The Manifesto

Origin: Chicago, IL
Subject: The Just a Mess Mafia

The following document was never meant for the public. It exists for those who’ve seen behind the curtain.

If you’re reading this, you’re already part of it; whether you know it or not. They tried to bury real music under machines and marketing plans. They forgot that rebellion doesn’t die quietly.

Welcome to Just a Mess
Welcome to the Mafia

Welcome to the Family

The Story of Just a Mess

We didn’t come from privilege or prep schools. We came from cracked sidewalks and winters that don’t forgive you. From the parts of Chicago where the streetlights flicker and nobody’s coming to save you.

There’s no A&R fairy tale here; just a few kids who refused to disappear. The kind of guys who worked dead-end jobs by day, then dragged amps through alleyways at night, chasing something real.

We didn’t have investors, sponsors, or rich parents.
We had pawn-shop guitars, secondhand strings, and a belief that if we played loud enough, maybe the universe would notice.

The noise saved us.
It gave shape to the chaos, rhythm to the anger, and meaning to the mess. When the world told us to grow up, we doubled down.
When the scene turned fake, we bled harder on stage.

WHAT WE STAND FOR

We stand against the circus; against the pop stars sold to a dumbed-down public like fast food for the ears. We stand against songs written by committees, tuned to perfection, stripped of soul. We stand against fashion-first “artists” who never earned their callouses, who treat music like a marketing plan instead of a heartbeat.

We stand for the real ones.
The musicians who play because they have to. The ones who do it without fame, without filters, without anyone telling them how to sound or what to wear.

The ones who would rather sleep in a van than fake a verse.

We stand for truth — ugly, loud, unfiltered truth — played through real amps by real people with real blood in their veins.

That’s the hill we die on.

THE UNIFORM: WHITE AND RED

Every war needs colors. Ours are white and red.

White is the calm before chaos; the clean canvas, the moment before the storm hits.
Red is the blood that connects us; the spark that never fades.

Our Captains wear white to every show.
And every Captain must carry something red: a bandana, a headband, a patch, a bracelet, whatever you’ve got.

It’s not merch. It’s not fashion.
It’s loyalty.
It’s identity.
It’s the symbol that tells the world: you’re part of the Just a Mess Mafia.

THE CAPTAIN'S CODE

What is a Captain?

A Captain isn’t just a fan of Just a Mess — they’re something higher. The true believers, they are a part of the Just a Mess family. The ones who wear white and red, lead the crowd, and keep real music alive when everyone else forgets what it sounds like.

To be a Captain, you don’t just listen; you lead.

Wear the colors. White and red at every show.
Join the Discord to connect with the Band.
Protect the noise. Stand for real musicianship.
Every Captain looks out for another.
Sing loud or stay home.
No fakes, no filters.
Spread the word. Recruit new Captains. Grow the Mafia.

This is not fandom — it’s brotherhood, sisterhood, and chaos united.
When you step into a show, you step into something bigger than yourself.

THE RANKS OF THE JUST A MESS MAFIA

1. The Crowd (Regular Fan)

They’ve heard the noise. They’ve felt the pull. They might not wear the colors yet, but something inside them knows — this is different. They’re standing at the edge, one show away from crossing the line.

Symbol: No colors yet — they’re still finding their way.

2. The Captain (Core Member)

Captains don’t just listen, they lead and to become a Captain, you’ve got to earn it.

How to Become a Captain:

💬 Join the Discord. This is where the Mafia lives and breathes.
⚪ Wear the Colors. White for truth. Red for blood. Always.
📣 Make One Post About Just a Mess. Show that you’re one of us.
🔥 Show Up. Come to shows, wear the colors, lead the noise.
Receive your captain headband (only at the shows).

Once you’ve done that, you’re not a fan anymore; you’re family.

Symbol: White outfit, one red mark (bandana, headband, or patch).
Motto: “We lead loud.”

3. The Mess (The Band)

The architects. The noisemakers. The ones who lit the match that started it all. They are the storm the captains rally around and the center of the chaos. When the Mess takes the stage, the Mafia rises.

Symbol: Full white and red.
Motto: “Protect the Captains"

Captain's Handbook

Physical Handbooks are given away at shows or can be asked for via email.

Management@justamess.com