Bring Your Finest is a 6 piece Post Hardcore band from Oklahoma. The band was founded in 2008 and released their first EP (Obstacles) in 2012. I recently had the chance to talk to Forrest (Guitar/ Vocals) about the beginning of the band and how it has grown.
The Interview:
Please introduce yourself and what you do in Bring Your Finest?
Hey guys! My name is Forrest Skaggs and I play lead guitar for a band named Bring Your Finest out of Ardmore, Oklahoma.
How did BYF form and get started?
I formed the original line-up in 2008 but we parted ways with certain members. The music was constantly evolving and we were doing a lot of writing. Things didn’t get serious until 2011 when I suppose you could say I “reformed” the band with better talent and better people in general. Then we began writing the material you hear on the “Obstacles” EP in the summer of 2011.
How do you think the band changed musically with the “reformation”?
Maturity, dedication, determination and the all around love for music we possess. The music scene was really flourishing with great bands at that time also. Which in return, gave myself and the rest of the band the influence that we needed to write something we would truly be proud to call our own. The member changes only made us stronger and made us want to step our game up and work harder than we ever had. We’ve only become stronger as a band with each member that has gone their separate way. We were always left with an ‘obstacle’ to overcome but we always came out on top, no matter how difficult the obstacles were. Hence the title; “Obstacles”.
Any plans for a full length or new EP?
Actually, we’re in the process of writing our full length, which we will release in 2014. Also, we are putting the finishing touches on the writing process of our upcoming acoustic EP. I’m so proud of all the material we’ve been writing. It is different than ‘Obstacles’ but in a very good way. Our sound is more defined and more matured. We’ve grown so much within the past year as musicians. The new material most certainly shows our progress as a band. We know exactly what sound we want to capture. All in all, we know what direction we want to go with and I think everyone will fall in love with the songs the same way they did with the debut EP.
What sound and direction are you trying to bring to your listeners exactly?
The direction I would say we’re headed in is a mix between the following bands: The Chariot, The Word Alive, Hands Like Houses, Avenged Sevenfold, The Color Morale, Dance Gavin Dance, Emarosa, Lower Definition, Misery Signals & Secrets. We all have such a wide variety of music we listen to and I can proudly say is our music, especially the new material is a reflection of that. The main thing I want to give to our listeners is hope. Hope that things DO get better, regardless how dark things will get. Whether the listener is heartbroken, abusing drugs, sober, stressed out, happy, sad or just living everyday life.
If our music can help someone stop using drugs or escape from an unhealthy relationship or just make the listener appreciate everything they have in their life (even if it’s only for 24 hours) I’m honored.Because that means the music I helped create truly helped that person that was seeking compassion, love or just wanting to be taken seriously and understood. That is something I hold close to my heart. Knowing that I am helping people/kids the way my favorite bands affected my life; it’s full circle and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity.
How do you feel the scene is where you live and why?
We live directly 100 miles from Oklahoma City and 100 miles from Dallas. We love Oklahoma and especially the people that still come support a show in OK, but the scene isn’t as alive as it should or could be. But that leaves us with the scene in Dallas and all of Texas. The scene in Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio are more than alive and doing great. Dallas has became a “go to” place if you want to make a name for yourself. You have to remember though, the competition is much more impressive because of how alive the scene is and how steadily available musicians are. Our singer, Tad Caraway, actually lives in Texas currently to help with our promotion in the Denton/Dallas area and the rest of us handle the Oklahoma side of our promotion.
If you could sign to any label who would it be an why?
If I had my choice I would definitely go with Fearless Records. They treat their bands amazing and help the band conquer as much ground as they possibly can. Everyone suggests Rise Records for BYF and don’t get me wrong; Rise has some amazing bands. Many bands that have helped influence the ‘Obstacles’ EP and both of our upcoming releases are on Rise Records. But the main thing we try to do is stray away from becoming another “typical hardcore band” or releasing something the listeners will mistake for something they’ve already heard.
Hardcore has so many off branch genres these days, what is HC to you?
I could answer that with so many different answers, but I’ll put it this way;(all of my band members would have a different opinion on this) Speaking for myself; ‘hardcore’ music is a genre that you feel deep within yourself. It’s powerful and overwhelmingly beautiful. You understand and truly experience the vocalists/bands’ grief, pain, sadness, regret, happiness, love, remorse, sorrow or any other feeling you can put into words. For me, there isn’t another genre on earth that truly makes me feel as alive, happy, hopeful and focused all in the same moment.
If you could tour with any bands who would they be and why?
Again, I’m speaking strictly for myself on this one because we would all choose a different line-up than one another. But the bands I would love to share the stage with in the future would have to be:
1. Avenged Sevenfold
Reason: If it wasn’t for A7X, none of the guitar parts written by myself or by our other guitar player would even exist. Both guitar players for this band are heavily influenced by Synyster Gates and Zacky V. They have their haters but they changed my life for the better and saved my life on multiple occasions through their music and I’m so thankful.
2. The Word Alive
Reason: All around amazing and extremely influential band.
3. Lynyrd Skynyrd
Reason: My first guitar solo was the Simple Man solo and my second guitar solo I learned when I was 13 years old. That’s right haha; The Freebird solo. So LS will always have a place in my heart
4. Memphis May Fire
Reason: They saved me from my own personal hell and got me back into music. Their album “The Hollow” I specifically remember holding onto dear life at times because I felt like I had nothing but that CD.They reminded my why I love music and why I create music. They inspire me on a daily basis and I’m so thankful for bands like them.
In closing is there anything you would like to add?
Thank you to my family, my daughter Ellie, my friends for always believing in myself and this band, my amazing band mates for being such talented people and inspiring me to do things I never thought possible and thank you to every single fan that enjoys the music we’ve created. The fans truly have shown that they are here for us; like we will always be there for them. It’s the biggest honor in the world to have complete strangers explain how a song of ours helped their lives. You are the reason we do this and we refuse to ever give up on our dreams. We truly thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Interview By: Tim Morris
