Urban Waste (active 1981-1985) was a hardcore punk band that was part of th… Read Full Bio ↴Urban Waste (active 1981-1985) was a hardcore punk band that was part of the New York renaissance of punk in the early 1980s. Much more raw, visceral, and overtly confrontational than their New York punk predecessors, they were contemporaries of Reagan Youth (of which bass player Andy Apathy was an early member), the earliest incarnation of the Beastie Boys, and the Bad Brains. They belonged to a group of bands coming out of the borough of Queens that included Kraut, Gilligan's Revenge (later called Token Entry), Murphy's Law, and the Mob. The band, like many others of the era, was short-lived, and after the breakup several members went on to form Major Conflict.

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.

Reject
Urban Waste Lyrics

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Reject, Reject they said I was a reject
Reject, Reject don't want to be called a reject
People say I'm a reject

People say I'm a reject because of the
Clothes I wear, and the music that I like
But you and I both know, that they're really the
Rejects for liking music from the past

Gonna reach out and take what I can get

Reject, reject they can call me no more

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Urban Waste's song "Reject" highlights the theme of societal rejection and the feeling of being an outcast. The singer is being called a reject by people because of the clothes he wears and the music he listens to. The lyrics suggest that people who reject others for their differences are actually the real rejects. The line "But you and I both know, that they're really the rejects for liking music from the past" shows that those who discriminate against others for their choices are the ones who cannot accept change and new ideas.

The repeated use of the word "reject" in the chorus adds emphasis to the feeling of being unwanted and unaccepted, but the singer decides to take control of the situation by "reaching out and taking what I can get." This shows that he is not going to let the negative labels and judgments of others define him.

The song is a reflection of the punk rock movement that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It embodies the anarchist ideals of rejecting societal norms and embracing individuality. The song empowers individuals to embrace their differences and stand up against the rigid social norms that often lead to exclusion and discrimination.

Line by Line Meaning

Reject, Reject they said I was a reject
People have called me a reject.

Reject, Reject don't want to be called a reject
I dont want to be called a reject.

People say I'm a reject
People consider me as a reject.

People say I'm a reject because of the Clothes I wear, and the music that I like
People think I am a reject based on my clothing and music preferences.

But you and I both know, that they're really the Rejects for liking music from the past
We both know that they're the real rejects because they like outdated music.

Gonna reach out and take what I can get
I will grab what opportunities come my way.

Reject, reject they can call me no more
I will not be bothered by being called a reject.

Contributed by Leah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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