MEST Releasing NEW LP 'Youth' On June 21
LP Features Guest Appearances By Jaret Reddick of Bowling For Soup and Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills
Beloved Chicago pop-punk band MEST will release the new album 'Youth' via SBÄM Records on June 21.
Pre-Save 'Youth' Here: https://orcd.co/mestyouth
Of the new LP, founding member and front man Tony Lovato says, "The drives to the studio were about an hour and 20 minutes long. A lot of my inspiration for this record was found on those drives. I would just listen to all the records that I grew up listening to. Which brought back a ton of memories. It would just put me in another state of mind. The majority of “Youth” was written up in the hills of Los Angeles where I recorded a bunch of our early records. I would get random flashbacks seeing spots I hadn’t seen in years. But as much as I love all the memories and stories of the past, I’m not one to think that the best days are over. I’m creating new core memories and living my life now, so that in 20 years I’ll look back fondly. The same as I do now. These songs are a cheers to the past with a here’s to the future."
'YOUTH' Tracklist:
1. WHEN WE WERE YOUNG
2. HATE YOU SOBER
3. BARELY HANGING ON
4. EMPTY ROOM
5. WAS IT WORTH IT
6. THAT SATURDAY
7. PARKING LOT
The Journey of MEST: From Humble Beginnings to Pop Punk Icons
Formation and Early Years
Formed in 1995 in Blue Island, Illinois, MEST began with Tony Lovato, his brother Steve, and cousin Matt. This small, working-class town on Chicago's Southside provided the blue-collar work ethic that Tony leveraged to build a dedicated following in the Chicago punk rock scene. By 1998, MEST had released several demos and a full-length record, catching the attention of John Feldmann from Goldfinger, who secured them a demo deal with Maverick Records. A week after submitting their recordings, Maverick signed them to a multi-record deal, leading to four album releases from 2000 to 2005, with two going gold in Japan.
Rise to Fame
MEST appeared on shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live and Last Call with Carson Daly, toured extensively across the U.S., Europe, and Japan, and headlined the Warped Tour in 2003 and 2005. However, in 2006, they announced their breakup and embarked on the farewell tour, "So Long and Thanks For The Booze."
Challenges and Resilience
Post-breakup, Tony moved to Los Angeles, facing a challenging period of loneliness and financial instability. Reflecting on his journey, Tony recalled his grandfather’s advice: “If you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself.” This mantra led him to write and record new music, resulting in two acoustic records and the LP "NOT WHAT YOU EXPECTED" (2012). Despite the hardships, Tony continued touring, reaching new audiences in Australia and Mexico.
New Beginnings
In 2013, Tony's life took a new turn with the impending birth of his son, London, in 2014. Inspired by fatherhood, he wrote "Don’t Worry Son," which reignited his passion for music. By 2018, MEST was back in the studio with Cameron Webb, initially signing with Cyber Trax but later deciding to self-release their new record through a successful Kickstarter campaign, raising over $54,000.
Recent Years and Future Plans
MEST released their seventh album, 'Masquerade,' in January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. They toured extensively in 2019 with Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, and Millencolin. Looking ahead, MEST plans to release three new LPs, starting with 'Youth,' and has secured deals with Avex Records in Japan and SBAM Records in Europe. They are set to tour Europe from May 25 to June 9, headlining and appearing at festivals.
When asked to sum up 28 years of MEST, Tony replied, “I don’t know, I mean honestly it feels like we’re just getting started…”
Maintaining their blue-collar work ethic, MEST continues to earn fans through their grassroots approach and looks forward to performing their energetic live shows worldwide. The future looks promising as they prepare to release new music and hit the road again.
