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
Slumlord
Bomb the Music Industry! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and stolen bikes
and a van everybody wants to break into.
Dirty halls and holey walls.
And a door I'm afraid I can't buzz you in through.
But I'll be away
I swear I'm gonna find a place.
I gotta do this right and find a better place.
The super stares 'cause we're on the roof and drinking beers.
I don't care, take a photograph if you want to.
I ain't giving you shit, and I ain't paying my rent
Til I got hot water and my toilet gets fixed.
I don't care. You can try to kick me out if you want to.
'Cause I'll be away
I'm gonna be away tomorrow.
I swear I'm gonna find a place.
I'm gonna do this right and find a place
and I will tell my slumlord to get out of my face.
I get the world, you get nothing.
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
I'm not givin' you shit. I'm not paying my rent.
and I will tell my slumlord to get out of my face.
I get the world, you get nothing.
He ain't getting a thing from you and me,
we deserve to be happy.
Fuck this place.
We're living in a dead city.
and I will tell my slumlord to get out of my face.
I get the world, you get nothing.
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
I'm not givin' you shit. I'm not paying the rent.
and I will tell my slumlord to get out of my face.
I get the world, you get nothing.
He ain't getting a thing from you and me,
you get nothing
He ain't getting a thing from you and me,
you get nothing
He ain't getting a thing from me
The song Slumlord by Bomb the Music Industry! captures the experiences of living in poor-quality housing where the landlord doesn't care about the tenants' living conditions. The lyrics describe a rundown building with mold, mice, and stolen bikes. The van outside is so attractive that everyone wants to break into it. The halls are dirty, and the walls are full of holes. The door that leads to the apartment is faulty, and it's difficult to buzz people in. The tenants live in these miserable conditions, paying rent to their slumlord despite the poor living conditions.
However, the singer of the song is done with living like this, and they have decided to move out tomorrow. They are determined to find a better place to stay and live a life free from their current daily struggles. They don't care about their slumlord's threats of eviction because they have nothing to lose. They are willing to stand up to their slumlord and demand better living conditions, threatening to withhold their rent until their basic needs are met.
Slumlord is a powerful song about the struggles of living in poverty and facing neglect from landlords. The song resonates with many people who have experienced similar housing problems, and it serves as a voice for those who have been overlooked and ignored.
Line by Line Meaning
Mold and mice
and stolen bikes
and a van everybody wants to break into.
The living conditions in this place are terrible, with mold, mice, and even stolen bikes being common occurrences. The van parked outside is constantly in danger of theft as well.
Dirty halls and holey walls.
And a door I'm afraid I can't buzz you in through.
The hallways are unclean and the walls have holes in them. The front door is also malfunctioning and cannot be opened from the outside.
But I'll be away
I'm gonna be away tomorrow.
I swear I'm gonna find a place.
I gotta do this right and find a better place.
The singer is determined to leave this place and find a better living situation. They are willing to put in the effort to make sure they find the right place for them.
The super stares 'cause we're on the roof and drinking beers.
I don't care, take a photograph if you want to.
The building's superintendent is watching the artist and their friends drink on the roof, but the artist doesn't care and isn't bothered by the attention.
I ain't giving you shit, and I ain't paying my rent
Til I got hot water and my toilet gets fixed.
I don't care. You can try to kick me out if you want to.
The artist is refusing to pay rent until their living conditions are improved. They are not afraid of being evicted and are standing up for their rights as a tenant.
'Cause I'll be away
I'm gonna be away tomorrow.
I swear I'm gonna find a place.
I'm gonna do this right and find a place
Once again, the singer emphasizes their intent to leave this place and find a new one that suits their needs.
and I will tell my slumlord to get out of my face.
I get the world, you get nothing.
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
I'm not givin' you shit. I'm not paying my rent.
The singer is fed up with their landlord and is ready to stand up to them. They assert that they deserve better treatment and refuse to pay rent until their living conditions improve.
He ain't getting a thing from you and me,
we deserve to be happy.
Fuck this place.
We're living in a dead city.
The artist believes that they and their fellow tenants deserve better than what they are currently experiencing. They express their frustration with the place and declare it a 'dead city.'
He ain't getting a thing from you and me,
you get nothing
He ain't getting a thing from you and me,
you get nothing
He ain't getting a thing from me
The artist reiterates that they will not be paying rent or giving the landlord anything until their living conditions improve. They are standing up for their rights and will not back down.
Contributed by Isabelle J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.