Finch

NR: Would you describe the new Finch CD as more of your own sound than the last album "What it is to Burn?"

Alex: I guess so. I thought "What it is to Burn" was more of our sound for that time. I thought it was our sound when we were 18 and 19. It was who we were. Now that we are 22, 23 and 25 this is who we are right now. I'm sure the next album will be different. I know when I listen to "What it is to Burn" it feels like opening a high school yearbook. It's like old memories and laughing at pictures. I think it's funny. I don't know if I'm just real cynical about it. But it feels like turning the pages of time.

NR: I know looking at myspace we have seen some of the hate mail that old fans are sending in about how bad they think this new album is. Are you satisfied with this new album even if it means losing a few old fans?

Alex: Even if you were to punch me in the face right now and say this record sucks I wouldn't care, I would beat the shit out of you, but I wouldn't care. No I'm joking. That's not even funny. I apologize. Everyone has the rights to their opinions. So if this record isn't for them they have that right. As writers of the music we have the right to write what we want. I guess we are fortunate that people continue to like our music and if they don't that's fine. I'm still happy with what we did. No regrets.

NR: What happen to your former drummer Alex Pappas?

Alex: We asked him to leave the band to be blatantly honest. We were not vibing as friends anymore. There were issues there. Also musically we were not vibing anymore. It was a good time to part ways. On both sides there were problems. He was getting frustrated with the new music we were writing. We were frustrated with the direction of music he was wanting to go. It just wasn't working anymore.

NR: There is a rumor around the internet that Rich and Steph from Drive Thru Records basically came to your rehearsal and signed you on the spot. Is there any truth to that?

Alex: It wasn't quite that simple. We went and played for Richard first. It was just Richard by himself. We played for him and he was like I want to sign you guys but Stephanie has to see you first. We told him we would come back in a week. So we came back a week later. Richard and Stephanie were both there. We played the same set of songs for them again at our rehearsal spot but we were rockin out and going crazy just like we would be at a show. In between songs Stephanie was clapping and cheering. So I was thinking that bitch was making fun of us. I was so upset I was like Fuck! I don't care. I ended up confronting her later asking her why she was making fun of us. She was like, are you kidding me? I fucking love your band. I was so stoked. Oh well I'm a dick I guess. Then they said they wanted to sign us right away. Obviously it took months of lawyers battling out the details but yea pretty much we walked away with a deal.

NR: You had Daryl from Glassjaw/Head Automatica on your last album. Have you ever done those songs with him live?

Alex: Once or twice a couple of years ago. We haven't really crossed paths with him recently. I always tend to see him at random places but never at our shows. I never go see Head Automatica. I always tend to run into him at random clubs and shows.

NR: People are raving about how awesome the artwork Jeff did on the new album. Are you planning to do some artwork with him again?

Alex: I guess it's possible. It would be nice. He's such an amazing artist. I would honestly like to see Marc Allen do some of the artwork because he's an amazing artist himself. I think he could do something that would be really nice. I think Jeff is an oustanding artist. I would love him to do something again but I'm sure he's a really busy guy.

NR: We have received a bunch of emails asking how you guys ended up on the tour with H.I.M?

Alex: A lot of people have been asking us about that. We were just asked to do it. The way it works is a band has a booking agent and when a booking agent for a band like H.I.M. plans a tour from this date to this date they send out a mass email asking who would like to go out on the tour. We sent one back saying that it would be awesome. They said yeah lets do it. Which is awesome. I know there is not a lot of Finch fans in the crowd. Which is why we would do it anyways. Hopefully we could win those kids over. I like to play to a new crowd even if they are not that accepting in the first place.

NR: I know you guys get this a lot, but once again we have been getting a lot of emails about it. What is the best way to get "Worms of the Earth" for the "Underworld Soundtrack?" Are you going to be releasing it on your own or is it to just get the "Underworld Soundtrack?"

