The band has come a long way since their formation in the late '90s. In those days, the Temecula, California based band was called Numb. Though currently a nearly identical lineup of those early days, Finch has now found their own unique voice, and a permanent membership of frontman Nate Barcalow, guitarists Randy Strohmeyer and Alex Linares, bassist Derek Doherty and drummer Alex Pappas.

The band's jump from the world of practicing in the garage to being signed was a real grassroots process. Randy had kept in touch with Drive-Thru ever since writing a fan letter to the label years earlier. He'd even tried to pique the label's interest with his previous bands, but with no results. Regardless of previous outcomes, Randy kept lines of communication open.

When Finch were ready, Randy again called upon the label. "Richard (Reines, Drive-Thru Record's owner) was like, "All right, come and play for me," says Randy. "So we rented a studio. Richard was just doing it as a favor. But we went up there and played, and he was blown away." So blown away, in fact, that he called his sister and Drive-Thru co-owner Stefanie into the studio to check the band out. She was duly impressed, and Finch was offered a contract on the spot.

Drive-Thru sent the band into the studio to record shortly thereafter. Their debut, the Falling Into Place EP, Finch provides listeners with a tantalizing glimpse into the groups obvious talent and musical potential. Even though the EP only features four songs, each track is a superb conglomeration of emo and unbridled aggression. Produced by Chris Fudurich (The Hippos, Rx Bandits), Falling Into Place was released on October 9, 2001 and has sold over 6,000 copies by the end of '01.

In August/September 2001, the band holed up at Big Fish studio in Encinitas, CA to begin working on its first full length. At the helm was Mark Trombino, whose production and engineering work has brought out the best in Jimmy Eat World, Blink 182, Midtown and many others.

The result of their collective labors is What It Is To Burn, a soaring baker's-dozen collection of tracks -- the album simply shimmers with sincerity. Ranging between emo-oriented melodies, punk rhythm, pop hooks and aggressive hardcore breakdowns, it covers the entire emotional spectrum. Not unlike Glassjaw, Deftones and Jimmy Eat World, Finch embrace disparate influences within their music - the differences create a stronger whole.

Lyricist/vocalist Nate Barcalow reaches his full potential on What It Is To Burn. Though young, Barcalow exhibits a lyrical maturity beyond his years. Powerful and evocative, What It Is To Burn deals with the emotional roller coaster that is a relationship. It's an unlikely ode to the pit-of-the-stomach pain that only a loved one can cause and the strength it takes to carry on through all the not-knowing and aggravation.

What It Is To Burn was released on March 12, 2002 and immediately following, Finch hits the road with Moth. The band will spend the summer playing their hearts out for the fans on the Drive-Thru Records stage on the Warped Tour.

No matter where you are this summer or what you call your particular brand of music, Finch will be there for you. Because, regardless of the names "rock," "punk," "emo," "hardcore," or "nu metal," the bridge has been built between them... by Finch.

Have you heard the one about the Drive-Thru band that started off in high school sounding suspiciously like one of its major influences before finding its own sound and catching the ear of the eminent label?
Sure you have, only the story didn't quite go the way this one does. Finch didn't start off by aping the sounds of Blink 182, or Jimmy Eat World, or any of the other usual suspects. In fact, that was the furthest thing from their mind.
"We were pretty much a Deftones ripoff band," singer Nate admits sheepishly. In those days, the Temecula, California based band was called Numb, but it was essentially the same band. Except for one key element, that is: Randy.
Initially recruited as a second guitarist to bolster Numb's sound, Randy's musical interests were hardly shared with the rest of the band. "Temecula is really cliquey. I had my surfer/skater friends, and we'd listen to punk rock," says Randy. "When I was first in the band, everyone hated punk except Derek."
So what attracted them to Randy of all people? "I was in this band called Evitca Fresh. We were playing our bass player Jeremy's birthday, and Numb came to watch us play," Randy explains. "Derek (Numb/Finch's bassist) came up to me after the show and he goes, Hey, your girlfriend's hot!" And I'm like, "What? Thanks, I guess."
"It kind of creeped me out," Randy continues. "But then he pursued me a few days later, and he was like, You're a good guitar player, dude. You should come play for our band!"
A dubious beginning, no doubt, but when Randy finally decided to enter the fold it would prove a major turning point for the band.
"Randy's totally influenced by punk, so he brought that element, and it started changing things," says Nate. "He introduced us to things like Jimmy Eat World and emo-ish stuff, too. Everyone started listening to it and getting our own ideas. It's been a little over a year and a half since we've all been working together, and the music has changed so much since then."
It's not that Randy became the architect of a new sound for the band, but the clash of his punk and emo influences with their heavier ones brought Finch collectively to something that wasn't exactly any of those things.
"We're waiting for someone to throw us into a category because we don't really know what genre we are, either," says Nate. "There are so many different elements and different ideas in our music that it's hard to classify."
"It's just our style now," echoes Randy. "We're all on the same wavelength. We developed our style together, we built it up, so now we all write similar songs."
The addition of Randy didn't just broaden the newly renamed Finch's approach to music. It changed their entire perspective on being a band. Up to that point, the thought of inking a record deal hadn't even crossed their minds.
"I was working and doing school, and the band was just something else to do. I didn't really care if we got signed or not," says Nate. "But when we hooked up with Randy, he kept talking about Drive-Thru Records."
As it turns out, Randy had kept in touch with Drive-Thru since writing a fan letter to the label years earlier. He'd even tried to pique the label's interest with his previous bands. Needless to say, when Randy told his new band mates about his relationship with the label, he was met with a bit of excitement.
"Richard (Drive-Thru Record's owner) was like, "All right, come and play for me," says Randy. "So we rented a studio. Richard wasn't even stoked, he was just doing it as a favor. But we went up there and played, and he was blown away."
So blown away, in fact, that he called his sister and Drive-Thru co-owner Stefanie into the studio to check the band out. She was duly impressed , and Finch was offered a contract on the spot.
Which just about brings us up to date. Finch's debut, a four-song EP produced by Chris Fudurich (The Hippos, Rx Bandits), will be in stores on Drive-Thru on October 9, 2001.
The band has been working on its first full length with producer Mark Trombino (Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World, Midtown), which ought to give you an idea of the faith the label has in its new signing. Finch's sound continues to grow in new directions, although they're no closer to being able to tell you just what genre that sound fits into. And the plan from here is simple:"We're gonna finish our album, and then we're gonna go on tour and get homesick," says Randy. "And then we'll come back for a little bit, and go on tour and get homesick again, until we turn 30 and we're Drive-Thru has-beens."