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M4M: HEY JAMES THANKS FOR GIVING US A CALL TODAY.
JAMES: HEY NO PROBLEM JOSH ANYTIME.
M4M: THE FIRST THING RIGHT OFF THE BAT BRO IS PARALYZER? WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THAT? IT IS OFF
THE HOOK!
JAMES: YEAH, IT’S KIND OF AN ANOMALY SONG THAT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE AND HAS JUST OPENED LIKE
KICKED DOWN A HUGE DOOR FOR OUR BAND. IT IS JUST AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY AND TURNED A LOT OF
HEADS TOWARDS OUR BAND. IT IS A GREAT, GREAT THING.
M4M: ON MYSPACE ALONE PARALYZER HAS OVER 4.5 MILLION PLAYS.
JAMES: YEAH IT IS JUST CRAZY, CRAZY
M4M: WHAT IS IRONIC IS THAT THEM VS. YOU VS. ME WAS ONE OF THE QUICKEST FINGER ELEVEN ALBUMS TO
RECORD, HOWEVER PARALYZER WAS THE LONGEST SONG EVER TO RECORD AT 2 WEEKS.
JAMES: WELL IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO WRITE AND I THINK THAT IS WHERE THE WORK WAS. WHEN WE
RECORDED IT WAS PRETTY SIMPLE. THE WRITING IN PARALYZER WAS ACTUALLY JUST REALLY COIT AND VERY
SPONTANEOUS. A FRIEND OF OURS WAS TAKING PICTURES OF US JAMMING AND RATHER THEN PRETENDING
WE DECIDED TO MAKE SOMETHING UP ON THE SPOT AND THAT WAS THE RIFF THAT BECAME THE SONG. IN THE
STUDIO IT BECAME QUITE AN OBSESSION TO GET THE FINAL THING RIGHT BECAUSE IT IS KIND OF DANCE AND
ROCK AT THE SAME TIME AND WE WERE TRYING TO GET THE PERFECT BALANCE. IT HAS BEEN A TRIP SO FAR.
M4M: IT IS GREAT BECAUSE IT HAS ACTUALLY CROSSED OVER TO OTHER GENRE’S OF MUSIC AS WELL.
JAMES: YEAH YOU KNOW IT IS REALLY COOL BECAUSE YOU GET THE SAME REACTION FROM A BUNCH OF
DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO ARE TOTALLY UNRELATED AND NORMALLY WOULD NEVER AGREE ON ANYTHING. IT
DOESN’T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN. THAT’S A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO OUR MUSIC TO GO AND BE A PART OF
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
M4M: SO YOU GUYS ARE HEADED TO ROCK ON THE RANGE THIS YEAR HOW IS THAT FOR YOU?
JAMES: YEAH THAT IS GOING TO BE AWESOME! WHO'S ON THE BILL FOR THIS YEAR?
M4M: STONE TEMPLE PILOTS. KID ROCK, 3 DOORS DOWN, DISTURBED, STAIND, SEETHER, PAPA ROACH,
FLYLEAF, KILLSWITCH, SHINEDOWN, SEVENDUST, AND MANY OTHER GROUPS.
JAMES: YEAH MAN THAT IS GONNA ROCK YOU KNOW!!
M4M: SO AS ARTIST DO YOU GET EXCITED ABOUT SEEING OTHER BANDS PLAY AS WELL OR IS IT LIKE GOING
TO WORK?
JAMES: OH YEAH ABSOLUTELY! BECAUSE YOU GO AND PLAY AND YOUR DONE KIND OF EARLY SO THEN IT IS
JUST A CONCERT AND THAT IS JUST A GREAT PAST TIME.
M4M: YEAH WE JUST HAD SO MANY PEOPLE WONDERING IF IT WAS LIKE YOU GO OUT THERE DO YOUR THING
AND GET BACK ON THE BUS.
JAMES: YEAH NORMALLY WHEN WE ARE DONE WE LIKE TO GO OUT AND HANG OUT WITH PEOPLE AT THE BAR
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED AT THAT. PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA HOW BORING BEING BACKSTAGE IS WHEN YOU
KNOW EVERYONE AND YOU ARE WITH THEM DA IN AND DAY OUT YOU KNOW, SO WE WOULD RATHER JUST
HANG OUT AND MEET KICK ASS PEOPLE WE NEVER MET BEFORE.
