thefrontbottoms3_by_Lucia_Holm_Photography.jpg

New Jersey’s the Front Bottoms are still getting some good mileage out of last year’s self-titled release, a collection of nerdy indie pop tunes with undeniable charm. The band plays a few more stateside shows, then heads to Europe before coming back to the States for a series of dates that extend into November. Singer-guitarist Brian Sella phoned in from a tour stop to talk about the band’s early days and the progress he’s made on the follow-up album. The band plays tonight at 8 p.m. at Now That’s Class with Meridian and Runaway Brother. Tickets are $10.

You guys have been friends since you were kids. Do you remember when you first met Mathew Uychich?
I chilled with Mat’s older brother a lot and would hang out. I would ride over to his house and hang out and that’s how we first met. We’d be chilling in the backyard, jumping on the trampoline and stuff like that. I didn’t learn how to play guitar until I got to high school. I was too busy playing video games and shit like that. Toward the end of high school, things started coming together. We had played in another band and did that but that was nothing. We just messed around in the basement.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.