At a recent Mest show I was able to talk to Matt and Jeremiah of Mest. Here is the interview I got with them.

Mest Interview

Question: What is it like to be playing your hometown?

Jeremiah: Its great, its wonderful, especially after the record came out more people began to know how we are. It got a lot better, its cool playing in other cities, but there is nothing like coming home.

Matt:Better. Its better than playing in other places I think there is a better turnout, more people are familiar with the band, It’s cool.

Question: What is with the midgets on the cover of your album?

Jeremiah: Myself and Tony came up with the idea. It was just a joke. We threw it out there because we had no concept for the cover of the record. The deadline was approaching pretty fast and we had no idea what to do, so we were like, “What about putting some midgets on it?” They took it seriously, so that’s how it happened.

Matt:That wasn’t me, that was Jeremiah and Tony. We were getting close to the deadline and we needed something and we couldn’t come up with anything. We were just sitting in the lobby of Maverick records and they were just saying it messing around and that’s where it came from.

Question: Where did you get your name?

Jeremiah: Milwaukee’s best beer beverage.

Matt: When we had a show coming up like 5 years ago we were all sitting around drinking at my sisters apartment drinking Milwaukee’s Best, that’s what we drink all the time. Tony was just holding the can and was like “Why don’t we just call it Mest?” We took the M from Milwaukee and put it over Best.

Question: How did you decide to sign with Maverick Records?

Jeremiah:That was the first major label we showed our music to and we have a close relationship with and they liked what they heard and they decided to sign us.

Matt: We had no other choice really.

Question: What is your favorite place to play?

Jeremiah:Probably the Metro here in Chicago. St. Louis is a close second at Mississippi Nights.

Matt: The Metro and House of Blues here in Chicago and Mississippi Nights in St. Louis.

Question: What is the relationship between Mest and alcohol?

Jeremiah:(laughs) We are real close. We are real tight. There are not a whole lot of places that we don't meet.

Matt:We are pretty good friends. We get along well.

Question: What was your first performance like?

Jeremiah: I joined the band about 2 and a half years ago, so my first perormance was like back in January 1998 at this little punk club called Off The Alley in Homewood, Illinois. I was real nervous, I didn't move at all and I just sat there. It was a great feeling though.

Matt:I don't even remember what our first performance was. I seriously don't. I think it might have been at a place called Struggles in Marrionette Park in South Chicago, but I don't remember.

Question: Where do you think you will be in 10 years?

Jeremiah: Somewhere in the music industry I hope. That's what I want to do if I'm not doing this. I want to be invloved with the music industry in some way.