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64. Mest (w/ Eichlers)
1 Playsin 19 hours
Back for his annual appearance on Checkered Past is the Hyperska Superstar, Eichlers! To kick the episode off he catches Rob and Joey up on his new album Ike World, his various other projects and his new, shocking, musical obsession. Then, the trio dig in on the Ska discography of Mest from their Ska-punk indie days to their pogo punk breakout to their smash records in the 00's. Unlike Ike's last appearance, are the facts real on this episode? Tune in to find out!
Hosts: Rob and Joey
Engineer: Joey
Editor: Cutman
Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International
Merch: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch
Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction and Band Impact
00:00:00
Speaker
On this episode, as always, we are a waste of time. We have no clue what our destination is, but we'll be spending all our money on malt liquor with the band that's a four-letter word, MIST, on Checkered Pass, the Skycast.
00:00:34
Speaker
What up, Checkerheads? Welcome to Checkerhead Pass, this podcast with Selin and Rob. The show where, uh, what the d-d-d-dill records and, uh, Mo Money, Mo 40 ounce to freedom explore the history and impact of a different band each episode and hope to bring in new fans along the way. I'm Robin. This is my co-host with the most toast, Engineer Joey. Hola. Hey. Those are good. They're easy. Yeah, I don't think I need to explain those. Those are easy peasy. Easy mac and cheesy.
00:01:01
Speaker
I do like the amalgamation of the mess and sublime. Yeah, that was that was pretty good. I feel like they would have appreciated it. They will. They will appreciate it when they listen. Should we pick it up where we left off? Heck yeah.
Joey's Music Journey
00:01:17
Speaker
Joey,
00:01:20
Speaker
joey tell them about your lurk. Uh, so I am bleachy, bleachy blonde, bleachy blonde engineer, Joey, and a very smooth face, which is like, it's throwing me off. Yeah. It's a little weird. Yeah. Uh, but yeah, I am, I'm fully committed to the bit. Uh, we had the weekend we were recording or we're, as we were recording, we were a week away from how a weekend.
00:01:43
Speaker
And I am playing two sets of No Doubt songs on like two at two different venues on the Friday and the Sunday. So we're doing a band as bands thing and I'm playing as Tony Kanal and playing the bass. The name of your No Doubt cover band is Faux Doubt. You cannot forget to mention that part. It's very good. Uh, but yeah, it's very cool. We, um, uh, it's with Maz who plays in Rap Poison and also Martin, the guitarist from Rap Poison.
00:02:12
Speaker
And Maz's brother used to play in like a, like a very, like the style of pop punk, they called it soda pop punk. If that is ah any indication, very three chords, pogoing synchronized head banging band. So he played drums in that band, like 10, 15 years ago and hasn't played a whole lot since. And that band is called the blame. It's I love the blame. It's a fantastic band. There's a Ramones core. I can get behind. Yeah, they definitely are in that in that family. I don't know if their stuff's online or whatever, but if you can find the blame, it's it's very fun. Marco played in it. And so Mazz invited him to play drums in this and we've been practicing for a few months. It's pretty sick. We have backing tracks for all the crazy synths and horns and stuff.
00:03:00
Speaker
Uh, but then we had a friend of ours, uh, Eric Bud, who played in the bad bomber society of this podcasts theme fame. Yeah. Uh, and he came and jammed with us on organ. So he's going to play organ with us at the show and it's going to be super sick. And he played in the operators as well. operator seven eight yes What a band. What is yeah but a fricking, like for a Edmonton, that's like an Edmonton a list. yeah It's crazy. It's kind of blowing my mind that I'm getting to play a show with him, to be honest. It's very cool. And he's like a chill dude.
Ike's New Album and Music Scene
00:03:33
Speaker
Like, he's like a Kung Fu instructor. Really? Yeah. That's cool. He's like a Kung Fu instructor who's covered in tattoos and drives like an Evo.
00:03:41
Speaker
I love finding out people's day jobs. It's great. Especially like people who've been doing stuff for like 20 years, like finding out what else they do. It's cool. They always do something cool. Oh, yeah, totally. And it's like, it's like, oh, he does Kung Fu. What do you mean he does Kung Fu? He like teaches Kung Fu. He like teaches Kung Fu. Yeah, it's pretty cool. But he's a really killer keyboardist. The last he said the last time he played keys live was when Vic Ruggiero was here and he pulled him up on stage to play with him. Oh, man.
00:04:10
Speaker
So I can see why he retired. but Yeah and then he he hadn't touched his keyboard until like a day before our jam and he's like oh shit I gotta learn these songs. He probably was like I'll never touch this keyboard again. Yeah. right they Didn't watch his hands either. Nope. That's why he's so good at playing keys for this band because he's got the Vickersjeros on his hands still.
00:04:31
Speaker
All right, Terry, no further. We're so excited to welcome back our guest. He's the one-stop shop for Judaica, Yamakas, and kosher cookbooks in Brooklyn, New York. No, that's wrong. He's a musician, singer-songwriter whose new album, Ike World, is streaming everywhere right now. Ike clears his back.
00:04:49
Speaker
hey kai Hi. happy Happy to be back. Very, very excited to finally announce my brand deal with Eichler's Judeica in New York. it's It's been a long time coming and I'm really honored that y'all wanted to bring me on to announce the brand deal.
00:05:08
Speaker
That's a fun SEO, hey? Just people are like, hmm, what's Eichler's up to? Oh, look at this shop. Ooh, interesting merch choices, Eichler's. Dude, these Yamakas are going crazy now. Yamakas can go pretty hard. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Sick look, for sure. So since you were last on, new album has come out, Ike World. Tell the listeners about it. What could they expect from popping on the new Ike?
00:05:36
Speaker
Um, it is, it is much more hyper. I, in in my head, when I was writing, I was like, this record is going to be 50% more hyper, 50%, 50% more ska. And it's like, definitely, definitely like the hyper, but maybe not the more ska. I feel like, I feel like it's pretty ska, but like.
00:05:52
Speaker
not in the not in the same way that my checkered future was. and there's There's been like people going in expecting the same stuff, and it's not that, but that's also just like, my MO, I don't want to make the same thing twice as any of my Ike Beast fans can probably tell you.
00:06:08
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, for sure. Like, um that's what we all love about you is because you have such a diverse ah musical palette, if you will. um So when you say things are 50% more hyper, what does that mean? yeah bring that down so find taggling That came into my head. I was like, this is gonna be good marketing, baby. I'm gonna sell so many CDs. And yarmulkes.
00:06:29
Speaker
and ya everything Everything's round in Ike world. It all comes around! Including the CD, which I bought one of. Including the CD. Shut up. Also, I'm i'm just gonna put it out there. I don't think I need to wait until we do a year-end episode. like This is my favorite album of the year for sure. No shit. Are you serious? Oh yeah, for sure. Damn. I listened to Ike World. I don't know how many streams there are on Spotify. Are you just saying that because you're blonde now and we're we're both blonde together?
00:06:59
Speaker
No, this is the real thing. You say so. ah But no, I seriously all summer, ah it was like my going home from work music, pretty much like just about the perfect length to drive home. And this album is more like you pulled from right in the sweet spot of like my pop punk past. Like I remember at one point you put out a tweet and you're like, I was just about to bring that up. Yeah, go ahead. yeah like Like what's your favorite or what was what was your favorite? Like skateboarding, like hot summer, like pop punk, yeah sunny, sunny pop punk.
00:07:41
Speaker
Yeah and i was mean fallp punk and I had like a few suggestions and we kind of got talking about it and then like when the album came out I listen to it and I was like this is what that tweet was for like this is yeah so like exactly exactly what All the stuff that I suggested was all of the exact influences that went into this album, basically. I love it. Yeah, dude. And like the I i made this like big ass playlist on Spotify of just like all the suggestions and just like artists that I was already privy to. And I think you sent me that like can con man not by choice. Yes. I think it was that what they were called. Okay. Yeah. know
00:08:18
Speaker
so st but bread away with the yeah and it's great ah Honestly, like a A-plus tie-in to the band of this episode. because like Right? Yeah. Listening to these records, I was like, this is this is my shit. and like ah a Destination Unknown was in that playlist too. and let's Listening back for this episode, I was like, ooh there's some like definite like messed influence. that if you If you had asked me, I would have been like, no. but now it's like Maybe.
00:08:50
Speaker
But it's a maybe. It's a maybe. I think we're going to deal with plenty of in the next. Oh, yeah. was well Oh, man. ah So while what else has been new since you were last on anything else that you have to report? um Yeah, not not a whole lot. Went on tour with half past two this summer. Pretty cool. We did just just under two weeks.
00:09:15
Speaker
and It hit a lot of ground, ah mostly a Southwest tour, but we hit like some of the Mountain West. I ended up, the last show of tour was in Salt Lake, and I got to see a bunch of my friends who I haven't seen since, like, 2020. So it's been four years since I've seen some of them. It's just, like, pretty much... I remember just giving my my friend Chaz, who um has had had a pretty hard time over the past few years, just like seeing him like walking up to the show while I was standing outside. i just like teared up and just giving him a big hug. It was it was a really, really beautiful thing to be able to like see see these people um in this scene. like People who've meant so much to me over the years and influenced me so much as a person and an artist, like
Touring Challenges and Preferences
00:09:56
Speaker
all together in one place again, like like like the good old days. It was it was beautiful. And just getting to getting to see all these places with my you know my my old friends in half past two, but also my new friends. There's been new folks in the lineup who I got to know better on that tour.
00:10:10
Speaker
um it was It was a lot of fun. Jeez, that's so sweet. That's like the and unspoken kind of like positive thing about all this touring, like as much as it's harder to tour, it's like it gets us out there, you know, like that's so cool. Yeah, totally. And um to to be honest, like I've been thinking about this a lot lately. And just touring, touring has been like a really lonely experience for me.
00:10:33
Speaker
right And um just having having that that experience with my friends in Salt Lake at the end of the end of that tour was just like sort of sort of made it made it all worthwhile. cause like i would I would love to do every tour and every show with old phone, but like it just it unfortunately that where I'm at it's it's not cost effective.
00:10:52
Speaker
I have to ask them to take time off work and I feel like that's a big ask and I don't like being in that position and I can't I can't like pay them what I think they deserve because then I don't make enough to like justify me taking time off work so that's why I've been like rocking all the shit solo and i I think the shows are still fun but like man the before and after is just kind of a fucking bummer Yeah, yeah think that's fair. But it's just like you solo on the road for two weeks. Like even if you're with bands and stuff, like that's that that's got to take a toll. Well, and totally. And like with Half Pass 2, like all those people are so friendly and so wonderful. But like there's there's an intimacy that you have with your bandmates and people you create with, where especially like before and after a show, like you have this shared experience and you can talk about the set and be like, oh, you know, like I kind of fucked this up or this part went really well. And did you see how the crowd reacted to that? like
00:11:42
Speaker
i had I had no one to share that with because I could like talk about that with like Max and Tara and Luis, but like they don't know the like intricacies of my songs and like how I'm planning the set out in my head the same way that like if Old Phone was on stage with me or like I was in a band with someone else. so like that That in itself is like you know, no fault of their own, but like an an isolating experience. And it was like really, really eye opening to me on this tour. It's just like, and I'm with these people who are who are my friends and I'm like happy to be here, but this is still just like, I don't ah know how much I can like tour like this.
00:12:18
Speaker
yeah Yeah, that's crazy. Sorry to get like down here. No, but does that change your outlook on how you will tour again later if you if you hit the road again? Yeah, to be honest, I don't i don't really have any plans to to tour anytime soon.
00:12:33
Speaker
i I feel like i've I've checked that box for myself. And yeah just looking looking at the trajectory of like some of my friends' music careers and you know people people the next couple levels up for where I'm at, like, you know, Bad Ops, Kill Link, and the folks in the new tone scene and the label, and like even the other labels, all the SPI bands, like touring in that capacity and just playing that game. I just i don't have as much interest in it anymore as I used to. I just yeah i realized that you know the the like touring experience aside and all the negative aspects of that i just like i find the most joy in creating music and just like being able to share it with people and i feel really fortunate to be
00:13:17
Speaker
you know in the era we're in where I can share it with my friends online, people who like genuinely give a fuck about my music and don't just you know aren't doing aren't listening as a favor because we're friends. I like that yeah you know they found me and now we we're friends because of that and we have like shared interests.
00:13:35
Speaker
but Yeah, so i'm not I'm not sure what any touring is going to look like unless some like crazy opportunity comes up. Even then, like i got I got a pretty sweet home life. I can and make all the music I want here. i got I got friends. I got my dog. I got my wife. I love my neighborhood. like i' getting I'm getting older, man. un uncomfortable for i like yeah im kidding On top of that, you've you've been playing guitar with Omnigone, correct? Yeah, yeah that's very cool too. So that's cool too, because it gives you like a live outlet, because that's one thing that I really realized. Yeah, definitely. like um My band that I was in pre-COVID,
00:14:12
Speaker
where the life cycle the band was just sort of getting close to the end. And with COVID and everything, a show like our kind of comeback show after about a year off just got canceled right at the beginning of COVID. Oh, kind of like we were like, Oh, well, what do we even do? And then we were just sort of like, Oh, we just kind of decided to pack it in. And ah so I wasn't playing music for a few years. And then I got back into playing music with the cover band. It was like,
00:14:40
Speaker
Like, Oh man, it's, it's nice to be in a situation where I don't have to be like the person writing the songs or anything. I can just like learn this shit and go and like play a show. Yeah. like that And that's super fun. And and so now and yeah now that's kind of where, where I'm at, like in the Edmonton scene, like I have a few.
00:14:59
Speaker
few of irons in the fire as it were with bands. And it's like, I'm not writing any of it, but it's really fun to play with other people and like learn their stuff, right? It's making me a better musician, I feel like. Yeah, totally. And then like, ah honestly, I just have so much love and respect for Adam and ah Barry and Nick and Brent and who and and Justin, like, in Omnigone who've let me like play with them and, you know, re rekindle that.
00:15:26
Speaker
um
Collaboration with Omnigone
00:15:28
Speaker
or yeah, just like get the live experience. And same thing, like Adam's just like, here's a set list, learn these songs. We're gonna play this show. We have like all practice maybe, and it always kicks ass. It's so cool.
00:15:39
Speaker
Yeah, right. Like that's fun. It kind of gets that energy out where and you can, you know, do the other kind of stuff you're passionate about over here, you know, like it works out. And it's local for you too, right? So that that helps. Yeah, that's, I mean, that's, that's how it started. So Adam, you know, like the, the like, quote unquote, real on the online up, or at least, you know, historically was Adam and Barry who both live up here in Northern California and then Nick and Brent who live in Southern California. So like for big shows and big tours, the four of them would get together and they'd go tour. And then Adam wanted to, you know, and Adam's always been tapped into the underground and what's happening, especially locally. And he was like seeing all the cool stuff that's been happening in the Bay and was just like, I want to i want to be able to like play local shows if people offer them to us.
00:16:27
Speaker
Because he was like going to shows and you know getting the band's name out there. And he's like, would you want to be on the home team? And I was like, yeah, sure. like I was obviously already a fan of the band. And Adam and I had been friends for a long time. And so so it just started out as me being like the guitar player for the home shows. Me and ah justin Justin Amans, the drummer, were like the home team. And then that sort of evolved into Adam being like, I want to actually do two guitars all the time.
00:16:54
Speaker
And then we wrote and then we we ended up writing Feral um and being able to like create and play guitar on that was really cool. I think that my guitar playing brought something into those songs that wasn't already there and maybe that's just me blowing smoke up my own ass. but I think we created like a really cool Skokkor record together. Yeah, it's a thick record for sure. Thank you. Yeah. So it's cool, like, to your point, Joey, about showing up and playing someone else's songs and being like, yeah, this rocks. But also like being able to have that option to have creative input is really cool. And just I can't be I can't thank Adam and Barry enough for
00:17:31
Speaker
allowing me to just sort of take take what I want from the band and you know give give give what I want to it, I guess I should say. Hell yeah. Oh, that's awesome. And so um I guess this is a question, it could just to kind of pivot a little bit, a question I ask you every time you're wrong, because it's always a cool answer.
Unexpected Influences: Steely Dan
00:17:50
Speaker
What are you listening to right now? is like you're always listening on crazy but damage no dude this is this isn't for i mean yes This is probably the the like objectively worst time to be asked this question. Dude, I have been i have been like struggling struggling with a crippling Steely Dan addiction over the last straight up listen to very, very little else except for, except for Steely Dan. Dude, I am like low key, high key. I am, I am obsessed. I mean, I watched, dude, I spent like, I spent like 45 minutes yesterday watching this two part iceberg video. I watched, I watched, I watched this fucking Donald Fagan hour long jazz piano seminar. I don't play piano, man. I don't know anything about piano. This shit blew my fucking mind.
00:18:42
Speaker
Dude, it's it's so fucked.
00:18:46
Speaker
I'm telling my top 100 artists I thought you were going to say just now. the Steely Dan was not even close. That's really insane, dude. That's why it's so fucked up that you asked me. How could you say that? How could you ask that? Just put me on the spot like that, dog.
00:19:02
Speaker
What were we supposed to talk about this before we started rolling? Usually, yeah. I was like, what can't we talk about? I just can't read you. Don't talk about my crippling, steely dad. No, dude, like for real, yesterday, I hope my wife was, I was just, we were cleaning the apartment and I hooked up low Bluetooth speaker and I started playing reeling in the air. She's like, we have to listen to something else.