Alex: Best way to get it is to just download it. Or you can also get it on the Atticus comp "Dragging the Lake 2." The only thing is they named it "Worms of the Universe." I still love them but they fucked it up. I still give them shit to do this day for fucking it up. I'll never let them forget it. I think honestly we play better live than on the recording so you should just download a live version of the song.

NR: Is there any plans in the future to put out a DVD anytime in the future?

Alex: We are always shooting footage. We have a band camera so we film everyday. We have tons and tons of tapes. I'm sure eventually we will. There are no plans right now but eventually we should.

NR: You guys are touring nonstop. Are there any plans to take a break?

Alex: Fuck I hope so. I'm really tired. I had a month off at home. A month went by like 30 seconds. We had a month exactly from the day the last tour ended until the day we had to leave for this tour. I can not believe how quickly it went by. Having that month off was about the longest time off we have had as Finch without doing anything. While we were making the last record everyone thought we were being lazy and just hanging around but we were working on that record everyday for a year. We took a month off for Christmas break because our producer was leaving and we a took a month off after the last tour we did for "What it is to Burn" before we starting writing. So that was the longest break we have had in the last 5 years. So in the last 5 years we have had 3 months off.

NR: Are there any plans on how long you are going to support this record before going in to record the next album?

Alex: No. I guess we will keep going until we are satisfied. Until we feel like enough people have heard it or we are done with the songs. There is always a point you are just done. You can tell. We'll just stop then. It might be 2 months or maybe 2 years. Why are you guys sick of the record?
NR (KDawg): I love it. It has not left my player since I bought it.
NR (Ri): I listen to it constantly at work.
Alex: Thank You.
NR (KDawg): It's one of the few records I have put on and said it's good and then I just throw it out.
Alex: I'm not trying to rep my record but to be honest a lot of bands have been putting out records that are uninteresting to me. It probably means something to them but to me as a listener like I can't get into it. I hope you don't feel like that about our record. I've been feeling like that for a lot of records recently.
NR (Ri): I've been feeling like that for the last couple of years.
Alex: I don't know if it's just my taste changing or if it is just music in general. I just got "Attack" by Sigur Ros. That album is amazing. You would probably have to be into Sigur Ros fan. I think it's amazing. It's really dreamy type music. I don't think I've bought a heavy record in a long time. Ooh wait.. I have to rep this band from England called Your Code Name is: Mylah. I've been listening to that record nonstop. They are kind of heavy. Not Skindred heavy like fucking heavy but they are aggressive. They are just awesome. There is another one called The Valley Arena. I think they are from the Los Angeles area. They are incredible. You can probably find them on the internet.

NR (Ri): I've heard that you are a vegetarian?

Alex: Yea I'm a vegetarian and I'm straight edge.
NR (Ri): I'm a newly vowed vegetarian. Though I'm not straight edge.
Alex: That's awesome. Did you give up everything? I still eat eggs sometimes.
NR (Ri): I haven't gone vegan. It's definitely a change for me though.
Alex: I've been a vegetarian for 6 years. But I still use eggs as an ingredient. And I fucking love cheese.
NR (Ri): It's a hard one to give up.
Alex: I don't think I could ever been vegan.
NR (Ri): Yea I don't know if I could do it. I'm still really new.
Alex: Well you came into it at a great time. They have faux meat products for about anything you want. There are vegetarian web sites that can give you ideas of where to dine at for every city.

NR (Ri): So what made you become vegetarian?

Alex: There was one particular moment when I was driving down I-15 by Corona and there are all these cow farms down there. There was this huge big rig with with all these pigs in it and they were sticking there snouts out and stuff and they looked so sad. And I was thinking those poor animals were going to get slaughtered. Since then I could not eat an animal. I would become a cannibal before I would eat animals again. I tried to be vegetarian when I was 15 but I didn't do it the right way. I pretty much stopped eating.
NR (Ri): I had a friend that did that and that's why it took me so long to try being a vegetarian.
Alex: I lost so much weight and I was really pale. So my doctor made me eat meat. He said I had to get something in my body that would get me back to health.

NR: Do you have any last comments?

Alex: Thank you for your time.
NR: No thank you!