M4M: NOW WHAT AMAZES US IS WHILE RECORDING THEM VS. YOU VS. ME YOU ACTUALLY HAD A FAN LINE
HOOKED UP WHERE FANS COULD JUST CALL AND CHAT WITH YOU. HOW DID THAT WORK?
JAMES: SURE MAN. WE HAD THIS THING CALLED SKYPE IT’S A COMPUTER SET UP CALLING SERVICE SO FANS
CAN CALL IN TO US AND KIDS WOULDN’T RACK UP LONG DISTANCE CHARGES ON THERE PHONE. IT WAS OUR
WAY OF GETTING BACK IN TOUCH WITH OUR FANS. WE TOURED FOR A LONG TIME THEN WE TOOK A LONG
TIME OFF TO WRITE THE NEW ALBUM. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT WE WERE BROKEN UP OR
WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING ON SO ONCE WE GOT BACK IN THE STUDIO WE DECIDED TO SET UP THIS
DIRECT LINE SO IF ANYONE WAS WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING ON WE COULD TELL PEOPLE DIRECTLY. IT
WAS REALLY A INSPIRATION TO ME THAT PEOPLE WERE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND WANTED
TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
M4M: YEAH I AM SURE MAN AND IT HAS GOT TO BE GREAT FOR THE FANS TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY CALL IN
AND SPEAK WITH ONE OF THERE FAVORITE ARTIST.
JAMES: YEAH YOU KNOW IF I COULD CALL INTO THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD
BE AWESOME. AND LIKE I SAID IT IS A GREAT THING BECAUSE THEY GET EXCITED BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE
ARE EXCITED TO HAVE THEM CALLING.
M4M: OH HELL YEAH I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. THERE IS ACTUALLY A PRETTY FUNNY STORY OF HOW HAVING
THE PHONE SET UP SAVED SOMEONES JOB. WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?
JAMES: YEAH , YEAH MAN. WE ONLY DID THIS ONCE AND LUCKILY IT TURNED OUT TO BE A GOOD STORY BUT
WE WERE IN A CHICAGO BAR AND THEY CLOSED AT LIKE 4AM SO BY THAT POINT WE GET BACK AND WE ARE
ALL LIKE LETS CALL SOMEONE FOR FUN. I KINDA KNEW THE PERSON WE WERE CALLING SO AT LIKE 5:30 IN THE
MORNING WHEN THEY PICKED UP I AM LIKE JOKING AROUND DUDE WHERES MY SOCKS THINKING IT WAS THIS
OTHER DUDE THAT WE KNEW. HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WE WERE LIKE THIS IS FINGER
ELEVEN AND WE WERE JUST CALLING TO HARASS YOU AND HE STILL HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON. SO
LATER ON WE GOT A MESSAGE IN A EMAIL FROM HIM THANKING US FOR THE CALL BECAUSE HE NEVER SET HIS
ALARM CLOCK FOR WORK AND HAD TO GET UP. THANKING US FOR SAVING HIS JOB. SO IT TURNED OUT TO BE
A POSITIVE THING YOU KNOW.
M4M: YOU GUY’S ARE PRETTY BIG IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY OF CANADA RIGHT?
JAMES: YEAH THINGS ARE GOING REAL WELL THERE. IT SORT OF A MORE CONCENTRATED POPULATION. IN
THE US THERE ARE SO MANY BIG CITIES SO YOU END UP PLAYING MORE SHOWS CLOSER TOGETHER RATHER
THAN FEWER SHOWS ALL SPREAD OUT BECAUSE IN CANADA THERE ARE JUST SO MANY FEWER MAJOR CITIES
BUT YOU GET THESE HUGE CROWDS AND IT IS GREAT. YOU KNOW WE HAVE BEEN WORKING AT IT FOR LIKE 16
YEARS IN CANADA SO WE HAVE KIND OF GROWN AND GET THE WHOLE MAGIC HAPPENING.
M4M: YEAH THAT’S GREAT BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING TO SOME OTHER GROUPS OUT OF CANADA LIKE
EVANS BLUE WHO SAY THEY HAVE SUCH A HARD TIME IN CANADA BUT CAN TRAVEL DOWN HERE TO THE U.S
AND BE PRETTY SUCCESSFUL.
JAMES: IT IS A STRANGE ANOMALY ACTUALLY BECAUSE MOST BANDS IN CANADA ARE TRYING TO GET OUT AND
PLAYED ON US SOIL AND THEN WILL GO BACK UP TO CANADA AND ROCK. IT CAN BE A STRANGE CLIQUE IN
CANADA.
M4M: YEAH I GO TO MONTREAL ALL THE TIME ALTHOUGH PEOPLE TELL ME IT IS NOT REALLY CANADA.
JAMES: WELL MONTREAL IS A LITTLE MORE CULTURE AND HAS A LITTLE MORE HISTORY TO IT. THERE REALLY
DIFFERENT THEN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.
M4M: SO BEFORE YOU BECAME FINGER ELEVEN YOU WERE CALLED THE RAINBOW BUTT MONKEYS WHICH IN
MY OPINION IS AN AWESOME NAME FOR A GROUP.
JAMES: YEAH YOU KNOW IT WAS A JOKE. WE WERE IN COSTUMES AND JUST JUMPING AROUND ALL OVER THE
PLACE AND DURING THAT WHOLE TIME WE LEARNING HOW TO BE A BAND AND WE WON THIS RADIO CONTEST
AND HAD A RECORD DEAL SO WE JUST TOOK A STEP BACK AND SAID IF WE ARE GONNA DO THIS THEN WE
HAVE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THE NAME BECAUSE FROM THERE ON OUT WE HAD TO DO THINGS
DIFFERENTLY. YOU KNOW WE WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND JUST BEING FUNNY. THERE IS A RECORD OUT IN
CANADA FROM RAINBOW BUTT MONKEYS BACK IN 1995 TITLED LETTERS FROM CHUTNEY.
M4M: WE ACTUALLY HAD A FAN NAMED KAREN EMAIL US WONDERING WHAT FINGER ELEVEN MEANS SO WE
STARTED TO EXPLAIN BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?
JAMES: THE NAME FINGER ELEVEN IS REFERRING TO A POINT THAT GUIDES YOU IN YOUR HEART IN ONE
DIRECTION BUT YOU ARE BEING PUSHED IN ANOTHER DIRECTION.
M4M: TODAY ESPECIALLY THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF CONTROVERSY WITH RECORD LABELS AND THE
ARTIST DISAGREEING BUT YOU HAVE BEEN WITH WIND UP RECORDS FOR A LONG TIME NOW. HOW HAVE THEY
BEEN FOR YOU?
JAMES: YEAH YOU KNOW WE HAVE BEEN WITH THEM FOR A LONG TIME NOW AND ITS BEEN GREAT THEY LET US
GO INTO THE STUDIO AND DO WHAT WE WANT AND AS LONG AS THE RECORD COMPANY IS TURNING OUT ALL
RIGHT AND WE ARE GETTING BETTER AND BETTER IN OUR MIND AND OUR PHILOSOPHY IS WE ARE DOING
ALRIGHT TOGETHER YOU KNOW. YOU HEAR A LOT OF NEGATIVE STUFF WITH BANDS MAKING RECORDS THEN
THEY ARE NEVER RELEASED, BANDS DROPPED FROM THEIR LABEL AND ALL SORTS OF STUFF. SO FAR WE
HAVE 16 YEARS IN AND HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH OUR LABEL.
M4M: WELL THAT SAY’S A LOT FOR AS AN ARTIST AS WELL BECAUSE TO ME IT MEANS YOU ARE NOT ONLY
KICKING ASS FOR YOU FANS BUT ALSO FOR THE LABEL AS WELL.
JAMES: YEAH WELL YOU KNOW I FEEL WHEN A LABEL SIGNS YOU THEY SHOULD SIGN YOU FOR YOUR
CREATIVITY AND MIND AS WELL, AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES A CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT AND IT WILL WORK OUT
FOR EVERYONE.
M4M: YOU HAVE BEEN FEATURED ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIDEO GAMES, SHOWS AND MOVIES DO YOU KNOW
IF THERE WILL BE ANY OF THE SONGS FROM THE NEW ALBUM HITTING THE REST OF ENTERTAINMENT?
