The Arrogant Sons of Bitches
Encyclopedia
The Arrogant Sons of Bitches (commonly abbreviated as ASOB) was a 6-piece ska punk
band from Long Island and Baldwin
, New York. The band was known for its strong DIY punk roots, self-releasing two albums and two EPs. Their final album, Three Cheers For Disappointment
, was released on Kill Normal Records.
Frontman Jeff Rosenstock went on to found Quote Unquote Records
, a donation-based record label, as well as the band Bomb the Music Industry!
Other members went on to join Jay Tea, Hello Nurse, Let Me Crazy, and The Rocky Sullivans.
cover songs together. More members gradually joined their band, and in 1998 they recorded their first album, Released on Breaking the Law Records and titled Built to Fail. Following Built to Fail, the band experienced some success and played with bands such as Edna's Goldfish
, Catch 22, and The Toasters
. In 2000 they released their second album, Pornocracy.
At this point, many ASOB members quit the band to attend college. Eventually, a new lineup formed in 2001, and recorded All the Little Ones Are Rotting in 2002. In 2003 the band decided to follow the Warped Tour
, playing outside of the venues. After a while they were invited into the tour.
In 2004 the band completed recording most of the album Three Cheers For Disappointment
. At this point the band was starting to break up, and Jeff started a new band, Bomb the Music Industry!
The album was finally released in 2006, and the band broke up officially.
However, in 2007 ASOB announced a farewell show for their fans at The Knitting Factory. The show sold out in under seven hours, an unprecedented phenomenon for the show's venue. A second farewell show was played the following night at the Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale, New York
.
Throughout their career, ASOB was praised for their high-energy live performances. One reviewer described that, "They're climbing on the ceiling, the keyboardist would be jumping up and down on the keyboard swinging from hanging speakers, and the bassist would stage dive in an empty spot... land straight on his face, and keep rocking out as he had the time of his life."
Ska punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
band from Long Island and Baldwin
Baldwin, Nassau County, New York
Baldwin is a hamlet located in the town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 24,033 at the 2010 census.Baldwin is also a station on the Babylon Branch of the Long Island Rail Road....
, New York. The band was known for its strong DIY punk roots, self-releasing two albums and two EPs. Their final album, Three Cheers For Disappointment
Three Cheers for Disappointment
Three Cheers for Disappointment is the final studio album released by The Arrogant Sons of Bitches. It was recorded by Steve Foote of Big D and the Kids Table at Moontower Studios in Boston, Massachusetts....
, was released on Kill Normal Records.
Frontman Jeff Rosenstock went on to found Quote Unquote Records
Quote Unquote Records
Quote Unquote Records is a donation-based online independent record label, founded and run by Bomb the Music Industry! and The Arrogant Sons of Bitches frontman Jeff Rosenstock. The label is an example of Rosenstock's DIY ideals...
, a donation-based record label, as well as the band Bomb the Music Industry!
Bomb The Music Industry!
Bomb the Music Industry! is band from Baldwin, Nassau County, New York. They write, produce, record, and distribute all of their music under the leadership of songwriter and producer Jeff Rosenstock....
Other members went on to join Jay Tea, Hello Nurse, Let Me Crazy, and The Rocky Sullivans.
History
In 1995, Joe Werfelman and Jeff Rosenstock started playing Green DayGreen Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
cover songs together. More members gradually joined their band, and in 1998 they recorded their first album, Released on Breaking the Law Records and titled Built to Fail. Following Built to Fail, the band experienced some success and played with bands such as Edna's Goldfish
Edna's Goldfish
Edna's Goldfish was a ska punk band from Long Island.Together from 1997 to 2000, their studio albums include Before You Knew Better and "The Elements of Transition" , both released on Moon Ska Records. The video for their song "Veronica Sawyer" received some airplay on the MTV show 120 Minutes...
, Catch 22, and The Toasters
The Toasters
The Toasters was one of the first American bands in the third wave of ska, and is one of the longest active third wave ska bands.They have released nine studio albums, most of them on Moon Ska Records. The Toasters experienced a small degree of commercial success in the late 1990s due to the...
. In 2000 they released their second album, Pornocracy.
At this point, many ASOB members quit the band to attend college. Eventually, a new lineup formed in 2001, and recorded All the Little Ones Are Rotting in 2002. In 2003 the band decided to follow the Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
, playing outside of the venues. After a while they were invited into the tour.
In 2004 the band completed recording most of the album Three Cheers For Disappointment
Three Cheers for Disappointment
Three Cheers for Disappointment is the final studio album released by The Arrogant Sons of Bitches. It was recorded by Steve Foote of Big D and the Kids Table at Moontower Studios in Boston, Massachusetts....
. At this point the band was starting to break up, and Jeff started a new band, Bomb the Music Industry!
Bomb The Music Industry!
Bomb the Music Industry! is band from Baldwin, Nassau County, New York. They write, produce, record, and distribute all of their music under the leadership of songwriter and producer Jeff Rosenstock....
The album was finally released in 2006, and the band broke up officially.
However, in 2007 ASOB announced a farewell show for their fans at The Knitting Factory. The show sold out in under seven hours, an unprecedented phenomenon for the show's venue. A second farewell show was played the following night at the Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale, New York
Farmingdale, New York
The Village of Farmingdale is an incorporated village on Long Island within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York in the United States...
.
Throughout their career, ASOB was praised for their high-energy live performances. One reviewer described that, "They're climbing on the ceiling, the keyboardist would be jumping up and down on the keyboard swinging from hanging speakers, and the bassist would stage dive in an empty spot... land straight on his face, and keep rocking out as he had the time of his life."
Lineups
| (1995) |
|
|---|---|
| (1996) 1996 Demo |
Saxophone The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846... |
| (1997) |
Bass guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... |
| (1997) |
|
| (1998) Integrity Tape |
|
| (1998) Built To Fail |
Trombone The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate... Trumpet The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... |
| (1999) |
Trumpet The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... Trumpet The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... |
| (2000) Pornocracy |
Trumpet The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... Trumpet The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... Keyboard instrument A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... |
| (2000) Pornocracy |
Trumpet The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... Trumpet The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... |
| (2001–2002) All The Little Ones Are Rotting |
|
| (2003) |
|
| (2003) This is What You Get |
|
| (2003–2004) |
|
| (2004) |
|
| (2005–2007) Three Cheers for Disappointment |
|
| (2007) Farewell Show |
|
Discography
| Year | Title | Details |
| 1998 | Built To Fail | Breaking The Law Records |
| 2000 | Pornocracy | Self-released album |
| 2001 | The Apology EP | Self-released EP |
| 2002 | All The Little Ones Are Rotting | Self-released EP |
| 2003 | All The Little Ones Are Rotting (Super-Deluxe Edition) | Enhanced EP re-released on Killnormal Records |
| 2004 | The Arrogant Sons Of Bitches | Complete discography re-released on Killnormal Records / Very Distribution |
| 2006 | Three Cheers For Disappointment Three Cheers for Disappointment Three Cheers for Disappointment is the final studio album released by The Arrogant Sons of Bitches. It was recorded by Steve Foote of Big D and the Kids Table at Moontower Studios in Boston, Massachusetts.... |
Quote Unquote Records Quote Unquote Records Quote Unquote Records is a donation-based online independent record label, founded and run by Bomb the Music Industry! and The Arrogant Sons of Bitches frontman Jeff Rosenstock. The label is an example of Rosenstock's DIY ideals... (Digital) / Killnormal Records (CD) / Asbestos Records Asbestos Records Asbestos Records in an independent record label in Stratford, CT founded in 1996 by Matt Flood, and Dave Leone.... (Vinyl) |
| 2006 | This Is What You Get | Quote Unquote Records Quote Unquote Records Quote Unquote Records is a donation-based online independent record label, founded and run by Bomb the Music Industry! and The Arrogant Sons of Bitches frontman Jeff Rosenstock. The label is an example of Rosenstock's DIY ideals... (Digital) live album Live album A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album... of Radiohead Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992... cover songs from a Halloween Halloween Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day... show |
| 2009 | All The Little Ones Are Rotting (Digital Re-Issue) | EP with 6 bonus tracks and documentary re-released on Quote Unquote Records Quote Unquote Records Quote Unquote Records is a donation-based online independent record label, founded and run by Bomb the Music Industry! and The Arrogant Sons of Bitches frontman Jeff Rosenstock. The label is an example of Rosenstock's DIY ideals... (Digital) |