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.
Mutiny
Urban Waste Lyrics
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Saying Uncle Sam wants you
It says he wants you to fight for this land
But why should we have to fight for our land
If we can't even do what we want anymore
They say Uncle Sam will make you into a man
To be a man in this land
They say we're red and we say they're white
But why should we have to fight anyway
I don't want to fight in another land
And I certainly don't want to die in another land
I don't want to fight
Fight
The lyrics to Urban Waste's song "Mutiny" depict a sense of frustration and rebellion towards the idea of being forced to fight for their land. The opening lines, "I opened up the mailbox, inside there was a letter, Saying Uncle Sam wants you," suggests that the singer has received a conscription letter from the government, summoning them to join the military.
The lyrics then go on to question the necessity and fairness of fighting for their land. They express a sentiment that if they cannot freely do what they want in their own country, then why should they be expected to fight for it? The line, "But why should we have to fight for our land, If we can't even do what we want anymore," reflects their resistance to this demand.
Further, the lyrics challenge the notion that fighting in a war will make someone a man. They question why they should have to fight in order to prove their masculinity in their own land. The line, "They say Uncle Sam will make you into a man, But why should we have to fight, To be a man in this land," highlights their rejection of this idea.
Overall, "Mutiny" by Urban Waste touches upon themes of questioning authority, resistance to war, and frustration with societal expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
I opened up the mailbox, inside there was a letter
Upon checking the mailbox, I discovered a letter
Saying Uncle Sam wants you
It proclaimed that Uncle Sam is in need of your services
It says he wants you to fight for this land
It states that he expects you to engage in combat to defend this territory
But why should we have to fight for our land
However, what reason do we possess to be compelled to battle for our own homeland
If we can't even do what we want anymore
Especially when our freedom to pursue our desires has been stripped away
They say Uncle Sam will make you into a man
According to them, Uncle Sam will transform you into a mature individual
But why should we have to fight
Yet, why should we feel obligated to engage in combat
To be a man in this land
Merely to attain manhood within our own country
They say we're red and we say they're white
They claim we are the opposing faction, while we argue that they are
But why should we have to fight anyway
Nevertheless, what purpose does it serve for us to engage in this fight
I don't want to fight in another land
Personally, I have no desire to partake in warfare in a foreign country
And I certainly don't want to die in another land
More importantly, I unequivocally do not wish to meet my demise in a foreign land
I don't want to fight
I am resolute in my stance of not wanting to engage in combat
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Billy Phillips
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind