Style: punk, hard rock, surf
Label: Mess-O-Matic
Year: n/a
Home: California
Members: Chad Carrier ~ lead vocals/bass
Rex Bailey ~ guitar/b. vocals
Bernie Deal ~ drums/b. vocals
"A nuclear war is gonna be a real blast" sings frontman/songwriter Chad Carrier of Big Mess in "Life Goes On". At first this may sound like a horrid apocalyptical predication but just as apparent should be that the social criticism is held in check by lyrical wit & a large sense of fun. This brief line pretty much summarizes the attitude of punk/rock trio Big Mess. Part of the fun of the band is their comical visuals which I sadly can't relay here but I would encourage everyone to hunt up their video for "Pocket", the opener on this debut EP & a highlight ... that is as long as one only plays that one track as every song is a highlight. With Stooges like rhythms, but without the chaotic distorted wanderings, & even Stooges frontman Iggy Pop-like vocalizing the middle aged boys of Big Mess bring the fun back to punk through upbeat rhythms & social criticisms hid under tongue-in-cheek lyrical humor. Punk has often been seen as youthful with wild slashing guitars but that's forgetting that it's essentially about the attitude of loss felt at the hands of society that can supported by anyone of any age. But, punk is not quite an accurate label of Big Mess as they, without question, make for a great party band as their songs are short on guitar solos, heavy on memorable easy to remember riffs & sing-songy vocalization relying on Iggy Pop or Alice Cooper vocal variations different for each song which are fun to sing along with. But, while opener "Pocket" feels punk it's followed by "Feel Alright" that has an underlying surf riff & "Life Goes On" could be straight off of The Stooges's
Funhouse. Iggy Pop might seem like an odd representation but his music is greatly underrated outside of music collectors/critics. When it comes to diversity of topics, fun yet serious & a party atmosphere Iggy is a leader ... & Big Mess is following his example, albeit I'm pretty sure they don't make a bigger mess by jumping into the audience with peanut butter. "Me Myself & I" opens with a dirty bass riff that's the most straight ahead rock sounding song in the collection. For it all to end unexpectantly with a jagged edged "Queen Bitch" by David Bowie that Big Mess have done such a good job at it took me a couple listens before I kept forgetting it wasn't their song.
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