Mest

Growing up right across the street from one another in Chicago’s Blue Island neighborhood on the city’s south side, cousins Tony and Matt Lovato began making music together at age seven, borrowing gear from Tony’s father—Tony on guitar and vocals, Matt on bass. During high school they added guitarist Jeremiah Rangel and drummer Nick Gigler to the lineup. Tony devised the group’s name, Mest, after spotting a case of Milwaukee’s Best beer.

While gigging at punk venues around Chicago, the quartet put out its first record, Mo’ Money, Mo’ 40’z, on its own. Their initial major opportunity came when Tony mailed a letter to Goldfinger singer John Feldmann and received an answer. After hearing a demo, Feldmann booked Mest as an opener for Goldfinger, arranged a Maverick contract, and produced the band’s major-label debut Wasting Time, issued in July 2000.

The following year Mest delivered its second album, Destination Unknown, a spiky-punk effort boasting guest appearances by Young MC and Save Ferris’ Monique Powell. Their self-titled third album, featuring a cameo from Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden, surfaced in June 2003.

An extended series of Warped Tour shows left the members drained, with Tony Lovato requiring back surgery. They continued anyway, releasing their fourth Maverick album, Photographs, in autumn 2005. After a decade together, Mest disbanded in early 2006 and marked the end with the aptly named So Long and Thanx for the Booze farewell tour that February, joined by Allister and Scary Kids Scaring Kids.

A short reunion several years later led the band to reform; they resumed touring and issued the 2013 album Not What You Expected.