Their only recorded material is an eight-song 7", which was released in 1982 on Mob Style Records, the record label of fellow hardcore band The Mob (and later as a 12" on Big City Records). The Urban Waste EP has been released by the New York City label Mad at the World Records in its series of New York hardcore reissues from the early 1980s. The EP was also reissued in digital format by the New York based digital label Anthology Recordings.
Roger Miret, lead vocalist for New York hardcore legends Agnostic Front, reportedly cited Urban Waste as the band that got him into hardcore, and has mentioned the group as being one of his favorites of the early NYHC scene.
In 2002 Urban Waste played CBGB's for a 20 year reunion, and record release party for the "reissue" of the 82' E.P. with John Dancy and Johnny Waste with new members Zachary Stough on vocals and A.J. Ricci on Bass. This short lived fun experience ended a few months later, when members lost contact with each other.
The band re-grouped once again in 2008 with three out of four original members - Johnny Waste, Kenny Ahrens, and John Dancy. Playing infrequent shows, and still unable to pull a decent tour together, the band released "Recycled" in late 2010. This was a compilation of old unreleased songs and a few new songs written in this time period. Unable to bring the new material on the road, the album was not well received.
Due to health issues, in 2011 John Dancy had to step down as drummer for the band for an indefinite amount of time. In 2011 singer Kenny Ahrens also had to leave the band for personal health issues. Not wanting to leave another empty chapter in the band's already rocky career, John Kelly aka Johnny Waste sought out new members to continue doing what was best for the band. 2012 has shown to be the strongest year for the band to date, as far as playing out, and writing new material. This is also the first time in the bands career that they have gone overseas, playing Europe in Venlo, The Netherlands on Sept. 22nd 2012. Look out for a new release from the band in 2013, and stay in touch with them on their Facebook page for upcoming tour dates and other info.
Eat Cake
Urban Waste Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While I watch the rich eat cake
While the poor just starve and get faked
While they print more money and think it's great
How much more can I say
I think they stole my DNA
If they want to clone all the poor
We're being watched by the CIA
Because they want us all to obey
So I'll just keep eating more cake
Until they have no more dollars to bake
How much more can we take
While I watch the rich eat cake
While the poor just starve and get fucking fucking faked
Eat It
The lyrics to Urban Waste's song "Eat Cake" express a sense of frustration and anger towards the societal inequalities and economic disparities that exist in the world. The opening lines, "How much more can we take, while I watch the rich eat cake," highlights the stark contrast between the privileged few who enjoy abundance and luxury, while the less fortunate suffer and struggle for survival. The repetition of this line emphasizes the growing resentment and disbelief at the disparity.
The lyrics also touch upon the idea of manipulation and control by those in power. The line, "While they print more money and think it's great," criticizes the system that continuously creates more money without addressing the underlying issues of poverty and inequality. The artist feels their voice is being suppressed and their identity is being violated with the line, "I think they stole my DNA, if they want to clone all the poor." This suggests a fear of being controlled and manipulated by those in power.
The song raises the concern of surveillance and the infringement of individual freedoms. The mention of the CIA and the desire for obedience implies a sense of constant monitoring and pressure to conform. Ironically, the singer responds to this by indulging in the very act that symbolizes excess and opulence - eating cake. This can be seen as an act of defiance and resistance, as the artist continues to indulge until the system crumbles.
Overall, the lyrics of "Eat Cake" convey a disillusionment with the current state of affairs and a call to question the systems and structures that perpetuate societal divides.
Line by Line Meaning
How much more can we take
Expressing frustration and questioning our ability to endure more hardship and inequality
While I watch the rich eat cake
Observing the privileged class indulging in luxuries and disregarding the struggles of the less fortunate
While the poor just starve and get faked
Highlighting the harsh reality of poverty and deception faced by the impoverished
While they print more money and think it's great
Drawing attention to the flawed belief that continuously printing money will solve economic issues
How much more can I say
Expressing frustration over the limitations of verbal expression in conveying the gravity of the situation
I think they stole my DNA
Speculating on the violation of personal privacy and genetic data theft
If they want to clone all the poor
Suggesting a dystopian scenario where the disadvantaged are replicated and exploited further
I think they're gonna have themselves a war
Foreseeing the potential repercussions of such inequality leading to social unrest or conflict
We're being watched by the CIA
Implying surveillance by government agencies as a means of control and suppression
Because they want us all to obey
Outlining the motive behind surveillance, which is to enforce obedience and conformity
So I'll just keep eating more cake
Indicating a sarcastic response to the situation, as indulging in one's own desires becomes an act of defiance
Until they have no more dollars to bake
Suggesting that the abuse of power and economic exploitation will eventually lead to the downfall of the oppressors
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Kenny Ahrens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind