IE: Hey there Miss Chris Crash... front person and founder of Blest Mess. Can you give us a little bit of a rundown on the band's origins which date back to 2011?

Chris: In 2011 I decided to take my own catalog of music and start my own band. Blest Mess is my demon spawn. In 2015 we have John Marzan joining us on drums alongside myself on guitar and Mr. Randi Stokes on bass. This is the best line-up to date. I am very proud to be working with such professional musicians and see us having a very long successful future together.

IE: The bands bio states that all of you are not new to the music game but don't like to bring up your past projects. Not asking you to drop any names here of your past bands but how far back have you been playing in punk and hardcore bands and what was the initial draw for you to pick up an instrument and start playing? Was there one particular person, band, an album or a show that you went to that made you think "this is what I wanna do"?

Chris: We have all been playing in punk/hardcore/metal bands for the past 15 plus years. My brother was a musician and growing up and there was always a band jamming in my house. This is all I ever wanted to do. I grew up listening to everything.

IE: You seem to be a very self motivated person in regards to your music. You were telling me you got on a plane to the UK in 2012 by yourself without knowing anyone there and made enough in the way of connections to tour there both in 2013 and 2014. Can you talk a little about that initial trip and the 2 tours you did afterwards in 2013 and 2014?

Chris: I packed a bag, jumped on a plane and started talking to strangers. I placed myself where I felt I needed to be and let fate take its course. People seemed to like us and take us in like family. I am a very honest person and very unpretentious. Neither me or my bandmates have egos or attitudes. I will not work with musicians or play with bands that do.

IE: One of the band's biggest accomplishments had to be playing the Rebellion Punk Fest in Blackpool England. What was that experience like for you and the band and how many people would you guess you performed in front of?

Chris: For the 2014 tour me and Randi had a guest drummer from the UK, Sir Luke Deakin from the band Angry Itch and we toured with them as well. There are thousands of people at the festival and we look forward to playing in front of bigger crowds again. It can become very addicting after you have an excellent sound system and a lot of the  people buying merch.

IE: You have an upcoming tour of Germany in April and another of the UK and Scotland in the summer but haven't done much out of the NY/NJ area that you call home in the 4 or so years you guys have been together. Are there plans in the works to do more US stuff and if so when and where?

Chris: April 2015 is the 4 year anniversary mark for Blest Mess. I am making it a point this year to do more tri-state area shows and finalize our US Tour. We have a permanent drummer now who can travel so it will become a reality.

IE: I read in an interview with you that you consider yourself somewhat of a social media junkie. I know the feeling sometimes myself... With that said how much of your free time each day would you say you devote to doing something band related whether it's networking online, sending out mail orders, band practice etc?

Chris: Blest Mess is my life, I am always working it.

IE: As the band's leader and self proclaimed "boss lady" where would you like to see Blest Mess in say 3 years or even 5 years? What would you define as a successful run during this time?

Chris: Our next album recorded with our new drummer Mr. John Marzan and a 7 inch split with another band. Better shows with bigger bands. Working with more reputable people that are time tested. Major label distribution of my independent label.

IE: For you is it more about just keep doing what you have been doing and let the chips fall where they may or do you want to push the pedal to the metal sort of speak and try to become more of a year round touring band that records and goes on tours constantly?

Chris: Chips don't just fall for me. You make your own luck in this life. Blest Mess will be a year round touring band that records and tours constantly, we are already on our way.

IE: 3 piece punk bands with the lead singer also playing guitar are not very common. Do you ever think about how different things would be in live situations if you were just the singer without an instrument to wear?

Chris: I purposely wanted my band Blest Mess to be a 3 piece. It was very important for me to be very transparent. When you are a 3 piece and sing and play you do not have another guitar player to cover your mistakes or just jump around and scream on a mic while you shake your sorry ass and look pretty. The band as a whole has to be tight and on the mark. I consider this a challenge. I want to continue to grow as a musician and not take the easy way out. I constantly strive to improve as a guitar player. I feel there is always room for growth. I am one chick who refuses to just play the sex card - there are enough of those.

IE: You also run your own label... Street Urchin Records. So far we have only seen the first 2 Blest Mess releases on there. Do you plan on having releases from other bands on Street Urchin or is it primarily there to push Blest Mess recordings?

Chris: Blest Mess is the first band on the label and won't be the last. I look forward to putting out good music that has integrity from other bands as well.

IE: How many copies of “The Demo” and “The Album” were made up on CD and vinyl and how many have you gotten rid of so far?

Chris: I always do 500 of each - more than half are gone.

IE: I used to co-run my own DIY label and know it can be really hard to sell and distro considering how time consuming everything is along with international shipping charges. What do you find to be your biggest challenges as far as getting your CD’s and vinyl into people's hands?

Chris: I work very hard and run around like a nut but truth be told unless I eventually get major label distro my record label will only go so far. I jump on planes, drive around in my jeep, stock stores. One woman can only do so much humanly possible. This year I will have a professional web page for Street Urchin Records but I will include links to shops overseas that carry my product just to make it easier for people to purchase. I ain't looking to make a million dollars ... LOL ... Just looking to get a quality product in people’s hands and keep punk/hardcore music alive forever!!!

IE: There has to be a good story behind the name Street Urchin as well.... care to share?

Chris: I feel all punk and hardcore people are essentially Street Urchins - hence the name.

IE: Your latest album... titled "The Album" came out last year and shows a nice progression from “The Demo”. A track you decided to reuse on “The Album” is “NJ Sucks”. In the song you say “how did I wind up here” so I am guessing you moved there from NY? Where were you in NY and how did you end up in Jersey?

Chris: I was born and raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn when it was a dangerous drug infested crime ridden slum, pre-hipster Disneyland. I moved to Jersey because it was more affordable after the neighborhood changed over. I still have my family in Brooklyn/Queens/Long Island and go back and forth. I have the best of both worlds now… the city and suburbia.

IE: Can you go into a little more detail about your dislike for the Garden State and can the two of you ever live in harmony? 

Chris: I have a love/hate relationship with both New York and New Jersey. Actually I love my home in Jersey now more than my old neighborhood  in Williamsburg, Brooklyn…go figure …everything changes.

IE: Another track on there that stands out is “Go Go Hell” about a go-go dancer who will fuck your shit up if you cross her. What inspired you to write this track?

Chris: I worked in the bar business many years. That song is the true unedited version of my own experience and viewpoints of dancers I met along the way.

IE: How did the name Blest Mess come about?

Chris: Blest Mess is how I describe my life and music. I am a Blest Mess and tattooed it on my lower back. I grew up in a community where I could have easily become another statistic but chose not to do drugs and wind up dead or in jail like the rest of my old friends. I am a very lucky girl but then again we make our own luck in this life and I am not about to give away all my secrets.

IE: Ok Chris, thanks for taking the time out to do this interview with us, I guess the Germans, Brits and Scots can look out for you this spring and summer. What else is there cooking in the Blest Mess camp and if you have anything else you want to touch on that we might have missed please speak now or forever hold your peace! 

Chris: Blest Mess DOES NOT SELL TICKETS OR PAY TO PLAY. Blest Mess DOES NOT GUARANTEE A SPECIFIC DRAW AT THE DOOR, IT IS NOT OUR JOB TO DO YOUR JOB AS A PROMOTER OR CLUB. If you don't like it don't work with me. I don't need you. I have proven that I am capable of doing a lot on my own without anyone’s help.

http://www.blestmess.com

https://www.facebook.com/BlestMess