The teenage band consisted of lead singer Jemina Pearl Abegg, the daughter of Christian artist/photographer Jimmy Abegg; guitarist Jonas Stein, the son of manager Burt Stein; John Eatherly (drums); and Nathan Vasquez (bass), the son of acclaimed latin jazz guitarist Rafael Vasquez. Founding member Jamin Orall quit the band to finish college and tour with his other band, Jeff, just before Be Your Own Pet's 2006 American tour. Sixteen-year-old John Eatherly, an old friend of the band, took over behind the kit.
BYOP formed in 2003 in the basement of the Orrall home, which doubles as a home studio/rehearsal space for indie label Infinity Cat Recordings.
Their sound is basic, primal garage rock and are often compared to popular New York group Yeah Yeah Yeahs, partially for their style, featuring heavy rock guitars with abrasive vocals and erratic, angular rhythms, but more due to comparisons between Abegg and Yeah Yeah Yeahs front woman Karen O, both of whom are women with a dynamic, non-traditional stage presence.
Be Your Own Pet generated a massive amount of press following the release of their debut single "Damn Damn Leash" on Infinity Cat. The single was produced by Kings of Leon producer Angelo and Infinity Cat's Robert Ellis Orrall, and mixed by Modest Mouse mix engineer Jaquire King. The press included an interview in Rolling Stone, appearances at the Glastonbury and Reading/Leeds festivals, as well as successful appearances at SXSW and slots supporting bands such as The Kills. The band also appeared on the Queen tribute album, Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen, covering the classic "Bicycle Race". The band released their eponymous album in the UK in March 2006, and in the US in June 2006.
On August 1, 2008, after cancelling a stint on Warped Tour and a tour with The Black Keys, the band announced on their website that after finishing a small tour of England, they would be breaking up. No reason was given for the decision.
In April 2022, Be Your Own Pet reformed for two shows which led to the August 2023 release of the album Mommy.
Black Hole
Be Your Own Pet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh baby, wanna get in a fight
Breaking glass bottles is oh so fun
Let's go and kill someone
Living in this city, I get so bored
Wanna kill myself on a telephone cord
I guess we could go drive around
Always going back and forth
Ooh, I'm living in a black hole
Sick of all the same lame faces
Oh, I'm stuck in a black hole
Always going back and forth
Ooh, I'm living in a black hole
Tired and there's nowhere to go
Oh, I'm stuck in this black hole
Staying out 'til six in the morning
Trying to find something that's not boring
We could go party down the street
And show those kids to the beat
Eating pizza is really great
So is destroying everything you hate
I just wanna lose all control
[Incomprehensible] fucking hell hole
Always going back and forth
Ooh, I'm living in a black hole
Sick of all the same lame faces
Oh, I'm stuck in a black hole
Always going back and forth
Ooh, I'm living in a black hole
Tired and there's nowhere to go
Oh, I'm stuck in this black hole
Drinking Coca-Cola all night
Ooh baby, wanna get in a fight
Breaking glass bottles is oh so fun
Let's go and kill someone
Living in this city I get so bored
Wanna kill myself on a telephone cord
I guess we could go drive around
But what's the point?
The song "Black Hole" by Be Your Own Pet is an anthem for youthful boredom and nihilism. The first verse alone sets the tone of the song with lyrics like "Drinking Coca-Cola all night, Ooh baby, wanna get in a fight, Breaking glass bottles is oh so fun, Let's go and kill someone." These lyrics suggest that the singer is listless and looking for something to do, but they are considering violent and destructive options.
The second verse expands the theme of boredom, with the singer saying "Living in this city, I get so bored, Wanna kill myself on a telephone cord, I guess we could go drive around, What's the point in this town?" Here the singer is expressing a desire to escape the monotony of their life, but they are unsure of how to do that. The chorus repeats the phrase "Always going back and forth, Ooh, I'm living in a black hole," emphasizing the feeling of being stuck and unable to escape.
Overall, the song captures the feeling of being young and restless, but also lost and disillusioned. It is a reflection on the darker side of teenage angst, where the search for identity and meaning can lead to dangerous and destructive behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
Drinking Coca-Cola all night
The singer is engaging in meaningless activities to fill up their time.
Ooh baby, wanna get in a fight
The singer desires to find excitement in violence which shows their frustration with the monotony of their life.
Breaking glass bottles is oh so fun
The singer is willing to destroy things just to feel something different, regardless of the consequences.
Let's go and kill someone
The artist is so detached from the consequences of their actions that they suggest harming others as a way to pass the time.
Living in this city, I get so bored
The artist is unmotivated and disinterested in their surroundings.
Wanna kill myself on a telephone cord
The singer is so desperate to escape their current situation that they contemplate taking their own life.
I guess we could go drive around
The singer can't think of anything else to do with their time, which highlights their boredom.
What's the point in this town?
The artist is questioning the purpose of living in a place with no excitement or worthwhile experiences.
Always going back and forth
The artist is stuck in an endless cycle of boredom, frustration and unfulfillment.
Ooh, I'm living in a black hole
The artist feels as though they're trapped in a hopeless and depressing place with no escape.
Sick of all the same lame faces
The singer is tired of the mundane and uninteresting people around them, which adds to their boredom.
Tired and there's nowhere to go
The artist is drained of energy and motivation, but can't see any way to change their life for the better.
Staying out 'til six in the morning
The singer is trying to find something to make their life more exciting by engaging in reckless behavior.
Trying to find something that's not boring
The singer is frustrated that they can't find anything in their current environment that interests them.
We could go party down the street
The singer suggests yet another mindless activity to fill up their time.
And show those kids to the beat
The artist is looking for validation and a sense of belonging by trying to impress others who are equally lost and uninterested in their lives.
Eating pizza is really great
The artist is trying to find enjoyment in small and meaningless things because they're unable to make a meaningful change in their life.
So is destroying everything you hate
The singer is so bored with their surroundings that they enjoy destroying things, even things they may not actually dislike.
I just wanna lose all control
The singer feels powerless in their life and is willing to do anything to feel as though they have control over something.
[Incomprehensible] fucking hell hole
The artist hates their current situation and is unable to find a way out of it.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JEMIMA PEARL ABEGG, JOHN EATHERLY, JONAS STEIN, NATHAN VASQUEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind