O.K. The truth is out there, only we can't tell you about it. Not just yet. What we can say is that this five-piece from Burlington, ON, used to be know as The Rainbow Butt Monkeys. (Well, originally, the band was called Stone Soul Picnic, but only the elders know much about that...) Vocalist Scott Anderson, bassist Sean Anderson, guitarists James Black and Rick Jackett and drummer Rob Gommerman have been hiding for some time, (since January, actually) working with producer Arnold Lanni (Our Lady Peace) on a brand new disc. No, we can't reveal the album's title, nor its contents, but rumor has it that the five young men have been listening to a fair bit of Korn lately. Will that make the follow-up to 1995's Letters from Chutney a hard-rock maelstrom? Surprise! We can't tell you that either. In fact, this group is so top secret we can't even show you a picture. You'll have to come on down to the Edgefest second stage where Finger Eleven will premiere.
For a promising band about to release its second album, the idea of a name change might seem a tad unsound - unless, of course, your name is the Rainbow Butt Monkeys. Sporting a carefully messed coif ready for publicity photos, James Black, guitarist and tunesmith for the newly renamed Finger Eleven, takes a serious approach to explaining the change. "We didn't feel as strongly about the name as we did about the music. We wanted to be happy with the entire thing." The band extracted "Finger Eleven" from the new song 'Thin Spirits'. Singer/lyricist Scott Anderson says the reference pertains to "making a decision that might not be the smartest, but it's something you just have to do." The to-the-point explanation goes like this: Finger Eleven are making a leap from silly to serious with a new album called Tip which they hope will command respect. So shit-can the lame name, and let's get down to business.
Commited from the outset to making the best record they could, the band sat down and compiled a list of top-notch producers. On the short list was Arnold Lanni, whose recent work with Our Lady Peace has made him Canada's hottest studio hand. So how did they go about retaining the services of this year's favourite producer? Easy. They asked manager Rob Lanni to phone his brother. After a round of shadow-boxing nepotism jabs and details of their label's involvement, Anderson exalts the relationship which grew between the band and their producer. "We were obviously excited, and we got some feedback that Arnold was excited as well. It gave it a cool boost when we actually got started."
The final product reflects the achievement of the band's two key goals. First is the hedging of their bets with a proven pop producer. Although this meal is noticeably cooked in the same kitchen, Finger Eleven's ingredients differ from Our Lady Peace's enough to have their own flavour. The second and more rewarding accomplishment is the maturation of the song writing. "I used to be really into the Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam and stuff like that. I think for the new record the spectrum was a lot wider. There was a lot of mellow stuff like Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley that I listened to, and then stuff like Tool and Failure. That's part of why this record is more dynamic than the last one. The softer stuff I was listening to was softer than it was before, and the heavier stuff seemed heavier."
Before bandmates Rick Jackett (guitar), Sean Anderson (bass) and Rob Gommerman (drums) make their instrumental contributions, Anderson works out the melodies to his predominantly sombre subject matter. In discussing his unsettling spirit, Anderson ultimately finds it to be a great source of humor. "I think it's a personal thing a lot of times. It was kind of depressing sitting at home for the last year. You're supposed to be in a band and you're still living at home."
Living at home. You mean, like, with Mom and Dad? Anderson nods, and the rest of the band concedes to playing house with their parental units. Black adds, "The rock & roll money truck hasn't shown up yet."
Now Finger Eleven hits the road with Tip, playing a nationwide tour of
universities after some Edgefest appearances. "It's cool to hang out
and talk," concludes Black on the healthy side of touring. "Basically,
just exchange stories with other bands and you realize that everyone's
going through the same kinda things. You realize you're not just the one
weird guy in the music industry. Everyone's weird - or we're all normal."
O.K., all of you, single file. Everyone line up and get ready to enter the Ontario Science Centre. Roll call: guitarist James Black (action figure collector), singer Scott Anderson (the video game junkie), drummer Rob Gommerman (guiet guy), bassist Sean Anderson (smart guy gone rock star) and other guitarist Rick Jackett (the wacky one with dreads). Everyone got their name tags? Lunches? Good, let's proceed.
The Ontario Science Centre might be the least likely place to interview the Burlington, Ontario quintet Finger Eleven (formerly known as Rainbow Butt Monkeys). Yet it's full of mystery and fascination, and over the next few hours the members of Finger Eleven will indulge themselves in numerous experiments of the sporty, recreational and scientific kind.
"I think we all came to this Science Centre when we were in school," says Scott, "not to say we all had a good time, but we did come." Adds guitarist Rick Jackett, "I have never been here. I was supposed to come one day with class, but I was absent that day." He grins.
On the subject of field trips, the rather calm( yet stlyn') Black recalls ]a journey to a Maple Syrup farm. "We were riding in a wagon of sorts. I wanted to sit in the back of the wagon and couldn't. Finally, after making a fuss over it they allowed me in back. Once they started I got thrown from the vehicle and had to race after the wagon."
My own field trip memories being far more entertaining, I share with the Fingers a tale from my life in Mexico. At a soda pop manufacturing plant, we all got free samples. I explain how one girl in my class opened one of the cans and the top half of a finger popped out - a severing which happened on the assembly line. The Fingers are suitably grossed out, so I change the subject to science fairs.
"I think the science fairs were a great way for kids and their parents to work together," chuckles Jackett. "C'mon, the kid would be working on it all day and night and go to sleep and the parent would finish it off so it would be ready for the next day."
Scott adds, "I never got into any of that. I was just never good at science and chemistry. I just didn't get it. I was always asking everyone about things."
Nevertheless, Finger Eleven is eager to investigate these halls of science and technology. "I wanna check out the nature and animal area," notes Rick.
"I just want to check out a lot of the cool things here," says Rob. "I want to find that electric ball with the static and put my hand on it to show people how bald I really am." Chuckles from everyone. We finish lunch and start our expedition.
We begin at the awesome LEGO exhibit, which is about the time Black goes missing for over an hour after finding out that he has "low social skills" in a self-psychological study. At least we are led to believe that is the reason for his disappearance. Apparently, he left the pack to go play steel drums and learn about space exploration on his own before rejoining the group.
Sans Black, the Fingers discover a lot of cool things, like how to land like a cat (you had to be there) and the importance and use of contraceptives (they are in a rock band, so it's something they should know). They even have to try driving a moon vehicle (I can't believe some of them have driver's licenses). I lose count keeping track of how many times they take turns pitching in the baseball pen in the sports section and powering a light bulb with water by bike pedaling. The fun just never stops. But did anyone learn anything?
"Yeah!" mutters a sweaty and exhausted Rob, who, along with the rest of the Fingers spent the last half hour running around like a kid in the sports section. "That we are all pretty out of shape."
Next field trip: Bally's Total Fitness.
[At press time drummer Rob Gommerman had left the band to go back to school and Finger Eleven has been dropped by Mercury/Polydor. The band is currently shopping for a new major label deal. -Ed.]
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Last Updated: June 3, 1998
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