00:19:27
Speaker
And then I was texting my friend, Jake from Grey Matter, who's also the Dan Head. Shout out, Jake. I love you. We've just been texting back and forth. Like, dude, have you seen the 2003 bonus DVD, Steely Dan Confessions, that came with Everything Must Go? And he's like, no. And I was like, you gotta watch it. So I put him onto that. He's like, have you read Donald Fagan's autobiography? And I was like, no. So I put on Hold It The Library. Dude. What are you, like, number 30? They only have five copies. I don't know. No one else wants it.
00:19:58
Speaker
I'm gonna pick that shit up tomorrow. Sick. Loving stuff other people hate is the best. Dude, it's it's so fucked. It's like the Sopranos. Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in.
00:20:12
Speaker
so like my I actually blame Jeremy, my boss, shout out ah for sort of like spawning this obsession. Because we like i've i've like I've liked the band for a long time. um Like my parents played The Last Delayed Anne when I was growing up. So like I've never had like an aversion to them, ah the with the way that like a lot of people in the punk scene have.
00:20:33
Speaker
but A couple weeks ago, Jeremy was like, dude, have you seen the Making of Asia like documentary? It's crazy. And I was like, oh okay, isn is it how crazy can it be? And I watched it and I was like, that was crazy. And then like and then so i'll just I'll just spend like all day listening to Steely Dan and thinking about Steely Dan and reading about Steely Dan. And then I'll get to work and I'm just like trying to put on other music, like listen listening to you know friends bands or whatever. And Jeremy comes in and he's like, dude, I learned the solo to peg. And I'm like, no, here we go. And then I have to listen to Steely Dan for the rest of the day.
00:21:05
Speaker
It's so fucked dude. and okay
00:21:10
Speaker
um So man, what's your like, uh, what's like rank it. Like, I don't, I know so little about Silly Dan. Like what, what, right like what, where should people start? Like now that you're, I just, let should we talk about mess? I feel like I'm going to embarrass myself myself going in about the Dan dude, the Dan, the Dan that's, that's a real heads. Call it real. Any, any major, I'll tell you it's called the Dan.
00:21:35
Speaker
I know that it's a vibrator, right? Or like a sex coin? That's the only thing I know about Steely Dan. I found that out and i I told Hope and she can't get enough of that. She thinks it's the funniest thing. So then every time I read Steely Dan, she's like, did you tell them about the dildo? And I was like, yeah, dude. Yeah. Of course I did. Of course I did. That's a great story. Yeah. What do you say about making it? I'm a Dan head. Of course I told them about the dildo thing. Oh my God, that clip's so bad. I'm so sorry.
00:22:05
Speaker
all right we'll talk about mess oh okay yeah yo when you invite me back for the steely dan episode it's fucking on actually okay new patron exclusive right here new idea just dropped they have they have that song cousin dupree where he mentions being in a ska band babylon sisters has a reggae groove umma It's there. It's it's just saying it's no less crazy than any of the other episodes you're on. That's what I'm saying, dude. We threw the rule book out. All the fucking episode. Y'all can come guest. Don't threaten me with a good time.
Mest's Ska-Punk Beginnings
00:22:43
Speaker
I'm just kidding. Honestly, I would I would fuck that up so bad. You're so good at this Rob.
00:22:47
Speaker
but I, that would be like, it could be like that, that podcast analyze fish where, uh, they were trying, where, um, Harris Whittles was trying to convince Scott Ockerman that fish is a good band and would just play playlists for him the whole episode and try to get it to get into it. And then even took him to a fish concert and gave him like a whole bunch of like roadside drugs to try to get the ah yeah authentic fish experience.
00:23:15
Speaker
Yeah, it just could not do it. It was like the whole concept was is like 10 episodes, could not get him into fish no matter how already tried. It was really genius. So anyway, I'm into it. I'm i'm willing to be convinced and become a Dan head. I don't know if I want to give you this burden.
00:23:36
Speaker
that's fair it heavy is the the shoulders that carry the steely heavy is the heavy is the dan it holds steel i don't fucking know yeah we we were dancing around it and then just lost it still dancing around it oh there we go there we go ladies and gentlemen we got it thank you all right so what is your history with mist all right um i Surprisingly, do you have a history? ah so um my My cousins, Zach and Brett, shout out. ah When I was in middle school, probably, I was visiting them. They lived in Utah. i We were just talking about music, and I was like very into punk at the time, of course, and like getting into Sublime and, like honestly, like getting into Ska and stuff.
00:24:23
Speaker
And they were like very like heads over heels in a bro reggae. And they made me this like mixtape thumb drive that just had like a bunch of pepper and slightly stupid and just like bro ass reggae bands. And then it had hotel room by Mest. So just like drenched drenched in like flip flops and then just Mest.
00:24:44
Speaker
but And I just, I never, I never went further than that. I was like, this song bangs, but never let, never listened to any of their other songs until like, honestly, until we, I was putting together that sunny pop punk playlist. And I was like, maybe, maybe next has to be on it, right? Yeah. Cadillac had to be on there. Yeah. I mean, you, you have to have to. Yeah. yeah So that's, that that's my history with mess. Not, not a ton, but not nothing. Yeah. Shout out. Shout out slightly stupid.
00:25:15
Speaker
You know what? Shout out slightly stupid. Yeah, okay. Yeah, true. Why not? Yeah. I can't stop talking about how much I love that record. The sublime we have at home. All right. Let's let's do it. Let's get into the time, Scoshy. And I guess it's time. Yep.
00:25:42
Speaker
The time Scoshin' takes us back to the year 1995, with a band formed by the Lovato clan of Matt, Matt's cousin Tony, Tony's brother Steve, and friend Nick in the Blue Island neighborhood of Chicago. That's right, they're not from California. Blew my mind. Whoa. Maybe the first fact of this whole thing that I could not wrap my head around. Yeah, that doesn't that doesn't make any sense. Can you even have long Dickies in Chicago?
00:26:09
Speaker
Not in the winter. Not in the winter, yeah. That's what I'm saying, dude. Maybe they migrate, like ducks? Like, they just pick up and go? We've got to make the pilgrimage to Los Angeles. They just follow, like, they just get through Iowa or whatever and pick up 311 on the way and then just head on down. The big V? Actually, they're from Nebraska. That's what it is. Baa. Somewhere around there. It's all corn to me, man.
00:26:36
Speaker
They live close to each other and learn to play at the age of seven using borrowed instruments from their parents. After getting their name from a can of Milwaukee's Best, Milwaukee's Best, M-E-S-T, and they slapped together a demo cassette titled DAT DAT UH OH.
00:26:51
Speaker
and he hit the Chicago club circuit where they gained a cult following. Steve eventually called it quids bringing in Jeremiah Rangel to create the most well-known lineup of the band. um Let, i I have one track from Dat Dat Uh-Oh. Okay, so like. Oh, yeah, go ahead. So like, but behind the scenes, like you DM me and you're like, we're gonna do this episode. Listen to these three records. I had already listened to this terrible rip of Dat Dat Uh-Oh oh no Like only only to realize that like I should have just checked the fucking track list for like the the first real album knowing that like the The way like things were in that era all of these songs would eventually make it onto the shitty debut album So like I yeah suffered through this like like side B is or at least in this person's upload is just like super warbly like really weird stereo separation like like The right channels perfect, but the left channels like swerving in and out
00:27:45
Speaker
It was, I was like, I was like working out and trying to listen to this and I was like, oh, this is even worse than I thought it would be. You think cassette ripping technology has peaked, but no, still where it was before. Yeah, apparently. Jeez. All right, let's listen to the song Prisoner so we can get an idea. This is track one from Dap, Dap, Uh Oh by Mess. Dap, Dap, Uh Oh.
00:28:09
Speaker
I have to say, the taste in hip-hop is so white. Oh, dude. Yeah, yeah. It's unreal. This sounds like ah like a garage or basement recording from that time, yeah. 95 or something.
00:28:30
Speaker
I mean, it sounds multi-tracked, maybe.
00:28:35
Speaker
I don't know, it's not very good.
00:28:46
Speaker
This is way more punk than the first album yeah is for sure. Yeah, this is like, this is like we've we've heard the at addicts in maybe Green Day a couple times.
00:29:03
Speaker
Yeah, it almost has like kind of a like a misfits kind of thing going on. where The chord structures are and stuff. Yeah. At least minor threat. I know that from that one song. Oh, no. Or he talked about minor threat. Yes, he did. So I assume maybe because in that song he talks about I don't remember which one it is. I think it comes up later. Talks about not being able to buy it. So maybe he never actually got it. Maybe. I believe. ah So after not being able to get noticed of their demo, they decided to form their own label, Dead End Records, and self-release their first proper album, Mo Money, Mo 40 Ounce, in 1997. Dog, come on. Produced by Bernie Mac. Yes, that Bernie Mac. I hope so. The original king of Star Tracks recording in Chicago, known for producing the tossers. Who did you think I was talking about?
