MUSIC INTERVIEW | Despite ‘generic’ label, Burlington boys have a decidedly original attitude.

Finger Eleven isn’t your typical rock band. Its been called everything from generic to boring by music critics, but on the phone from an Ottawa stop on their summer tour, guitarist Rich Jackett is articulate, modest, and free from rock-star attitude. There’s a lot more to these Burlington boys than meets the eye.

After a dozen years on the music scene, Finger Eleven has finally made it.

Despite insisting that they “never win those things” at the MuchMusic Video Awards on Sunday, the band was nominated for three prizes. The guys took home the award for best video. That said, Finger Eleven cares more about being accessible to its fans. The band also cares about giving back to the young music community than it does about awards – priorities that are anything but generic.

First, there was the Fan Phone, a cell phone with a published number that allowed fans to call the band directly.

“We got calls from places where we never thought we’d have fans – Mexico, Ireland, South Africa,” Jackett says. “That was one of the most awesome things about it.”

Though the phone is currently defunct (perhaps because of mounting long distance bills), the band hopes to reinstate it soon. “It was something we totally loved.”

The phone was actually just as important to the band as it was to its audience. “Being in the studio kind of weighs on you a little bit,” Jackett admits. “You can kind of get lost inside. You start to wonder if what you’re doing is good, or if anybody even cares. And then you pick up the phone and there are people telling you that they’re literally waiting for the album to come out. They can’t wait, they’re excited, they love you. It’s really good to hear that.”

That they would doubt themselves at all, considering their current success, is another surprise.

With its most recent album and last year’s single One Thing, Finger Eleven has hit the big time. Still modest, however, Jackett says they’re “just blown away that anybody really likes any of our songs.”

And in grateful response, the band is saying thanks with another fairly unique opportunity – the fingerpickinggood contest.

One Thing, Single Illustration.

Finger Eleven, early aughts.

All music hopefuls need to do is visit www.fingerpickinggood.com [defunct] and upload an original song for a chance to open for Finger Eleven on the Summer of Judgement tour. One unsigned local group can win for every city the band visits.

“There are good bands everywhere, and we didn’t want to leave it up to the club owner or the promoter to pick them,” Jackett explains. It’s the kind of opportunity that’s invaluable to fledgling musicians. Finger Eleven knows this well – the guys were signed at the tender age of 17.

The band maintains as much control over its public image as it can.

There’s a sprawling website that meticulously chronicles everything ever written about the band. And member James Black has conceived the art for every one of the band’s record covers to date.

“Labels can have trouble understanding what you’re wanting to do with your band and with your art,” Jackett says. Using James’ own work instead of contrived images created by a marketing department ensures the band’s image is truly its own, which more discerning audiences are sure to appreciate.

You wouldn’t think a band that used to call itself the Rainbow Butt Monkeys would take itself so seriously, but it does.

At the same time, it’s pleasantly laid back.

On the controversial subject of free online music distribution, Jackett says he doesn’t really care anymore. “It’s a brilliant tool, and it’s helped us a lot, but it’s also a really easy way to steal people’s lives’ work.”

As former high school bus boys and gas station attendants, band members do consider this to be their life’s work – and they’re trying to keep it as interesting as possible. “We never thought of doing anything else,” Jackett says. “We hope we can keep doing it for another 12 years.”

Finger Eleven plays Jeff O’Neil’s Big Weenie Roast, today at Plaza of Nations. More interview articles by Jen Selk can be found here. Music-specific articles are here.

A version of “Finger Eleven is in touch with fans” was originally published in the Vancouver Sun, June 28, 2004. See below.

Published June 28, 2004 in The Vancouver Sun.