Finger Eleven's Early Days:
The members of Finger Eleven came together as a band in high school in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. The funk-oriented band performed with the name Rainbow Butt Monkeys. Their first album, Letters From Chutney, was released in 1995. Following a change in management, the band decided they needed a more serious name and, as Finger Eleven, they released the album Tip in 1997. Their third album, The Greyest of Blue Skies, released in 2000, was certified gold at home in Canada.
Band Members:
- Scott Anderson - Vocals
- Sean Anderson - Bass
- Rich Beddoe - Drums
- James Black - Guitar
- Rick Jackett - Guitar
Quote from Finger Eleven's Scott Anderson:
Speaking to MTV about the Them vs. You vs. Me album:
"We had to be very careful with this album, and unfortunately for the label, and for the sake of our career, there isn't 'One Thing: Part Two' on this record. I wouldn't know how to do that. But I can say there are some badass mellow songs on it, and some badass rock songs too. There's nothing else we can do. The band — every band worth anything — always thinks there's an evolution to their sound between records. Otherwise, they're just phoning it in, and it will probably sound like that."Pop Breakthrough:
Finger Eleven's third, self-titled album appeared in June, 2003. It included the single "One Thing." The single slowly gained popularity and, in 2004, it eventually reached #16 on the US pop singles chart. This helped the album go past 500,000 in sales and end up certified gold. The album peaked at #96 on the US album chart but climbed to the top 5 at home in Canada.
Them Vs. You Vs. Me:
With a significant pop hit under their belts, Finger Eleven took time off before returning to the studio to record the follow up Them vs. You vs. Me. The band began the process of putting the album together with over 100 songs in a range of styles including funk, dance, rock, country, and 60's-ish pop. For the actual recording, the band spent only 3 months in the studio, but they spent a full 2 weeks putting togther the album's first single "Paralyzer."
Them vs. You vs. Me was released in March, 2007. It debuted at #31 on the Billboard album chart. However, sales faltered shortly after release. In a repeat of their success with "One Thing," the album's first single "Paralyzer" has slowly gained attention. By late October, 2007, "Paralyzer" was just outside the pop singles top 20 after 4 months on the chart. This success has pulled the album back into the top 100 on the album chart.
