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
Vocal Coach
Bomb the Music Industry! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the records we love have dirty covers, dusty grooves and deep scratches.
Kind of blacking out when all the lights go bright 'til the room gets dark again
'cause we put up our guard for superstars and their sharp movements, big fashion.
I'm aware that I'm kind of getting scared
the love that I thought had no bounds is coming to an end.
So leave me here, you can just leave me here
I get embarrassed when I hear my voice and it's not like in my head.
If I got a new vocal coach and I could hit the notes, you'd fall in love again.
Nothing's forever, dude.
Nothing's forever, dude.
I've lost so much I'm running out of things to lose.
Oh, I get so embarrassed when I hear my voice and it's not like in my head.
If I got a new vocal coach and I could hit the notes, you'd fall in love again.
If I got a new vocal coach and I could hit the notes, you'd fall in love again.
ooh ooh ooh
ooh ooh ooh
So leave me here, you can just leave me here
to find something new so I don't feel as good as dead.
Oh, I get so embarrassed when my voice pops out and it's not like in my head.
If I got a new vocal coach and I could hit the notes, you'd fall in love again.
If I got a new vocal coach and I could hit the notes, you'd fall in love again.
If I got a new vocal coach and I could hit the notes, you'd fall in love again.
"Bomb the Music Industry!" is a punk rock band that has its roots in the DIY punk scene. Their song "Vocal Coach" is a commentary on the disillusionment that comes from the mainstream music industry. The song's lyrics are a commentary on the modern music industry and how it's difficult to maintain authenticity in the world of pop music. It talks about the struggle of the singer to hit the right notes and how he wishes to make a comeback by getting a new vocal coach. The song seems to be an introspective look into the struggles of being a musician on the cusp of fame and falling out of love with your craft.
The lyrics discuss the fakeness of the mainstream music scene, and how everything about it is designed to be "big fashion." The superstars rely on their looks and sharp movements, rather than their actual musical abilities, to sell records. The singer is aware of his limitations, and how he's not what the public wants. He's lost in the sea of mediocrity and seeking a new sense of purpose. The singer is scared that the love he thought he had for music is coming to an end. He sees that nothing is forever, and he's already lost so much, he's running out of things to lose.
Overall, "Vocal Coach" seems to be a song of frustration and disillusionment at the state of the modern music industry. It's a commentary on the struggle to maintain authenticity in a world where image is everything. It's about the struggles of being an artist, and the constant pressure to perform and stay relevant.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm such a skeptic when they flail their arms screaming "OH GOOD GOD!" again.
I am doubtful and skeptical when people make exaggerated gestures and exclaim loudly for seemingly no reason.
All the records we love have dirty covers, dusty grooves and deep scratches.
The music that we connect with and enjoy is often old and worn, with signs of use and age.
Kind of blacking out when all the lights go bright 'til the room gets dark again
'cause we put up our guard for superstars and their sharp movements, big fashion.
I become overwhelmed and disoriented when faced with bright lights, because I am wary of celebrities and their flashy, showy behavior.
I'm aware that I'm kind of getting scared
the love that I thought had no bounds is coming to an end.
I recognize that I am becoming frightened, as the love that I believed was limitless is dwindling and coming to a close.
So leave me here, you can just leave me here
to find something new so I don't feel as good as dead.
I would rather be left alone to explore and discover new things, so that I do not continue to feel emotionally dead and unfulfilled.
I get embarrassed when I hear my voice and it's not like in my head.
I feel ashamed and self-conscious when I hear my own voice and it does not match the ideal version I have in my mind.
If I got a new vocal coach and I could hit the notes, you'd fall in love again.
If I were to improve my singing ability with the help of a vocal coach, you would once again be enamored with me and my music.
Nothing's forever, dude.
Things do not last forever, my friend.
I've lost so much I'm running out of things to lose.
I have experienced so much loss that I am starting to believe there is very little left for me to lose.
Oh, I get so embarrassed when I hear my voice and it's not like in my head.
I feel a strong sense of humiliation and discomfort when my actual singing voice does not measure up to the perfect version I imagine in my mind.
ooh ooh ooh
This is a vocalization, not conveying specific meaning or information.
Contributed by Aubrey I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.