FINGER ELEVEN RELEASES NEW ALBUM 'LAST NIGHT ON EARTH,' THE BELOVED CANADIAN BAND'S FIRST LP IN 10 YEARS

"This album sounds like it’s from 1997 and 2035", Finger Eleven is back after ten long years with their seventh studio album, 'Last Night On Earth.' 

Photography by @concertsbyjasmin [Guitarist James Black and Frontman Scott Anderson at Canal Days 2019] Formed in 1990 — Burlington, Ontario rock music ensemble Finger Eleven announced their signing last summer to Better Noise Music for a new album — their first LP since their 2015 release, Five Crooked Lines. Ahead of the album’s November 7^th release, the band previewed three tracks — "Adrenaline," "Blue Sky Mystery," and "Last Night On Earth" — giving fans a taste of what to expect from their next chapter, titled Last Night On Earth.    After signing with Better Noise Music, Finger Eleven set off on the Summer of '99 tour, joining Creed as a special guest. Although the band has toured consistently since their 2015 release, the nostalgic tone of Summer of ‘99 proved to be especially beneficial for Finger Eleven. The band experienced a resurgence in popularity as a result, with their 2023 single "Together Right" holding the #1 spot on Canadian Rock charts for five consecutive weeks. Despite their international success, Finger Eleven has never lost touch with their roots. As a band hailing from Ontario, Canada, they have built a large and loyal fanbase in their home province — well loved and respected by their fellow Ontarians. One of the more popular festivals the band has performed at numerous times over the years is the Canal Days Marine Heritage Festival, located in the city of Port Colborne, Ontario. The festival dates back to 1979, originally launched to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the opening of the first Welland Canal. It came as no surprise to local residents, then, when Finger Eleven announced their return to the festival to promote their new album. While the band is celebrating 35 years this year, their career truly began to take off when they became widely recognized for their global hit single "Paralyzer," which was released in 2007. According to rhythm guitarist Rick Jackett, "that song changed our lives." The success of "Paralyzer" propelled their career forward — it topped multiple music charts around the world, broke them out of the “one-hit-wonder" category, and continues to support them to this day. Now, the question is: does this new release have what it takes to surpass the band’s previous success? I had the privilege of sitting down with Rick Jackett to talk about the creative process behind their long-anticipated LP, the band’s musical influences, and more.

Photography by @concertsbyjasmin [Guitarist Rick Jackett at Canal Days 2025] Let's talk Last Night On Earth — the band's first full-length LP in a decade. What are you most excited about when it comes to fans hearing this album?  Rick: Well, there was a moment when we were, I'd say at year seven without a record and I feel like we were putting more pressure on ourselves that it was like, "Oh, this has to be good!" So, when we finished it, I genuinely felt like this was worth the wait, you know? I feel like it hit the mark for us. We had raised our bar in our minds to get it to a certain level. And when I hear it now, I'm like, "Yep, we achieved what we were hoping to achieve." And that's all you can hope for when you make a record. So, I think if you're a Finger Eleven fan, the best thing about this record, I think is that it's sort of like the whole spectrum of the band. There's probably some of our heaviest moments and there's probably some of our lightest moments on this record. And I think that's something that we have sort of embraced.   As you know, music is constantly evolving. How has this new album helped you evolve as a band? 

Rick: Well, I mean, we're music fans, first and foremost, so the constant evolution of music of all kinds is constantly inspiring us. So, it's very common for us to find new bands and take that back home to the band and sort of see how that inspiration fits in. We're fortunate because we've done this for so long that our bubble is pretty insulated. To us, it's our duty is to make the best Finger Eleven record, right? And that's what I feel like we've done.  

Should fans expect the signature Finger Eleven sound they’ve come to know, or are there any new directions and surprises in some of the tracks?   Rick: Well, you know what? So, the guy who mixed the record, Jay Dufour, who did an incredible job — this is the first time we've ever worked with him, he gave us the best compliment. He was like, "I don't know how you guys did it, but this record sounds like it's from 1997 and 2035." So, yeah, there's definitely some old school Finger Eleven heaviness to it, and then there's some things we've never tried before. We've put a lot of heart and soul into it this record and I'm excited for people to hear it! 

Photography by @concertsbyjasmin [Bassist Sean Anderson at Canal Days 2025] What was the songwriting process like for this album? Were there any specific events, emotions, or experiences that shaped any of the songs? Rick: So, the biggest thing for the songwriting on this record for sure, no question, would be the addition of our drummer, Steve into the process. Steve's been in the band for like 12 years but Steve on his own is a writer and producer — an incredibly talented guy. So over time, we just sort of slowly merged the two together and he ended up becoming the main producer on the record. It's sort of produced by the whole band, but Steve kind of took the lead and he's a great writer. 

It must be great to have that kind of versatility in the band! To be able to all be involved in that creative process and not have it feel so heavily saturated, in the aspect of third-party writers and producers, it's genuinely your creation as a band. 

Rick: It is, and you're right! To us, that's just the point of it. To us, that's what bands do. That's how you make records. That’s the age we grew up in, and that's how we learned how to be in a band. You know, now it's totally different, right? I don't think a lot of people understand that a lot of artists aren't full bands a lot of times anymore. It's usually a couple of people that create the product and then the band or artist is the performer that brings it to life. We've never been like that. We couldn't be like that if we tried. We have too many opinions and everybody has too much passion for it. That's why it takes us a long time to make a record. Everybody has to be happy with every bar of every song. It takes a while, you know? But that's what makes it so special and that's why we're able to hang out day in, day out with each other because we feel like we're a team that's created this thing that we're all so proud of.  

I honestly really admire that! Now, when talking about the songwriting process, I'm sure everyone always anticipates Paralyzer at every show. During another interview, you guys opened up about the song having resulted from a photoshoot, which as a photographer, that's intriguing to me. Were you ever expecting the song to become as big of a hit as it has?  Rick: So, it was written from a really honest place, almost like a throwaway kind of. We had a shitty rehearsal, and we were packing up, but we had forgotten we promised a friend that he could do a photo shoot of the band for a school project because he was in school for photography. So, we said, "You know what, man, we're having a bad day. We're going to set up and play and you can photograph this and then we're going to go, because we're just bummed." And in that, whatever it was, 30 minutes, we wrote the music for Paralyzer. We were pissy and messing around, but just like that, it sort of came together. By the end of it, we were all smiling. We almost left and didn't record it. When we gave it to Scott, he came back with all the lyrics. Once we heard what Scott was singing about — the clubs and stuff, we really embraced that kind of like dance vibe kind of thing it had going on. So, you know what? When we had a demo of it, the label told us that we had a hit on your hands. You never can predict what's going to happen. So, when it came out, it became a bigger hit than we could have ever imagined. I'll never forget coming home from a long American run, getting out of the airport, getting into a rental car, and it being on every single radio station at the same time. But that being said, it seems to have gotten bigger over the years.  

Photography by @concertsbyjasmin [Frontman Scott Anderson at Canal Days 2025]

It definitely has! It still plays on radio stations all the time. It's one of those songs that you simply can't sit still whenever it comes on. 

Rick: Right! It does that thing. It's like, we'll be on stage for 75 minutes, but as soon as we start playing that song, it's like a celebrity walked on behind us. You know? Almost like the song is way bigger than our band, it's its own celebrity. I've always been a fan of that moment in a concert. I don't care who the band is or what the song is, but when the people in the audience hear the song they want to hear, that's an awesome moment.  

Would you say the song's success change your journey as a band? 

Rick: Yeah, I would definitely say so! We got lucky when that song hit because it was around the same moment that satellite radio really took off. It was played around the world instantly. So that, combined with the internet and everything else, it just helped the band grow really big, really fast. That song changed our lives, because this industry has no stability. There's no pension plan. There's no money, right? So, for us, we don't take that for granted. To have a song like that in our catalogue that can support us like that is pretty wild. With this new album coming out though, who's to say what that's going to do for you guys too. It could even manifest into something even bigger! 

Rick: It could! I mean, it very well could! We're definitely in this place where it feels like we're staring the second chapter of our career right in the face. 

I mean, I have a good feeling about it personally! Rick: You know what? We do, too! And like, if we have the same approach as we did for the first chapter, we'll just enjoy the ride and see what it takes us, you know? That's the one thing I've ever figured out in life, is the more you can go with the universe instead of fighting it, the more success and happiness you'll find. Speaking of going with the universe and finding success — you guys have been established exactly that — having originally formed the band in 1990. That said, congratulations on 35 years! Rick: Yeah, wow...that's pretty crazy! We were just talking about it in the hotel we were staying at. We were just like, wow, it's been like — I think someone said over 30 years. 35 years! But the thing is, the roots of the band go back even further because Scott and James knew each other from middle school, and they used to jam with Scott on drums and James on guitar. So, like, with me involved, it's been 35 years, but I think for those guys, it would probably go back another three or four years. We really enjoy each other's company on and off stage as well. So, gigs are a lot of pleasure to do these days because we're just excited to see each other and hang out. And then with our new music, we've sort of gotten to this place where our live shows, I think, are just as good as they've ever been really. And so, there's excitement every time we get to play!

