"Let me take you by the hand, back to the streets of New York City," is the… Read Full Bio ↴"Let me take you by the hand, back to the streets of New York City," is the opening line from Roger Miret & The Disasters' third album, My Riot. The Disasters represent a simplistic, nearly autistic honesty rarely seen in music today, for good reason. A sound which can only come straight from the heart of NYHC's most legendary frontman, Agnostic Front's Roger Miret a sound which can only come from true life experiences from someone who was there for the birth of, and lived through the most turbulent times of, one of the most honest genres of music, a genre that's viewed by most as a lifestyle.

On September 10th 2001, The Disasters released their first, "Self Titled" album and have been on tour ever since spreading their message, the voice of "true" street punk and street rock 'n roll. This is a message for the people who are tired of the modern day cliche of punk rock that has been prepackaged and hand-delivered. This is a message for the people who long to hear true, honest punk rock, with deep and complex lyrics, from people who love it, listen to, and live it themselves!

A relentless tour schedule has kept The Disasters living on the road for the past five years. This hard work ethic has transferred itself into a solid fan base, further proving the bands honesty and integrity. They wouldn't have it any other way. The Disasters have a strong belief in the idea that "fans are something you earn through hard work and dedication, they are just as much a part of the music as we are, it's that mutual respect and common ground that makes the music so honest for both the fans and for the band itself."

Their new album, My Riot sees the band exploring even more styles than ever before, including reggae, acoustic and straight up rock 'n roll. "We've always tried to do something different, something the fans weren't necessarily expecting. That's how we've kept the band's sound so fresh over the years."

With the release of My Riot (In stores late summer 2006), Roger Miret & The Disasters are ready to hit the road and once again prove that there is still a place in the world for true, honest street punk rock ‘n roll!

Lower East Side
Roger Miret and the Disasters Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It all went wrong
Where's it all gone
Where'd it all go?

Outraged on Avenue C
Thinking back on how it used to be
What's built up has been knocked down
Those beliefs we held so strong- So strong!

Fucking weakened to the media's blow
Is this the truce we said we'd die for?

Staring at these empty walls
The breaks and cracks tell it all
I fought the law with blood and honor
I really meant there was no justice- just us!

Fuckin' stood strong on my words
I bled the truce, I'll stand beside her!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Roger Miret and the Disasters' song 'Lower East Side' reflect the feeling of despair and disillusionment that the band members experienced while growing up in New York City, particularly in the areas of the city defined by the Lower East Side. The opening lines "It all went wrong, where's it all gone, where'd it all go?" serves as an introduction to the theme of the song, that is, the loss of a world that once existed but is now gone.

With the second stanza, the song starts to describe the feeling of outrage that the people who once lived in the area, especially Avenue C, experience when they see how the neighborhood has changed. The belief system that once defined the community and gave it its unique identity has been eroded by the media's influence, resulting in the loss of community cohesion and spirit. The third stanza describes the physical decay of the neighborhood with the walls and buildings that are now empty and falling apart, which emphasizes the emotional emptiness of the community members. The final verse, however, is a declaration of courage and rebellion. The singer recounts their experience of fighting for justice, even though they knew that there was no justice to be found in the authorities. The words "I bled the truce, I'll stand beside her" emphasize the importance of having solidarity when fighting for a cause.

Line by Line Meaning

It all went wrong
Everything didn't go as planned

Where's it all gone
Where has everything disappeared to?

Where'd it all go?
Where did everything go?

Outraged on Avenue C
Feeling angry while on Avenue C

Thinking back on how it used to be
Reflecting on the past

What's built up has been knocked down
Things that were established have been destroyed

Those beliefs we held so strong- So strong!
Our once firm beliefs have weakened

Fucking weakened to the media's blow
We were influenced by the media and are now weaker

Is this the truce we said we'd die for?
Is this what we agreed to fight for?

Staring at these empty walls
Looking at walls with nothing on them

The breaks and cracks tell it all
The damages make it clear what happened