Follow Friday: Off With Their Heads, Mest, Daniel Donato, and More

Off With Their Heads

The ripping, screaming punk rockers, Off With Their Heads, are bringing some of the hardest music from Minneapolis. You can’t stick them into the “hardcore” box and leave them there, though; Off With Their Heads has also made themselves known for their acoustic work and even their stand up comedy during their shows.

I admire stand up comedy. I try and make the crowd go from sad song to laughing at the turn of a hat. It works most of the time. Even if I say something that tanks, it’s still funny to me. When I sing these songs, I go right back to the time and place when they were written. So each time is a genuine performance… Plus, the crowd hasn’t heard me do this before. So it’s new on a couple different levels.

Ryan Young, The Void Report

Their latest album, Be Good, came out last year. The album was an honest, introspective look for Off With Their Heads; Young described it as “less about feeling sorry for yourself accepting how… miserable you are.” If you want to rock out with them, check out their website for tour dates.

Off With Their Heads get gnarly with Ernie Ball Power Slinkys and Regular Slinky Bass strings.

Listen to the best of Off With Their Heads down below.

Mest

Mest is a group of punk rockers from Chicago known for being rooted in the scene. Starting in 1995, the band made a name for themselves for their captivating live performances, channeling a core ska punk sound. After some struggles with the lineup and reuniting, they are back all of these years later and ready to rock.

As an artist you have to constantly evolve and if you don’t then you will become stagnant. It was impossible to write the same kind of record as I did in 2002, because I’m just not in the same place in my life. If I were to try and write the same album, it wouldn’t be genuine and fans would be able to see right through it. This album is just the next evolution of Mest and I think it shows how we’ve progressed as musicians, and creative people.

Tony Lovato, Mest Official Bio

Mest recently released two new singles. With the hype surrounding them, there will surely be more music to come. To keep an eye on Mest, head over to their official site.

Mest rock out with Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottoms and Regular Slinky Short Scale Bass strings on the low end.

Get down with Mest:

Daniel Donato

Daniel Donato is our favorite purveyor of his signature “cosmic country” sound. By combining blues and roots music with experimental techniques and effects, Donato has forged his way into a distinct, modern style. After spending his teenage years plucking in bars across Nashville, he has entered his 20’s with the notoriety as one of the quickest players around.

If I want to be a guitar player in 2019, I need to have a sound you can recognize in less than a second. It should be kind of a tongue-in-cheek thing; it should be kind of funny, Me shredding is kind of ironic — but it’s also not, when I can shred country guitar like no one else can.

Daniel Donato, Guitar World

You can find his guitar playing smattered across the Internet; Donato has made his way into podcasts, gear reviews, and guitar demos alike. But, 2019 also saw Donato releasing two EPs and a few singles of original music. If you want to check them out and keep up to date with all of his cosmic goodness, head over to Daniel Donato‘s official website.

Daniel Donato plucks on Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Cobalts and Everlast Coated Phosphor Bronze Medium Lights.

Give a listen to Daniel Donato‘s originals below.

Chantel McGregor

Chantel McGregor is bringing blues rock to England. Her splintering riffs and playing combined with her vocal prowess have earned her notoriety beyond the Yorkshire blues circuit. Her style is fast, loud, and classic — exactly what you’d want to hear from a guitarist with major chops like McGregor.

The blues came calling first, but rock was always waiting around the corner. Well it would be, wouldn’t it? Coming from the deep south, it was inevitable, but living in the deep south of a major Yorkshire City, there’s a gritty hard edge to life! A female guitar prodigy, Chantel was told by a major label that she had a ‘great voice, but girls don’t play guitar like that!’

Chantel McGregor, Official Bio

Chantel McGregor has been adorned with a variety of awards, including her recent placement on Guitar World’s guitar album of the decade list. The album that made the list, Bury’d Alive, includes eleven of her live tracks. You can check it out and more on her official website.

Chantel McGregor uses Ernie Ball strings and an Ernie Ball Music Man JP6.

Listen to Chantel McGregor‘s award-winning album Bury’d Alive below.

Asher Belsky

At just 15 years old, Asher Belsky is already rocking the stage. Don’t be mistaken by his age, though — his penchant for soulful blues is like that of someone who has lived his lifetime thrice over. His inspirations start with the blues legends, and expand into R&B and soul.

15-year-old Asher Belsky plays the guitar with a melodic yet explosive style. Asher began studying the guitar at age five and has yet to put it down. He has drawn from a range of influences, including the Allman Brothers, the Meters, Marcus King, and Tedeschi Trucks Band, to produce a sound that’s all his own.

Asher Belsky Official Bio

He’s been spotted ripping it up at various venues, including Eric Clapton’s legendary Crossroads Festival. He also performs music with his band, Outer Sunset. To keep up with the latest of Asher Belsky‘s prodigal skills, check out his official website.

Asher Belsky uses Ernie Ball Regular Cobalt Slinkys, Regular Paradigm Slinkys, and Medium Light Earthwoods on acoustic.