JAMES: A LOT OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES COME FROM CROSS RELATIONSHIPS SOMEONE KNOWS SOMEONE
OR SOMETIMES IT IS A REQUEST. I PLAY A LOT OF VIDEO GAMES AND EVEN IF YOU HATE THE SONGS LIKE
TONY HAWK THAT GAME IT IS QUITE INVIGORATING. I THINK WE WOULD LIKE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES LIKE
BETTER GAMES AND STUFF FOR OUR MUSIC TO BE A PART OF.
M4M: NOW YOU GUYS DON’T SEEM TO HAVE THAT ROCK STAR LABEL IN A SENSE THAT YOU DON’T DO HEAVY
PARTYING AND KINDA JUST CHILL ON THE BUS.
JAMES: WE ARE CANADIAN SO WE DEFINITELY KNOW HOW TO DRINK BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO STAY HEALTHY
AND CAPITALIZE ON EVERYTHING LIKE THE SHOW.
M4M: WELL JAMES I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING US A CALL ONCE AGAIN AND WE WILL SEE YOU ROCKING
ON THE RANGE. HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE TOUR. CONGRATS ON ALL YOUR SUCCESS WITH THE CURRENT
ALBUM.
JAMES: THANK YOU AS WELL IT WAS A PLEASURE.
JAMES: HEY NO PROBLEM JOSH ANYTIME.
M4M: THE FIRST THING RIGHT OFF THE BAT BRO IS PARALYZER? WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THAT? IT IS OFF
THE HOOK!
JAMES: YEAH, IT’S KIND OF AN ANOMALY SONG THAT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE AND HAS JUST OPENED LIKE
KICKED DOWN A HUGE DOOR FOR OUR BAND. IT IS JUST AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY AND TURNED A LOT OF
HEADS TOWARDS OUR BAND. IT IS A GREAT, GREAT THING.
M4M: ON MYSPACE ALONE PARALYZER HAS OVER 4.5 MILLION PLAYS.
JAMES: YEAH IT IS JUST CRAZY, CRAZY
M4M: WHAT IS IRONIC IS THAT THEM VS. YOU VS. ME WAS ONE OF THE QUICKEST FINGER ELEVEN ALBUMS TO
RECORD, HOWEVER PARALYZER WAS THE LONGEST SONG EVER TO RECORD AT 2 WEEKS.
JAMES: WELL IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO WRITE AND I THINK THAT IS WHERE THE WORK WAS. WHEN WE
RECORDED IT WAS PRETTY SIMPLE. THE WRITING IN PARALYZER WAS ACTUALLY JUST REALLY COIT AND VERY
SPONTANEOUS. A FRIEND OF OURS WAS TAKING PICTURES OF US JAMMING AND RATHER THEN PRETENDING
WE DECIDED TO MAKE SOMETHING UP ON THE SPOT AND THAT WAS THE RIFF THAT BECAME THE SONG. IN THE
STUDIO IT BECAME QUITE AN OBSESSION TO GET THE FINAL THING RIGHT BECAUSE IT IS KIND OF DANCE AND
ROCK AT THE SAME TIME AND WE WERE TRYING TO GET THE PERFECT BALANCE. IT HAS BEEN A TRIP SO FAR.
M4M: IT IS GREAT BECAUSE IT HAS ACTUALLY CROSSED OVER TO OTHER GENRE’S OF MUSIC AS WELL.
JAMES: YEAH YOU KNOW IT IS REALLY COOL BECAUSE YOU GET THE SAME REACTION FROM A BUNCH OF
DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO ARE TOTALLY UNRELATED AND NORMALLY WOULD NEVER AGREE ON ANYTHING. IT
DOESN’T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN. THAT’S A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO OUR MUSIC TO GO AND BE A PART OF
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
M4M: SO YOU GUYS ARE HEADED TO ROCK ON THE RANGE THIS YEAR HOW IS THAT FOR YOU?
JAMES: YEAH THAT IS GOING TO BE AWESOME! WHO'S ON THE BILL FOR THIS YEAR?
M4M: STONE TEMPLE PILOTS. KID ROCK, 3 DOORS DOWN, DISTURBED, STAIND, SEETHER, PAPA ROACH,
FLYLEAF, KILLSWITCH, SHINEDOWN, SEVENDUST, AND MANY OTHER GROUPS.
