Frontside aren’t your typical pop-punk band. While the North Carolina band do have the energy you’d expect out of the genre, their influences are more widely varied than you’d think – citing more technical bands like The Fall Of Troy and Damiera as key references to their sound. In other words, don’t expect the same three chords you might be used to (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
We’re stoked to team up with the band for the release of their new song + video for “Give It Up”. Frontside, who also teamed up with Revival Recordings for the release of their upcoming EP (due out early next year), are fast making waves in the music scene – and we also sat down with guitarist/vocalist Walter Stanley for a Q&A session as well. You can stream the new song, as well as the Q&A, below.
Please introduce yourself and what you do in Frontside.
My name is Walter Stanley. I play guitar, sing, and write songs for Frontside.
Your music is a more technical brand of pop-punk that might surprise the usual pop-punk fan. Who are some of your influences that aren’t in the genre?
Some of my biggest influences that aren’t quite pop punk would be The Fall of Troy, Damiera, and Boys Night Out. They all do very different things individually, but I really enjoy incorporating elements from the music I’ve listened to from them and inevitably adding my own spin to it.
You just did a livestream a little over a week ago, and it seems like (for now) they’ve become the new norm for live music. How did you feel playing the livestream instead of a typical show where you’d have fans there?
It was nice to be playing somewhere other than our practice space, but when you’re missing a crowd and the huge sound you get from the main speakers/subs in a venue, it can be a little underwhelming. There simply is just not as much energy in the room, and our live show definitely feeds on that. That being said, it was still great to have the opportunity to entertain folks and kick out a few songs from our upcoming release.
Recently, you reached 500,000 streams on your album Essentially, Eventually. What was it like hitting that mark?
I’m constantly floored by the support and interest that people have shown us. Locally, regionally, and globally, we’ve been able to continue making small strides in who we’re able to connect with. Being able to quantify that progress is a very cool thing and definitely keeps me motivated to continue making art.
What do you do for a living outside of music?
I am a Short Haul Flatbed Truck Driver. I drive the big rigs!
What are your hobbies and interests outside of music? Anything atypical?
Nothing too atypical nowadays – I’ve tried to keep my participation in seances to a minimum. To be perfectly candid, my obligations have really only ramped up since all the covid stuff, so outside of work and my musical endeavors I’m doing my best to try and decompress. Sitcoms and other forms of comedy really hit the spot for me.
With your signing to Revival Recs already rounding out the year for you – what’s next for Frontside?
Well, it’s a little hard to say when exactly, but after the EP is released and the coast is clear for touring, we will be booking some regional shows and getting back on the road. In addition to that, we have plenty of new material that we are pounding out and are really looking forward to recording in the future, whenever that gets here.
