I used to listen to Mindless Self Indulgence religiously in the late 2000s and early 2010s, like every other weird "scene" and "emo" kid at the time. This wasn't even a conscious choice for us, it just came with the territory of being part of such a niche space where everyone else was just like you. If you were online, hanging around on the old DeviantArt or IMVU, MSI was basically unavoidable. I can still picture sitting at my computer for hours, drawing my neon green fursona with leg warmers and ridiculous hair, while MSI's song "Get It Up" played on repeat in the background. That was pretty much the vibe of my early childhood, and most of my generation could relate. Think about it though... it all went perfectly together. The colorful MS Paint art, the overly sexual raver culture, the whole "lulz I'm so random!!1!" attitudes that MSI's discography seemingly was also wrapped up in. However, I think it's important to note that MSI wasn't the only group of this time making this type of music. Artists like Blood on the Dance Floor, Falling in Reverse, and even Hollywood Undead were all part of that same predatory ecosystem making sexual music catered specifically to the interests of teenagers. What do you mean you're bragging about pissing off her daddy while you're fucking her? What father gives a shit about his "adult" daughters sex life? Normally they wouldn't, but if you're making music about having sex with minors that changes the whole trajectory now doesn't it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYB2eye4oVERe-listening to this shit was something I never wanted to do, but for the sake of the blog it was needed... now I need to remove the ossicles from my fucking ears.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BhQKVWcXBoOne of my favorite animators of this era, and living proof of minors being heavily influenced by MSI's music.
Most of us were way too young to be listening to any of this music, but of course it didn't feel like it at the time. The internet in general wasn't as moderated or heavily censored as it is now. None of the adults around you ever questioned what you were listening to. Our parents likely didn't think much of it or didn't think it would affect us in anyway. While this is often the case, their are plenty of evidence of teenagers being groomed by their so-called dream emo who was just a 32-year old pedophile with a wife and kids looking for an easy way to have sex online. We are now grown-up and way more self-aware. It's really hard not to side-eye our former teenage selves, but it really isn't our fault when adults need to be held accountable for who they cater to online.
Who even was Mindless Self Indulgence, and how did this group rise to fame? I wouldn't say they were always the most popular—there are accounts of pretty mixed (and sometimes outright hostile) crowd reactions early on when they would open for bands like Korn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBxuJ7-w5_wThe silence of the crowd is pretty damn funny, but also Korn fans are insufferable. They could be in front of the lord Satan himself and still get pissed Korn isn't playing.
MSI was very much a "phase" kind of band for a lot of listeners, especially during that edgy teenager era where shock value and boundary-pushing felt synonymous with authenticity. Some people still circle back to a few of their albums every once in a while because there are genuinely catchy songs like "Faggot," "Shut Me Up," and "Straight to Video," but for many, the appeal was tied to a specific moment of discovering more abrasive, provocative music. The hyper, chiptune-influenced production and intentionally confrontational lyrics made them especially attractive to teenage listeners drawn to anything that felt transgressive.
For a bit of background, Mindless Self Indulgence (or MSI for short) is an American band that formed in New York in 1997. Their music draws from punk rock, electropunk, alternative rock, electronica, techno, hip hop, and industrial music. The band's name comes from an earlier solo project by frontman Jimmy Urine, including a 1995 release also titled Mindless Self-Indulgence.
Before the band officially formed, between 1987 and 1996, Urine recorded around 35 songs with his brother Markus Euringer in New York City using very basic equipment. These early recordings spanned multiple styles but often leaned toward industrial and electronic punk. MSI officially came together when Urine partnered with guitarist Steve, Righ?, bassist Vanessa Y.T. (later replaced by Lyn-Z), and drummer Kitty. A major early influence on their style came in 1997 when Urine created an experimental cover of Method Man's "Bring the Pain," blending multiple genres into a single track. This helped define their unqiue but very bizarre, genre-mixing identity.
Over the course of their career, MSI released five studio albums, two EPs, multiple remix albums, a live album, compilation releases, and a live DVD. Rather than signing traditional record deals, they mainly licensed their music to labels while retaining ownership of their work. They built a very dedicated fanbase and toured extensively, sharing stages with major acts including Linkin Park, System of a Down, Korn, Sum 41, Insane Clown Posse, and Rammstein, as well as touring with artists like My Chemical Romance, The Dresden Dolls, Rasputina, mc chris, The Birthday Massacre, Tub Ring, and Dog Fashion Disco.
Now that you've made it this far, I'm not here to dictate what you should or shouldn't listen to, my own favorite genre is the most problematic of them all (Black Metal, for better or worse). But if you've reached a point where you no longer want to support this band, there are plenty of other artists that hit similar highs in energy. Take note, some of these bands are still edgy as fuck, but at least they don't belong on a fucking watch list.