{{Infobox musical artist
| Name = From First to Last
| Landscape = Yes
| Background = group_or_band
| Origin = Orlando, Florida, USA
| Genre = Post-hardcore
| Years_active = 2002 – present
| Label = Suretone (2007 - present)
Capitol (2006)
Epitaph (2004 - 2006)
Four Leaf Recordings (2003)
| URL = Official website
| Current_members = Matt Good
Travis Richter
Derek Bloom
Matt Manning
| Past_members = Sonny Moore
Wes Borland
Jon Weisberg
Phillip Reardon
Joey Antillon
Alicia Simmons}}
From First to Last (sometimes shortened to FFTL) is an American post-hardcore band. The band released their first EP titled Aesthetic in 2003 , then with vocalist Sonny Moore the band released Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Body Count in 2004 and Heroine in 2006. Following the departure of Moore in February 2007, the band reverted back to their original line up with Good leading vocals, Richter on vocals with bass guitar addition Matt Manning and Bloom on the drums. From First to Last is currently signed to Suretone Records.
History
Formation and Aesthetic (2002-2003)
In 2002, From First to Last was formed by then guitarist Dwight Mcleish and Travis Richter in Brandon, Orlando, FL. Eventually a solid lineup was formed, with vocalist Philip Reardon, guitarist Richter, guitarist Good, bassist Joey Antillon and drummer Derek Bloom. The band then released in 2003 the EP Aesthetic on Four Leaf Recordings and by the end of the year they had signed to Epitaph. Jon Weisberg replaced Antillon on bass before the band embarked on tour. They recorded at their friends studio EARTHSOUND in Valdosta, Georgia. At the time, Bloom had been with the band a few weeks and most of the singing was done by Good and Richter as they had provided vocals since the band had formed. Reardon provided the screaming except in the song "My Heart, Your Hands" where he sang the verse and the chorus.Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has A Bodycount (2004-2005)
After the Aesthetic EP, Reardon was asked to leave the band for various reasons and after Antillon was arrested for shoplifting he was unable to tour. The rest of the band members originally decided to have Good as the lead singer, but he opted to concentrate on guitar, not wanting to give it up in order to take on lead vocals. Good had wanted From First to Last to have a frontman, in order to connect with the crowd better. Using the social networking site MySpace, Good came in contact with a guitarist from California by the name of Sonny Moore. Moore flew out to Georgia, where Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Bodycount was being recorded, and was set to be the band's second guitarist. However, when the other band members heard Moore singing backups, they decided that he was much better suited for lead singer than guitarist.Good and Richter wrote the album in two weeks and Moore, coming in after the music was tracked, completed the vocals with the band's help. Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Body Count was released on June 29, 2004 and was tracked and mixed once again at EARTHSOUND studio with long time friend Lee Dyess. This studio would be used later for pre-production for the band's third album.
In 2005, from late May to mid June From First to Last participated in the "Dead by Dawn" tour with bands Emanuel, Halifax and He is Legend.
Heroine (2006)
From mid March to mid May the band toured along side Fall Out Boy and The All-American Rejects for the "Black Clouds and Underdogs Tour" in support of their release Heroine.Prior, the band went to Radio Star Studios in Weed, California to record their second album, produced by Ross Robinson. As their previous bassist Weisberg had been formally asked to step out due to issues within the band's relationship, producer Ross Robinson asked Wes Borland, former Limp Bizkit guitarist, to play bass on their second full length Heroine. He later played several tours with the band. The album was released on March 21, 2006 and opened on the Billboard albums chart at #25, with first-week sales of 33,000-plus. Shortly thereafter in April, they signed to major label Capitol Records after bidding between Capitol Records and Warner Bros.. Months earlier in February, the band had filmed their video for the first single "The Latest Plague" in Sweden with Popcore Films.
