Far-Less
Encyclopedia
Far-Less was a five-piece post-hardcore
band originally from Marion, Virginia
, with members from Marion and other surrounding areas, including Pulaski and Blacksburg. They were signed to Tooth & Nail Records
. Far-less played their final show on August 14, 2009, at the Greene Street Club in Greensboro, NC.
This lineup was stable for the following year, in which the band released the Apossibility EP and recorded their full-length debut Broken Hearts Unite for the Raleigh, North Carolina
-based indie label Silent Uproar Records. Regional tours continued as the band started to receive more attention with Broken Hearts Unite, and eventually Mark Karsten was added as second guitarist.
In 2003 Far-Less started to draw attention from larger record companies, and in 2004 the band was invited to perform in a showcase for Seattle’s Tooth and Nail Records. This performance ultimately resulted in a new record label for the band, and the Turn to the Bright EP followed later that year. Following a long period of touring the band returned to the studio to record a second full-length album, Everyone Is Out to Get Us. The record received many positive reviews, as well as a notable 4/5 rating in Alternative Press. More touring ensued, and in 2006 the band parted ways with drummer Ray Felts.
North Carolina
native Todd Turner immediately stepped in as the band's new drummer, and with the shifting dynamic of the band came a renewed creative energy which came to fruition with the group’s third album A Toast to Bad Taste. In the middle of the recording process the group added keyboardist Elizabeth “Bitsy” Pina to its ranks. Tours in the United States and Canada followed, with the record being released in 2007—-again to critical acclaim—but with low sales. Shortly thereafter, bassist Joseph Powers left the band and returned to school, leaving a huge gap which was widened even more when Karsten and Turner followed in his footsteps.
2008 proved to be a strenuous year for Far-Less, yet the band pushed on with the aid of long-time friends Brandon Hackler on guitar and Tyler Hill on drums. A national tour in the spring of 2008 resulted in the loss of Pina, but the band managed to finish the tour dates with help from Mike Schey (of The Format
and The Honorary Title
), Josh King (of House of Fools
) and Robert Smith (of MAE and Tokyo). After a brief hiatus the band filled the empty bass slot with Brian Freeman, moved to Radford, Virginia
and continued the writing process. The forthcoming Headache EP is the result, and was due to be released digitally by Tooth & Nail Records
in the summer of 2009, but for unknown reasons the EP has yet to come out.
Far-Less played its final show at the Greene Street Club in Greensboro, NC. The band ended its career with a twenty song set including songs from all past albums and EPs. The band had many special guests at the show, including Josh King of House of Fools, and were able to reassemble many of the past members to create a Far-Less "super group" with performances by Ray Felts, Joseph Powers, Todd Turner, and Mark Karsten, along with the final line-up of the band (Brandon Welch, Jordan Powers, Brandon Hackler, Tyler Joel Hill, and Brian Freeman).
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
band originally from Marion, Virginia
Marion, Virginia
Marion is a town in Smyth County, Virginia, United States. The population was 5,968 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Smyth County. The town is named for American Revolutionary War officer Francis Marion.-Tourism:...
, with members from Marion and other surrounding areas, including Pulaski and Blacksburg. They were signed to Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
. Far-less played their final show on August 14, 2009, at the Greene Street Club in Greensboro, NC.
Biography
Far-Less began in the summer of 2001 in Marion, Virginia. The original lineup included vocalist Jordan Powers, bassist Joseph Powers, drummer Ray Felts and guitarist Jacob Murray. The quartet quickly wrote and recorded the Emerge EP, playing a handful of local shows before the exit of Murray near the end of the year, a change which prompted Jordan’s shift to guitar and the inclusion of Brandon Welch as lead vocalist. The band's name is the hyphenated version of a friend's surname.This lineup was stable for the following year, in which the band released the Apossibility EP and recorded their full-length debut Broken Hearts Unite for the Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
-based indie label Silent Uproar Records. Regional tours continued as the band started to receive more attention with Broken Hearts Unite, and eventually Mark Karsten was added as second guitarist.
In 2003 Far-Less started to draw attention from larger record companies, and in 2004 the band was invited to perform in a showcase for Seattle’s Tooth and Nail Records. This performance ultimately resulted in a new record label for the band, and the Turn to the Bright EP followed later that year. Following a long period of touring the band returned to the studio to record a second full-length album, Everyone Is Out to Get Us. The record received many positive reviews, as well as a notable 4/5 rating in Alternative Press. More touring ensued, and in 2006 the band parted ways with drummer Ray Felts.
North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
native Todd Turner immediately stepped in as the band's new drummer, and with the shifting dynamic of the band came a renewed creative energy which came to fruition with the group’s third album A Toast to Bad Taste. In the middle of the recording process the group added keyboardist Elizabeth “Bitsy” Pina to its ranks. Tours in the United States and Canada followed, with the record being released in 2007—-again to critical acclaim—but with low sales. Shortly thereafter, bassist Joseph Powers left the band and returned to school, leaving a huge gap which was widened even more when Karsten and Turner followed in his footsteps.
2008 proved to be a strenuous year for Far-Less, yet the band pushed on with the aid of long-time friends Brandon Hackler on guitar and Tyler Hill on drums. A national tour in the spring of 2008 resulted in the loss of Pina, but the band managed to finish the tour dates with help from Mike Schey (of The Format
The Format
The Format was an American indie rock band formed by Arizona natives Nate Ruess and Sam Means. The band announced a hiatus on February 4, 2008. Their style can be considered a mixture of indie, alternative, punk and folk music, with elements of 1960s and 1970s pop music...
and The Honorary Title
The Honorary Title
The Honorary Title was an indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York. The band released their first self titled Ep "The Honorary Title" in 2003 and then their first album in 2004, Anything Else But the Truth, which was later re-released with five additional songs and two bonus videos.In early 2007...
), Josh King (of House of Fools
House of Fools (band)
House of Fools is a rock band from Greensboro, North Carolina. Members include Josh King , David McLaughlin , Joel Kiser , Matt Bowers , Jordan Powers and Jack Foster .House of Fools formed in 2004, from a demo recording made by King and Bowers...
) and Robert Smith (of MAE and Tokyo). After a brief hiatus the band filled the empty bass slot with Brian Freeman, moved to Radford, Virginia
Radford, Virginia
Radford is a city in Virginia, United States. The population was 16,408 in 2010. For statistical purposes, the Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Radford with neighboring Montgomery County, including the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, calling the combination the...
and continued the writing process. The forthcoming Headache EP is the result, and was due to be released digitally by Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
in the summer of 2009, but for unknown reasons the EP has yet to come out.
Far-Less played its final show at the Greene Street Club in Greensboro, NC. The band ended its career with a twenty song set including songs from all past albums and EPs. The band had many special guests at the show, including Josh King of House of Fools, and were able to reassemble many of the past members to create a Far-Less "super group" with performances by Ray Felts, Joseph Powers, Todd Turner, and Mark Karsten, along with the final line-up of the band (Brandon Welch, Jordan Powers, Brandon Hackler, Tyler Joel Hill, and Brian Freeman).
Final line-up
- Brandon Welch - lead vocals, guitar
- Jordan Powers - Guitar & Vocals
- Brandon Hackler - Guitar
- Brian Freeman - Bass
- Tyler Hill - Drums
Former members
- Jake Murray - guitar (2001–2002)
- Ray Felts - drums (2001–2006)
- Joseph Powers - bass (2001–2007)
- Todd Turner - drums (2006–2008)
- Elizabeth "Bitsy" Pina - keyboard (2007–2008)
- Mark Karsten - guitar (2003–2008)