00:30:00
Speaker
the other one the guy that invented the Big Mac. The Big Mac. Bernie. Bernie. Bernard Mac. Yeah, Bernard Mac. He was a tall guy. Yeah, let's get into it. I had another little, but we should actually start listening to it. Let's play the first track I have cued up. Same old, same old. Messed. More money, more 48s. Okay, so. The more I say it, the more I hate saying it.
00:30:30
Speaker
Yeah, i to I had to tell my coworker what I was listening to when he walked in today and I was just i was like, this is bad. You know, I will say some nice things first that the drums and bass sound on all of this sound pretty good for how cruddy everything else is, to be honest. For sure. It it definitely like checks.
00:30:53
Speaker
checks like Oh god, that's right. This got this is like a bunch of believers, like... Yeah, dotcor not good. Yeah, these the all all the ska on this record is very much just like, I've heard a couple ska songs, I'm gonna give it a go!
00:31:13
Speaker
Yeah, it it's definitely... This album, I hated listening to it, but it also like gave me like a view back into what it was like to be in a band at 17. I really feel like like the way the songs are written are like objectively bad, but they're also like the same kind of bad that millions of other kids who are writing songs at this time.
00:31:48
Speaker
You know what I mean? They couldn't all be Operation Ivy. No. So it was endearing to listen to for me because it really reminded me of like my first band, like my band in high school, you know? i felt I felt some of that too. Like my my first band, same thing. Like if i had if I had been them writing these songs, you know, massaging aside, I would have been like, this is this shit is so cool. We're we're doing the thing.
00:32:13
Speaker
Like totally. And like, yes, like you said, listening to it, I like that felt felt an affinity for it for sure. Yeah, let's let's ah let's let's get into our feelings. I have many. um But let's start with our guest. Like we're talking about Mo Money, Mo Foodhance. Honestly, just like I feel like every song on that record just sounds like the song we just heard. And yeah, yeah I feel like it's really long. It's really samey. They didn't. they So long.
00:32:42
Speaker
it just they they They needed a producer. They need to learn how to write songs. and it's It's definitely like a means it's a means to an end. like I ah tend to like look at all bands and artists first few records like that. like In the grand scope of things, like you know jokekes jokes aside, like you got you got to start somewhere. and i appreciate I always appreciate artists and folks like putting stuff out like yeah regardless of whether or not it's objectively good or whatnot because that's that's the only way you learn. and that's oh yeah You can't like toil on something and edit something forever. You have to put it out and be done with it and move on in order to improve. right They were prolific too. like When you think about
00:33:25
Speaker
Like the time stamp between a lot of their records is real short. Like the next two come out a year apart from each other. The other thing that I that ah that i will say about that first record too is I think that it might be, I don't know, you might have more info on it, but I feel like that.
00:33:43
Speaker
Maybe is kind of chronological because I felt like the first handful of songs every time there was a tempo change or a shift like that, like it was super noticeable and the tempo was all wacky. and Dude, like there were questionable D beats on there.
00:33:59
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. Like it was rough. And it was clear they weren't playing to a click or anything like that. yeah But the last two or three tracks on the record sound a lot more like their two next albums. right So I'm wondering if the first batch was like an EP they recorded or if they recorded it in batches, you know what I mean? could be yeah because Because that would make a lot of sense for the sound of the record. I think i think the songs that they had on the that, that whatever it's called. Yeah. de yeah Thank you, Rob. You're welcome. They ended up like towards the end of that record, but like they weren't the because like the closing song, I like, I think I legitimately like on Spotify went and saved that song because I, I did actually like it. Yeah. The last called three songs i I did the same. I was like, is this the same record? Did Spotify like, did it switch over to the next record? And I was like, Oh no, this is still at the end of this one.
00:34:59
Speaker
it's ah So I will say the the length of it is something I definitely noticed right away. And not just the length of the record an hour long, which is ridiculous. hour and seven minutes An hour and seven minutes, which is insane for a Scott Punk record. And the songs are pushing like four minutes each. yeah Like they do not get edited down for a time. like they're not It's not a punchy record.
00:35:23
Speaker
This song could be punchy. Like in two and a half minutes, I'm like, I got it. Let's move on. And yeah, it just keeps going. But that's, that work that's what you do when you're, when you're that age and when you're, when you're learning, you're just like, this song feels good. We're going to run it for four minutes. Why not? I'm having fun. And we got all these songs. Let's put them all out. Yeah. they We're in seven minutes. Let's go.
00:35:48
Speaker
Why not? Yeah, i and this came out in the summer of ska. It's important to note. that Oh, this is a 97 release. Yeah. Okay. This is contemporaneous. They're paying attention. yeah Yeah. No, they were. um Let's face it. ah They weren't paying attention until 2000.
00:36:04
Speaker
where That's good. That's really good. That's why you're the pro. Um, but I think that that also, like there is a lot of Scott on here. It's a lot yeah like more than I was expecting. Like I knew they had some Scott is like what I knew about messed. I didn't know that that they had a full blown Scott punk record is, is what they delivered in 97.
00:36:30
Speaker
Yeah, to be honest, and until I listened to that, like, so I listened to that debt. Oh, first, right. And then there was like, our ska song. And I was like, Oh, I'll ah like, I, in my head, I was like, I just just skip ahead to this gossip. Don't don't suffer through like, the the bland punk rock. But I i didn't, I tough it out. And I got to the ska song. And I was like,
00:36:52
Speaker
oh so they were a ska band but it's probably just on this record and they just asked me to come on because it's a band that has one ska song and we're just gonna banter for banter through the rest of them and then same thing listening to this record was like oh most of it is ska yeah and then like i got to hotel room like on the next record and i was like this has ska groups too i literally never noticed Yeah. Yeah. It's like there's more Ska in Mest than there is in Millenkollen, a band that has been labeled as a Ska fanfare. For sure. Yeah. Absolutely. yeah Yeah. Yeah. People love to claim them as a Ska band. Yeah, they do. And we did an episode on it where that we determined, not a Ska band. Nope. Those are probably the worst songs on those records. Oh, dude. and That guitar tone on those records. well so Oh, yeah. i we We're listening to. right Let's play our Scott song. It's there. let me go to we got and get it This is the mess Scott song. Yeah, cause god it's got a horn. And the I did my research. The horn section is some random horn line in Chicago. Nobody special. I mean, I'm sure they're special.
00:38:01
Speaker
bo drum batter stick good toris poca po out yeah
00:38:18
Speaker
It's such a 17-year-old written album. Like yeah all of the content is written as a 17-year-old boy. There's something charming about that. I guess to to those of us who have been 17-year
00:38:37
Speaker
But yeah, they're not pro coaches. You know, like they're not above their age. No, they yeah they're not world-weary. No, no, no. no They were playing their N64 in the basement when they wrote this, you know. For sure. ah ah Man, Joey, Joey, what about you? I got, I got Ike's opinion. but what ah the Scale of 10. Oh, this is rough. It was real bad. um ah Like I said, it was, I didn't enjoy listening to it. I kept looking at the, how many songs there were left.
00:39:10
Speaker
Because they were all so samey but after I listened to it Like I said the last two or three songs sounded like they were written later and recorded later and they were much better um And I think if they had edited if the album was half the length Yeah, um either by cutting like two thirds of the songs and then shrinking a bunch of them or by just cutting half of the songs and retooling a few of them a little bit I think it could have worked and been more listenable but it's it's it's it's rough but like I said it did have that nostalgic value and really brought me back to like high school band
00:39:49
Speaker
playing in a garage, playing like a show in a garage and having like six of your friends come over. You know what I mean? Like it was very much that. Yeah, absolutely.
00:40:00
Speaker
And ah just just it's 20 songs. I had a look at how many were on there. 20. That's a lot of songs. There is a song called Is This The End At The Age Of 17. So yeah, we're we're there. I have one more song cued up. It's Rebel Without A Reason. With A Reason. Rebel With A Reason. The opposite of a Rebel Without without A Cause. Right. Obviously. Right.
00:40:29
Speaker
So it's no surprise who their primary Scott influences are, like Sublime, probably Operation Ivy. Yeah. Definitely Goldfinger. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like i can't I can't separate it from Sublime just because of the 40s, 40s thing. And like i went i'm um'm I'm looking at the info for 40 ounce of freedom, and that record is 22 songs long. yes and then Yeah. And now we're in an hour and nine minutes or something? Yeah.
00:40:59
Speaker
That's crazy long too. Doesn't feel like it though. Doesn't feel like how long this one felt His vocal delivery, Tony, that's the singer, is a little bit punkier on this. Yeah, and it's a- A little snottier. Yeah, and when he, where he is trying to sing, he's not quite there yet. yeah Like, he's a much better singer by the next album, I feel like. Yeah. Maybe they did a bunch of touring. Maybe they put out this album and toured real hard and then did the next album or something. Like, who knows.
00:41:39
Speaker
Like, there's a good song here, you know what I mean? Yeah.
00:41:46
Speaker
Oh, man. I wrote so many songs exactly like this when I was seven. It's totally. Holy moly. Just a T-shaped power chords. Yeah, dude. Power chords in a T-shaped.