JAMES: YEAH MAN THAT IS GONNA ROCK YOU KNOW!!
M4M: SO AS ARTIST DO YOU GET EXCITED ABOUT SEEING OTHER BANDS PLAY AS WELL OR IS IT LIKE GOING
TO WORK?
JAMES: OH YEAH ABSOLUTELY! BECAUSE YOU GO AND PLAY AND YOUR DONE KIND OF EARLY SO THEN IT IS
JUST A CONCERT AND THAT IS JUST A GREAT PAST TIME.
M4M: YEAH WE JUST HAD SO MANY PEOPLE WONDERING IF IT WAS LIKE YOU GO OUT THERE DO YOUR THING
AND GET BACK ON THE BUS.
JAMES: YEAH NORMALLY WHEN WE ARE DONE WE LIKE TO GO OUT AND HANG OUT WITH PEOPLE AT THE BAR
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED AT THAT. PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA HOW BORING BEING BACKSTAGE IS WHEN YOU
KNOW EVERYONE AND YOU ARE WITH THEM DA IN AND DAY OUT YOU KNOW, SO WE WOULD RATHER JUST
HANG OUT AND MEET KICK ASS PEOPLE WE NEVER MET BEFORE.
M4M: NOW WHAT AMAZES US IS WHILE RECORDING THEM VS. YOU VS. ME YOU ACTUALLY HAD A FAN LINE
HOOKED UP WHERE FANS COULD JUST CALL AND CHAT WITH YOU. HOW DID THAT WORK?
JAMES: SURE MAN. WE HAD THIS THING CALLED SKYPE IT’S A COMPUTER SET UP CALLING SERVICE SO FANS
CAN CALL IN TO US AND KIDS WOULDN’T RACK UP LONG DISTANCE CHARGES ON THERE PHONE. IT WAS OUR
WAY OF GETTING BACK IN TOUCH WITH OUR FANS. WE TOURED FOR A LONG TIME THEN WE TOOK A LONG
TIME OFF TO WRITE THE NEW ALBUM. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT WE WERE BROKEN UP OR
WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING ON SO ONCE WE GOT BACK IN THE STUDIO WE DECIDED TO SET UP THIS
DIRECT LINE SO IF ANYONE WAS WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING ON WE COULD TELL PEOPLE DIRECTLY. IT
WAS REALLY A INSPIRATION TO ME THAT PEOPLE WERE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND WANTED
TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
M4M: YEAH I AM SURE MAN AND IT HAS GOT TO BE GREAT FOR THE FANS TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY CALL IN
AND SPEAK WITH ONE OF THERE FAVORITE ARTIST.
JAMES: YEAH YOU KNOW IF I COULD CALL INTO THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD
BE AWESOME. AND LIKE I SAID IT IS A GREAT THING BECAUSE THEY GET EXCITED BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE
ARE EXCITED TO HAVE THEM CALLING.
M4M: OH HELL YEAH I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. THERE IS ACTUALLY A PRETTY FUNNY STORY OF HOW HAVING
THE PHONE SET UP SAVED SOMEONES JOB. WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?
JAMES: YEAH , YEAH MAN. WE ONLY DID THIS ONCE AND LUCKILY IT TURNED OUT TO BE A GOOD STORY BUT
WE WERE IN A CHICAGO BAR AND THEY CLOSED AT LIKE 4AM SO BY THAT POINT WE GET BACK AND WE ARE
ALL LIKE LETS CALL SOMEONE FOR FUN. I KINDA KNEW THE PERSON WE WERE CALLING SO AT LIKE 5:30 IN THE
MORNING WHEN THEY PICKED UP I AM LIKE JOKING AROUND DUDE WHERES MY SOCKS THINKING IT WAS THIS
OTHER DUDE THAT WE KNEW. HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WE WERE LIKE THIS IS FINGER
ELEVEN AND WE WERE JUST CALLING TO HARASS YOU AND HE STILL HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON. SO
LATER ON WE GOT A MESSAGE IN A EMAIL FROM HIM THANKING US FOR THE CALL BECAUSE HE NEVER SET HIS
ALARM CLOCK FOR WORK AND HAD TO GET UP. THANKING US FOR SAVING HIS JOB. SO IT TURNED OUT TO BE
A POSITIVE THING YOU KNOW.
M4M: YOU GUY’S ARE PRETTY BIG IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY OF CANADA RIGHT?
JAMES: YEAH THINGS ARE GOING REAL WELL THERE. IT SORT OF A MORE CONCENTRATED POPULATION. IN
THE US THERE ARE SO MANY BIG CITIES SO YOU END UP PLAYING MORE SHOWS CLOSER TOGETHER RATHER
THAN FEWER SHOWS ALL SPREAD OUT BECAUSE IN CANADA THERE ARE JUST SO MANY FEWER MAJOR CITIES
BUT YOU GET THESE HUGE CROWDS AND IT IS GREAT. YOU KNOW WE HAVE BEEN WORKING AT IT FOR LIKE 16
YEARS IN CANADA SO WE HAVE KIND OF GROWN AND GET THE WHOLE MAGIC HAPPENING.
M4M: YEAH THAT’S GREAT BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING TO SOME OTHER GROUPS OUT OF CANADA LIKE
EVANS BLUE WHO SAY THEY HAVE SUCH A HARD TIME IN CANADA BUT CAN TRAVEL DOWN HERE TO THE U.S
AND BE PRETTY SUCCESSFUL.
JAMES: IT IS A STRANGE ANOMALY ACTUALLY BECAUSE MOST BANDS IN CANADA ARE TRYING TO GET OUT AND
PLAYED ON US SOIL AND THEN WILL GO BACK UP TO CANADA AND ROCK. IT CAN BE A STRANGE CLIQUE IN
CANADA.
M4M: YEAH I GO TO MONTREAL ALL THE TIME ALTHOUGH PEOPLE TELL ME IT IS NOT REALLY CANADA.
JAMES: WELL MONTREAL IS A LITTLE MORE CULTURE AND HAS A LITTLE MORE HISTORY TO IT. THERE REALLY
DIFFERENT THEN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.
M4M: SO BEFORE YOU BECAME FINGER ELEVEN YOU WERE CALLED THE RAINBOW BUTT MONKEYS WHICH IN
MY OPINION IS AN AWESOME NAME FOR A GROUP.
JAMES: YEAH YOU KNOW IT WAS A JOKE. WE WERE IN COSTUMES AND JUST JUMPING AROUND ALL OVER THE
PLACE AND DURING THAT WHOLE TIME WE LEARNING HOW TO BE A BAND AND WE WON THIS RADIO CONTEST
AND HAD A RECORD DEAL SO WE JUST TOOK A STEP BACK AND SAID IF WE ARE GONNA DO THIS THEN WE
HAVE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THE NAME BECAUSE FROM THERE ON OUT WE HAD TO DO THINGS
DIFFERENTLY. YOU KNOW WE WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND JUST BEING FUNNY. THERE IS A RECORD OUT IN
CANADA FROM RAINBOW BUTT MONKEYS BACK IN 1995 TITLED LETTERS FROM CHUTNEY.
M4M: WE ACTUALLY HAD A FAN NAMED KAREN EMAIL US WONDERING WHAT FINGER ELEVEN MEANS SO WE
STARTED TO EXPLAIN BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?
JAMES: THE NAME FINGER ELEVEN IS REFERRING TO A POINT THAT GUIDES YOU IN YOUR HEART IN ONE
DIRECTION BUT YOU ARE BEING PUSHED IN ANOTHER DIRECTION.
M4M: TODAY ESPECIALLY THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF CONTROVERSY WITH RECORD LABELS AND THE
ARTIST DISAGREEING BUT YOU HAVE BEEN WITH WIND UP RECORDS FOR A LONG TIME NOW. HOW HAVE THEY
BEEN FOR YOU?
JAMES: YEAH YOU KNOW WE HAVE BEEN WITH THEM FOR A LONG TIME NOW AND ITS BEEN GREAT THEY LET US
GO INTO THE STUDIO AND DO WHAT WE WANT AND AS LONG AS THE RECORD COMPANY IS TURNING OUT ALL
RIGHT AND WE ARE GETTING BETTER AND BETTER IN OUR MIND AND OUR PHILOSOPHY IS WE ARE DOING
ALRIGHT TOGETHER YOU KNOW. YOU HEAR A LOT OF NEGATIVE STUFF WITH BANDS MAKING RECORDS THEN
THEY ARE NEVER RELEASED, BANDS DROPPED FROM THEIR LABEL AND ALL SORTS OF STUFF. SO FAR WE
HAVE 16 YEARS IN AND HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH OUR LABEL.
