They were known for their DIY punk ethic, embodied in such actions such as distributing six albums worth of their own material for free on their website, and offering free stencils and paint for fans to create their own T-shirts. They also offered their fans a chance to perform on stage if they learn a song and bring their instrument to the show. Beginning in April 2009, the band would only play all-ages shows with ticket prices of $10 or less. Rosenstock and several other contributors were previously members of The Arrogant Sons of Bitches. As that band was breaking up, Rosenstock recorded the first Bomb The Music Industry! song, "Sweet Home Cananada" using his PowerBook's built-in microphone. "I wrote that song and put it out to see if anybody wanted it. That was how it started, people showed interest and I like recording stuff." Bomb the Music Industry! plays a blend of several musical styles anchored in ska and hardcore punk. The influences go deeper than ska and punk, however, as studio experimentation, synth-pop, and DC hardcore all pop up in the mix. Rosenstock says bands such as Harvey Danger and Neutral Milk Hotel are as much an influence as evidenced by tracks such as "This Graceless Planet" (an adaptation of a song by We Versus The Shark into the musical aesthetic of Bomb the Music Industry!), "Stand There Until You're Sober", and many other songs' meter experiments (which feature, respectively, jarring synth breakouts, backwards looping, and time signatures such as 23/4). In live performances the band has begun using digital technology to create breakdowns that sound like they are lifted from 8-bit video games. Tracks such as "Sweet Home Cananada" and "Future 86" strip down the arrangements to barebones loops and guitar, with the latter (a previously unreleased The Arrogant Sons of Bitches demo) featuring a full brass section but lacking the upstroke rhythms on the guitar, a key element of third-wave ska.
Lyrically, Bomb The Music Industry! songs varied widely from furious rants about corporate rock to ordinary stories about finding a job. They also used a good deal of humor, as in "Can I Pay My Rent In Fun?" and "Sorry, Brooklyn. Dancing Won't Solve Anything." One interviewer described the band as "ska for smart people." Jeff Rosenstock responded, "...you could call us ska music for smart people or indie rock for dumbasses at the same time. That's nice that somebody thinks we're smart." Bomb the Music Industry! has toured as a duo consisting of Rosenstock and Rick Johnson of Rick Johnson Rock And Roll Machine and Mustard Plug. Both carry vocal responsibilities while Rosenstock plays guitar and Johnson plays bass. Both play a variety of instruments as well, such as theremin, tub drum, and saxophone. Additionally, Rosenstock has been known to play keyboard with his feet. Often, this incarnation of the duo performs accompanied by an iPod wired into the venue's PA system that supplies all of the instruments that the duo themselves cannot perform live.
Bomb the Music Industry! has also toured as a duo consisting of Rosenstock and Matt Kurz of The Matt Kurz One. During this tour, Rosenstock fronted the band, playing guitar and saxophone. Kurz sang backup and played bass. As with the Rosenstock/Johnson combo, the rest of the instruments were played through an iPod. Fans were encouraged to join them onstage and play instruments.
In December, 2006, Bomb the Music Industry!, this time as just Rosenstock and Johnson, toured the United Kingdom as part of the Ska Is Dead tour with Mustard Plug and The Planet Smashers. On May 19, 2007, Bomb the Music Industry! headlined Skappleton 2007, the biggest ska fest in Wisconsin. Throughout June 2007, Bomb the Music Industry! embarked on what its website describes as the "Real Bands Tour?". On this tour, the band sidestepped their regular, thrown-together arrangements and opted to perform with a full rock ensemble, consisting not only of Rosenstock as frontman but also of two keyboard players, a bass player, an additional guitarist, and a drummer. The decision to play with this ensemble reflects upon the style of their 2007 album, "Get Warmer", which was recorded with a similar ensemble of live players as opposed to by mainly Rosenstock.
On October 4, 2008 the band entered the studio to record their next album titled "Scrambles", which was released February 15, 2009. The album "Others! Others!" Volume 1 was released on May 7th of 2009, an album of demos, unreleased songs, and bonus tracks. The album "
Adults!!!... Smart!!! Shithammered!!! And Excited By Nothing!!!!!!" was released in early 2010 via their website.
