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Jonathan Mess is an American musician and painter born in Sacramento, California. He is best known as the unclean vocalist for the post-hardcore bands Dance Gavin Dance and Secret Band.

He helped amalgamate Dance Gavin Dance in 2005 and has since recorded every studio album with the band, with the exception of their third studio album Happiness (2009), through Rise Records. He also helped form Secret Band and has released one self-titled EP and one self-titled studio album through Blue Swan Records. As a solo musician, he independently released his debut studio album, Defying Gravity, in September 2012. Mess is also well known for his homemade paintings he sells at concerts and online.

Career

Dance Gavin Dance (2005–present)

Jon Mess began his musical career as the screaming vocalist in the post-hardcore band Dance Gavin Dance in 2005. With the band, they signed to Rise Records and released their debut studio extended play (EP), Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean, on November 14, 2006. The band released their full-length debut studio album, Downtown Battle Mountain, on May 15, 2007. The following year, vocalist Jonny Craig and guitarist Sean O'Sullivan departed from the band and were subsequently replaced by vocalist Kurt Travis and guitarist Zachary Garren (of Strawberry Girls), later releasing their sophomore studio album, Dance Gavin Dance, on August 19, 2008. Due to obtaining Lyme's disease and other unconfirmed health issues, Mess dismissed himself from the tour in support of Dance Gavin Dance to seek improvement. Dance Gavin Dance wrote and recorded their third studio album, Happiness, with guitarist Will Swan pursuing both guitar parts and screaming vocals. The album was later released on June 9, 2009 and was praised for its funk rock and experimental rock sound.

Jon Mess, along with original vocalist Jonny Craig and bass guitarist Eric Lodge, rejoined the band in the middle of 2010 and began writing and recording their fourth studio album, Downtown Battle Mountain II (a sequel to the band's debut studio album Downtown Battle Mountain) which was later released on March 8, 2011. In support of the album, the band toured with other bands such as Just Like Vinyl, In Fear And Faith, and Iwrestledabearonce as well touring on the 2011 Vans Warped Tour. The band also toured in Europe performing Downtown Battle Mountain in its entirety in one night and Downtown Battle Mountain II in its entirety in the second night. Conflict occurred once again in the band, resulting in the second departure of Jonny Craig, who was later replaced by Tilian Pearson.

On October 8, 2013, the band released their fifth studio album, Acceptance Speech, through Rise Records which charted at No. 42 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Albums chart. They followed up the album with their sixth studio album, Instant Gratification, which was released on April 14, 2015.

Secret Band (2011–present)

Whilst touring in support of Dance Gavin Dance's fourth studio album Downtown Battle Mountain II (2011), members Will Swan, Eric Lodge, Matt Mingus, and Jon Mess formed the band Secret Band. The band released their self-titled EP album on June 3, 2014. They released their debut full-length studio album, SECRETBAND LP, on July 31, 2014. The band is signed to Swan's independent record label Blue Swan Records.

Solo career

As a solo musician, Jon Mess wrote and recorded his debut studio album Defying Gravity throughout early 2012. The album was independently released on September 13, 2012 through Bandcamp. It was recorded at Mess' apartment in Sacremento, California and was released for fans to donate $1.00 to go towards his rent and recording studio. The album was reportedly recorded in "freestyle" and with many lyrics being difficult to decypher.

Musical style

Jon Mess' lyrical style has been known to be difficult to decypher and hard to understand. Mess has only pursued screaming vocals for his bands Secret Band and Dance Gavin Dance and has pursued rap-inspired vocals while recording his solo studio album, Defying Gravity (2012).

Discography

With Dance Gavin Dance

• Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean (Rise, 2006)
• Downtown Battle Mountain (Rise, 2007)
• Dance Gavin Dance (Rise, 2008)
• Downtown Battle Mountain II (Rise, 2011)
• Acceptance Speech (Rise, 2013)
• Instant Gratification (Rise, 2015)
• TBA (Rise, 2016)

With Secret Band

• Secret Band EP (Blue Swan, 2014)
• SECRETBAND LP (Blue Swan, 2014)

Solo

• Defying Gravity (2012)

References

1. ^ "I've Got a Feeling That We're Here to Stay: Dance Gavin Dance's Jon Mess Gets on with His Life". NOISEY. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
2. "Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean". Retrieved 28 January 2016.
3. "Downtown Battle Mountain". Retrieved 28 January 2016.
4. "Dance Gavin Dance". Retrieved 28 January 2016.
5. "Dance Gavin Dance performs fan favorites and songs off their latest album Acceptance Speech". Retrieved 28 January 2016.
6. "Happiness". Retrieved 28 January 2016.
7. James Christopher Monger. "Happiness". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
8. "Dance Gavin Dance". Retrieved 28 January 2016.
9. "Instant Gratification". Retrieved 28 January 2016.
10. "Secret Band EP - Secret Band". Secret Band. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
11. "SECRET BAND S/T FULL LENGTH - Secret Band". Secret Band. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
12. Secret
13. ^ "Jonmess". Jonmess. 13 September 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
14. "Do Jon Mess' lyrics mean anything? : dancegavindance". reddit. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
15. "Rise Records - 2016 is looking good. NEW albums from... - Facebook". Retrieved 28 January 2016.

• American rock singers
• American male singers
• Living people