Photography by @concertsbyjasmin [Guitarist James Black at Canal Days 2025] That's honestly really refreshing to hear! Rick: Honestly, it's also, we've gone through it all together and there was just this sort of understanding at a young age that we were all willing to do whatever it takes to make the band work, you know? I don't think any of us thought it was going to happen overnight. There are good years and there's bad years at this point in our career. And it's awesome because we've been able to just sort of cruise through it together because we all still enjoy it. And to me, that's my favourite thing about our band is that I think our bond and our love for each other and the music, that's what comes through on stage, and that's sort of what is the fuel to the engine. I love that! Now, I have to ask — this year was your fourth time performing at the Canal Days festival — what part about being a headliner for the festival keeps you guys coming back every few years? Rick: I mean, honestly, the crowd — the audience. That’s one of those shows that we look forward to because we know the audience is just built in. Everybody's consistently been there every time we’ve played over the years for just a good time to enjoy music, especially to enjoy Canadian rock music. And I don't know, they've just always been really good to us, you know? As a band that originated from Ontario, does the energy feel different or stand out more when you do get to perform at events like that in comparison to international shows? Rick: It does. I mean, maybe more so now than it did earlier in our career. Even though we're from Canada, obviously, a big portion of our first, second, third, and fourth records were American based because we're assigned directly to an American label. So, we sort of spent a lot of time in both countries because we had gotten great responses in many different places. But as of this point in our career, we definitely feel that Canadian pride and generational aspect of it. The music has gone through so many generations here in Canada and it's incredible, really, to be honest.

Photography by @concertsbyjasmin [Guitarist Rick Jackett at Canal Days 2025] When thinking back to where it all started and the musicians that influenced you guys the most, have you ever gotten to meet or work with any of said influences over the years? Rick: So being a Canadian band, you know, there's a lot of Canadian bands that we were influenced by and looked up to, like I Mother Earth, Our Lady Peace, and The Tea Party. Back then, we were still Rainbow Butt Monkeys, and we opened for them a lot. And now at this point in our lives, we've sort of become peers with a lot of them, which is very cool. It's a very cool feeling to go from the opening band to like co-headliners. One of the biggest influences and accomplishments for us though was when we got to do a cross-Canada tour opening for Ozzy back in 2003. Ozzy and Black Sabbath are everything to our bad. 

I can't even imagine what that experience must have felt like! I mean, Ozzy's a big reason we have the rock and metal genres we know and love today. 

Rick: Yeah, exactly! So, when we got to be the main support across Canada for that tour, it was like rock and roll band camp. And that was just one of those things that felt amazing to be on the same stage, the same night with Ozzy Osbourne. 

I don't know about you, but I was a bit of a mess watching Back to the Beginning. I have to admit that I was surprised that his voice was still so intact during that performance, despite the challenges he'd been going through. His love for music and strength right up to that final performance was unbelievable! 

Rick: Yeah, I was a bit of a mess too! I was in my hotel room, watching it. It was amazing!   

Source: @finger_eleven [Finger Eleven pays tribute to the loss of Ozzy Osbourne with keepsake from 2003 tour]  

That's incredible that you guys got to open for him and that you've become peers with quite a few of your other influences. I'm sure that feels like an accomplishment in and of itself, for the band! 

Rick: It definitely does!  Lastly, I do have one more question before we wrap things up. What are some of the biggest lessons you've learned or even words of advice that you could give other musicians who are newer to the industry? Rick: I mean, there's so much to learn. The most important thing is to be respectful of everybody. No matter who they are — the loader and the promoter are just as important as each other. Be respectful of your bandmates. As I look back on our career, what stands out is that each band member has always had the same commitment level, so that's a big part of it too. If you start a band and you're starting a journey, I will say to make sure that you've got the same commitment level and then just enjoy it. It's important to be yourself as well. I would say, don't go chasing other people's hit singles, because most real hit singles don't happen because they sound like other bands. There's going to be good days and bad days, and that's where the commitment level comes in because if everybody understands that, then everybody's still in it for the long haul. Progress doesn't really move in a straight line, right? So, it's like, you can be failing but still succeeding somewhere where you don't even know you're succeeding. And you've got to have belief in each other and belief in the band. You know, that's the one thing that we've got going for our band is that we all place the band above us as individuals, you know? And there's a respect for it because we want it to be successful and we all sort of put it above us. So, we don't have a leader in our band. Everything's just whatever is the best for the band. I would say that's honestly admirable because, again, you've all kind of established that you're a unity. You're all in this band that you've created. You know, right down to the writing and the versatility, as you mentioned — Steve's contributions to the new album. It's important to have that good base relationship, but also that talent level and commitment, like you're saying, where it kind of all comes together perfectly.  Rick: Yeah, I mean, we all have our votes as equals, and we all have veto power. So luckily, there's five of us, so there's never really a tie. And if someone is like, "I can't do that," even if the other four guys are like, "we should do it," we don't do it. We understand the importance of the individual happiness and then just the overall benefit for the band, and we weigh those two things. I truly respect that — thank you for sharing that with me! And of course, I want to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. You’ve genuinely exceeded my expectations. Rick: I appreciate that! I'm glad it worked out — it worked out perfectly. So it's my pleasure, truly.

Photography by @concertsbyjasmin [Guitarist Rick Jackett at Canal Days 2025] Thank you to Rick Jackett again for taking the time to speak with me and to their manager Dave Morris for making the necessary arrangements that made this entire opportunity possible. Congratulations on all of your success and the official release of the new album — it sounds incredible! I can't wait to see what this next chapter has in store for you guys! Finger Eleven's 'Last Night On Earth' is officially out everwhere! Head over to https://fingereleven.com to order the new album and get all of the latest updates on tour dates and tickets!