00:41:59
Speaker
i ah I guess we haven't really talked about their lyrics. I guess that's, they're right there. That song was about his guitar. There's songs about being a kid, there's songs about girls not liking him. Beer. There was a song about beer. The things that matter. Yeah, the things that matter. I don't really think it changes much. Yeah, that's what I was going to say. I didn't want to get super negative, but
00:42:31
Speaker
man listening through these three records lyrically they're pretty fucking rough that's it i will say like there's a lot to maybe i'm tipping my hat a little there's a lot to like on the future records yeah for sure the lyrics are not the thing you come for no um especially considering how they're sometimes like melodic geniuses where you're like i can't believe this earworm is still stuck in my head But you're like the words that are coming out of your mouth. I can't sing it out loud because it's fucking embarrassing. We'll get we'll get to it. We'll get to it. Yeah, we'll get to it. So ah we'll close off more money. We'll 40 ounce and let's take a break. And when we get back next to records. Oh, what the fuck you doing with your life these days? Welcome back to Checker Pass. We're here with Eichler's once again, and we're talking messed.
Major Label Debut Shift
00:43:21
Speaker
All right. Let's get into back into their story. Yeah.
00:43:24
Speaker
The band leveraged the fact that they had a far better and far better produced offering, so they sent it to numerous agencies and places in the world hoping that someone, anyone, would take a chance on them. The demo made its rounds and got snuffed by everyone from MCA to Universal to Sony BMG for making its way to a large metropolitan newspaper agency. There the demo ended up in the hands of a very mild-mannered,
00:43:47
Speaker
the spectacle reporter who was just off the phone giving a 20 cent goodbye to one of his leads. Intrigued by the mysterious CD in his hands, he put it into his Sony Sports Discman and hit play. He saw through his mind's eye that he had the answers to his prayers, a hit. Soon his boss walked in and asked the question he knew was coming. Who the hell are you and why are you in my office? And John Feldman knew it was time to leave. He ended up at his real job at Maverick, where he used his connections to secure Mest a record deal and a beautiful friendship was formed.
00:44:16
Speaker
Here's what Tony had to say. We got the call from Feldie and it was really a dream come true. He got us this crazy record deal with hotel accommodations, a full studio and some serious walking around money. He told us to just keep counting the days till we were in the studio miles away from our stomping grounds of Chicago. But then right as he was about to hang up the phone, he said something about us not blowing his secret identity, whatever that meant.
00:44:38
Speaker
Oh well, we were going to be rockstars even if only for a day. In 1999, Mest was in the studio and it was everything that he ever dreamed of and more. There, waiting for them was a tricked out tour bus, brand spanking new gear, and John Feldman himself waiting to produce the record.
00:44:53
Speaker
Tony said this, he saw us and his eyes lit up. He leapt over this huge Lego skyscraper he was building, in a single bound no less, just to shake our hand. my god The band knew that he had to get the songs out and with Feldy's help they turned through their rough ska-punk tunes into bonafide hits. They knew they would stay with this man forever and he made them feel like kings for a day, every day.
00:45:13
Speaker
no A Maverick spokesman said this, the band in Feldy clicked right away. It was just like heaven. Even when Feldy shouted one more time, the band gritted through the calluses and played even better. The resulting album was Met's first major label record, Wasting Time. Issued on Maverick in 2000, it featured the band's trademark pop punk meet ska sound with a bigger influence on radio friendly pop punk of the time such as Green Day, Good Charlotte, Blink 182. Let's talk about it. Wasting Time. Let's play that song that you brought up earlier.
00:45:43
Speaker
hotel room.
00:45:51
Speaker
we're talking yeah not now we're in i will i will never not like this this like that halftime popunk drum groove it will always always
00:46:05
Speaker
I had to look these lyrics up today because over the years I just had no fucking clue what he was saying. Yeah, I don't know if it was because I like took 20 some odd years off of listening to this band or whatever, but I remembered a lot of lyrics as I was listening back to it, but there was a lot where I was like, I have no idea what the fuck he was just talking about for like two and a half minutes. The way he says way I do goes wadoo, crazy. He's from No he's not. Stop it. Stop it.
00:46:39
Speaker
He got absolutely coached to fuck if I fell beyond this. Yeah. Yeah. I just I. You know that song? What? It's fucking good. That song. Holy shit. So good. So good. That song is. um Yeah, I hadn't listened to this record at all. Like ever. Yeah. Like this missed me completely. um And it would have been one of those like quote unquote guilty pleasures I would have had at the time, because it wouldn't have been cool, like bad religion or whatever else I was listening to. sure but But it would have been one of those ones where I'd be like, this is sick, I love it.
00:47:22
Speaker
And when I listened back to this, I'm like, fuck, this is really good. i Wasting time was it a hit for me when we listened back to it. Those lyrics though, man, not better. no Did not get better lyrics. Woof. Huge woof. Ike, how about you? How'd you feel about wasting time? A lot better. I feel like, I think just in in general, my feeling about Mest or like this era of Mest that we're talking about is just like, be to your pop punk.
00:47:52
Speaker
Like love it you had, you had your eight year, which is like the bands, the bands that you just mentioned. And then this was, yeah this was like the kids, the kids who like maybe couldn't, couldn't find Enema the state, but they like found this and they were like, these dudes got the same shorts. And then they picked this.
00:48:11
Speaker
Or like the tour came through town at like the venue that was like a 1500 cap. And this was just like the band that could fill that cap and you bought the CD at the show or whatever. for sure Like, yeah, you know, like totally. Yeah. And I mean, like I, I say this like without, without like undo shade, like that's just, that's just the way it is.
00:48:31
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. And they got to tour the country off this. like either they They got to tour the Europe and Japan. like this These records, these next two that we're talking about, made bank for them because it came out at the exact right time. Yeah. Top punk bands could do no wrong on the international stage. Yeah, this was the boom, right? Yeah. Yeah. Or like the- Right time. This is the boom? Yeah. That was a good one. Here comes the boom.
00:49:01
Speaker
Uh, Joey wasting time, missed. Oh, I mean, it's great. Like, I loved it. Like, I mean, that the as we said, the lyric content is a little rough, but this was, um, one of the two CDs that I remember being in like the CD book that me and my friends used and like listened to stuff for skateboarding music. Like.
00:49:24
Speaker
We'd drive a car someplace where we wanted to skate. And one of these CDs would go in the CD player in the car and you'd open the doors and crank up the music and skate until you got bored of whatever was there and move on. And this was in very, very heavy rotation. What's the dealio is like?
00:49:42
Speaker
ah certified jam. We gotta, we gotta listen to it. god is It's insane. Dude, all so good all you have to do is just like hear that phrase and then the the entirety of the song is stuck in your head. It's fuck right it's crazy how catchy the song is. and yes it's gone so long yeah And it's a much better constructed ska song, even if it's added barest bones. yes yeah it still It still does feel like a bunch of white guys who've never heard a real ska, playing ska. But it's like newfound glory enough that it like works. yeah Oh yeah, no, I'm not i'm not mad at it. I'm just calling no i i seize it yeah that's like That's the dillium.
00:50:32
Speaker
then And then they do this part. The fucking harmony, dude. Yep. And the harmony? Yeah, the harmony is so good. Lashing harmony on the second run of the chorus. So good. They knew how to get the crowd jumping. I want to play a game, though, because there's a line in that song all right let's see that is repeated several times, and it just doesn't need to be in there.
00:50:59
Speaker
The lyrical content of that song is actually totally fine, except for she's not just another whore. Right. Oh, terrible. Dude, I didn't even notice that. It's the only bad line in the song. I was blinded by that hook. I know, right? So let's play. Off the top of your dome, do you have a line you could replace? Anything better than that?
00:51:25
Speaker
um I like cheese sandwiches. yeah but I mean, you can say anything literally. I was like, I i thought of that earlier when I was listening i say because you want it to rhyme with more. Is that yeah okay? and And it could be anything. She's the girl that I adore. Yeah, I'm waiting at her door. There's a lot of her to my core.
00:51:48
Speaker
There are, if they had taken 22 seconds in the studio to rewrite that one line. And like all of all of those other lines you just suggested are like Tony Lovato approved. Like those would not be out of place.
00:52:04
Speaker
Right? And it makes sense for the song. like it just it like it There are like these kind of edgelord lines yeah throughout this entire album that just don't even need to be there. He is 20 at this time too, which is bananas. Totally. Again, too much too much money, too much time at too young an age. You know what I mean?
00:52:24
Speaker
I guess. And Feldy is right there. You know, this is the this is the I think this is the beginning like gold finger, obviously, because this would have been stomping grounds era gold finger that he produced this. And this is when we see the evolution of John Feldman, the producer begin. I think right now he hasn't quite gone. Oh, boy. Oh, yeah. The auto tunes not like. cra It's a crank on this. Yeah, that's right. But it's getting there.
00:52:52
Speaker
Yeah, but we're this is this is where it begins. I think like in the chronology of his production. Yeah, this would be is really early on. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That makes sense. Like what they used was probably his biggest record after this. Like that hadn't happened yet. Right. Right. Right. Oh, it's just yeah about that fucking song. What's the deal? Oh, man. Oh, my God. It's so good. but Just say sing your own make up a line. Just make up a line to make up a line and replace like he's saying something else.
00:53:20
Speaker
They put out an album, like, recently. I think it shows he changed it. Like, I know that I've seen The Descendants in the last, like, handful of years and they've, like... edited a few of their unsavory lines from the eighties to make them like, good for them. That's awesome. Yeah. Hell yeah. And I was like, thank you, Milo. You like are a respectable older punk rocker. That's great. Um, so I wonder if they're they've messed has done anything of the sort. Um, my understanding is that the new version of messed is just Tony and guns for hire. I think they think like that's what I noticed on, on the Wikipedia page earlier.
00:53:56
Speaker
Yeah, interesting I think this was a fire the band get my own guys kind of situation. Okay. yeah worth yeah It is what it is. Yep. If you got if you got all the rights. um I have another song queued up from this one. It's called I don't even know change. Oh, yes. I remember this one. this is The sublime another earworm. it's funny They're all pretty irritating. This album's pretty catchy. 14 songs, 46 minutes.
00:54:32
Speaker
I did feel like it was a little long. It's a bit, but an improvement. Yeah, an improvement. A vast improvement. Yeah. And for me, like kind of 30 to 40 minutes is usually like that, maybe high 20s, but like 30 to 40 minutes is usually kind of a sweet spot. So 47 is not. I think for like a mainstream pop punk record, you're getting exactly what you need. Yep. Yep.
00:54:58
Speaker
The bass playing in this song is really, really good. Yes.
00:55:11
Speaker
guitarist is the other singer.
00:55:17
Speaker
Those harmonies are great. The harmonies are great. Yes. Yeah. And they sound really good on this one in particular. Yeah. There wasn't a whole lot of that in that first record. No. They didn't really harmonize. They did some like shouting that wasn't harmonized a little bit, right? Yeah. Part of me wants to remark on the vocal production on that first record, but even that is just giving it too much credit. It's just like Tony singing because that's what you do. There's no thought of.
00:55:45
Speaker
vocal production you're just like i mean like i'm the singer on the same song sorry and you could you could hear the singing in the mix it's good there it is it's right there it is ah Yeah, what is our last thoughts on this particular album, Wasting Time? What's Adilio's fucking jam? This album has definitely, a had like, Hotel Room is a killer song. There's yeah probably three or four super killer songs, but I think the next album is my mess, holy grail. Yeah, I feel like- I think so.
00:56:16
Speaker
I feel like this album definitely like show showed them the way into the 90 to 100 BPM like jumpy pop punk like yeah vibe. That's like that's like where where they found it. And then they're just going to rock with that from here on out. So I feel like it serves its purpose in that. And honestly, a fun listen. To be honest, like listening I listened to this like all day at work today just to like make sure I was acquainted enough to to chop with you all on this. and I was just like, you know, like, like I mentioned earlier with with my Dan kick, like I've been jamming that nonstop, like blasting it from my desk at work. And I was like embarrassed when people would walk into the room and I was listening to Mest.
00:56:58
Speaker
like i would I would turn it down and I i feel bad about that because I like don't really believe in guilty pleasures in music, but I was like, talk. I mean, either yeah yeah. But sometimes you have to turn down a little bit. Especially when it's like assignment listening because then you're just like, I'm listening to this because I have to. yeah i that's that's like like Straight up when I was listening to Mo Money, Mo 40 ounces and my coworker Kyle walks in for the day, I'm just like,
00:57:26
Speaker
um it's pretty much like it's not what it looks like but and but the way but it like like i'm not actually i'm not actually enjoying this this is this is for this is for worth please bro you gotta believe me bro
00:57:42
Speaker
All right, let's continue on. How did you feel about that album one? I yeah loved it. so and it like it total I really enjoyed it. When it was over, I was like, wow, that was fun. like I like had a good time. hell yeah And I was like like, I don't know if I'll...
00:58:01
Speaker
necessarily go back and listen to it again, but like it was it was almost like it brought me back to that era to discover something I had never heard before from that era. which was a fun That was fun. You know what I mean? like yeah it's almost I call it a blast from a but the past, but in like a reverse way. It's almost like vibe music.
00:58:23
Speaker
Like you put it, I don't want to say background music cause it, cause it like demands a little more attention than background music, but like it definitely like gets you to that, that era and that like, it checks enough of those pop punk boxes, but it's at the same time unremarkable enough to just be there and not need your full attention. I don't know. That's just like, ah yeah. Yeah. I thought I hadn't seen him earlier today.
00:58:50
Speaker
If you were like at the beach or like skateboarding or or doing something, it's definitely like great, just background pop punk like and not in a diminishing way. Oh, for sure. just yeah like ah like That's a sweet jam to have on while you're doing whatever. Well, like like when you were telling your anecdote about blasting it from the car and skating, I was like, that sounds fucking perfect. Exactly. and like you wouldn't war You wouldn't really put on like I couldn't think of like A tier pop punk records that I would like, I wouldn't put on Dude Ranch and do that because I'm too engrossed in listening to Dude Ranch or Enemo of the State. But like this you put on and you're like, what's the dealio comes on and you start singing that and then just the next tracks roll and you're just like smiling and doing your thing. Like it's cool. For sure. There's there's space in the world for it. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Shut up. Shut up, Tony and co.
00:59:46
Speaker
Feldy took the ban on their first national tour with Goldfinger and were ready to once again hit their tricked out studio to get Lightning to strike twice. But things began to take a turn and Mess were not amused. Feldy's idiosyncratic attitude began to take its toll on the recording process, sometimes star staring at the control panel, willing it to move and attempting to lift the tour bus over his head. ah And in one strange moment, blowing air from his mouth at a small studio fire to put it out for a studio tech could run in with a brought fire extinguisher.
01:00:16
Speaker
Tony said this, eventually he wanted to pick a fight. I told him to put the knife away, but he took a swing at my head and I ran for it. I felt hopeless. The album eventually did see the light of day, 2001's Destination Unknown, issued once again on Maverick and seeing the band distance themselves even more from Ska and embracing a bit of reggae rock, 311, Sugar Ray, all that fun stuff. All right, let's listen to the single. This is the big one. oh yeah This is Cadillac.
01:00:46
Speaker
This is... This song made me really wish I was old enough to get a nautical star tattoo somewhere.
01:00:55
Speaker
and Unfortunately, it's a hit. Oh yeah. 8 million streams on Spotify quadruple the next closest mess song. Fucking run them up and check ahead. Honestly, this fucking lint biscuit ass opening riff just like... Right? So sick. So sick.
01:01:14
Speaker
I also love that this that pop punk group. did and did dan to dan dan yeah This song is like a fucking-10 song. So good. Now we're gonna roll.
01:01:34
Speaker
I like that this is... Dude, it's just it so of the era, but it's so good. So good. It's like Spirit Halloween. Good Charlotte. That's what I'm saying, dude. It's, it's so good, but like it's, it's a fucking hit. i it It was a hit. It was a monster. Yeah. and I watched the video, but a lot.
01:02:01
Speaker
Oh dude, it yeah it's another track three. They decided that the hit the hits were track three on the record because um that's where Delio is on the last record. So this yeah that's we put the hit this was two back to the Delio.
01:02:15
Speaker
but that ah uh that's young mc on the scratches no du part of this record yes he produced part of this record wild which is wild too but i mean it makes sense for all the like hip-hop stuff well and also like this is we're into the era now where If there's a part where it goes half tempo, there's gonna be a bass bomb in there. yeah And so they needed people who knew what they were doing in the studio and make that sound good. 2001, one year, that's the only difference between those two records. They dillioed the studio, went on tour with Goldfinger, fucking Cadillac'd it again. They just were like, we're on one right now, we know it. That's crazy. And that is an autobiographical song, apparently, the Cadillac song. Like, it is literally about him breaking up with his girlfriend, buying a Cadillac with his, with his Maverick money, and then singing a song about how cool his Cadillac is. If it's the one in the video, yeah I mean, he made his choice and it wasn't okay. one
01:03:29
Speaker
I remember the car in the video being pretty sick. He apparently loved that car. Tony loved the Cadillac. It's a real car. I bet you him and Travis. ah Travis showed him Cadillacs and he was like, I need to buy all of the famous stars and scraps stuff. And I used to buy a Cadillac. New personality just dropped.
01:03:48
Speaker
hundred percent. He stopped wearing shirts at that point. Yeah, this is the shirtless era. He got more taps out and stopped wearing shirts. That's what I'm saying, dude. Definitely. He met Travis Barker and was like, coughing your whole thing. Thanks, bro. Yeah. It's crazy what a year of different makes because he like really dialed into that lurk like within 365 days. He's like, this is my, this is me now.
01:04:13
Speaker
That had to be like, they had to be warping, right? Oh yeah, they were warping. Yeah, they were warping. Okay. Yeah. Big Warped Band. Yeah. So they were meeting everybody. They were doing all the, they were, they were at punk rock summer camp getting, getting all the tips from everybody. So like, how do you feel about Destination Unknown, the follow-up, the sophomore, uh, major label album?
Destination Unknown Analysis
01:04:35
Speaker
I, I liked it more. I wasn't surprised that there was less Ska.
01:04:40
Speaker
I feel like, i I was surprised that there was so much Ska on um the the one of Wasting Time. I was surprised that that that still had more Ska. I figured that... We didn't talk about that. It had like four or five Ska songs on it, like almost a bunch of Ska. Yeah, it was like 40, almost 50% Ska for sure. I just feel like the the general like theme of like a lot of these bands that like popped off post summer of Ska, they were like, Ska is in, let's do ska. And then everyone dropped it by the time that they fell into their own and got big. So listening through the last record, I was i was surprised how much there was. And then we got to this one. I just remember listening through the first time and I was like, not a ska song, not a ska song, not a ska song. Where's the ska? Is it all gone? And then I got to the ska song. I liked it though, you know, like cringy, cringy lyrics aside, like my my favorite one out of the three, for sure.
01:05:35
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. What's different about it that you liked more? Is it is it all the, you know, kind of more modern kind of trappings about it, like that it had metal in it? I i think so. Just I love I love that. Just the the fucking jump riff and Cadillac is just it colors the whole record for me. You put that in. I'm just like, and and I have to agree. i There's something good, Charlottey and like a little bit of like Olympus kit.
01:06:04
Speaker
Um, not musically, but just like stylistically, boneheadedness. Yeah. Like a, like, uh, inherent boneheaded. Yeah. That I just, this album, this is the one for me for sure. Uh, but it's still like, I still will say, cause this one came out 2001. You said, yeah.
01:06:24
Speaker
They were still holding the torch for Ska longer than a lot of people. For sure. A lot of other bands. That's what I'm saying, dude. Yeah. Like, pretty respectable. Because this one, you know, one and a half songs. But like, by this point, all of the other contemporary bands had zero songs for a couple of years. Looking at you, no doubt. Right? Yeah, and we'll get there. Me? They were still returning to Saturn. You specifically, Joey. Yeah. Joey Kanal.
01:06:53
Speaker
ah Play a play drawing board. Let's play that one because's Yeah, that's a this is a remixed ah version of this song oh song so nice. They put it on an apple Okay, so i yeah, I want I wanted to talk about that like Rob Did you come across that in your research like any reason that like it's like yeah they got the reason why this song is on both albums is because they got a Banger mixer actually never can pronounce this dude Oh Chris crystal algae Yes, that guy. They got him to come in and remix the song. And so they were like, well, he's a hit maker. So it is making it. It is literally the same recording, just remix. Yeah, remix. Oh, oh wow. it It does sound a lot better. Yeah, like a lot. Identical. Yeah, that's crazy. The vocals are bananas in comparison to the other version. And and honestly, like I'm not I was like a little mad at the circumstance of them putting essentially the exact same copy of the exact same song on both records. But then I got to it after listening through the rest of the record. And the fact that I already knew it just like filled me with joy. I was just like very happy to hear that guitar riff. I was like, yeah, let's go.
01:08:05
Speaker
And it honestly fits better on this record hundred first straight for Way more that, that blink one 82, just like that guitar riff sound yeah way more in line super blue. Yeah. Yeah. Uh, whereas the, and I think because also like the tone of this record is not as goofy as the last one too. Like it's definitely more like, uh, yeah, it, this album is definitely more like.
01:08:31
Speaker
Uh, like heartache and lovesick type of yeah song. Yeah, it's more introspective. For sure. Yeah, because of it's a breakup record, basically, apparently. I mean, again, still a little cringy. Top down seat back, baby.
01:08:46
Speaker
yeah Yeah, still singing about cars. That didn't go away, but yeah, this is ah this is a wild ride of ah of of an album. still Still got feldy, still there, ah still sounds like it. Okay, I got one more. I did pick the one ah Scottish reggae-ish song. Like reggae song? it was It's pretty good. Oh, really? This is this is like a a low of the record for me.
01:09:12
Speaker
That's fair. It doesn't fit. It's real out of place. so like on my like these These are all saved because I added them to that playlist. And then Reason is not on there because it doesn't fit the sunny popcorn vibe. I think chel Chelsea's not on there. I can't remember why though. I think I see acoustic songs. I'm a sucker for like this style of like like that kind of dubby drums and wow what did see a'sline i like What does this remind you of? like I don't even know. It's so familiar. It's kind of a...
01:09:51
Speaker
I don't even know it's not it's not sublime II I mean it isn't like origin but not maybe like maybe kind of 311 II sort of maybe yeah a Little yes, so not not not the main singer guy from 311 camera I feel bad for blanking on his name Nick. Excellent. Okay, they're not Nick Hexum guy that sings Okay, the other 11 songs sounds like yeah Yeah, kind of but yeah something kind of in in that vein Which is weird because I don't love 311. That's not like my favorite style But when a band does especially band from this era yeah does that style a track? I'm kind of a sucker for sure reason I could I could see that
01:10:32
Speaker
The other song, the other ska song is moving on, which was the bonus track, the hidden track. Well, and wasn't that also? They're guilty of reusing a lot of songs, right? I believe that was off of that first record. I think so, too, if I remember. And I think it was revamped and much better. I believe so. Maybe not or now um now. I don't remember. But you. Oh, speaking of. Yeah, totally. Didn't talk. It is. It is right. Yeah, yeah.
01:11:00
Speaker
The bonus track on the Wasting Time was Fuck the Greyhound Bus. Yeah. Oh yeah. That was this record of that one. Right.
Pop Punk and Hardcore Influences
01:11:09
Speaker
And that song ripped. I forgot all about that. That was so good.
01:11:14
Speaker
But again, that partially does feel like a little Goldfinger-y because it's a lot like that fuck LA song yeah off the first Goldfinger record. To me, erect it reminded me of that Alistair song, None of My Friends Are Punks, maybe because it has like the exact same vocal melody almost.
01:11:32
Speaker
Or it's like a lot of the bands were doing it because AFI on Art of Drowning had that battled song that was the bonus track that was like three times as fast as the rest of the record.
01:11:43
Speaker
Uh, like a lot of those like pop punk bands would play at like mid tempos and then just write one real fast song for the end. I mean, a lot of them were influenced by like hardcore bands to begin with, and then kind of like played a more pop punk sound. I definitely know that I've.
01:12:00
Speaker
I don't always play the style of music I listen to, but sometimes I want my band to play that style. You know what I mean? yeah Yeah. So instead of doing a wacky, weird secret song, you could just do like a hardcore secret song. Right. Because those were the two choices, apparently. Get you a band that can do both. Any last minute thoughts on Destination Unknown by Mest?
01:12:25
Speaker
It's really sick for the album. Yeah, I mean, they they're just I can talk album covers. They are yeah they not in the band's album. I feel like the album covers match the lyrics in like a spiritual way. A hundred percent. I think this one this one has charm because it's just so like it's so California and the fact that like they're from Chicago just makes it even better. yeah do Tony Tony with his shirt off and is like fucking nautical star tattoos, dude. Let's go.
01:12:54
Speaker
Yeah. We're like the big, the big NorCal-est. There's three NorCal stars on this thing. Dude. No, there's five. It's fucked up, man. And that's that's fucked with a T. Shout out. That's fucked with a T. Because they are a fucked up kid. Yeah. When I when i saw that, I was like, that's that's the most messed song title. And then I heard the song. We did it. It was just pretty good.
01:13:18
Speaker
We didn't talk about the the album cover on wasting time, which is also very much of its time. It's it all of the more even the more 40s move whatever. on is atrocious But I agree though, this this destination unknown fucking rips fun album. Yeah, it's fun.
01:13:40
Speaker
if If that era of pop funk is your jam and you somehow missed it, go back and listen to it. Honestly, I think that what you just said hits hard, where it's like, look at the album cover. And if you vibe with that album cover in some way, you're just like, oh, shit, look at this. You can by judge this book by its cover 100 percent. Yeah.
01:14:06
Speaker
and you will not regret it no if you look at all three of the records we just talked about and you're like pass good hopefully gonna have a good time you're a stronger person than we are but in spite of their success messed had had enough of feldy's antics and it was too late for him so it was time to say goodbye they packed his stuff up in a duffel bag and showed him the door He turned around in the doorway and proclaimed, here I am gesturing to the studio, doing everything I can with tears streaming down his face, holding on to what I have, holding his duffel bag aloft, pretending
Humor and Samples in Music
01:14:40
Speaker
I must, and they slammed the door in his face to be continued. Wow. Yeah. It's a cliffhanger. Yeah, this I pulled this from Rob's fake facts.ca.
