Mushroom Music Publishing

The Mess Hall are guitarist/vocalist Jed Kurzel and drummer/vocalist Cec Condon. And their music is like this: 'It's raw, edgy bluesy rock music that is bound to get your heart pumping and your booty shaking,' (Faster Louder). The Mess Hall emerged onto the Sydney live music scene in 2001, swiftly earning a reputation for their rough and ready approach to shows. Gigging was regular -- and why not? -- free beer was more of an attraction than the income at this point, so they played relentlessly all over Australia. Then it was time to record and the band headed into the studio to make their wholly independent debut EP, Feeling Sideways, with first time producing duo Matt Lovell and silverchair bassist Chris Joannou. Upon release, the record received a fair bit of attention. The Mess Hall wasn't just heard down at the pub but on the radio of all places, with prominent play on Australia's Youth Network JJJ. The ARIA folks dug it too and the EP was nominated for Best Indie Release in 2001.

More gigging, more writing, more rehearsing, and then The Mess Hall embarked upon their long player Notes From a Ceiling, a far more diverse and in-depth album than it seems possible from a skinny two-piece. Once again they hit the road in support of the release -- and an upgrade to free vodka, thanks -- and again wowed audiences across the country as well as the esteemed international acts they've played beside (The Strokes, Kings of Leon, Blues Explosion, JET). Notes From A Ceiling saw the band receive kudos from many major media outlets in Australia, and the album landed on JJJ's and Rolling Stone Australia's Top 50 albums of 2005. The ARIAs came calling again and nominated Lovell/Joannou/The Mess Hall for Best Producer and awarded Lovell with Best Engineer. And most recently, The Mess Hall are in the final 8 of the Australian Music Prize, an Aussie Mercury Prize, if you will.

Next up, some international travel when The Mess Hall take on Japan and the USA, including performances at SXSW in Austin. You can listen to the songs on this site's player, but get thee to a live show if possible! 'When plugged in and turned up, the duo produce enough energy to power a house full of floodlights,' (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD).