Messed Up

Messed Up
Messed Up live in Grodno (March 2020)
Messed Up live in Grodno (March 2020)
Background information
OriginGrodno, Belarus
GenresPunk rock
Years active
  • 2015–2021
  • 2022–present
LabelsAudiolith Records
Members
  • Nastya
  • Liza
  • Masha

Messed Up are a Belarusian punk rock band from Grodno, West Belarus.[1][2] Formed in 2015, they have been referred to as the first all-female punk band in Belarus[3] and compared to the riot grrrl movement.[4]

Their lyrical themes are mostly concerned with "how a post-Soviet society favours an ordinary person, and how people in positions of power oppress those who choose to live differently".[5] Due to their country's authoritarian government, restriction of personal and political freedoms, as well as its patriarchal social norms, Messed Up have oftentimes had to organise concerts practically illegally[6] and thus have arguably found greater success playing abroad in the neighbouring countries of Poland and Lithuania, where they have frequently performed at numerous points throughout the band's history.[3][7][8] Igor Bancer, frontman of Grodno-based street punk group Mister X, has helped the band grow and aided its members with translation as well as promotion; Messed Up and Mister X have also performed together at various concerts in several countries across Eastern Europe.[1][7] For a time, Messed Up founding member Katya also played as the drummer for Mister X.[9]

All members of the band are activists in their personal lives and are strictly opposed to sexism, homophobia, racism, fascism, and ageism.[10] Inspired by left-wing and anarchist themes,[11] all the founding members were in their late teens when the band was formed and identify as feminists.[8][12] Messed Up have played alongside Moscow Death Brigade in Germany,[13] at the Wrocław Tattoo Konwent 2017,[14][15] as well as performing at the fourth edition of the 161 Fest in Warszawa, Poland.[16] They released their first demo available for free download in October 2016.[1] Their first full-length album, released on vinyl and CD in November 2019 via Audiolith Records, was met with positive reviews[17][18][19] and followed by a promotional tour throughout Germany[20][2] with their own workshops about the feminist scene in Belarus.[21][12] The band has been featured in a number of international media, from interviews in old-school punk zines to articles in online multilingual projects.[22][5][3][23]

In early to mid August 2020, when the 2020 Belarusian protests escalated following the announcement of falsified election results, two members of the band (first Timofei and then Maryia) were imprisoned by police forces of the authoritarian government for taking part in demonstrations against the regime. However, eventually they were both released after some time in arrest.[24][25] Most members of Messed Up were eventually forced to leave Belarus due to political repression and found refuge in Poland; due to this and the damaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, in July 2021, the band decided to indefinitely cease their activity.[26] Nearly a year later, in March 2022, the band announced a return.[27]

Band members

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The band started out as an all-female group, but in late 2018 their drummer Katya left the band and moved out of Grodno to pursue her career.[28] While looking for a new female drummer, Artur Lemantovich from The Goonzz! and Mister X stepped in to help as a temporary drummer for Messed Up. Liza, one of the founding members and the band's guitarist, writes the lyrics for Messed Up's songs.[3]

Current members

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Former members

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  • Ekaterina "Katya" Khvostikova – drums
  • Artur "Archie" Lemantovich - drums
  • Timofei "Tim" Shtarev – drums

Discography

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  • 100% GRLZZZ PUNK ROCK (2016 demo)
  • Всё во что ты веришь / Everything you believe in (2019 album)[29]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "У гарадзенскіх Messed Up – дэбютны альбом" (in Belarusian). Radyjo Racyja. 2016-10-13. Archived from the original on 2019-11-07. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  2. ^ a b "[FFM066] Messed Up – Everything You Believe In". Fire and Flames. October 14, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Noah Groves (June 19, 2017). "Belarus' messed up punk scene". Cafébabel. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  4. ^ Jimi Nilsson (December 15, 2019). "Creating the legacy for the Belarusian punk scene: Interview with Grodno punks Messed Up". Messed!Up. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  5. ^ a b Jimi Nilsson (September 10, 2019). "Messed!Up presents Belarus punkers Messed Up". Messed!Up. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  6. ^ Paul Schall (November 5, 2019). "Messed Up – Everything You Believe In". PrettyInNoise. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Koncert - Mister X, Messed UP- Belarusian Punk". Gazeta Wyborcza. January 29, 2017. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  8. ^ a b Eva-Lena Lörzer (November 8, 2019). ""Nie jesteśmy w Korei Północnej. Nie od razu zabierają cię do paki. Wszystkich nie mogą zamknąć"". Newsweek Polska. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  9. ^ Misantroop (August 25, 2016). "Běloruská SHARP úderka Mister X se vrací do České republiky". Kids and Heroes. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  10. ^ Street Beat Records (June 8, 2019). "Messed Up - Из-за чего вся эта суматоха?!!!". YouTube. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  11. ^ Lizzie and Alisa (November 6, 2019). "Messed Up / Shi Offline Interview". Audiolith Records. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  12. ^ a b Ірына Новік (2019-11-22). ""Фемінізм зачапіў у 15 гадоў". У Гродне арганізавалі гендарны лекторый для моладзі". Hrodna.life. Retrieved 2019-11-28.
  13. ^ "Moscow Death Brigade+MisterX & Messed Up". Klubhaus Saalfeld e.V. February 9, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  14. ^ MAL (May 20, 2017). "Wrocław Tattoo Konwent 2017. W weekend festiwal tatuażu (BILETY, PROGRAM)". Gazeta Wrocławska. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  15. ^ Tomasz Pajączek (May 8, 2017). "Wrocławskie święto tatuażu coraz bliżej". Onet.pl. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  16. ^ 161 Crew (March 16, 2019). "161 Fest #4 - Warszawa 2019". All Events in City. Retrieved November 7, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Du Pham (October 24, 2019). "Weißrussische Punkband Messed Up: Nicht einverstanden". Die Tageszeitung: Taz. taz.de. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  18. ^ Julia (October 28, 2019). "REZENSION: Messed Up – Everything You Believe In". minutenmusik. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  19. ^ Max (October 29, 2019). "PLATTENREVIEWS: Messed Up – Everything You Believe In". TRVE LOVE. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  20. ^ "Гарадзенскі Messed Up едзе ў тур па Польшчы і Нямеччыне" (in Belarusian). Radyjo Racyja. 2019-04-09. Archived from the original on 2019-11-07. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  21. ^ Henni (October 25, 2019). "Messed Up: Record release und tour im November". Plastic Bomb. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  22. ^ "Das aktuelle Ox: Ox-Fanzine #146". Ox-Fanzine. November 1, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  23. ^ "Wywiad z Messed Up". Chaos w mojej głowie. No. 19. Krapkowice. June 28, 2019.
  24. ^ Messed Up (August 11, 2020). "Messed Up on Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  25. ^ Messed Up (August 11, 2020). "Messed Up on Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  26. ^ Messed Up (2021-07-24). "Hey punxx". Facebook. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  27. ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  28. ^ Messed Up (September 27, 2018). "Messed Up - VK post from 27th September, 2018". VK. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  29. ^ Messed Up. "Всё во что ты веришь / Everything You Believe In". Bandcamp. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
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