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{{Short description|American crust punk band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Aus-Rotten
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| alias =
| origin = [[Pittsburgh]], Pennsylvania, U.S.
| genre = [[Hardcore punk]], [[crust punk]], [[anarcho-punk]]
| years_active = 1992–2001, 2019
| label = [[Havoc Records]], Rotten Propaganda, [[Tribal War Records]], Skuld
| associated_acts = [[Behind Enemy Lines (band)|Behind Enemy Lines]], [[Caustic Christ]], [[Human Investment]], [[Spitboy]]
| website =
| current_members =
| past_members = Dave Trenga (vocals)<br>Eric Good (guitar, vocals)<br>Matt Garabedian (drums)<br>Corey Lyons (bass)<br>Adrienne Droogas (vocals, 1999-2001)
}}
'''Aus-Rotten''' was an American [[crust punk]] band formed in [[Pittsburgh]], Pennsylvania. Active from 1991 to 2001, its members practiced and promoted a philosophy of [[anarchist]] politics. The band included lead vocalist Dave Trenga, vocalist/guitarist Eric Good, bassist Corey Lyons, and drummer Matt Garabedian. [[Spitboy]] singer Adrienne Droogas would often join the band in their later material. The band's name comes from the [[German language|German]] verb ''ausrotten'', which translates to "exterminate" or "eradicate".

==Music==

===Musical style===
According to their Myspace site, Aus-Rotten is influenced by [[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]], [[Conflict (band)|Conflict]], [[Crass]], and [[Subhumans (UK band)|Subhumans]]. The band has covered songs by [[Chumbawamba]], [[Flux of Pink Indians]], [[The Pist]], [[Conflict (band)|Conflict]], [[Crucifix (band)|Crucifix]] and Upright Citizens.

Aus-Rotten went through roughly two stylistic periods during its existence; they originated as a bass-heavy hardcore punk band with low-fidelity production, before taking a hiatus and returning with a thicker sound and a second vocalist (Adrienne Droogas, formerly of [[Spitboy]]).

===Lyrical themes===
Dave Trenga penned most of the band's lyrics. Most of their songs espoused an anarchist worldview, touching upon [[consumerism]], [[LGBT rights]], the [[Christian right]], [[direct action]], [[feminism]], [[AIDS origins opposed to scientific consensus|AIDS]], [[immigration to the United States|immigration]], and [[animal rights]].

The band is perhaps most famous for its radical, quotable lyrics (e.g. "People are not expendable, government is", "As long as flags fly above us, no one's really free"), as well as for their strong [[anti-fascist]] stance which, according to the interview on the [[ABC No Rio]] documentary, got them threatened at least once.{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}}

==Post-breakup==
Aus-Rotten went on a hiatus in the mid-'90s and during that time Dave formed Human Investment with Andy of [[Anti-Flag]] and Corey and Eric formed Doomsday Parade. Aus-Rotten broke up for good in early 2001 and members have gone on to form [[Caustic Christ]]<ref name='pg1'>{{cite news | first=Scott | last=Mervis | title=Pittsburgh music got outta town in 2006 | date=2006-12-21 | url=http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/06355/747616-42.stm | work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] | accessdate=2007-08-29 | archive-date=2007-09-27 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927023644/http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/06355/747616-42.stm | url-status=dead }}</ref> and [[Behind Enemy Lines (band)|Behind Enemy Lines]].<ref name="pg2">{{cite news |title= PITTSBURGH CALLING A capsule look at Pittsburgh bands making news.|work= [[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|publisher= Pittsburgh Post Gazette Publishing Co. |page= WE. 17|date= 2007-02-01}}</ref>

