it down just in my head in case we ever have a musical project we could possibly use that name for it, so I suggested it to Mike and we sat with it for a couple days and we ended up really liking it and it stuck.

The Nite Visions – You guys just played HARD summer can you tell us what your most memorable moment of the festival was and what you thought of HARD as a whole?

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) – I think the whole experience at HARD was definitely the greatest experience I’ve ever had playing in bands for 10yrs. It was really awesome from the get go, being backstage hanging out seeing Soulwax’s trailer and Crystal Castles trailer the whole vibe being on stage, it seriously was the best sounding festival ever and then the people were awesome there were alot of people from Vegas that was great and a lot of new people we met in LA. Aside from us playing Tiga was the highlight for me and of course Soulwax was incredible seeing them play all their new material was awesome, but aside from that Tiga and Proxy were really good. It was cool to be able to share the bill with those guys I look up to them as inspiration.

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – I was kind of in awe to be playing on the same stage that Soulwax was going to be playing on later and to just be listed on that bill was pretty awesome. I’ve never played on a festival size stage before and that was pretty amazing hearing that sound or just the fact that were being featured on this festival. I feel like it’s a ladder you have to climb at festivals you start on the bottom and you just have to climb up.

Drew (Afghan Raiders) – I think it was maybe the easiest show we’ve ever played as a band because there were crew guys helping us and the sound was awesome on stage. It sounded huge out in the audience, I think being in that environment was really comfortable for us I can’t wait to play on a stage like that again. Band wise I’d say flying lotus was the best thing I saw all day, it was incredible I can’t believe we were on the same flyer.

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – For me it was flying lotus, besides Soulwax of course just stating the obvious because there one of my all time favorite bands, but besides them definitely flying lotus was extremely impressive.

The Nite Visions - Earlier this year you played with acts like Devo and Midnight Juggernauts how was that experience.

Drew (Afghan Raiders) – Midnight Juggernauts was one of the better shows that we’ve had recently because it felt like we were on a bill with a band that was sort of like minded and the kids that showed up were really receptive towards us, it was really encouraging.

The Nite Visions – Now that you’ve played HARD are you noticing any difference in people knocking on your door trying to book you for events and festivals?

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – I think it definitely did a lot for our image and heightened our profile. I guess it’s a little to soon to say how it affected us with promoters, or shows from here on out, but I do notice as far as any chatter on the internet it definitely spiked as a result and the shows we had booked before we played HARD they’re marketing it as “see them here before they play HARD” so it’s definitely something that heightened our profile for those shows.

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) – From HARD we got added to fabulous fest at the end of October in Las Vegas, the promoters that throw that Festival are called “Art Of Dance” and they throw a lot of European festivals. There has definitely been a lot more interest since we’ve done HARD, I certainly think it was a great look for us and seeing more things coming to fruition from it aren’t exactly happening right now, but we will be seeing those things happening within the next few months for sure.

The Nite Visions – Vince and Drew are moving to San Francisco within the next 2 weeks, how is that gonna affect the band, producing wise and getting material back and fourth.

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – In the beginning we’d all be in different cities, production wise I don’t think it’s going to slow us down at all, the tracks we’ve done recently like the David Bowie cover, M.I.A remix, or the voices remix, we didn’t see each other in person at all during those times. We will usually get on the phone discuss and figure out what our roles are for the particular project and setup a schedule then just go with it. It actually works out a lot better for us because then we can work on our own time and when we feel were capable of doing it, as opposed to telling each other lets meet up right now and get a track done.

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) – Were all going to eventually be up there hopefully by the end of the year and were just finishing our writing for the new record right now, so it kind of works out perfect because were finishing all the songs we need for the record and at that point Vince will be up there and Drew and I will try be up there in a week or two to do a little more writing because we have a studio up there.

The Nite Visions – So we got a place to crash now whenever we head up to SF?

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) - Ha-ha yeah.

The Nite Visions – Do you feel you guys have a fan base in SF.

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) – I think the whole reason behind moving to San Francisco is because we’ve done a lot in Vegas and I feel we’ve done almost everything there is to do out here besides from getting into the whole casino thing. We’ve played a few shows up in San Francisco already and we’ve gotten a good response, our really good friend Kevin runs the site Epic Sauce. I feel it’s a natural transition, S.F is a rad city and it’s a market a lot bigger than Vegas, but it’s not crazy big like LA or Brooklyn, so it’s like a middle ground. We're gonna have to start from scratch as far as building a fan base, but I think we definitely have a head start as far as everything we’ve done in Vegas and in the west coast especially with all the shows we’ve been playing lately and with our new record coming out. I feel it’ll be a nice transition into a bigger city and it’ll help make a bigger name for us in the west coast.

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – I’m not sure how much of a fan base we have out there yet but I'm sure it’s pretty small. We've played there 3 times and we definitely had people be pretty receptive. When we played blow up SF and that’s still one of my favorite shows that we’ve played because it was packed, those kids were really responsive and really enthusiastic all they wanted to do was dance and have a good time. It was a different vibe than what we got from when we played in Los Angeles. I don’t know if it’s really stuck with anybody or they’ve taken it along with them, but I definitely feel that they were responsive and they’re listening to it and it’s something we can achieve.

The Nite Visions – What do you feel the goal musically is for Afghan, and where would you guys like to see the group maybe 3 years from now?

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) – I feel the songs that were doing now have more cross genre potential from someone who likes rock or dance music, but I would like to see us playing more festivals and putting out more records, I think 3 years from now we’ll be touring and blowing this band up, hopefully touring around the world.

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – I would like to be working more than what were doing now and working harder with our record out touring doing the festival circuit and also expanding what our sound is as well. Were definitely on a track right now with how we sound, but its like Mike said genre crossing, it could be something completely different in 3 years, but I definitely want us to be open to that and be able to do that so people could be like, oh man if you hear their earlier stuff it so much different than what they’re doing now instead of being one of those bands that just keeps re-hatching the same idea.

Drew (Afghan Raiders) – I feel even with my short time in the band I’ve seen a lot of growth in my perspective from Vince and Mike In itself with creating what feels right. Hopefully in 3 years well have maybe 2 full lengths under our belts and well be touring on one of them I think that would be great and hopefully were a couple steps ahead of where were at now id be very happy with that.

The Nite Visions – When’s your guys new album gonna drop?

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – Were working on the EP, the goal for right now is November or December for the digital version and then the other release in January or early March.

The Nite Visions – How do you guys like djing so far now that had the chance to dj at certain venues and have the opportunity to express yourselves in a different ways musically.

Drew (Afghan Raiders) – I love djing, it’s so much fun and it’s so much more fun when it’s not just you playing and you’re with your friends and you improvise a little bit and play the songs that feel right. Its way different than playing live there’s kind of a set list esthetic to keep in mind it’s definitely really fun to do with Mike and Vince.

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) – I think the way were doing it right now is we have our live set we practice it and we rehearse it and it’s pretty much set in stone, but when we do after parties it’s more of just like the vibe of the party and it’s fun when we can just improvise. Were really not trying to go for a specific sound right now we’re just out there having fun and just playing whatever we feel and whatever were listening to at the moment, we all listen to crazy different things so that’s the way were looking at it right now. It's gonna be really cool when we go on a full tour and we can dj every night after.

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – I dj’d in San Francisco for our show and I used an ableton set, it was really the first time id ever dj’d at all, but I had so much fun I felt like a little kid. To know that we can do that as work as well is pretty awesome because I can’t wait to explore it even more now and learn different ways of doing it.

The Nite Visions – What track right now are you guys digging that you’ve had on repeat for a while?

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) – For me right now it’s that Jamie Liddell (Tiga Remix) – Telephone, I cannot get that track out of my head.

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – I’ve been listening to all sorts of things lately, but I seem to find myself humming Phantograms over and over and always having that in my head, I’m really into that album and I love what they’re doing.

Drew (Afghan Raiders) – I keep mentioning flying lotus earlier, but you know that song “mmhmm” I listen to that like 8 times a day I can’t get over that song it’s just so awesome. I’m always singing that at work.

Vince (Afghan Raiders) - As for new electronic stuff I’ve listened to lately I would say The Swiss – Bubble bath, another I’ve really been listening to is Blondes, 2 kids from Brooklyn they’re really amazing, it’s like 9min long songs that just kind of like evolve into different ideas and instrumentals, the songs are really good to get lost in.

The Nite Visions – We really dig your guy’s new song “If only” we think it’s really an amazing track, what’s the drive behind it?

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) – The song is just about like having a chance, if you could just go back and just be like “if only” I did it this way things might have turned out differently. It’s just things I was going through in my life lyrically speaking. The lyrics kind of speak for themselves. The mood in that song is really awesome, it’s a great example of the direction were going, I’m really proud of that song. Out of the original batch of downloads we did that song really stood out, so we used that song as a foundation for the rest of the songs.

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – Musically I think I just got high ha-ha and wanted to make like a chill wave song. I was listening to a lot of Toro Y Moi, Washed Out and Memory Tapes and I wanted to take a crack at something with a different direction. I wanted to get some nice pads in there, Drew and I have been on this arpeggiator kick lately. I wanted to experiment and get different sounds in. I like to write to where you build the melody in the background first and then bring in the bass. I don’t normally work that way, but I like to do that every now and then because it’s really fun when that bass defines the progression underneath this atmosphere you already built, so it was like the arpeggiator first and then the pads and then I found the bass and once I brought that in it was like oh shit this is gonna be good.

The Nite Visions - Were the lyrics already written before you produced the music.

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) – No we usually do those last, and come up with like a basic skeletal of the song and at that point ill come up with the lyrics.

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – I think that song really shows the progression of all of us, especially if you heard the little demo that I sent Mike when we first started working on its so night and day. The post production work that was done on it really shows the growth of Mikey and Drew it’s really awesome.

The Nite Visions – Do you guys have any favorite festivals you would like to be on In the near future?

Vince (Afghan Raiders) – Were actually playing manimal festival October 2nd and 3rd. It's gonna be near Joshua tree, in a really small town.

Mikey (Afghan Raiders) – Coachella would be amazing and pitchfork, we can’t do Treasure Island this year, but maybe next year.

Drew (Afghan Raiders) – We’d love to play European festivals and Australian festivals.

The Nite Visions – Alright guys just wrapping it up, were still going to throw a going away party for Vince before he leaves to S.F. The wheels have been set in motion for that and of course you guys will be dropping a set for all of us. We appreciate the interview it was great!!

(Afghan Raiders) – Hell yeah were all down, thanks Marco and Jason you guys keep in touch.

The Nite Visions – Thanks guys we’ll talk to you guys soon.

Deadbeat Summer (Afghan Raiders Remix) by thenitevisions

Afghan Raiders - Remixes [2010].zip

www.afghanraiders.com

Afghan Raiders (Facebook)

Afghan Raiders (Myspace)

Afghan Raiders (Twitter)