Sloppy Meateaters

Comparable to blink-182 and Fenix TX, Sloppy Meateaters (aka SME) are an alternative rock trio with strong punk-pop leanings. Their songs are angst-ridden but humorous and amusing -- quite often, Sloppy Meateaters find humorous ways to gripe and complain about life's disappointments. In the beginning, the Rome, GA, group's motto was "No lives, friends, or jobs." Sloppy Meateaters started out as a duo in July 1999, when singer/guitarist Josh Chambers (who has a bratty, sneering vocal style and goes by Sloppy Josh) joined forces with drummer Kevin Highfield, aka Sloppy Kevin. In October of that year, Sloppy Meateaters recorded their debut album, Shameless Self-Promotion. Lacking a record deal, they released the album independently in December 1999. Another thing they lacked at that point was a full-time bass player; in addition to singing and playing guitar, Chambers plays bass on Shameless Self-Promotion. But Chambers and Highfield (or Sloppy Josh and Sloppy Kevin) found someone to take over the bass duties when they met Travis Gerke in a Georgia shopping mall in early 2000. With the addition of bassist Gerke, Sloppy Meateaters became a trio and finally considered themselves a real band. It was also in 2000 that the Georgia natives came to the attention of Orange Peal Records, a small indie label based in Fremont, CA. In May 2000, Shameless Self-Promotion was reissued on Orange Peal and enjoyed better distribution. Although Gerke's picture appears on the cover of Orange Peal's Shameless Self-Promotion reissue, he never actually recorded with the band -- by the time Sloppy Meateaters recorded their second album, Forbidden Meat, Gerke had left and been replaced by John Elwell, aka Sloppy John. With Chambers on lead vocals and guitar, Elwell on electric bass and...