Bottoms, The

Biography

The Front Bottoms are an American indie rock duo from Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, formed in 2006 by childhood friends Brian Sella (vocals, guitar) and Mathew Uychich (drums). The band's name references a scene from the film Sexy Beast, where Ben Kingsley's character mentions being sexually assaulted by someone who touched his "front bottom." Sella and Uychich began playing together in 2007 after Sella finished his first year at Ramapo College, initially joined by Uychich's brother Brian on keyboards. The group spent their early years performing locally around New Jersey while working day jobs—Sella at Shop Rite in Ramsey and Uychich in landscaping—and released self-produced material including the albums I Hate My Friends (2008) and My Grandma vs Pneumonia (2009).

The Front Bottoms gained wider recognition after signing with Bar/None Records in 2011 and releasing their self-titled debut album that September. Their music blends midwest emo, folk punk, and indie rock with witty, introspective lyrics. The band achieved significant milestones including performances at major festivals like Coachella and Austin City Limits, touring the U.K. with blink-182 and Frank Turner, and releasing subsequent albums Talon of the Hawk (2013) and Back on Top (2015). Throughout their career, they have maintained a core duo while working with various touring musicians including Erik Kase Romero (bass, guitar), Natalie Newbold (bass), and AJ Peacox (guitar). The band has received critical praise from publications including The FADER, Stereogum, and VICE, establishing themselves as notable figures in the contemporary indie rock landscape.

Fun Facts

• The band's name comes from a scene in the film Sexy Beast where Ben Kingsley's character claims he was sexually assaulted by someone who touched his 'front bottom'—Sella stated simply: 'This is our name. If you don't like it then you don't like it.'
• Brian Sella's mother gave the boys 12 hours of recording time at a local studio as a Christmas gift, which resulted in their 2011 self-titled debut album.
• Sella and Uychich have been friends since they were ten years old and started writing songs together when Sella was in sixth grade, performing their first original song at a high school talent show.
• The 2014 EP Rose was named after Mathew Uychich's grandmother Rosemary, whose face was depicted on the cover art and worn as masks by band members and audience members in the 'Twelve Feet Deep' music video.

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• Brian Uychich - Original keyboardist and backing vocalist, Mathew Uychich's brother who joined early band practices (First two albums and early EPs) [2007-2010]
• Bar/None Records - Independent record label that signed the band and released their debut studio album (Self-titled debut (2011), Talon of the Hawk (2013), Rose EP (2014)) [2011-present]
• Fueled by Ramen - Record label that issued their third studio album (Back on Top (2015)) [2015]
• GDP - Rapper who collaborated on split EP (Liberty and Prosperity split EP) [2015]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia