Purveyors of: The punk-rock power-trio tradition
File next to: Hüsker Dü, Minutemen, Dinosaur Jr.
Playing #WL13 Thursday, February 14 @ The Shop under Parts & Labour

Gather ‘round, young’uns, and hear this tale. Back in the day, whenever you bought a tape from SST Records, it would always come with a catalog, a large sheet printed on the thinnest of paper and folded into a square small enough to cram into the cassette case. It would start with a marquee list of the label’s stars, but the bulk of it was in tiny type, listing the label’s foot soldiers — bands you woulda never quite otherwise heard of in those pre-internet days, whose names would take on a kind of secret glow, just by association. This Mess are not one of those bands on that list. But man, they coulda been.

However, This Mess are also a band strongly rooted in the Toronto of this very minute, yet following in a long line of bands linked to the Wavelength organizing team.
When he’s not drumming with This Mess, watch for stage manager Adham “Madman” Ghanem keeping things running on time, and buy him a beer to say thanks. Mechanical Forest Sound’s Joe Strutt spoke to guitarist/yowler Matt NL (also seen on WL’s stages with Hybrid Moments) about getting it done, DIY-style.

If This Mess toured a supermarket chain, it'd be No Frills. What does “we jam econo” mean to you?

We started the band with one simple rule: No songs over 3.5 minutes. Most of them end up being closer to one minute these days. One song equals one musical and lyrical idea, just like our biggest influences, Rush and Yes. OR: Ass, grass, or cash. No one rides for free.

Lyrical content. Truth to power. RONALD REAGAN. Status quo. Global capitalism. Aaargh!

Those are all things. Things that we believe in. When we say “party,” we mean getting wasted on self-righteous indignations.

What plans does This Mess have to deal with two (six? ten thousand?) more years of Rob Ford?

A combination of screaming and poutine cures all wounds. WE LOVE ROB FORD.

Speaking of poutine, what are the top three late-night places to eat after a gig?

The High Park washrooms, Chinatown, Pizza. In that order.

I've heard rumblings that there's an album coming out. What can we expect?

We have a 22-song, 29-minute album about to be released on glorious tape cassette and download. It should be available sometime in the next month, but since it’s 100% DIY, delays are inevitable. We recorded it ourselves in a terrible sounding room over the last few months and some demo previews will be available soon.

Assuming it isn't done cut-and-paste, old school zine style, I could sort of imagine a Raymond Pettibon-type thing for your album cover. If he were unavailable, who would be your second choice?

Rick Fork! Or if he's not available, Craig Stecyk. Alternately, any six-year-old with a photocopier and some tape.