01:14:50
Speaker
Yeah, reputable website from Canada from Canada. Canadian domain. name They know a lot about missed. Close to i take goes to Chicago. Yeah. Close to Chicago. ri goes the border It's all in the family. In spite of it, we don't have a game today. But what I did do is ask our discord if they had any questions for you. Oh, that's fun. And I feel like they have a few a few here. Oh, tight okay. How are you so chill?
01:15:17
Speaker
i That's funny. I feel like i feel like people people tend to view me as chill and I feel like I am one of the least chill people I i know. um I think people people who know me really well would probably agree. My wife is like, you are just like a crazy person.
01:15:36
Speaker
I'm going to go on a limb here. I think that was, uh, happy. Okay. So for sure. Okay. Maybe it's so chill in the literal way. How are you so affable? How are you such a great guy? You know, that's like being nice to people. I think it's fun. That's it. That's it. Easy peasy. Shout out the marijuana brass, all caps. Joey, you know about that. I do.
01:16:05
Speaker
I had a hand in calling it that. Genius. Thank you for your service, Joey. You're welcome. It's truly one of my greatest accomplishments. What is the your favorite sample you've snuck into a song?
01:16:19
Speaker
Oh, that's good. there's ah Just most most recently, the the fucking SpongeBob sample that I put in, No Good Dudes, where it's the the fish going, you what? just every you know i like I mixed and mastered that record myself. It makes me laugh every time. And it's like, dude, same. And I've i've heard that song and that mix so many times that every time that part comes, I i giggle. It's so funny.
01:16:44
Speaker
And like very few people have remarked on it. There's also the Homestar Runner sample in So True Bestie. um I got a couple good ones in on this record, I'm saying. If you have oh yeah if you didn't pick up on those, go back go back and listen to it. There's some there's some gems. and I'm always just like dropping Easter eggs in the lyrics too and just like referencing stuff. For the screamo heads, there's There's a couple merchant ships references throughout the discography. Like, yeah, that's always, that's always fun. It's just like putting stuff from like bands that I don't think my fan base listens to in there that maybe some people do and they'll catch that and we're like, wait, so-and-so mentioned. Cause I always, I always enjoy like hearing that as a fan. So. I love digging for the Easter eggs. For sure. One of my favorite parts of an out of an Ike release. Indeed. yeah
01:17:29
Speaker
ah What is a genre of music you hope to explore more in the coming years? um Hardcore, actually. yeah i've been I've been writing a lot of songs. I'm currently in the process of like writing a record to start a band. um And I've been like listening to like a lot of a lot of hardcore, a lot of new metal.
01:17:52
Speaker
ah For a while I was talking to my friend Ian, I wanted to do like an all kinds of hardcore hardcore band because you know there's like hardcore punk and then there's like hardcore the EDM genre and I was like why not both? So I like I made a demo of a song that I can i can send y'all if you want to hear it.
01:18:09
Speaker
It doesn't have lyrics yet, but i can I'll send you like the instrumental. And I showed my friend Ian this, and I was like, I did it. I made a song. And then he he reminded me of this band. This wasn't wasn't in response to that. But there's this like amazing Japanese band called Dai Dai Color, who were around in like the late 2000s that like pretty much did exactly that. It was like Atari Teenage Riot, if they wrote songs instead of just Chance.
01:18:35
Speaker
um That's sick. And yeah, shout out DyeDyeColor, shout out Ian, shout out hardcore. um But yeah, that's that's next up. And so when you are listening to hardcore punk music, who are you listening to?
01:18:47
Speaker
ah Who have I been listening to? I've been listening to Steely Dan, man. Yeah, hard yeah that's the hardcore part. I've been hardcore into that Dan, you know what I mean? we could there's um' been I've listening to that thousand Thousand Mile Stair by Incendiary. That's pretty sick. Oh, dude, I discovered E-Town Concrete the other day.
01:19:10
Speaker
Y'all heard that? Yeah. Yeah. That's some real beat down. She is so sick, dude. Holy moly. Adam, Adam and I went and saw Bruce Lee band last night and I like hit the Omnigone chat when I finally got her under list. Cause I like heard the E-town concrete name for a while and I was like, Oh, this band's going to be cringe, isn't it? And then I put on this 2003 record Renaissance and it's, it's, it's, it's so rap.
01:19:33
Speaker
dude's rapping yeah straight rapping and just like the riffs the riffs are sick and i like hit the omnigun chat and adam was the only one who replied so we just like listened to e-town concrete on the way to the ska show yesterday it was sick there's also this like i've been listening to a lot of straight edge stuff earth crisis as like someone who's not straight edge it's very sick Oh, yeah, it's great. Yeah. And it's like this crisis is fucking scary music, man. Yeah. That's like for a bunch of like edge people. That's a scary band to listen to. For sure. And I was I was I was very, very pleased to find out that they were not immune to the new metal trend. No, like there nobody is. I had I had no idea that they went new metal. And then I was listening to what I found out later was their greatest hits. And I was like, wait, this is the same band. And then I saw pictures from the there. I was like, yo, dude's got the band and let's go.
01:20:22
Speaker
yeah They practically invented the breakdown, right? Like it all all roads lead to earth crisis. Dude, I've got this like really great arrangement in my head to make Firestorm like a ska song. I'm going to bring it to the boys and I'm just like, you i' I'm going to give it to them as like a gift to my to my straight edge friends. Like I'll sit on the side the side of the stage, you guys can play this.
01:20:44
Speaker
but like sick. That's awesome. So a lot of bands with like varsity logos then, yeah right? Yeah, dude. I just like the, the ignorant shit is really just like tickling, tickling the fancy for me. And i I think maybe that's why I've like run into the arms of Donald and Walter so hard is just because like,
01:21:02
Speaker
The Trumps?
01:21:07
Speaker
Just because the like, the Dan is like untouched by punk, like zero punk influence. Absolutely none. And so i break I've been listening to so much Steely Dan and so much as like, bonehead beat down hardcore. It's just like, itll it all just evens out. It is. I cannot wait for the next. Oh, it's gonna be fucked up. dude like With a T, with
Ska Musicians and Show Memories
01:21:30
Speaker
a T. With a T.
01:21:33
Speaker
Top three ska musicians in the scene right now. That's the last question we got. That's not fair. um It is not a fair question. Who's asking? Was Javi a camper? Oh my god. ah You motherfucker. Yeah. Hey. The marijuana brass. Marijuana brass. The marijuana brass. And um the marijuana brass. That's all I gotta say.
01:21:58
Speaker
shut up but ah real comfortton shit And that's all about doing for our episode today. Eichlers, man. Thanks for coming back on the show. We love having you. Thanks for having us. This is so fun. Damn it. What a pleasure. Every year. This has been like ah four years in a row now. Four peeps. No way. That's wild. That's crazy. That that is yeah crazy. said No doubt in our first year, then Sublime, then Sugar Ray. Now miss.
01:22:24
Speaker
ah's Wow, it's only hits we only do hits We only do it only play the hits I And I said this to Joey before we logged on but like the whole thing about mess not being from California fucked me up so bad because I had this vision of I only put California bands in front of you well and then like And then I fucked it up completely. Hey, dude, it's it's it's not your fault that they like clung so hard to the California lifestyle You were bamboozled by the album covers. A hundred percent. like but You looked at those album covers, you're like, there's no other possibility. That's pure marketing, baby. from yeah that's all yeah Maverick knew what's up. They knew how to sell a couple records.
Deluxe Edition Announcement and Closing Remarks
01:23:07
Speaker
What have you got to plug? um I would say stream Ike World. i got some I got some CDs. I got some records. If you don't have a copy of My Checker Future, pick that up. I got Ike World on CD. um I just finished yesterday um mastering the the deluxe edition of the record.
01:23:26
Speaker
So I got, I got 10 never before heard songs coming out for a deluxe edition, probably within the next couple months or so. So be on the lookout for that. Happy, happy birthday, Joey. Happy birthday, Jesus. Hell yeah. Uh, you know that then I'm just going to reiterate Joey certified, both Ike world and my checker future couple, my favorite albums have come out in the last handful. Thank you. Beautiful.
01:23:52
Speaker
and thanks for listening to Checkered Past. Hit us up on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok. Checkered Past Pot, or send us an email at checkeredpastpot at gmail dot.com. Support the pot and get bonus content, including a full length and unedited video of this episode. Sign up for the Checkered Head Patreon at patreon dot.com slash checkeredpast. We also have merch available at checkeredpast.ca. Checkered Past is edited by Cutman and engineered by Joey. And until next time, I'm Rob. but I'm Joey. In the mortal words of Mest, top down seat back listening to Checkered Past. Oh, that's a bar.
01:24:28
Speaker
ah Hey, this is Tim from Cat Bite. You're listening to Check Your Past, alienating Scott audiences with our opinions since 2021.