Norman played host to one of the hottest up-and-coming bands Friday night.
New Jersey-based band The Front Bottoms consist of two main members: singer/guitarist Brian Sella and drummer Matt Uychich. The duo’s style can be described as indie rock, but their passion for music is what really sets them apart.
The band has gained national respect from many critics. The Los Angeles Times called The Front Bottom’s album “a pop soundtrack for learning to live in the moment.”
The duo sat down with The Daily on Friday night before playing at the Opolis in Norman.
The Daily: What inspired you guys to start making music?
The Front Bottoms: Probably boredom, I mean nothing better was really going on. It was always fun to see people playing in bands and hear about all the cool stuff they were doing. We should do that; we should try to do that. We had nothing better to do.
The Daily: How did you guys meet?
The Front Bottoms: I (Brian) was really good friends with Matt’s older brother, and we all just started hanging out together, and we were young too, so it was like hanging out riding bikes and stuff like that. Matt: Yeah I moved to town when I was in second grade. Brian: I was kind of like the king of the town; ya know?
The Daily: When did you guys think to yourselves, "hey, we can actually do this and get noticed?"
The Front Bottoms: I don’t know if we ever thought that to be honest. It just all started happening super slow, and it is better when it is a gradual build because you don’t want to blow your load right away.
The Daily: How did you guys come up with your band name?
The Front Bottoms: (chuckles) There is a movie called “Sexy Beast,” and Ben Kingsley is in it, and he says that term, the front bottoms, and I had never heard that used before. I thought it was funny as hell so I was like we should start a band called The Front Bottoms. I never thought anyone would be asking me how did you come up with that name.
The Daily: Is this your first major tour?
The Front Bottoms: We have done a couple of tours. This tour is our second or third biggest tour. We did a bunch of stuff locally, and down the East coast a bunch, and went up to New England.
The Daily: Who are you most excited to play with this summer?
The Front Bottoms: I guess this is kind of a cop out answer, but I like all the bands. Awkward silence for a couple of seconds, we are playing with Motion City Soundtrack. It is weird to pick up magazines, and see the bands that we are going to be on tour with. That is fucking exciting, ya know?
The Daily: If you could give an aspiring artist or band one piece of advice, what would it be?
The Front Bottoms: Be yourself. Also, just know 100 percent that you are not going to get anywhere. Because if you go into it with the mindset that everything is amazing, every little recognition you get it is just an incredible feeling. The major downfalls of bands are when they say they will give this six months, and if we are not famous after that, then we are fucking done. It doesn’t make sense, just do it because you want to.
The Daily: What is the most memorable experience you have had on stage during a show?
The Front Bottoms: When we went on tour with Kevin Devine — one of my (Brian's) favorite singer/songwriters — and like five shows into the tour he was like would you mind if I came up and sang with you on this one song that he liked. It was just craziness. It was so incredible to have someone come up on stage.
The Daily: What do you miss about not being back at home in New Jersey?
The Front Bottoms: Probably just the people. You know, you have friends and relationships, and it’s like, "I will see you in a month."
