Gatsbys began with the disbanding of two bands called One Point Two and Good For Nothing. Bobby Darling was a guitarist for One Point Two and met up with Nic Newsham and Ryan Van Wieringen who were the lead singer and guitarist from Good For Nothing. The completion of Gatsbys didn't come until they recruited Kirk Huffman (formerly of K Through Six) to play bass and Dustin McGhye as their drummer, to make them a five piece band.
When Kaylan Cloyd from the band Acceptance got his hands on a Gatsbys demo, he handed it off to record label Rocketstar Recordings owner Darrick Bourgeois. Shortly after this, they were signed by the local record label and worked with producer Aaron Sprinkle to record their 2002 debut album Why We Fight. Their first show after being signed drew in a crowd of 500+, which was largely due in part to the extensive promoting by Rocketstar.
After Why We Fight came out, the band regrouped dropping drummer McGhye and picked up the Waxwing and Bugs in Amber drummer Rudy Gajadhar. Then in 2003, the band released their second album titled Ribbons & Sugar. Ribbons & Sugar was a concept album loosely based around George Orwell's fable Animal Farm. It became apparent to critics and fans alike after this release of Ribbons & Sugar that literary references in their lyrics were a thing to be expected. It also found them exploring ambitious experimental pop, opting for strange time signatures and tempo changes.
Gatsbys signed a two record deal with Rocketstar, and with Ribbons & Sugar being their second album, their Rocketstar contract ended and both parties decided that neither wanted to renew the contract, and both decided to go their separate ways.
Following its release, the band started to field numerous offers from other, bigger record labels. Slightly embittered by the receiving, the band signed a one-record deal with Chicago-based LLR Records (formerly Little League Records) in 2004. Their contractual record, the more mellow and subdued In the Land of Lost Monsters EP, was in part a response to the post-Ribbons record label attention the band received. Just about all of the labels that approached them thought they were excellent musicians, but wanted the band to write choruses for the next record, a normal songwriting technique the band had up to that point, seemed to avoid. Gatsbys, feeling uncomfortable about forgoing their integrity in order to get a record contract, continued writing music that they liked and in the way they wanted to write it. Doing so simply brought them more acclaim as a progressive rock band.
Several months after the EP's release, the band settled on Fearless Records, home of such acts as the now-defunct post-hardcore/indie rock legends At The Drive-In. With their 2005 album Volcano, it became clear that, as a band, the group had progressed to further musical heights, and was highly capable of writing music that is different from other bands that are usually clumped into the same category as Gatsbys.
Volcano having its central theme revolving around, what else but a volcano (particularly Pompeii, which becomes clear after seeing the title of the second song on the album) had yet once again literary references through out it, ranging from Pee Wee's Big Adventure, to Lord of the Flies, Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park, Enders Game, and Speaker for the Dead.
During the touring that followed the release of Volcano, Gatsby's added a new member, Kyle O'Quin who is also a member of the band Surrounded By Lions.
During the tour that followed the release of Volcano, Gatsbys added Kyle O'Quin (also a member of the band Surrounded By Lions). A few months after O'Quin was added to the band, Ryan Van Wieringen met up with the band in Arizona while they were on tour there and rejoined the line up. Since then, he has been touring and performing live as part of the band.
Van Wieringen did not, however, participate in writing any guitar parts for their self-titled fourth full-length album, released August 8th, 2006. The album bears all the hallmarks of a Gatsbys record: an album of musical experimentation in a pop context, peppered with numerous pop culture and literary references, which appear in both the lyrics and song titles, ranging from works by Philip K. Dick to the television show Lost. The album is, however, noticeably bitter towards the music industry, even compared to previous Gatsbys releases, scalding both current "trend" bands and greedy record labels.
The band has been relatively inactive since the release of the self-titled album. The band has played a handful of shows in and around the Seattle area, and on April 27, 2007, they played their first out-of-state show since the self-titled album's release at Colgate University. In a forum post at Gatsbys fansite Snicker At The Swine, Bobby stated the following on the band's decision to ever go on tour again or write another album:
“ If i find I have more to say with Gatsbys I will write more music. We're not gonna just play to play. The only way I'll do more Gatsbys is if we are making new music. Which I am totally open to. I really have been working on new Gatsbys music. I'll probably lay down some demo shit the next time I'm at Casey's.”
During the hiatus, most of the members have started side projects.
Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground.
Wild Orchid Children.
Redredblue.
Keith Ledger.
Search/Rescue.
Zero Cool.
Rudy also played all of the drum parts for Forgive Durden's release "Razia's Shadow".
Snicker at the Swine
Gatsby's American Dream Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
stuffing his mouth with glory
biting the hands that feeds him
because he thinks he's worthy
absorbed in his deceit
the lies are subtle in which he snorts
to justify his inadequate morals
he rolls in mud to rid himself of the shame
with his snout in the air
he knows
a hypocrite of his own breed
pale pink skin covers up greed
he consumes yet does not produce
this sty is his pity palace
The lyrics of "Snicker at the Swine" by Gatsby's American Dream is a critique of a person who indulges in the excesses of life while being oblivious to their insatiable greed. The opening line "eating from the trough again/stuffing his mouth with glory" sets the tone for the song as the singer mindlessly gobbles up everything in sight with no regard for others. The phrase "biting the hands that feed him/because he thinks he's worthy" implies that the person believes that they are entitled to everything they have, even if it means taking advantage of others. The lyrics further highlight the person's deceitful nature and the subtle lies they tell themselves to justify their actions. The phrase "absorbed in his deceit/the lies are subtle in which he snorts" suggests that the person is so consumed in their own lies that they are unable to see the truth. They roll in the mud to rid themselves of the shame and cleanse their conscience, but their behavior is an act of hypocrisy.
The chorus "with his snout in the air/he knows/a hypocrite of his own breed/pale pink skin covers up greed/he consumes yet does not produce/this sty is his pity palace" contrasts the person's haughty demeanor with their questionable morals. The person is aware of their hypocrisy but does little to change their behavior. Their actions are symptomatic of a larger problem: a sense of entitlement that causes them to consume without regard for others. The person is a greedy, self-centered individual who takes pleasure in their own pity.
Line by Line Meaning
eating from the trough again
Indulging in excess, just like a pig eating from its feeding trough.
stuffing his mouth with glory
Taking credit for things he did not do, like a pig stuffing its mouth with food it did not earn.
biting the hands that feeds him
Acting ungrateful towards those who have helped him, like a pig biting the hands of the person who feeds it.
because he thinks he's worthy
Feeling entitled to the benefits he receives, like a pig thinking it deserves to be fed.
absorbed in his deceit
Captivated by his own dishonesty, like a pig wallowing in mud.
the lies are subtle in which he snorts
He justifies his lies to himself in a subtle way, like a pig snorting while hiding something in the mud.
to justify his inadequate morals
Using lies to rationalize his immoral actions, like a pig justifying its dirty behavior.
he rolls in mud to rid himself of the shame
He tries to wash away his shame like a pig would by rolling in the mud.
and cleanse his conscience
Attempting to make himself feel better about his wrongdoings, like a pig cleaning itself after getting dirty.
with his snout in the air he knows
He is aware of his own prideful attitude, like a pig raising its snout in the air.
a hypocrite of his own breed
He is a person who acts in contradiction to his or her own stated beliefs, like a pig who goes against its instincts.
pale pink skin covers up greed
Although he appears harmless and innocent, there is a greedy nature to him, as with a pig's pink skin hiding its greedy nature.
he consumes yet does not produce
He takes more than he gives back, as pigs consume more than they produce.
this sty is his pity palace
He has created a self-pitying world for himself, like a pig living in a sty as its personal paradise.
Contributed by Tyler G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.