THE ARROGANT SONS OF BITCHES
ALL THE LITTLE ONES ARE ROTTING DELUXE EDITION

This compilation is a re-issue of compendium of all the odds and ends tracks that were recorded and released (and some unreleased) in the period between ASOB's 2000 album Pornocracy and 2006's Three Cheers for Disappointment. ASOB pretty much broke up in 2004, definitely broke up in 2007 and are fondly remembered in the ska/punk scene despite all efforts to annoy everyone. Full download contains a short film documenting six idiots who shouldn't try to be a professional band trying to be a professional band.

Click here to download the whole album!

1. So Let's Go Nowhere
2. Kill the President
3. Royale Fuck Deluxe (2002 Megamix)
4. Abandon Ship
5. Somebody Wrote this Song Already
6. RADIO SINGLE.
7. Sorry. We Steal.
8. RSTLNE
9. Built To Fail, Motherfucker!
10. I, Musical Genius
11. BFFAEAE
12. No! No! No! No! No!

LOOKING BACK (2009): Without getting too nostalgic about the old days, it really amazes me how many copies of these songs (first on a self-released EP, then on an enhanced-CD on Kill Normal, then on a complete discography) we sold. I think it was around five or six thousand, maybe more? I remember sitting in my parents' living room with snack trays, hair dryers and cellophane to make the shrink wrap on the original presses. I remember getting rejection letters from labels, time and time and time again. I remember that when we had three release shows for each incarnation of these songs, and we NEVER had the CD on time for ANY OF THEM. One time it was because the glass master place was working on Aerosmith's Big Ones and couldn't do ours in time. All apologies for the less than stellar bitrates, these are from the vaults, some never heard before.

Circa the ASOB website (2003): TRACKS 1-3: We were sitting around drinking Woodpecker Cider one day when we realized that touring and playing shows were kind of strange because we play mostly new songs and all we've been able to afford to put out were two CDs off of which we don't really play much. We had gotten to the point where we almost stopped playing the songs off of a still unreleased 7" (i won't even get started on that story) when we realized that we needed to at least record some newer, thus in our minds "better" songs for demos to send to clubs, labels, etc. Then we said, "HEY! Why not put that on a CD with the 7" we said we were going to release forever ago?" And we figured out that we would do two new songs, and an old one if we had time. The session took a day, mixing took a day, the end. We basically decided to put this CD out two or three weeks before really putting it out. It was fun, and it sounded AWESOME. By the way, here's the stuff from the older songs that I wrote a while ago.

TRACKS 4-6: This was our first 7", and also our first recording that we will not have to worry about paying money on so I think that makes a big difference in the sound because we weren't worried about wasting time. It was also recorded beautifully on two-inch tape that our engineer, Eric Long found in the trash. These were good times recording these songs, especially driving into the city in thirty degree whether and losing our drum set in the elevator of NYU at 8:00 in the morning or all the kids in my program constantly hear my voice blasting from the studio at all points of the day since it seemed like we were mixing it constantly. I think it came out better than anything we ever recorded.

TRACKS 7-9 (Circa 2009 again): Recorded for compilation purposes. The funny thing about RSTLNE was that we couldn't afford to pay for the recording, so I just kept asking for longer MP3s from CJ as proofs and eventually pieced them all together. I hope if CJ reads this now, he doesn't hold it against me. Track 9 was released on the Runaway Records: Girls Like It Short compilation, regarded by some as the worst compilation of all time.

TRACKS 10 - 11: Recorded for a three-way split that was supposed to come out in Japan. This was during a pretty negative time in ASOB (one song "Future 86" which was later released by Bomb the Music Industry! was recorded only by myself as no one else wanted to learn it), but it was also liberating as we were learning how to record stuff on our own. The lyrics also make it clear that there was becoming a huge divide amongst ourselves, between the punk aspect of doing everything ourselves (whcih we were) and the non-punk aspect of having to make uncomfortable decisions that are ultimately based on dollars. Eventually this Japanese split never came out and these would be the last songs ASOB recorded.

TRACK 12: Available on some CD-R's given out at shows, apologizing for not having our EP out just yet. Background vocals by Tim Ruggeri and Marshall Stief.

