Hometown: Grand Rapids | Genre: Ska-Punk

Label: Bad Time Records | Most Recent Release: Where Did All My Friends Go? (2023)

Bio: If The Suicide Machines are metro Detroit’s premiere ska-punk rockers, then Mustard Plug is West Michigan‘s equivalent to represent the genre. Bursting into the early stages of the third-wave ska scene when the band formed in 1991, the band is characterized by its more lighthearted tone, danceable ska beats, punk edginess, melodic pop hooks, and of course, its classic skanking mustard bottle mascot. Their 1997 album “Evildoers Beware” has sold over 150,000 copies, which has solidified Mustard Plug as a significant part of that era’s ska scene. To date, the band has released eight records total and toured across Europe, Japan, North America, and South America. After being forced to take a break from the band’s busy touring habits due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the members of Mustard Plug began working on its first album in nine years titled “Where Did All My Friends Go,” which took a darker lyrical direction that reflected the societal atmosphere it was created under.