Far From Final was founded by singer/songwriter W. A Wyatt in Birmingham, AL. The music draws from the types of melodies and heavy guitar riffs found in various styles of 80s and 90s rock. Stylistically each song carries its own identity with respect to influence.

Rather than following a template, you will find some songs acoustically driven while others are rooted in heavier gritty-guitar. Crank up the volume and check out the variety offered in this latest work. Crossing The Sun was produced at Ben Trexel Studios in Birmingham, AL and mastered by Brian “Gibbs” at Tool Shed Studios in Morgan Hill, CA and released in summer of 2018.

If you dig your rock music a little grittier with a 90s era aesthetic (thinking Alice In Chains but raised in the South), then Crossing The Sun is a must add to your indie music collection. The acoustic driven jams are a charming and welcome break from the chunky, distorted guitars that drive other songs on this 10-track record. In other words, it’s a well balanced rock album!

In this interview spotlight, I speak with Far From Final about their most recent project, challenges, motivations and more.

Full Q&A along with links and music below.

Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)

First off, my name is Wes and I’m from Birmingham, AL. I’m the frontman behind Far From Final. I would probably describe our music as a versatile mixture of wicked and gritty with acoustically driven rock. We sort of like the no limits approach when composing a track. I mean, if the music fits the lyrics, we go with it. As most songwriters, I like to pull from my own experiences and observations, but I want each song to maintain its own uniqueness.

What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?

Well that is a long story but in short, my mother is probably the number one reason why I’m a musician today. She played in a band for years and while performing on weekends, I would stay at home with my brother, a young drummer at the time, trying to play along with a solid black Westone guitar. So bottom line, it runs in the family. And by the way, that guitar never seemed to have the complete six strings, as I would always break a string.

I later spent time as a lead guitarist and back-up vocalist for a rock alternative band. In fact, some members, including my brother Brad, are a part of Far From Final.

We would always seek songs nobody else would play and I always found it rewarding when testing the limits, and seeing the positive responses from the audience. There was always something special about rock music that moved the audience and moved me. Over time I would write lyric ideas on every scratch piece of paper I could find. I setup a home recording studio and spent many nights isolated, and experimenting with different lyrics-melodies.

I later partnered with Ben Trexel of Ben Trexel Studios in Birmingham and we shared a similar taste in music. Ben and I re-produced my demo tracks, some that would later be included in the album Crossing The Sun. This was the beginnings of Far From Final.

I’m obsessed with writing and creating music. It’s like an addiction. I embrace the challenges of creating melodies and hooks. But what motivates me even more is knowing how special rock music can be in telling a story. I know there is an appetite out there and I’m constantly seeking a satisfying mix that best fit my lyrics and appeals to others.

How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?

I really wanted to preserve the originality in all of the songs on Crossing The Sun. I was very concerned we may loose that particular vibe that made these songs so special to me. I wanted to preserve the progressions that made the hooks stand out. Ben and I recorded many un-released tracks, converting between platforms, and for some, there was always something missing. I feel we did a great job in preserving those elements from the very first demos. In fact, the final track on the album, Volcano Sunset, is almost the entire original cut from my home studio, with very little post-production.

Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this oversaturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?

One of the biggest challenges as an indie musician is time. There is time you need to work on new material, but also time for the important work of sharing the music. I’ve been most surprised by all of the amazing people there are in this world that are willing to share our music on blogs and indie radio. I’ve met some really incredible people! I just have to remind myself, they are out there, you must commit time, and do the work. I’m constantly in search of music fans, blogs, and sites willing to listen-in and share our music.

Also, there is the challenge of reaching the right audience. Thankfully, platforms like Radio Airplay have helped us discover our fans taste so we know we’re reaching the right audience. And there is no doubt, social media has been our friend. Without social media, it seems like gaining exposure would be almost impossible.

What was the last song you listened to?

I recently I listened to a track called “Fall From Grace” by an independent group called “Second Chances Are Forever. I highly recommend you check out this track sometime on Spotify. The singer passed away from cancer a few years ago and his friend and bandmate released the track. Such an amazing talent and amazing song.

Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?

I can remember when I first purchased a CD. I was like a kid with a new present. I would race to the car, removing the outer film and packaging along the way. I will always cherish the enjoyment of opening a CD for the first time and listening to amazing music. It made me appreciate all of the songs on the album as opposed to a single. While there is something special about Vinyl, I still prefer my large collection of CD’s.

How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?

I was always a fan of Pandora but then I discovered the gem Spotify. This platform has not only helped Far From Final but its exposed me to some amazing hidden talent. For indie artists like myself, this platform allows me to create playlist and also share my music on other playlists. So if you’re an indie artists and not on Spotify, I think you’re really missing out. I also dig Bandcamp allot because it allows me to create a nice sharable webpage dedicated to each track, with the album art and lyrics. Reverb Nation is cool as well, because its connected me with a lot of bands around the globe. It’s a great site if you’re looking for some feedback from other artists.

Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?

You can check out our website farfromfinal.com and we are on all social channels including facebook, twitter, and instagram. Just type in the address and add “Far From Final” (i.e. http://facebook.com/farfromfinal) I promise we won’t send you a ton of automated responses and we do like to follow back! By the way, if you’re on Soundcloud and ReverbNation, you can find us there as well.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I just want to thank you for supporting us and sharing the music! As I wrote earlier, this journey has introduced us to some amazing people who are willing to support the art and keep indie music alive. There are so many incredible artists out there creating wonderful rock music. Please keep sharing the music and checking out new playlists! I’m really pumped to be going back into the studio next week to work on a new track. I can’t wait to let you hear what we’re working on. Give our music a listen and stay in touch! Much thanks to you Joshua for chatting with us and sharing the music!