TRACKS 1-3 AND 7-9 RECORDED AT RUNAWAY STUDIOS IN PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK. PRODUCED BY ASOB AND CHRIS JESTREBSZKI. MIXED AND MASTERED BY CHRIS JESTREBSZKI.

TRACKS 4-6 RECORDED IN NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2001 AT ROSE J. ROLLNICK STUDIOS IN NEW YORK NEW YORK. PRODUCED BY ASOB AND ERIC LONG. MIXED BY ERIC LONG. MASTERED BY THE TWO INCH TAPE ITSELF.

TRACKS 10 & 11 RECORDED IN 2004 MOSTLY BY JEFF ROSENSTOCK IN HIS PARENTS' HOUSE, BALDWIN, NY. DRUMS RECORDED BY MIKE CIUFFO IN DEER PARK, NY. EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS TO ROB SPADARO WHO LOANED US HIS MBOX AND LAPTOP FOR THIS RECORDING, AS WELL AS PROVIDED SOME MIXING ASSISTANCE.

TRACK 12 RECORDED WHILE VERY VERY HIGH IN NEW YORK, NY. CHORUS LYRICS BY TIM RUGGERI.

Chris Baltrus - Bass on tracks 4-6 and 9
Joe Bove - Bass on tracks 1-3 and 7-8
Mike Costa - Drums on all tracks
John DeDomenici - Bass on tracks 10 and 11
Dave Dickerman - Trombone on all tracks
Sean Qualls - Guitar on track 7
Jeff Rosenstock - Vocals, Guitars, Saxophone on most tracks. Moog on track 8. Programming on 10 and 12. Bass on 12.
JT Turret - Rockin' scream on track 3, keyboards on tracks 7, 10 and 11
Chris Valentino - Tenor Sax on track 9.
Joe Werfelman - Guitars on tracks 1 - 3, 9.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

LYRICS!

So Let's Go Nowhere

The autumn came in like concrete at my face.
Location hasn't changed but I'm not living in the same place.
Its useless to respond respond to anything I've said I've said
I hate to quote this song all wrong but "Why Can't We Still Be Friends"?
Aiming to upset me but you're baffling me with your actions.
I am wrong. You are wrong. We subdivide into two factions.
Its made me retarded, I wish I didn't let it.
Everything is upside down. I want those times I can't forget and

Everything is always falling apart.
Everything is always falling apart.

You know I'd amputate my flaws if it meant that I could be with you.
How can I be so self-important in the world today?
My dis-ease of choice will be arriving soon anyway.
We justify our selfishness in every pointless fight.
And I hate to quote this song all wrong but "It Doesn't Make It Right".
Fuck the world.
Everything is breaking and changing and
Everything inside of me is breaking and changing.
Why can't I ever let it go?
If I concentrate real hard I might not ever even know that

Everything is always falling apart.
Everything is always falling apart.

And I'd ignore my dreams in exchange for you being true.
It's going to rain tonight so everything is miserable.
Smoke some more and then I'll go back in and hate.
It's going to rain tonight but it's got to stop eventually.
Let's anticipate the sun and warmth and raise our fists and say:
"Everything is always falling apart, but I can't!"
"Everything is always falling apart, but I can't!"
Everything is always falling apart x1000
(Fell fast asleep. Woke up so easily.
Let's make our dreams transcend reality.
Let's not just seethe, give up, go back to sleep.
Wake up! Don't fall apart.)

