Most of you probably remember the chart scorcher Mo’ Money Mo’ 40z. Self-released in 1998 by the pop-punk band Mest, it included the hits: "Muckaferguson," "Beer" and "R Ska Song." The cover art was probably something worth remembering as well. Naturally, the centerpiece was a forty with the label changed to read the same as the CD title. Stage left had some dolla bills backed by a pair of dice. The ever-present cigarette and ashtray filled stage right, and of course Mest was awarded the highly coveted Parental Advisory label. By 2000, Mest had been picked up by Maverick Records. This label probably pops up quite frequently in your home collection with such artists as Tantric, Story of the Year, and Michelle Branch (A little bit of laughs, a little bit of pain/ I'm tellin' you my babe, it's all in the game of love — oooow woooh. Yeah, I know you’re singing it now). But back to the matter at hand: we all love Mest. The wanna-be SoCo pop-punk band hailing from outside the sunny coast of Chicago made it big time when they signed on Benji Madden (Good Charlotte fame) to guest on the single "Jaded." This could have been a cheap move, trying to bask in Good Charlotte’s light, but Tony Lovato, the lead singer, said otherwise, “The song was going to happen, whether GC had become famous or not.”
****UPDATE*****
GC is now the cool way to address Good Charlotte.
*****************
The lifestyle of the rich and famous (eww, sorry but I had to do that), however, caught up to Lovato last week when he went all O.J. Simpson on his ex-girlfriend’s new lover. Police in Los Angeles arrested Lovato Sunday for criminal homicide. Lovato was held on a $1 million bail and had admitted to stabbing Wayne Hughes, 25. The police had been called to the location of the murder once before to settle a dispute between the two, but evidently the second time was the charm, or something like that.
Although murdering someone is never really fun, nor is death a laughing matter, we can safely assume Lovato is pretty psyched to have landed a full-time gig in the big house. Since his band is now defunct and income was most likely unsteady, the guaranteed three meals per day, free clothing, and free shelter probably sound pretty nice. So first, shame on you, Mr. Lovato. Then, mad props for stickin’ it to the system.
