“On our most recent tour it was surprising people still remembered us and came to the shows…” When Alex Linares, guitarist for iconic post-hardcore band Finch, relayed that answer to me during our interview I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought. As one of the bands credited for ushering in the movement of post-hardcore music and paving the way for future staples of the genres like The Used, Taking Back Sunday, My Chemical Romance and Thursday, no one can forget Finch, even if they tried.
Now that the band has hopped back into the saddle and reclaimed their rightful place in the scene, Finch are showing their hiatus only made them stronger, better and continue to prove that the new kids ain’t got nothing on these veterans.
With a new album in the works and a slew of headlining festival slots, Finch are taking the time to make sure that all the pieces are put into place for their precision comeback. Who gives a shit about the rumors of a possible Blink-182 reunion at Bamboozle anyway? I would take Finch and the sounds of “Letters to You” any day of the week.
You guys have been a band for a while and you have been releasing music since your first EP release in 2001. Do you feel like old farts when playing with all these young up-and- coming bands in the scene now?
Ha ha, I do now! Thanks! I don’t feel that old yet. I’m only 26. Maybe when I get to Keith Richards’ age I might feel a bit more conscious about it.
I feel like Finch will always be that iconic post- hardcore band for kids, even now. What It Is To Burn is one of the gateway albums that got me into other bands like Thursday and Taking Back Sunday in later years. Do you see that as an iconic album yourselves?
No, I don’t think I’m capable of having such a huge ego about it. I know the record was really successful, but I’m thankful for it. That record took me around the world… a couple of times.
Does it bother you that most people will continue to associate the band only with that album?
No, not at all. If people are associating us with that record it’s probably because that record probably holds some sort of significance for them. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
How do you feel when people say that they only like ‘Finch’s old stuff,’ usually referring to What It Is To Burn?
We make music for ourselves, but we obviously want people to connect with it and love it. But there’s no way I could get upset about it because I’m the same way with bands I love. I would say the same thing about a band like the Deftones… I only like the Deftones’ old stuff.
When the band was recording Say Hello To Sunshine, why did you bounce between record labels? Was it artistic and musical differences or are you guys just high maintenance divas?
We had no choice in the matter. But honestly, it was only a name change. We were still working with the same people. MCA was taken over by Geffen. Geffen took all the artists and staff they wanted when they took over. So nothing really changed for us.
