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 Sometimes, the most rewarding things in life are those that one has to sacrifice a lot for. Ask Melbourne pop punks FRONT COUNTER about it. LINDSEY CUTHEBRTSON did just that, and member ADIN CONSTAN answered in kind.
The story of Front Counter is a true success. Formed in 2004, the group, consisting of bass player Adin Constan, drummer Josh Sforzin, guitarists Rhys Thompson and Josh Bagdadi and vocalist Anton Hockey, has built a reputation on the back of livewire shows and an infectious sound reminiscent of mid-90’s pop punk.
Front Counter saved up money until they could afford to record their debut EP, A Toast To You And Me. However, much to their chagrin, the finished product was not up to their expectation. So back to the grindstone they went, slaving away until they could afford to record again. And was the sacrifice worth it? You bet your bottom dollar.
“We initially pressed five hundred EP’s and they sold out in a month,” says Constan regarding the early success of their EP. “This pressing has two more songs on it, and we’ve made about one thousand.”
The road to independently funding their musical career, in particular the recording of the EP, was no easy one.
“We all went and got second jobs and sold stuff. We didn’t go out for months,” Constan confesses. “We sacrificed a lot but it paid off in the shows with Bon Jovi and Taste of Chaos. It was a big six months of our lives. Relationships broke up, girlfriends left. We just didn’t let anything slip through that we didn’t like. You’ve got to make sacrifices to get anywhere.”
On the back of playing with Bon Jovi and taking on the Taste Of Chaos, their debut EP has already produced a single, What’s Your Name?, that is being played on such radio stations as Triple M, as well as being picked up by over forty radio stations within the last month. Whilst being independently funded, the single holds it’s own against much of the music that it will be played with. This was extremely vital for Front Counter
“It’s very important because first impressions last. If you come out with something mediocre, you won’t really get a second chance, particularly Australia,” says Constan.
The Melbourne band have an extensive tour planned for the next few months, playing in places such as Bendigo in Victoria, to Wyong in New South Wales, all the way up the East Coast to our very own Brisbane. “This will be our first time playing in Brisbane,” says Constan. “The last time we were up there was to sign a management deal. We missed our flight home and spent the day on Bribie Island and that was amazing.”
Constan and his bandmates look to Aussie rockers Gyroscope as inspiration for such tours.
“Gyroscope made it the right way, not like a flash in the pan—they worked their way to the top.
“We did our hard yards in the dirty, dingy pubs in Melbourne. It’s good to get out there to rural areas as well as metropolitan venues because I just want to play shows where people haven’t heard us before.”
And with a work ethic like the one they’ve shown, Front Counter will definitely be making a name for themselves in the future.
CATCH FRONT COUNTER on their Toast To You And Me EP launch tour play The Red Room at UQ in St Lucia on Wednesday Aug 13, the Hard Rock Café, Surfers Paradise Friday Aug 15 and at Thriller at Rosie’s on Saturday Aug 16.
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