Mindless Self Indulgence

Mindless Self Indulgence (often referred to as MSI) is an American electropunk band formed in New York City in 1997. Their music has a mixed style which includes punk rock, alternative rock, electronica, techno, industrial, hip hop, and breakbeat hardcore.

Mindless Self Indulgence
Mindless Self Indulgence performing in 2012
Mindless Self Indulgence performing in 2012
Background information
OriginNew York City, U.S.
Genres
Years active1997–2015, 2024–present
Labels
Members
Past members
  • Markus Euringer
  • Vanessa Y.T.
Websitemindlessselfindulgence.com

History

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Between 1987 and 1996, Jimmy Urine recorded about 35 songs which varied in musical style, usually settling in an industrial/electronic punk style. These songs were recorded with himself and his brother, Markus Euringer in New York City using rudimentary equipment. Urine and his brother released an album titled Mindless Self-Indulgence, featuring Steve, Righ? on 'Bed of Roses', which featured songs performed in an industrial style akin to Nine Inch Nails.[1]

In 1997, Urine recorded a cover of Method Man's "Bring the Pain" that was made by merging six different styles of the same cover into one song. This became the basis for the Mindless Self Indulgence sound. The band formed soon after when Urine was joined by Steve, Righ? on guitar, Urine's brother Markus Euringer on second guitar (replaced by bassist Vanessa Y.T., who was subsequently replaced by bassist Lyn-Z), and Kitty on drums. They have released six albums, four EPs, eight remix albums, one live album, one compilation album, and one live DVD.[2] Rather than signing traditional record contracts, the band has licensed most of their albums to record labels, retaining ownership of the music.

In summer of 2007, the band toured as part of the Revolution Stage of Projekt Revolution, a music festival hosted by Linkin Park.[3] In January 2009, the band headlined the Kerrang! Relentless Energy Drink tour.[4]

In December 2010, they released a comic titled Adventures Into Mindless Self Indulgence about various tour stories and significant moments of the band's career.[5] The band released a remastered CD/DVD version of their first full-length album, Tight, in 2011, titled Tighter. It included bonus tracks and recordings from their early days. On October 25, 2012, the band announced their fifth album via a Kickstarter campaign.[6] How I Learned to Stop Giving a Shit and Love Mindless Self Indulgence was released in May 2013, following with the release of singles "It Gets Worse" in December and "Fuck Machine" in January 2014. Later in January 2014, the band announced that they would be taking a hiatus.[7][8][9]

On September 18, 2015, Mindless Self Indulgence released Pink, a collection of 19 songs recorded between 1990 and 1997 by Urine. The album includes cut-down and remastered versions of songs from the self-titled album, an audio diary recorded by Urine from July 1992, and covers of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" and Duran Duran's "Girls on Film".[10]

On August 9, 2021, a lawsuit was filed against James Euringer (Jimmy Urine) in New York Supreme Court with the charge of sexual battery of a minor, who claims that she had a sexual relationship with Euringer for over two years — from January 1997 to June 1999 — starting when she was 15 years old and Euringer was 27.[11][12][13][14] On March 26, 2024, all charges against Euringer were dismissed with prejudice after all parties involved in the suit agreed to a stipulation of dismissal.[15][16]

On June 20, 2024, the band released MSI B-SIDES vol. 1 without any prior notice. The album contained songs that had not been previously available on streaming platforms.

Members

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Mindless Self Indulgence in 2013

Current members

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  • Jimmy Urine – lead vocals, synthesizer, programming (1997–present)
  • Steve, Righ? – guitars, backing vocals (1997–present)
  • Kitty – drums (1997–present)
  • Lyn-Z – bass (2001–present)

Former members

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  • Markus Euringer – keyboard, turntables (1997–1998)
  • Vanessa Y.T. – bass (1998–2001)

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Chart peaks
US
[17]
US Indie
[17]
UK
[18]
Mindless Self-Indulgence
  • Release date: September 18, 1995
  • Label: Chip Records
Tight
  • Release date: April 20, 1999
  • Label: Uppity Cracker
Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy
  • Release date: February 22, 2000
  • Label: Elektra
You'll Rebel to Anything 107 4
If
  • Release date: April 29, 2008
  • Label: The End
27 2 132
How I Learned to Stop Giving a Shit and Love Mindless Self Indulgence
  • Release date: May 14, 2013
  • Label: Uppity Cracker
103 22
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not certified.

Live albums

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Title Album details
Alienating Our Audience
  • Release date: October 8, 2002
  • Label: Uppity Cracker

Compilations

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Title Album details
Pink
  • Release date: September 18, 2015
  • Label: Metropolis
MSI B-SIDES vol. 1
  • Release date: June 20, 2024
  • Label: UCR LLC

Demo albums

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  • Crappy Little Demo (1997)
  • Thank God Demo (2001)
Title EP details
Despierta Los Niños
  • Release date: November 1, 2003
  • Label: Uppity Cracker
Another Mindless Rip Off
<3
  • Release date: February 13, 2010

Singles

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Year Song Chart peak Album
US Dance
[19]
UK
[20]
1995 "Do Unto Others (Part II) / Bed of Roses" Mindless Self-Indulgence
1999 "Bring the Pain" Tight
2000 "Bitches" Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy
"Planet of the Apes"
2001 "Thank God" Alienating Our Audience
2006 "Shut Me Up" 1 You'll Rebel to Anything
"Straight to Video" 1
2008 "Mastermind" If
"Never Wanted to Dance" 1 180
"(It's 3AM) Issues" 4
"On It" 2
"Pay for It" 1
2009 "Evening Wear/Mark David Chapman" 1
2013 "It Gets Worse" How I Learned to Stop Giving a Shit and Love Mindless Self Indulgence
2014 "Fuck Machine"
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

The Left Rights

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Side project by Jimmy Urine and Steve, Righ?

The Left Rights

  • Released: September 24, 2002
  • Label: Uppity Cracker

Bad Choices Made Easy

  • Released: November 9, 2010
  • Label: Metropolis

Videography

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Video albums

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Year Album details
2007 Our Pain, Your Gain
  • Released: September 11, 2007
  • Label: Uppity Cracker

References

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  1. ^ "Mindless Self-Indulgence* – Mindless Self-Indulgence (1995, CD)". Discogs. 1995. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  2. ^ "Mindless Self Indulgence Discography". discogs.com. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  3. ^ "Projekt Revolution 2007". Linkinpedia.com. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  4. ^ Wilson, Jen (October 22, 2008). "Kerrang! Tour Returns in 2009". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  5. ^ "Mindless Self Indulgence to Sign New Book at Two West Coast Events". Comic Book Resources. November 6, 2010. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  6. ^ Mindless Self Indulgence (October 25, 2012). "Brand New Mindless Self Indulgence Record!". Kickstarter. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
  7. ^ Haley, Caleb (March 12, 2014). "Mindless Self Indulgence's Jimmy Urine: "We're Not Gonna Break Up Unless Somebody Dies."". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  8. ^ Urine, Jimmy (April 17, 2014). "Jimmy Urine: "We're Not Gonna Break Up Unless Somebody Dies."". Mindless Self Indulgence. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  9. ^ "Mindless Self Indulgence to go on hiatus". Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  10. ^ "The Msi Historical Society Presents: "Pink"". Mindlessselfindulgence.com. June 25, 2015. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  11. ^ "Mindless Self Indulgence frontman Jimmy Urine sued for sexual assault of minor". NME. August 10, 2021.
  12. ^ "Mindless Self Indulgence Singer Jimmy Urine Sued over Alleged Sexual Relationship with 15-Year-Old".
  13. ^ Millman, Ethan (August 9, 2021). "Mindless Self Indulgence Singer Jimmy Urine Sued for Sexual Assault of Minor". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  14. ^ "Jimmy Urine of Mindless Self Indulgence Sued for Alleged Sexual Battery of a Minor in the Late '90s -". August 9, 2021.
  15. ^ "Jane Doe 7015 v. Elektra Entertainment Group Inc. Et al (1:21-cv-06868), New York Southern District Court".
  16. ^ Tiwari, Evan (April 26, 2024). "'Mindless Self Indulgence' Controversy Explained". The Mary Sue. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Mindless Self Indulgence – Charts & Awards – Billboard Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved on November 2, 2008.
  18. ^ "Chart Log UK – 2008 Weekly Updates – Week 18" Zobbel. Retrieved on November 2, 2008.
  19. ^ "Mindless Self Indulgence – Charts & Awards – Billboard Singles" allmusic. Retrieved on November 2, 2008.
  20. ^ "Chart Log UK – 2008 Weekly Updates – Week 35" Zobbel. Retrieved on November 2, 2008.
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