Kill the President

What's the bullshit for?
Verbal battlefield. Syllables of war.
I shut myself off. It happens again.
You're not my friend. You're not my friend.
You're not my friend. (sh-sh-sh-sh-shake)
The winter knocked down my door like a selfish bitch
I'm glad that you haven't got your wish
'cause in the cold, all alone, I've been thinking of
everyone but you.
And it feels like seventh grade again
and none of this will ever end
I'm just your public malcontent
another extraneous trend.
Don't try to be like me because
I'm not one to compete just to
obtain the status of a symbol of idolatry.
This time I'd really rather be alone.
Can we forget this? I can just go home.
This time I'd really rather be alone.
Acting unaffected by this hand of fate.
Saying "everything's ok!" with a straight face.
I remember when you said I could count on your for anything.
...and I still hold on.
You'll hold off and play another dumb cherade again.
I'm driving my car home and never walking in the rain again.
I miss the smell of Taco Bell and places that we knew too well.
Driving me crazy. Driving me crazy. Driving me crazy.
Driving me crazy.
This time I'd really rather be alone.
Can we forget this mess and just go home?
This time I'd really rather be alone.
I'm bleeding profusely from my insides
While you're smiling 'cause you're stealing all of my best lines.
I'm doubled over and I'm taking my own side.
Over and over again. I'm so useless.
Now you're becoming everything.
(Well was I ever anything?)
Everyone I love always leaves me.
My judgment's been off every time.
(You're words will always still be mine)
This time I'd really rather be alone.
Can we forget this? I could just go home.
This time I'd really rather be alone.
I'm bleeding profusely from my insides
While you're smiling 'cause you're stealing all of my best lines.
I'm doubled over and I'm taking my own side.
And, oh, how I'll be slapped on crowded streets.
And in some lame cry of defeat
I'll open up
I'll shout it loud:
"Fuck that! Turn off the new sound!"
I'll be slapped on crowded streets.
And in some lame cry of defeat
I'll open up
I'll shout it loud:
"Fuck that! Turn off the new sound! Fuck that!"
"Fuck that! Turn off the new sound! Fuck that!"
"Fuck that! Turn off the new sound!"
1234
Over and over again. I'm so useless.
Now you're becoming everything.
(Well was I ever anything?)
Everyone I love always hates me.
My judgment's off this time for the last time.
What's left beside me now?
No one in this world is ever listening.
Pay attention now. Pay attention now.
No one in this world is ever listening.
Pay attention. Pay attention.
Pay attention now. Pay attention now.
Now. Now. Now.
At home alone again all night.
(At home alone again all night...)
Expect the worst and you'll be right.

Royale Fuck Deluxe

As I look at the moon, my eyes are closed.
You have gone so soon, like the moon.
You know what I miss? The old you.
You're a cold hearted-fool.
You swore to me that things were still cool. How untrue.
The cards have been dealt and my hand doesn't exactly rule.
As I looked at the sky, I was glad I didn't cry.
Love-- thrown away.
I'm happy that you are undauntedly mistreating me.
Look at my life you can't honestly say that I could
and it would be better for us both.
So what now I feel sick?
I was right, did I have to be so cruel, like the moon.
Hiding away as the sun shows the pain in the world.
Now my heart has been broke and you're the one crying.
Is this some sick joke?
Maybe next time someone dicks in your crotch you'll pray that he chokes.
Months-- thrown away.
You pissed on my trust and that's always the way that I'll see you and me.
And as it stands now that's the way that it always will be.
So we're done and in the end it wasn't all real fun.
You're the one who ended up not being the one.
and as time passes by, its stands ever still and I just can't figure out why.
Heartsick disease.
You hand-cooked me royally fucked with tomato and cheese.
I'm at ease, cause I don't care now.
Have fun the choice isn't me.
Good-bye again
as I tell myself over and over that's we'll still be friends, but I know
It won't be the same in the end.
Have fun in your life without me.
I know that I don't care about you.

Abandon Ship

Made a few CDs.
Played with all our favorite bands.
Hit it big on the ska/punk scenes.
But we're never gonna be on TRL with Carson Daly.
Made a lot of fans.
Quit my job, dropped out of school, pressed some t-shirts bought a van
for my stupid ska/punk band.
But something tells me that I was so wrong
to think we'd make a change and not go down in flames
like everyone said we would anyway.
We sure had a blast, but hey man, that's the past.
I need to support myself some day.
We're gonna say goodbye and let's go down without a fight.
Strived for something more.
Trade in this uncool punk/ska, make it rock with horns.
The kids don't like it, its not Limp Bizkit.
*INSERT SAVES THE DAY JOKES HERE
I missed you too, mom and dad.
Being at home ain't that bad.
I applied at Starbucks yesterday.
Our fans are dumb so never fear.
They'll like something else next year
even if for now it seems that they care.
We're g-g-g-onna say goodbye and let's go down without a fight.
*INSERT NEW FOUND GLORY JOKES HERE
Its alright, I'm okay.
We were famous for a day.
Its been cool, so lets just stop.
It feels good to end on top.
And if it gets big again, we'll just have a reunion.
It'll be cool, but we'll just stop.
There's no shame in ending on top.

