Friend Slash Lover Finds Indie Rock Success in West Hollywood

In the indie rock world, Friend Slash Lover is making waves. 

Deemed one of the “Top 100 Unsigned Bands of 2010” by Music Connection magazine and playing in such diverse venues as the Sunset Strip's famed and a Cinco de Mayo wrestling ring inside a popular art studio, this is one group to watch.

But it is Friend Slash Lover's unique sound that has gotten people talking. “Andy Gesner, from Hip Video Promo, recently described it as "beautifully dark." Pandora lumps it together with Weezer and Coldplay. "I'm not sure if I agree, but it's a start,” said the band's vocalist and fearless leader, Josh Mintz.

The band formed when Mintz, a Rhode Island School of Design graduate who spent time with popular graffiti artist Shepard Fairey in the early '90s, turned his love for guitar into more than just a hobby.

“The whole idea of making guitar-based rather than electronic music sprang from the fact that I work on computers all day as a designer, and the last thing I want to do when I get home is stare at another computer screen,” he said.

The singer quickly realized that his downtime experiments were becoming songs—a project he labeled "Stupid Human." After adding bass player Frank Day to the mix, the first thing that changed was the name.

“When I started working with Frank six years ago, he wasted no time telling me how much he hated the name Stupid Human, and he proceeded to make me pitch new band names at him for many months,” said Mintz.

After rotating through a bunch of trial names, including Zero K, Cartoon Riot and Switch, they finally agreed on Friend Slash Lover. Their focus was now on the music.

Friend Slash Lover recently entertained a very packed Viper Room crowd with an energetic set of popular songs including, “My Wallet Is My Weapon,” “Disasteroid,” “I Break for Guilty Consciences” and “Breakin’ Up.”

“I think that was our best show yet. The crowd was drunk enough to hoot and holler and even clap,” Mintz said after the show.

As far as plans for the band, Friend Slash Lover is putting the finishing touches on an album.

“It is my obsession right now. I work on ideas for it every chance I get, emailing the producer my thoughts constantly. The poor guy has to read all my ramblings,” Mintz said, jokingly.

The new album will feature a more mature Friend Slash Lover sound— more energetic songs with immediate vocals and bigger choruses—Mintz said.

“The new recordings are combining traces of AC/DC, Radiohead, Silversun Pickups, U2 and even a bit of pop music production techniques," Mintz said. "I realize this might sound ridiculous, but it just might work."

In addition to recording, the guys are busy booking additional shows and will have a date for a gig at  nailed down soon, Mintz said.

For more information on Friend Slash Lover and to keep up with its tour dates, visit its website