Taking their name from the number of Susans in the line up, Band of Susans released one EP - Blessing and Curse - on Poss's own Trace Elements label before being signed to Mute Records's Blast First imprint for their first album Hope Against Hope. After the release, Rogers, Lyall and Tallman quit to be replaced by Karen Haglof (guitar) and Page Hamilton (guitar). After a second album - Love Agenda - and a Peel Sessions EP the two new members quit (Hamilton to form Helmet) and were replaced by Anne Husick (guitar) and Mark Lonergan (guitar), forming the line up which made three more albums and one EP. On the band's final U.S. and European tours a young Jay Braun filled in for Mark Lonergan. The band's final production was a version of Wire's Ahead for a collection of Wire cover versions called Whore, released in 1996.
Musically, BoS organised their three guitarists into providing an overwhelming wail of feedback and guitar noise layered under more conventional song structures (Poss had worked with guitar enemble composer Rhys Chatham and was a big fan of The Rolling Stones - the latter resulting in covers of Child of the Moon and Paint it Black). Although pretty much unconnected with it, Band of Susans are generally included in the New York No Wave scene that produced Sonic Youth and Glenn Branca.
After the dissolution of the band, Poss and Stenger performed with Bruce Gilbert of Wire as GilbertPossStenger. Poss then concentrated on production and solo work whilst Stenger played live with The Creatures for a period. An open-ended promise to reform under a new name has yet to happen.
It's Locked Away
Band Of Susans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Has the ring of truth
You cast the spells
But leave the books on the shelves
Stepping out of the frame
But no one detects
Backing down the stairs
Looking just long enough to know
It's locked away
All blurry eyed
They're getting frayed at the sides
Windows painted on walls
They've started screening their calls
Stepping back in the shade
How it used to be
Another instant replayed
It's locked away
Always cast against type
But no one detects
How the light looks tonight
Or just who it protects
When it shines so bright
I always close my eyes
When it shines so bright
It's blacking out life
It's locked away
The lyrics of Band of Susans’ song “It’s Locked Away” portrays the idea of something that is hidden or held within oneself. The first stanza, “The part no longer has the ring of truth / You cast the spells but leave the books on the shelves,” suggests the idea of losing credibility, while still having the ability to persuade. The singer has stepped out of the frame and backs down the stairs, signifying that they’ve distanced themselves from the situation or the relationship being discussed. They look just long enough to know that it’s locked away. This line implies that something is being kept secret or hidden, even from those closest to them, which is creating turmoil within them.
The second stanza, “All blurry-eyed they're getting frayed at the sides / Windows painted on walls, they've started screening their calls,” suggests that the singer’s friends or loved ones are concerned about them. They’re becoming disillusioned, and the world around them feels constructed and fake, depicted by the painted windows on the wall. The singer understands how their life used to be and is, therefore, living in the past. They constantly replay the memory of how things used to be, but the issue remains locked away. The chorus, “It’s locked away,” asserts that whatever the issue is, it’s kept hidden from the world, including from the person involved.
Line by Line Meaning
The part no longer
The situation has changed
Has the ring of truth
No longer seems believable or trustworthy
You cast the spells
You try to make everything seem perfect
But leave the books on the shelves
But don't really commit yourself to the effort
Stepping out of the frame
Trying to break free from the usual routine
But no one detects
No one notices or cares
Backing down the stairs
Leaving the scene
Looking just long enough to know
Taking one last look before leaving
It's locked away
It's hidden from everyone and not to be revealed
All blurry eyed
Feeling dizzy or confused
They're getting frayed at the sides
They're falling apart
Windows painted on walls
Illusions that cannot be real
They've started screening their calls
Avoiding any unwanted or unnecessary intrusion
Stepping back in the shade
Trying to stay out of the spotlight
How it used to be
How things were before
Another instant replayed
Another instance of the same scenario
Always cast against type
Always doing something uncharacteristic
How the light looks tonight
Observing the current state of things
Or just who it protects
Not knowing who benefits from the outcome
When it shines so bright
When it is too good to be true
I always close my eyes
I refuse to acknowledge it
It's blacking out life
It's taking over everything and causing chaos
Contributed by Asher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.