Davey Havok

In person, AFI's Davey Havok is so charming, upbeat and funny that it surprises you that this is the guy who writes tortured lyrics like ''My whole life is a dark room.'' From his home in Oakland, California, Havok, 30, says AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground, is about finding love -- and is aimed at ''those detached few who, in their relative abnormality, find solace in each other.'' It's the group's most eclectic disc yet, a far cry from AFI's doom-and-gloom punk-rock roots, and it mixes disparate influences, from Television to the Cure. The hot single ''Miss Murder'' even has a whiff of glam. ''I'm really happy with the whole record,'' says frontman Havok. But is he superstoked that December will be released on June 6th (or 6/6/06)? ''I don't put too much weight in those Christian concepts,'' he says. ''Does Slayer have an album out on that day? I hope so -- it would be so right.''

Do you remember the first time you heard AFI on the radio?

Absolutely. I was in my 1982 Honda Accord -- this was in 1995 -- with my friend Tigerlily. My car had one working speaker -- on the passenger side -- the tape player was broken, and to get FM you needed to shove a toothpick into it. We were listening to [San Francisco modern-rock station] Live 105, and the song started buzzing out of the blown-out speaker. I turn to Lily and go, ''God, this doesn't sound like it sucks.'' I turned it up and said, ''Oh, my God!''

You're vegan. When touring, what cities provide your best dining options?

New York and San Francisco, absolutely. There's a woman who makes desserts in Philly. One year I happened to be there on my birthday, and everyone surprised me with a vegan cookies-and-cream cake. L.A. is fantastic. Chicago and Portland: vegan toast. Seattle: vegan cinnamon buns. Salt Lake City used to have vegan soft serve -- not anymore. Vegas: vegan doughnuts -- yet another reason to go to Vegas.

In the studio, do you decorate your vocal booth?

I do, for inspiration.

How'd you do it for Decemberunderground?

Well, there's always Moz and Bowie and Freddie Mercury, Peter Murphy and Robert Smith. Unfortunately, our last recording session was greatly lacking in Ians -- Curtis, Astbury, MacKaye and McCulloch. We couldn't find any Ian posters. You might not be able to hear those guys in my vocal quality.