Fair To Midland - Bands you've probably never heard of - Ep 2 with Kory

[@happity]

I saw them play in 2004 or 2005 around Deep Ellum. I'd also never heard of them, but their live performance was phenomenal!

[@jinetedelfenix]

All the way over here in Spain I tuned into some internet radio and Kyla Cries Cologne came up and immediately had to look these guys up. The band was already broken up by that time, but still I ended up with both their CDs in my car, I'd drive everywhere just singing and screaming along. Kyla still one of my favourite songs of all time.

[@creativebluecollar]

Wow, thanks for tuning in! This is definitely one of the best bands I've come across who didn't manage to stick around sadly.

[@KingDaveth]

I am so happy this band is getting recondition still. I hope they are never forgotten

[@samueljrees1227]

Lest not forget The Carbon Copy Silver Lining

[@TripleT219]

My wife and I were deeply connected to FTM when we first got together, and were lucky enough to see the band many times (local TX music scene is awesome!). Hands down one of the most fun live performances of any shows weve seen before or since, and they truly were one of a kind. Not sure about all of the members, but their singer ended up being a teacher at the school of Rock here in DFW for awhile, so at least he has imparted some of that epic talent to the next generation 🤘

[@creativebluecollar]

Wow that's so rad! I keep holding out hope maybe someday they'll come back around, but the main topic I've heard is that the band was in a ton of debt, so they probably don't even own their music. Sad, but maybe some day.

[@seanobrien648]

I got to see this band around 7 times. I got to see them to open for flyleaf and headline (in NYC) with opening band Karnivool and I also got to meet them when they were there for the grand opening of OCC(American choppers). The guys who joined 10 years were replacement players (bass and drums) who were only in the band for a year at most. I am friends with the original drummer on FB and he is the one who announced the breakup of the band ....it was due to the amount of debt they were in and we're unable to proceed. They were one of the best bands ever and no one knows them

[@creativebluecollar]

Totally agree, and I remember seeing that statement about the debt and all of that. It's a shame, they were so unique. I only ever saw them three times as opening bands, so 30 minute sets at best. Thanks for watching!

[@seanobrien648]

@@creativebluecollar thanks for covering them, they are the epitome of "what could have been"

[@seanobrien648]

@@creativebluecollar also the mention of incubus made me smile, I found their ep Enjoy reviewed in on the "metal" magazines in the late 90s and it tore them apart for being "Faith no more". Clones but it made me run out and buy the EP, and then science, make yourself, morning view,crow left of the murder was there last outstanding album in my opinion. Light grenades it started to go downhill. The first album with Ben Kenny was a nice new sound with experimentation but after that ....mehhhhhh

[@creativebluecollar]

Yeah man, I've actually been meaning to do a video about their album Science. It's the first music I heard by them and is still my favorite of theirs. Make Yourself and Morning View were pretty good, but after their original bassist left they lost that edge. I read an article recently of Brandon Boyd ranking their albums from best to worst, he put Enjoy and Science at the very bottom saying they were just dumb kids at the time.

[@seanobrien648]

@@creativebluecollar that's a shame, it's the sound that many of their early fans fell in love with

[@ewplayer3]

You know that rare occurrence when an artist creates an album so good that it demands to be listened to all the way through? FTM did it twice with both Fables from a Mayfly and Arrows & Anchors.

[@creativebluecollar]

So incredibly rare! I agree, there's not a bad song that I feel like skipping on either album. I keep holding out hope maybe someday they'll come back around. I feel like they got out there at a time where you still really had to rely on labels to fund your albums and tours. More and more artists are doing it on their own now.

[@PeterParker-yb1in]

Couldn't agree more!

[@ListentoFairToMidlandNow]

Oh ive heard of em... One of the best bands ever, My name is just to get the word out

[@creativebluecollar]

Awesome! My intention with this segment is to both bring attention to bands people may not have heard of, but also find the other people out there who have. Win win!

[@danellemcdermott1171]

One of my favorite albums to play on repeat

[@samueljrees1227]

Fair To Midland are just incredible, imagine they returned, would blow my mind

[@creativebluecollar]

I keep hoping for it. I think they got into some bad contracts with labels and wound up in a bunch of debt. These days it's so much easier to self produce your music, I feel like they just missed the window and got dealt a bad hand.

[@tableleafoutdoors]

They were a great band, and some amazing guys. I grew up with them. They were truly gifted, just bad timing. They were very influential, I think Nothing More’s song This Is The Time is heavily influenced by FTM

[@creativebluecollar]

Wow that's so cool! Yeah I absolutely love the two albums that got major label releases, and I was lucky enough to catch them live a couple times, but only as opening acts. I almost thought Nothing More was at least the singer in a new band. Maybe they can find their way back around someday. Thanks for watching!

[@scottyb7979]

I agree with the Nothing More comment

[@chrisn.6477]

Some of my most favorite live shows by far. Machine Shop, multiple times.

[@awakepatriot2752]

I saw them over 30 times in several different states. I miss my friends.....

[@creativebluecollar]

That's amazing! I love their music so much and saw them three times, but only as an opener. So a 30 minute set at best. They were so creative and unique.

[@awakepatriot2752]

I was pretty good friends with them. We would go eat together before their Dallas shows. They always told me I was on their vip list for free entry everywhere I went, but I always paid to help them out. Wonderful group of people.

[@creativebluecollar]

That's so awesome, I bet there are some great stories from those days!

[@awakepatriot2752]

So amazing. There are always good FTM stories.

[@creativebluecollar]

Well shoot hell, I don't know if you're much of a podcast or KZbin guy, but if you're up for it, I'd love to have you on the channel some time.

[@charlesburris3810]

One of my fav bands of all time and my children are fans because of it!! May their music and fans live on!!!

[@x9x9x9x9x9]

Saw these guys live every time they came to Tulsa in the 2000s. One of the best bands I have ever seen live. I watched the bass player once destroy his face with the head stock of his bass. I miss these guys. Its sad they didn't survive being signed by a major label. The way I discovered these guys was one of the most wild sights I had ever seen. There sued to be a free music festival in tulsa called D-Fest. In june of 2002 I walked into the fest to hear these guys playing mid day on a stage with 0 shade while it was sunny and 100 degrees outside. They played like it wasn't hot to a crowd of like 15 people. After that I was hooked. Every time they came here I was there. I also saw them play with The Feds (another great texas band) a few times and loved every minute. Anyways the last time I saw FTM in Tulsa was around 2010. They had this tiny band called Nothing More opening for them. Those guys put on an incredible show and now have a following which is awesome. But damn I miss FTM and if they ever have a reunion tour I will be there.

[@creativebluecollar]

Yeah I only caught them maybe three times, all as opening acts where they only got about 30 minutes. It's so much easier to put out music and do this whole thing these days, I keep hoping maybe they'll come back around someday.

[@scottyb7979]

Still my all-time favorite band, Fair to Midland.

[@creativebluecollar]

Fingers crossed for a reunion someday! It's so much easier for artists to self-produce and distribute their music these days. I think they just barely missed that window and got into some bad contracts that put them in a bad spot.

[@Higher1mpact]

Let’s get more of these ! A follow up with the 10 years episode 🤘

[@creativebluecollar]

I'll try to get back to these. I've been away for a while, just got super busy with life and put the channel on the back burner. Lots of things to work on now that I'm focused on it again.

[@Higher1mpact]

The band Ertswhile has the keyboard player in it I believe, these songs remind me of FTML! By Ertswhile Check out -Six Lies -Fools Remorse -The Answer

[@ignoblesavage5559]

I don't care how bad the sound quality was, but their songs from the Drawn & Quartered EP & their first album on Serjical Strike, called InterFundaStifle are amazing. Granny Niblo, Orphan Anthem 86 especially. Fables From a Mayfly(...) was the album you thought was their only album was actually their 2nd album w/Sergical Strike. Then Arrows & Anchors came & blew everybody's minds & they toured a bit then called it quits. Their very first album (Carbon Copy, Silver Lining) is almost unlistenable...it was before they really found their sound. But I love all the work they did after that.

[@creativebluecollar]

So as it turns out, I do have those albums as well. Looking back now, I realize they did it because they were deep in financial trouble. But I remember they "rereleased" the earlier albums and EPs for a pretty hefty price, and what you got was a burned CD with home printed labels and artwork. The main reason I didn't really include those in the conversation is because the world at large didn't hear them until their first major label release. All in all, a huge loss for the music world. Something so fresh and unique finally came along but they just couldn't gain any traction.

[@ignoblesavage5559]

@@creativebluecollar you know, that may have been part of why they left serjical strike. There aren't very many ways for bands to get in debt (not many banks are giving loans out for making records...too heavy in the speculation department). It's the record labels they get in debt to...advances, studio time, paying producers, etc. No matter what, that was too much beauty that got snuffed out because of MONEY. Should've crowdsourced it.

[@ignoblesavage5559]

@@creativebluecollar and I spend a fair amount of time preaching the gospel of FTM...those who have heard them largely become almost rabid fans...not many bands with only 2 "known" LPs have this kind of sticking & staying power...almost 10 yrs since they split & those of us who loved them still do, very little burnout. With me that's almost impossible--i burn out on an album/song/band with little material so easily.

[@creativebluecollar]

I totally agree. Both major labels releases are solid, there's not a bad song or a low point. I think what was really frustrating and strange about the whole thing is that there was never an announcement, or any trace of where the other band members went. Except for the keys player, started another band called Erstwhile that got little attention. When I first heard the band Nothingmore I almost thought it was the same singer, but it obviously isn't.

[@ignoblesavage5559]

@@creativebluecollar yeah, Darroh just fell off of the music-making planet. Sad, since his ability & power was probably half of what makes this band amazing (songwriting being the biggest other factor IMO--plenty of "better" musicians, but not many in their class as songwriters). so as a kind of soundalike, I'd submit the band Rishloo. Singer is in that same register, same willingness to experiment while keeping a lot of that soft-hard Pixies/Nirvana dynamic...great songs to start with: Freaks & Animals, Scissorlips, Diamond Eyes, & Feathergun in the Garden of the Sun. There is also a band called Olivia & the Random that share a lot of the qualities of FTM, circa Fables From a Mayfly.

[@Guls574]

Nice. If I'm ever asked to recommend a (rock) band I think are 'underrated' or deserved more exposure then FTM are a go-to, specifically the Fables From A Mayfly... album. The earlier self-released two and Arrows & Anchors are good too but Fables... is the sweet spot for me. There are some demos for Arrows... floating about (YT user called Daveth) which have a rawer sound and more attitude, especially the Rikki Tikki Tavi demo - Sudderth's screams are insane. The other band I always big up are Levitation, an English psychedelic rock band from the early '90s kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZm9lpqNhd2sqs0 I love it when I discover cult acts that never quite made it above the radar, but on the flip side it means that they were never around long enough to run out of steam and get shit...

[@codyfutch7074]

Since you kept mentioning Tool, Joe Barresi actually produced Arrows and Anchors there there is a tie between the two bands. Fly Leaf is also from Texas, but not the same part as Fair to Midland. FTM is absolutely one of the best bands that never made it. Check out their live acoustic music on KZbin. They are amazing.

[@creativebluecollar]

I think the first time I saw FTM was as an opener for Flyleaf, even though I already knew who they were. I'll check out the videos, thanks for watching. Cheers!

[@codyfutch7074]

@@creativebluecollar kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4TdloCIidaDm7c check this out and you will have a whole new appreciation for FTM

[@earthscorcher]

Crying over no one reacting to FTM on KZbin.

[@creativebluecollar]

I don't think anyone was crying, so bummed that such a talented band disappeared, but hey, to each their own.

[@charlesburris3810]

Same!

[@morbidtexan]

I feel like your idea of "bands you have never heard of" is meant for people that are not or were not into the rock scene. Fungus Amungus was better than Science btw. But thank you for spreading the FTM gospel.

[@creativebluecollar]

I'm stoked on anyone who is familiar with their music prior to Make Yourself. Unfortunately I feel like incubus fans today, and even the band members themselves, disown the earlier recordings. Now they're just a generic soft rock band.