In 1995, Jeff Rosenstock began playing with Joe Werfelman together and started The Arrogant Sons of Bitches. By 1996, the two had spent time writing and finding members for their band. At this time they recorded The Arrogant Sons of Bitches Demo Tape on tape but never released it. At this time they also began playing shows in their friends' basements and bedrooms.
Patric Santiago and Chris Valentino joined the band and the Greatest Hits Tape (1996) was made to play the Rockfest, at a local church. They were denied and instead played a show in Jeff Rosenberg's backyard with members of Taking Back Sunday, Bomb the Music Industry!, The Matt Kurz One, and Sevenwiser.
In 1997, Chris Baltrus joined playing bass and Joe Vazquez to play drums after Patric Santiago left the band because of a conflict with other members of the band who break into his house to get amplifiers. His parents were furious and forced him to quit.
In 1998, Joe Vazquez was replaced with Bryan Cohen and ASOB records the Integrity Tape in Joe's garage. Dave Dickerman joined on trombone and Bryan Cohen left the band. They began playing places like Q-Zar, Scotty Dee's Coffee Shop, and an outdoor festival with Post-Emo Indie Rock innovators, Inside. John DeDomenici then stepped in on drums and the band began planning their first album. They payed $1000 for 12 songs.
Mike Costa replaced John DeDomenici on drums. They recorded Built to Fail which was planned to be released by Zach and Breaking the Law Records, however, due to conflicts the band decided to self release it.
In 1999, ASOB started branching out, playing shows with Channel 59, Sprout, Microwave Orphans, Who Cares, WCF, Edna's Goldfish, Catch 22, The Toasters, and Step Lively. Arty's Taxi's member, Eric Bucello who plays the trumpet, and subsequently joined the band. In August, the band recorded "Fuck You" for a Runaway Records compilation with the Jestrebzki Family. They also started work on their new full-length, Pornocracy.
By 2000, the band entered the studio and finished up in June. It featured JT from Sprout. Soon after, Chris Baltrus left the band for college and Joe Bove from Arty's Taxi joined. They played a CD release show with Racecar Breakup.
In 2001 ASOB recorded "Built to Fail Motherfucker" for a compilation and began touring that summer. Many members quit and the remnants of ASOB played a show in upstate New York on a driving range with a new band featuring members of Shabooti. Joe Rosenstock stated to his girlfriend, "If this band ever gets big, I want you to kill me." The band ended up being Coheed and Cambria.
Rosenstock began writing new material and was to open a show for Thursday, but it fell through. A new roster was drawn up that included Tim Ruggeri (Channel 59/WCF/Tall Hannds), Jon Rossman (Everyone Else), and Chris Taylor but this also fell through. Mike, Baltrus, Dave, and a few members of the High School Football Heroes and Premarital Sax play with ASOB.
In 2002, ASOB tried to re-record Built to Fail unsuccessfully. They recorded an Arrogant Sons of Bitches 7'' that was never released. They did a CD release show for All the Little Ones Are Rotting and played a battle of the bands at The Downtown winning fourth place. They landed a deal with Kill Normal Records. They also played a Halloween show and did ska covers of Taking Back Sunday songs.
A year later, in 2003, ASOB re-released their EP with videos, a live set, and much more. They opened for Bowling for Soup and Count the Stars. They toured out to the west coast, and JT from Sprout joined full time. They played outside of the Idaho Warped Tour, and the next day played inside a hip-hop tent electrically. They stayed on Warped Tour and played to 3000 people in New York. Joe Werfelman was kicked out of the band.
Three Cheers for Disappointment was finished being written and they recorded with AJ Quashee, but the recording didn't go well and was scrapped. Sean Qualls was auditioned on guitar. Joe Bove had a panic attack on stage and leaves bass, giving Sean the spot on bass.
Afterward, the band recorded some more and started working on releasing a "Complete Discography". The band later got on Streetlight Manifesto shows that feature Big D and the Kids Table.
The band finally began recording Three Cheers for Disappointment at Moontower Studios in Boston, Massachusettes with Steve Foote. After it was finished, the band booked a tour, ordered merch, talked to record labels, and replaced Sean Qualls with James Lynch on bass. The band took a break in September.
In October, The Arrogant Sons of Bitches played two last shows at Mr. Beery's - one all ages, one 18+. Shortly afterward, Jeff Rosenstock started Bomb the Music Industry!, Sean started Bashi-Bazouk, JT started his solo project, Mike Costa started his solo project and Dave registered to finally go to college.
In 2005, they finish Three Cheers for Disappointment and in 2006, the band plays three shows in the Northeast in support of it.
In 2007, they play their last show and officially break up.
In 2012, the Arrogant Sons of Bitches reunite for one last show at the Warsaw in Brooklyn, New York.
RSTLNE
The Arrogant Sons of Bitches Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't want to be you anymore.
What's in store? Well, I don't want to be popular.
High school superstar.
Didn't take it very far.
So pick another winner 'cause I won't buy in.
I'm sick of hearing what you see in me.
Fake the smile.
Sitting in a cubicle and doing shit that I don't want
Like organizing back to front.
Wipe the smile off my face.
Stuck here in the same place.
Where everybody's moving forward and I stay stagnant.
I'm sick of hearing what you see in me.
You're not anything I want to be.
All I ever wanted was to do something right.
And now that chance is gone.
I'll feel like I've done wrong.
I fucked things up for everyone!
Go walk away.
Go walk away because this isn't where you want to be.
All I've got is four chords.
As I sit and stare I realize for good that it's nothing special.
It's just a punk show.
--"And I don't know and I don't know.
Equipment? It goes in the back.
I'm sorry but you go on last.
You don't have a guest list.
The lady here is really pissed.
She says your band is way too loud and she don't like it."
Call the cops 'cause we're not gonna leave.
--"Please give me a tip, kid.
I don't know what I'm doing.
I play a song, it sounds all wrong,
you can't tell what the fuck I'm saying.
It doesn't rock.
It kind of sucks.
I'm overusing the word fuck.
I sell a CD for ten bucks.
Please go buy it"
Call the cops 'cause we're not gonna leave.
We'll exchange closet spaces with our insecurities.
All I ever wanted was to be more than second best.
Kiss my ass goodbye.
We're breaking up tonight.
I'm starting to feel I'm getting stuck here.
Go walk away.
Go walk away 'cause this isn't where you want to be.
All I've got is four chords.
As I sit and stare I realize for good that it's nothing special.
Four chords, then the bridge.
It's so predictable.
And no matter what you want
you'll never curb my self-depreciation now.
The lyrics to The Arrogant Sons of Bitches' song RSTLNE express feelings of dissatisfaction and disillusionment with the singer's current life and lack of fulfillment. The opening lines convey a sense of disconnect and disassociation from the surrounding world, with the singer saying that they don't want to scare or be anyone else. They express apathy towards popularity and status, referencing their own failed attempts at being a "high school superstar." The chorus repeats the sentiment that the singer is tired of hearing what others see in them, rejecting the idea that they want to live up to anyone's expectations or standards.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to scare you.
I want to share my thoughts without frightening you.
I don't want to be you anymore.
I no longer strive to live up to someone else's expectations.
What's in store? Well, I don't want to be popular.
I am uncertain about the future, but I do not desire fame.
High school superstar.
I was once a popular student in high school.
Didn't take it very far.
I did not continue my success beyond high school.
So pick another winner 'cause I won't buy in.
Choose someone else to idolize because I will not conform.
I'm sick of hearing what you see in me.
I am tired of receiving praise that I do not believe I deserve.
Fake the smile.
I force myself to appear happy when I am not.
Working mode.
I am in the mindset of completing tasks for my job.
Sitting in a cubicle and doing shit that I don't want
Like organizing back to front.
I am stuck in a boring office job, performing tedious tasks that I do not enjoy.
Wipe the smile off my face.
I want to stop pretending to be happy and show my true emotions.
Stuck here in the same place.
Where everybody's moving forward and I stay stagnant.
I feel trapped in my current situation while everyone else is making progress.
You're not anything I want to be.
I do not aspire to be like you.
All I ever wanted was to do something right.
And now that chance is gone.
I'll feel like I've done wrong.
I fucked things up for everyone!
I missed my opportunity to make a difference and now I regret my actions that negatively affected everyone.
Go walk away.
Go walk away because this isn't where you want to be.
You should leave if you are unhappy with your current situation.
All I've got is four chords.
As I sit and stare I realize for good that it's nothing special.
It's just a punk show.
My music is simple and not unique or extraordinary, it is just another punk rock performance.
--"And I don't know and I don't know.
I am unsure of what to do or how to proceed.
Equipment? It goes in the back.
I'm sorry but you go on last.
You don't have a guest list.
The lady here is really pissed.
She says your band is way too loud and she don't like it."
I am giving instructions to a band playing at a venue, explaining where to put their equipment and that they will perform last. A woman in the venue is annoyed with the band's loud noise and lack of a guest list.
Call the cops 'cause we're not gonna leave.
The band is refusing to exit the premises despite being asked to do so.
--"Please give me a tip, kid.
I don't know what I'm doing.
I play a song, it sounds all wrong,
you can't tell what the fuck I'm saying.
It doesn't rock.
It kind of sucks.
I'm overusing the word fuck.
I sell a CD for ten bucks.
Please go buy it"
The band is asking for tips, despite being self-conscious about their performance. They believe their music is unappealing and too explicit, but are still trying to sell their CDs.
We'll exchange closet spaces with our insecurities.
We will share our vulnerabilities and self-doubts with each other.
All I ever wanted was to be more than second best.
Kiss my ass goodbye.
We're breaking up tonight.
I'm starting to feel I'm getting stuck here.
I desired to be better than just mediocre, but now I am saying goodbye and ending my involvement in this situation. I feel like I am becoming stagnant again and need to move on.
Four chords, then the bridge.
It's so predictable.
My music is formulaic and repetitive, with a predictable structure.
And no matter what you want
you'll never curb my self-depreciation now.
My self-criticism cannot be stopped no matter what you say or do.
Contributed by Adam F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
august
this song is fun to listen to high
matt
yea u can jus leave