Front End Loader Gives Bands A Lift

Illawarra Mercury

Thursday August 24, 2000

By CHRIS MOORE

Front End Loader has the kiss of life - for support bands that is.

Many of Australia's major talents have at one time played support for the Sydney-based band. Spiderbait, You Am I, silverchair, Powderfinger, Frenzal Rhomb and Regurgitator have all been support acts to Front End Loader.

``We have just played a show with Wollongong band Thumlock so expect them to take off," drummer Pete Kostic said.

Lately Front End Loader has been sharing its drummer, whose percussion talents are in demand.

Kostic has been working with Regurgitator and Vicious Hairy Mary and other musical projects.

``I play in about five bands, which honestly means that I have no other life," Kostic admitted.

As if constant performing isn't enough, Kostic also works in a drum store in Sydney.

Kostic has also been selling Front End Loader's big rock sound, going as far as beefing up the Britney Spears' song Oops, I Did It Again for Good News Week.

``We did a guest spot as Paul McDermott's backing band," Kostic said.

``It was pretty funny and we rocked it up big time."

The band is on a run of shows around Sydney and is working on a new album, hesitantly titled How Can We Fail When We Are So Sincere.

``It has been a long time in the making, for many reasons," Kostic said.

``In the past we weren't doing much except for Front End Loader but our financial situations dictated that we had to get jobs.

``Bo (Campbell, guitarist) had a child and Davis (Claymore, guitarist) is just about to, so as we got older the responsibilities of life demanded more attention."

Kostic said that the time between albums was not responsible for the band's change in music direction.

``We have never really spoken as a band about what we wanted, but we tend to get sick of just playing one type of song," he said.

``It is important to mix it up and challenge ourselves and the people who listen to us."

The band's previous album, The Last of the V8 Interceptors, was a heavy rock production. Kostic said the new material was more party orientated.

``V8 came together at a dark time in the band's history, there was a death close to us and we were feeling quite down," he said.

``Everyone is pretty happy with their lives at the moment and we wanted to make something that was up."

Front End Loader performs at the Headlands Hotel on Saturday with FUgG, Monstrous Blues and Shamen's Ride.

© 2000 Illawarra Mercury

Back to News Index | Back to Home