Somebody Wrote This Song Already

Hate myself.
Hate my life.
Gonna die.
I don't mind.
Pity me, I'm no one.
Get a life, get a gun.
I can't take this.
This is not me.
I am nothing.
Na na na na na na.
Scold me, spank me.
Slap me, stab me.
I fail everything.
I learn nothing.
Torched world.
Where's the rainbow in this world of shit?

RADIO SINGLE.

I can't wait to be a rock star.
So I can do lots of drugs.
And I know you think I'm kidding.
And I know you think I'm kidding.
I can't wait to be a rock star.
So I can do lots of drugs.
And I know you think I'm kidding.
And I know you think I'm kidding.

Walk around like I own the town.
Laughing off my ass at the royalty check I found.
Now I can buy some more cocaine.

I can't wait to be a rock star.
So I can do lots of drugs.
And I know you think I'm kidding.
And I know you think I'm kidding.
I can't wait to be a rock star.
So I can do lots of drugs.
And I know you think I'm kidding.
And I know you think I'm kidding.

Walk around with my nose in the air,
The people stop and stare and take pictures of my hair.
But I won't share my crystal meth with you.
Can't think of anything to say.
We didn't hang out yesterday.
I'll sell out like Happy Gilmore.
Go Go Go Go Subway.

You say that nothing is the same
well, you're the one who changed.
Where were you when you were needed?

I can't wait to be a rock star.
So I can have fake friends.
And I know you think I'm kidding.
And I know you think I'm kidding.
I can't wait to be a rock star.
I don't wanna be your friend
And I know you think I'm kidding.
And I know you think I'm kidding.

Walk around like I own the town.
But you can't hold me down. [5x]

Sorry. We Steal.

Connecticut. Not really where I want to go.
But it's as far as I can drive in twelve inches of snow
in an broken Econoline. It's equidistant to going out east.
Thanks guys!
Uh, did you like the way we played?
Thanks for buying the CD!
Can we please stay at your place?
Because at home no one waits for me.
I lost count.
How many I Love You's you said were never true.
I'm breaking free from you.
And when you realize your wrong, I'll already be gone
and you won't be seeing me again (no not again).
I'll be dead in a cardboard box in transit back to Long Island.
And you'll feel the weight of the world on your shoulders
Like I felt the weight of everyone who never gave a fuck about me.
Mobile phone doesn't work very well
But if I get away from here, I'm an expatriate from hell.
And once you break free it wouldn't make sense to go back
to Long Island: where I knew I was alone
Idly sitting by and waiting after breaking back into my home.
No one cared that I was back.
So goodbye.
I'll forget what to bring.
Who cares? Fuck everything.
See the world and sing.
It seems like we had a good start.
But every start has got to stop.
The last words you'll ever hear from me:
"The only way you can be free is to say,
'Fuck this place I call my home!'"
I'm giving up the burden that was giving up on me.
That never gave a fuck about me.

RSTLNE

I don't want to scare you.
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.
Working mode.
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.

Built to Fail, Motherfucker

And it's still freezing out.
I wanna tear down the walls.
I wanna make it summer.
Listen to Dillinger Four.
Go can your fucking emo.
You know I know we know that it's bullshit.
It's never been nothing more.
They'll turn their backs on you like you turned yours on me.
There's nothing you could ever say to make me change the things I play.
I happily accept the fact that nothing's ever gonna change.
Na na na na na
Na na na na na
Na na na na na
I'm going to fuck things up for everyone else.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Life is unfair.

I, Musical Genius

I'm sorry my friends, if I've become drunk with power.
I'm sorry my friends, if I blame it on being drunk (Hi mom I'm drunk!)
Truth of the matter is I'm turning into a sexist,
A fucking asshole pretentious snob
And all the shit I talk behind your back I'm never gonna say it to your face!
I'm sorry my friends if we're asking for money.
I'm sorry my friends if it's a thousand a show (Thats 14 bucks!)
Truth of the matter is I'm not here to make a killing
But Jay Navarro told me once he had to feed his baby
So four more at the door means you're putting more food in my mouth.
And if you help my band, well then we can be friends.
But I've never seen your band I was too busy drinking.

I don't wanna think about yesterday
And all those stupid games we played were not okay.
I don't wanna be that tomorrow!
I don't wanna think about yesterday.
And if we pull that shit today I swear I'll say:
"I'm not gonna be here tomorrow!"