The band then did a short European Tour with various bands, one of which included a one off show with 36 Crazyfists in Sheffield in the UK and the Download Festival. The band then played several dates on the 2006 Vans Warped Tour, but were forced to drop out due to surgical removal of a nodule on Moore's vocal cords. He received his second nodule surgery in early July (his first being one in May 2005). Following his recovery, From First to Last went out on the "World Championship Tour" supporting Atreyu along with Every Time I Die and Chiodos. While on that tour, Moore once again had vocal cord problems and had to leave the tour. The band had planned to have guitarists Good and Richter cover Moore's vocal duties for the duration of the tour until singer of Chiodos, Craig Owens, insisted that he provide lead vocals for their sets. Atreyu eventually dropped From First to Last from the tour. The band later explained, "Our plan to enable us to play the rest of the tour was disregarded and as our crew was setting up for the show in Worcester, MA we were informed that we were being kicked off of the tour. Understand that it was not our choice to leave this tour... we were forced to leave." Atreyu then returned a statement about the controversy concerning From First to Last's departure, saying, "They couldn't perform as FFTL and are no longer on this tour."
Moore's Departure (2007 and future)
In February 2007, lead singer Moore left From First to Last to pursue his solo career. His decision to leave was based on his vocal problems in the past on tour and his urge to create his own music. Moore has posted new recordings on his myspace and is part of a group of artists that form, modernorganic. The remaining members of From First to Last finished a headlining tour from July 21 through August 5 with guests Alesana, Vanna, Brighten, and Four Year Strong. Shortly before recording another album, the band played for a portion of the Show Must Go On tour with Hawthorne Heights, Secondhand Serenade, Powerspace, and Brighten, but had to later cancel their dates on the last part of the tour to open for Deftones on a separate Canadian tour.FFTL began their fall headlining tour, RATHER BE SLAYIN' N00BZ, starting November 1st with guests blessthefall, A Skylit Drive, and Vanna. Around the middle of the tour, the guests will change to Envy On The Coast, Pierce The Veil, and Four Year Strong, Mayday Parade, Mia Medusa, and A Day To Die For.
On November 29 on their Myspace blog, they announced they were going to be a part of the 2008 Hot Topic Take Action Tour, MTV Winter Valencia in Spain on March 6, as well as on December 6, they announced they were going to be part of the 2008 Vans Warped Tour.
Self-Titled album (2008)
From First to Last first recorded their upcoming album, without Moore, in the studio where Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Bodycount had been recorded. A trailer for their upcoming "making of" webisodes, made exclusively for The KVLT (From First to Last's official fan club) was posted on myspace, featuring short clips from some of their new songs. The band recorded for the second time in Los Angeles, with producer Josh Abraham alongside seasoned engineer Ryan Williams. The record has since finished recording, and at midnight on November 14, 2007, a new song, Two as One, was released on the band's Myspace account.On January 10th, the band announced their new album will be released on April 15, 2008.
On January 23rd, the band's upcoming single, We All Turn Back to Dust, was released exclusively through Billboard.com.
On February 12th, From First to Last will release on Interscope/Suretone Records with an exclusive 2 song single CD through Hot Topic. The CD will feature the songs "We All Turn Back to Dust" and "I Once Was Lost But Now Am Profound" from the band's upcoming album. A limited quantity of the exclusive CD will be available at this year's Take Action tour. The release will coincide with a Hot Topic in-store signing in Novi, Michigan on February 13th (the day before their MI performance).
From First to Last plans to spend most of 2008 on the road, including a headlining slot on the Warped Tour.
Band Members
Current members
- Matt Good - lead vocals, guitars (2002 - present)
- Travis Richter - guitars, vocals (2002 - present)
- Matt Manning - bass, vocals, live guitars (2007 - present)
- Derek Bloom - drums (2002 - present)
Touring members
- Alicia Way - bass (2005)
- Wes Borland - bass (on Heroine and live; 2005 - 2006)
- Chris Lent-Keyboards, Bass (2007-present)
Former members
- Joey Antillion - bass (2002 - 2003)
- Phillip Reardon - lead vocals (2002 - 2003)
- Jon Weisberg - bass (2003 - 2005)
- Sonny Moore - lead vocals, live guitars (2004 - 2007)
- Chris Hayden - bass, screams (2004)