http://www.bombthemusicindustry.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bombthemusicindustry
The band went on an extended hiatus in 2013
Jobs Schmobs
Bomb the Music Industry! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At a computer where you're starting to lose your soul
With a wage that they pay to keep you from ten to six
At 7:30, man you're starting to lose your shit, you're stuck all night
With a boss who's in love with nobody but herself
An army of washed-up musicians sit on her shelf
Patronizing, taking her problems out on you
When the world, when the world gets half away from you
You can go half a world away
When the world, when the world gets half away from you
You can go half a world away
All you need is two weeks
Two weeks, two weeks
You can't leave or go to lunch, you have no health insurance
Two weeks vacation and you haven't been let off since
Suffer through the insufferably boring days
You show up early and your boss always shows up, "Later suckers," you'll say
And your friends with their brains say that you cannot go back
If you move on your music business degree is trashed
Soon we'll be on the road though and soon we'll be driving fast
So when your boss starts to cry, do your best not to laugh
When the world, when the world gets half away from you
You can go half a world away
When the world and your friends and your job and your ends and your whole damn life starts to get away from you
You can go half a world away
All you need is two weeks
Two weeks, two weeks
Two weeks, fuck the world
The song "Jobs Schmobs" by Bomb the Music Industry! is an anthem for anyone who has ever felt trapped by their job. The lyrics describe the monotony and soul-sucking nature of working a boring desk job, with a boss who takes out their problems on their underlings. The chorus provides a solution: going "half a world away" for two weeks, as a means of escape from the daily grind.
The first verse sets the scene: a desk in a room that is too hot or cold, a computer that is slowly draining the singer's soul. The singer is paid just enough to keep him or her coming back, but by 7:30, they are starting to lose their mind. The second verse introduces the boss as a person who is self-centered and takes out their frustrations on their employees, leaving them to do the work the boss is too lazy to do.
The chorus states that when the world gets to be too much, the solution is to go "half a world away" for two weeks. The repetition of the phrase "two weeks" reinforces the idea that this is a realistic and achievable goal. The final verse provides some more detail about the singer's situation: they cannot leave for lunch, they have no health insurance, and they have not had a vacation in a while. However, the singer has a plan to escape, involving their music business degree and hitting the road as a musician.
Overall, "Jobs Schmobs" is a song about the struggle to find meaning and satisfaction in work. The song advocates for taking a break, getting away, and pursuing one's passions in order to combat the tedium and monotony of a boring job.
Line by Line Meaning
At a desk in a room that's always too hot or cold
Working in a stagnant environment that is always uncomfortable
At a computer where you're starting to lose your soul
Working at a job that is draining your passion and purpose
With a wage that they pay to keep you from ten to six
Being paid just enough to keep you subservient to your job
At 7:30, man you're starting to lose your shit, you're stuck all night
The tediousness of the job is slowly driving you insane and you feel trapped
With a boss who's in love with nobody but herself
The person in charge is self-centered and only focused on their own interests
An army of washed-up musicians sit on her shelf
The boss surrounds herself with failed artists who serve as a reminder of her ego
Patronizing, taking her problems out on you
The boss vents her issues on the employees instead of dealing with them maturely
While you do the work that she's too lazy to, do you like it now?
The worker is left to complete all the difficult labor while the boss takes credit for their efforts
You can't leave or go to lunch, you have no health insurance
The job offers little to no benefits; vacation days are practically nonexistent
Two weeks vacation and you haven't been let off since
Despite the opportunity, it's impossible to take a break from the drudgery of the job
Suffer through the insufferably boring days
The job is so painfully monotonous that it's practically unbearable
You show up early and your boss always shows up, "Later suckers," you'll say
The only hope is to work hard enough to eventually leave the job and never look back
When the world, when the world gets half away from you
When life starts to become too much and the world feels overwhelming
You can go half a world away
Escaping the mundane routines of everyday life is possible
And your friends with their brains say that you cannot go back
Friends who've never been in this position fail to understand how difficult it is to break free
If you move on your music business degree is trashed
Even if you have dreams of doing something great, leaving the job will leave you with nothing to show for it
Soon we'll be on the road though and soon we'll be driving fast
There's still hope for a better life; the artist is counting on leaving the job to pursue a career in music
So when your boss starts to cry, do your best not to laugh
Leaving the awful job and achieving success is a satisfying revenge
When the world and your friends and your job and your ends and your whole damn life starts to get away from you
When everything begins to unravel
You can go half a world away
Escaping to a new place could provide a sense of freedom and possibility
All you need is two weeks
A short amount of time away could give enough perspective to make a big life decision
Two weeks, two weeks
Reiterating the importance of taking breaks and valuing time off
Two weeks, fuck the world
In the end, it's necessary to do what's best for oneself and prioritize personal happiness over anything else
Contributed by Charlotte J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.