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
The Last Party
Bomb the Music Industry! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't believe anyone came to watch me disappear
I was drunk but without wistfulness, and smiles instead of tears
I knew you'd be okay with it
As I sped along the road
Is it a self-fulfilling prophecy that I'll always be alone?
'Cause you'll always say we're cool and you'll always be my home
They say to live is to have no regrets
But sometimes staying put is fine
So I'll hang around 'til the last one's leaving town
And I don't want to die
I'll hang around 'til I love this shitty town
And I don't want to die
The lyrics of "The Last Party" by Bomb the Music Industry! are an introspection on the idea of leaving behind a place, a group of people or even a particular situation. The song starts with the image of a party in Greenpoint where the singer feels like he's disappearing. He acknowledges the fact that he's drunk, but he isn't sentimental, and he's smiling instead of crying. The person throwing the party is confident that his friends will be okay with his decision to leave.
As the song progresses, the singer questions the idea of always being alone and wonders if it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. He says that he's okay with leaving because he knows that his friends will always be there for him, and he'll always have a home. He's not regretting his decision to leave but is worried about the future.
However, in the end, he says that he's going to stick around until he loves the town he's in, and he doesn't want to die. The singer's resignation regarding his situation is tinged with a sense of hope and optimism that, with time, he'll come to love the place and people around him.
Overall, "The Last Party" reflects on the complexities of leaving behind a situation or a place that we're not content with, and the difficult feelings that come with it. It's an introspection that highlights the desire for belongingness and acceptance while acknowledging the need for growth and change.
Line by Line Meaning
A roof in Greenpoint and a keg with shitty beer
I'm at a party with terrible beer and a mediocre location.
I can't believe anyone came to watch me disappear
I'm surprised that anyone is actually paying attention to me right now, considering how much of a mess I am.
I was drunk but without wistfulness, and smiles instead of tears
I'm not crying over what's happening to me, and instead, I'm feeling rather jovial despite my condition.
I knew you'd be okay with it
I'm confident that my friend(s) will be fine with my condition, and they won't judge me for it.
As I sped along the road
I'm driving fast, probably on my way home or elsewhere, and maybe a little bit reckless in doing so.
Is it a self-fulfilling prophecy that I'll always be alone?
Am I destined to be alone forever, or am I subconsciously pushing people away?
'Cause you'll always say we're cool and you'll always be my home
While I may be struggling with loneliness, at least I have this one person who I know has my back.
I know I'd be okay
Despite my worries, I know deep down that everything will be okay, and I'll come out of this stronger than ever.
They say to live is to have no regrets
The common wisdom is that we should strive to live without any regrets, but is that really possible or realistic?
But sometimes staying put is fine
It's okay to be content with where you are in life and not constantly be seeking change or progression.
So I'll hang around 'til the last one's leaving town
I'm staying at this party (or in this situation) until the very end, until everyone else has left or moved on.
And I don't want to die
Despite everything, I still want to live and continue experiencing new things.
I'll hang around 'til I love this shitty town
I'm going to stick around and keep trying to find something good in this mediocre place until I actually begin to like it.
Contributed by London J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.