M4M: WELL THAT SAY’S A LOT FOR AS AN ARTIST AS WELL BECAUSE TO ME IT MEANS YOU ARE NOT ONLY
KICKING ASS FOR YOU FANS BUT ALSO FOR THE LABEL AS WELL.
JAMES: YEAH WELL YOU KNOW I FEEL WHEN A LABEL SIGNS YOU THEY SHOULD SIGN YOU FOR YOUR
CREATIVITY AND MIND AS WELL, AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES A CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT AND IT WILL WORK OUT
FOR EVERYONE.
M4M: YOU HAVE BEEN FEATURED ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIDEO GAMES, SHOWS AND MOVIES DO YOU KNOW
IF THERE WILL BE ANY OF THE SONGS FROM THE NEW ALBUM HITTING THE REST OF ENTERTAINMENT?
JAMES: A LOT OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES COME FROM CROSS RELATIONSHIPS SOMEONE KNOWS SOMEONE
OR SOMETIMES IT IS A REQUEST. I PLAY A LOT OF VIDEO GAMES AND EVEN IF YOU HATE THE SONGS LIKE
TONY HAWK THAT GAME IT IS QUITE INVIGORATING. I THINK WE WOULD LIKE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES LIKE
BETTER GAMES AND STUFF FOR OUR MUSIC TO BE A PART OF.
M4M: NOW YOU GUYS DON’T SEEM TO HAVE THAT ROCK STAR LABEL IN A SENSE THAT YOU DON’T DO HEAVY
PARTYING AND KINDA JUST CHILL ON THE BUS.
JAMES: WE ARE CANADIAN SO WE DEFINITELY KNOW HOW TO DRINK BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO STAY HEALTHY
AND CAPITALIZE ON EVERYTHING LIKE THE SHOW.
M4M: WELL JAMES I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING US A CALL ONCE AGAIN AND WE WILL SEE YOU ROCKING
ON THE RANGE. HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE TOUR. CONGRATS ON ALL YOUR SUCCESS WITH THE CURRENT
ALBUM.
JAMES: THANK YOU AS WELL IT WAS A PLEASURE.
FINGER ELEVEN HAS BEEN BURNING UP THE CHARTS WITH
THERE NUMBER ONE HIT "PARALYZER". BEFORE COVERING
FINGER ELEVENS SET AT ROCK ON THE RANGE 2008 WE
WERE LUCKY TO HAVE JAMES GIVE US A CALL TO TAKE A
INSIDE LOOK AT WHO FINGER ELEVEN IS, HOW
"PARALYZER" CAME TO BE, AND TONS OF OTHER
INTERESTING FACTS REGARDING THEM AS A GROUP AS
WELL AS MUSIC IN GENERAL. WE WERE ABLE TO LEARN SO
MUCH FROM A GROUP THAT HAS BEEN HITTING THE
AIRWAVES FOR MANY YEARS. GO GRAB YOURSELF A
DRINK BECAUSE IT IS NOW TIME TO TAKE YOU INTO THE
WORLD OF FINGER ELEVEN!!!!
THERE NUMBER ONE HIT "PARALYZER". BEFORE COVERING
FINGER ELEVENS SET AT ROCK ON THE RANGE 2008 WE
WERE LUCKY TO HAVE JAMES GIVE US A CALL TO TAKE A
INSIDE LOOK AT WHO FINGER ELEVEN IS, HOW
"PARALYZER" CAME TO BE, AND TONS OF OTHER
INTERESTING FACTS REGARDING THEM AS A GROUP AS
WELL AS MUSIC IN GENERAL. WE WERE ABLE TO LEARN SO
MUCH FROM A GROUP THAT HAS BEEN HITTING THE
AIRWAVES FOR MANY YEARS. GO GRAB YOURSELF A
DRINK BECAUSE IT IS NOW TIME TO TAKE YOU INTO THE
WORLD OF FINGER ELEVEN!!!!
INTERVIEW BY: JOSHUA KOLOSKI