''[[Pittsburgh City Paper]]'' has described Aus-Rotten as "arguably the most important band of the '90s [[anarcho-punk]] renaissance."<ref name='cp'>{{cite news|url=https://www.pghcitypaper.com/arts-entertainment-2/crust-punks-behind-enemy-lines-release-one-nation-under-the-iron-fist-of-god-1334793/|title=Crust-punks Behind Enemy Lines release ''One Nation Under The Iron Fist of God''|last=Hopper|first=Justin|date=February 1, 2007|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh City Paper]]|access-date=August 29, 2007}}</ref> The band's 1994 ''Fuck Nazi Sympathy'' 7" sold 25,000 copies, making it [[Havoc Records]]' best-selling release.<ref name="connor">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p_K_w5r1zkgC&q=%22aus-rotten%22+hardcore&pg=PA71|title=Punk Record Labels and the Struggle for Autonomy: The Emergence of DIY|first=Alan|last=O'Connor|date=7 September 2008|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=9780739126608|accessdate=7 September 2020|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.havocrex.com/store/product/HC7003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011045721/http://www.havocrex.com/store/product/HC7003|url-status=dead|title=Havoc Records store|archive-date=11 October 2007|accessdate=7 September 2020}}</ref> ''Fuck Nazi Sympathy'' topped a list of bestselling D.I.Y. Punk record label releases compiled in 2008, outselling anything released on [[Ebullition]], [[Three One G]], [[Profane Existence]], [[Gravity Records (US)|Gravity Records]], [[Lengua Armada]], and various other labels.<ref name="connor" /> They toured Japan briefly in 1998.<ref name='nh'>{{cite news | title=Got it made in Japan | date=1998-04-30 | url =http://www.newspaperarchive.com/LandingPage.aspx?type=glpnews&search=aus%20rotten&img=\\na0036\6771103\27274324.html | work =North Hills News Record | accessdate = 2007-08-29 }}</ref>

On August 18, 2019 Aus-Rotten performed a few songs at Skull Fest 11 in Pittsburgh.

==Discography==
===Demos===
*"We Are Denied, They Deny It" (1992)

===EPs===
*"Anti-Imperialist" (1993)
*"Fuck Nazi Sympathy" (1994)

===Studio albums===
*''The System Works For Them'' (1996)
*''...And Now Back to Our Programming'' (1998)
*''[[The Rotten Agenda]]'' (2001)

===Compilation===
*"Not One Single Fucking Hit Discography" (1997)

===Splits===
*"Aus-Rotten / Naked Aggression" (1994)

===Appears on===
*"Iron City Punk Compilation" (1993)
*"Pogo Attack Compilation" (1994)
*"Barricades and Broken Dreams: An International Tribute to [[Conflict (band)|Conflict]]" (1995)
*"Start A Riot" Compilation (1996)
*"Solidarity Compilation - Benefit For [[ABC No Rio]]" (1999)
*"Return of The Read Menace - Benefit for [[AK Press]]" (1999)

== Members ==
===Final lineup===
* Corey Lyons - ''Bass''
* Dave Trenga - ''Vocals''
* Eric Good - Guitar, ''Vocals''
* Matt Garabedian - ''Drums''
* Adrienne Droogas (ex-[[Spitboy]]) - ''Vocals''

===Former members===
* Ajax - ''Guitar''
* Richie Carramadre - ''Drums''
* Douglas Weaver - ''Drums''
* Tim Williams - ''Drums''
* Dan Monaco - ''Drums''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071106134835/http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=94595349 Aus-Rotten] at [[Myspace.com]]
* [http://www.havocrex.com Havoc Records] Label site.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060620112000/http://www.profaneexistence.com/PE38/Aus-Rotten.html Interview with Aus-Rotten] in ''[[Profane Existence]]'' magazine
* [http://www.operationphoenixrecords.com/suburbanvoiceissue43_7AusRottenInterview.pdf interview]{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} in [[Suburban Voice]]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aus-Rotten}}
[[Category:American crust and d-beat groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1992]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2001]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Pittsburgh]]
[[Category:Hardcore punk groups from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:American political music groups]]

Aus-Rotten - Revision history

imported>ClumsyOwlet: pittsburghcitypaper.ws --> pghcitypaper.com