I'm sorry my friends, for this record I'm signing.
I'm sorry, I swear its not an ego thing (I'll sign your shirt)
Truth of the matter is I thought I was immune to it
But just like everybody else I'm looking for acceptance.
This autograph's a contract claiming you'll accept my word as law:
"Listen to the Clash, D4, Pet Sounds, buy shirt, buy disc, posters, mailing list."
Yeah, I know, I wasn't at the show.
I was too busy drinking by myself.

I don't wanna think about yesterday
And all those stupid games we played were not okay.
I don't wanna be that tomorrow.
I don't wanna think about yesterday
And if we pull that shit today, declare with me:
"I am gonna destroy my local rockstar!"

Can you promise me one thing?
Will you let me go under in a sea of my own hype
And if I reach for your hand to get my feet back on the ground will you please not help me up?
Will you just let me die in my own web of lies
Like "money's not an issue" and "my music's not for sale."
Don't be fooled.
Everything's for sale.

BFFAEAE

"I fucked the world. From Carolina to St. Louis, my seed in every girl. I took it all from granted and I'll take it all for granted 'til I die. So take it off. The t-shirt and the skirt so I can see your panties and your bra. I hate to take advantage, but I need to take advantage of you. And yes this means we can't be friends. Everyone around us knows and everyone's in on the joke. This joke's a joke that never ends. And everyone's in one the joke. I didn't ever think that you would notice."

You didn't think that I would notice.

"You didn't even think that I could do this."

I didn't think that you would do this. Come on everybody, do the backstab! I always knew it, asshole. You're fired. You didn't quit.

"I broke the pact. Took all your trust and hard work. Introduced it to my lap. It kills to be dishonest but you're not an exception to the rule. All of the sponsorships and free CDs. The little boys look up to me. The worship of the little girls. My only chance to fuck the world. I hate to take advantage, but I need to take advantage of you."

And when we break up, we'll drop our eyes like little girls. Excuse me. I... blah... blah blah. Sorry. Sorry.

"I haven't done a single thing. I won't admit to anything. You lied your way into my wallet. I will lie my way into your bed."

I trusted wrong and once again my judgment was far from fucking on. You can't repair the damage. Some mistakes can never be undone. I lost control. I wanted to believe that I could trust another soul. But everyone's a liar and I'm so damn naive I should be shot. And yes, this means I'll spend the night drinking by myself and watching movies I've already seen. And yes, this means I'll spend the night reading my band's message board and hoping someone out there gets me. And yes, this means I'll spend the night looking at my cell phone checking up on calls I might have missed. And even though I'm all alone I'm glad that we're not friends.

No! No! No! No! No!

Computers! Computers! Yeah yeah yeah!
Computers! Computers! Everywhere!

When I was growing up, it was unapparent to me with the upstart of MTV and my Apple IIE with the monochrome screened fueled a new technology that would monitor you and me and everything.
Zoom into today with DVD-enhanced pads and my digital mom and my silicon dad. Computers stores all the information I've ever had. Stock quotes! Pornography! It's all on my screen.

Rebellion! Destruction! Through secure website sales, binary digits, check your email. Emotion's seen death.
I've become artificial. It's text you can feel. When I IM you this smiley smile I swear that it's for real.

Yeah, exponentially it's all grown in front of me. Nowit's controlling everything that we see. Soon we won't even have to breathe for ourselves.

When you're bored, it'll be there for you. You can do 4% of what the government can do. They got files on every motherfucker we don't even care. And it's all there on a zip disk, so it'll never disappear!
Gone is the warmth of the analog tape. Now my robot-controlled pan flips my digital crepe. Virtual flavors of the month that you can kind of sort of taste and we're all gonna die by a glitch by mistake.

Where's Sandra Bullock when you need her most? Miss Congeniality, let's give her a toast of flames and death.
Digital! Digital! Devoid of feeling. I can't buy a record player, just CD's and MP3's.

Yeah, exponentially, they fall faster than me. Soon nothing will be real but a chatroom party, I'll converse with my mom by way of internet TV.

So let's go nowhere and pack up our shit.
Let's sit right down and love by way of point and click.
This technology revolution has controlled us all to shit.
It's too late to stop it now.
We're going to die.