Borland states that Black Light Burns is the culmination of the various projects he has been working on ever since he quit Limp Bizkit in 2001. Things began with Big Dumb Face, a solo project that Borland had worked on during his time with Limp Bizkit. Borland didn't take the project too seriously, and used it to basically test the waters, and see how hard it would be to do something serious on his own, without the aid of his band mates. After he quit the band, he began working on several different projects. The first of which was supposed to be an instrumental album one could listen to and simply relax. Simultaneously, he began Eat The Day. With this project, he became cocky, and thought because of his previous success with Limp Bizkit, duplicating that success with a new band would be simple. Borland soon found out this wasn't the case. Eat The Day eventually unravelled itself, as, in Borland's words, "I think everybody involved in that project had different ideas about the direction that it should go". Borland became self-absorbed, and along with continuous pressure from the label, and struggles finding a lead singer for the band, the project eventually disbanded.
In terms of their lineup, the band is somewhat of a successor to the brief project The Damning Well, which consisted of mostly the same members. The main difference this time around being that Borland has taken vocals into his own hands, after many attempts to find a proper vocalist in various projects.
After the 'failure' of Borland's various projects, he returned to Limp Bizkit once again, turning down the spot as Nine Inch Nails touring guitar player. According to vocalist Fred Durst, Borland only agreed to return to the band on the condition that their label, Geffen, agreed to support his solo project, Black Light Burns.
It began only as a side project, with Borland writing many of the songs during his time off from Limp Bizkit, but soon things in Limp Bizkit became very quiet, and Borland himself stated that Black Light Burns was now his main project, and anything else he did, including Limp Bizkit, was a side project. Eventually arguments broke out on MySpace between Borland and Durst, and Borland left Limp Bizkit once again, although according to him, the band members had already gone their separate ways, he simply decided not to return.
The Black Light Burns song titled "I Have a Need" was instrumentally written to be included on the Limp Bizkit release The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1) in 2005, but was cut in order for the EP to remain mostly metal oriented. It features Limp Bizkit's bassist Sam Rivers on the track, and Wes was allowed to use the song for Black Light Burns when the song was turned down for use by Limp Bizkit.
On June 16, Borland announced that the band and Geffen Records had parted ways. There was little word in the following months over the situation regarding a new label, though as of October 25, the band is in negotiations with a label, and are hoping to release their debut album early 2007.
Borland has stated that he is the only constant in Black Light Burns, as the other members of the studio lineup are expected to be mostly unable to participate in touring with Black Light Burns, such as the notoriously busy Josh Freese.
The initial touring lineup of Black Light Burns includes Nick Annis (previously in Open Hand, Turn of the Screw) as a guitarist and Marshall Kilpatric (previously in The Esoteric) on drums, as well as Wes Borland himself.
Black Light Burns' first tour was previously set to begin in fall of 2006 with From First to Last, who Borland also plays bass for on and off. This tour was to feature Borland doing double duty as the singer/guitarist for Black Light Burns and then bassist for From First to Last afterwards. However, Sonny Moore (singer of FFTL) developed a node on his right vocal chord and has to get surgery, thus ending Wes Borland's current touring stint with From First To Last.
In late 2007-early 2008, after a scheduled break from touring for the their label to secure an overseas release of Cruel Melody, Black Light Burns announced plans for a covers album that also includes remixes and b-sides from Cruel Melody, and a DVD containing live and behind the scenes footage of the band. Artists PJ Harvey, INXS, The Jesus Lizard, Love and Rockets, The Swans, Fiona Apple, Lard, and Borland's own old side project Big Dumb Face will be covered for the release. The two discs will be released together in spring of 2008.
On March 30, 2008 Wes Borland made a post on the band's MySpace about how he filled in for the band X Japan and was "looking forward to coming home and getting back to work on the next BLB album", by which he means the second full length Black Light Burns album, due to the fact that their cover song album was already complete by that point in time.
As of August 2008, at the ETP Conference, it was announced that Borland is now the current Marilyn Manson tour guitarist.
Also Two new songs have appeared on http://www.myspace.com/wesleyborland. They are entitled Cats and Cats And Cats, B4Lf3r
Much like Nine Inch Nails, Black Light Burns consists of two entities, the studio band, and the live band. Some members of the band that recorded in the studio may not be able to tour with the band, and future live members might contribute to future CD releases, therefore lineup changes could occur. Borland did all of the vocals, guitar, and bass on the album.
Studio Line-up
1. Wes Borland - (previously in Limp Bizkit, Eat The Day, Big Dumb Face)
2. Danny Lohner - (previously in Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle)
3. Josh Freese - (The Vandals, Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle, many more)
4. Josh Eustis - (Telefon Tel Aviv)
When asked on Black Light Burns's MySpace if the studio band listed above would return for the band's second record, Wes Borland replied "Probably not. Marshall is the full time drummer for BLB now, but Danny Lohner may be returning for some input on the next record."
Live Line-up
1. Wes Borland - Vocals, Guitar
2. Marshall Kilpatric - Drums (previously in The Esoteric, Today is the Day)
3. Nick Annis - Guitar (previously in Open Hand, Turn Of The Screw, shortly played for Seether while on tour in Ozzfest)
4. Dennis Sanders Jr.-Bass
Wes Borland's MacBook Pro will be playing the keyboard or loops that the four above bandmembers can't/won't be playing live. According to Borland, Josh Eustis, who played keyboards and sound design on Cruel Melody, was supposed to join the live lineup, but opted to do production instead, leaving Borland to use his laptop to reproduce samples and keyboards live.
My Gun
Black Light Burns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Late at night sometimes I become paranoid
And think Im not alone
Like someones there just right outside
They are there to murder me
Or so it seems
They know just where
To find me at my house
Or right outside
Ive seen it on the news
The slow ones die
The ones who dont prepare themselves the best
Preparing for the worst is what I do man
I invest
You should see me use my gun
I got a pretty one(pretty one)
I can shoot the paper target
Shoot the paper target
Shoot the paper
You should see me use my gun
I got a pretty one(pretty one)
I can shoot the paper target
Shoot the paper target
Shoot the paper(shoot the paper)
Im fucking Anni Oakley
I twirl that shit around
Anyone who comes inside my house is going down
I look so tough
When Im posing here at home
Always (packing here?)
You bet Im strapped
Let it be known
So rapist run
And killers you beware
I pose in the mirror
And Im frightening when I stare
All burglars are swiss cheese
Boy Im hard
I scare myself so much
That you will get shot in my front yard
You should see me use my gun
I got a pretty one(pretty one)
I can shoot the paper target
Shoot the paper target
Shoot the paper
The lyrics to Black Light Burns's song "My Gun" paint a picture of paranoia and fear, as the singer describes feeling like they are being watched and followed by someone who intends to harm them. They speak of preparing themselves for the worst, investing in a gun and practicing shooting a paper target to ensure they can defend themselves if needed. The singer also shows a sense of confidence and toughness, twirling their gun like Annie Oakley and posing in the mirror, all the while warning potential attackers to beware.
The song touches on the theme of personal safety and the lengths some people will go to protect themselves in a dangerous world. The singer's fear of being harmed and need to defend themselves speaks to a broader societal issue of violence and the fear it can instill in individuals. Additionally, the lyrics highlight the controversial topic of gun ownership and its place in personal protection.
Overall, the lyrics to "My Gun" offer a dark and ominous view of the world through the eyes of someone who is constantly looking over their shoulder and prepared to defend themselves at all costs.
Line by Line Meaning
When I'm alone
At times when I'm by myself
Late at night sometimes I become paranoid
At night, I become overly anxious and fearful
And think I'm not alone, like someone's there just right outside
I feel like someone is lurking outside my house, making me feel restless
They are there to murder me, or so it seems
I fear that this person intends to kill me
They know just where to find me at my house or at my friend's house or right outside
This person seems to know where I live, where my friends live and even my whereabouts
I've seen it on the news, the slow ones die, the ones who don't prepare themselves the best
I've watched on the news that those who aren't ready to protect themselves face dangers
Preparing for the worst is what I do, man, I invest
I take measures to get ready for any danger that may arise
You should see me use my gun, I got a pretty one (pretty one)
I have a gun and use it effectively
I can shoot the paper target, shoot the paper target, shoot the paper
I practice my shooting skills by repeatedly hitting the paper target
I'm fucking Annie Oakley, I twirl that shit around
I possess excellent shooting skills, and I can spin the gun around just like Annie Oakley
Anyone who comes inside my house is going down
Any intruder who enters my house will face the consequences
I look so tough when I'm posing here at home, always (packing here?) you bet I'm strapped let it be known
When I pose at home, I look like a tough person, and it's evident that I always carry a gun
So, rapist run, and killers you beware, I pose in the mirror, and I'm frightening when I stare
Rapists and killers should avoid me because I'm cautiously watching and waiting, and I can intimidate them with my look
All burglars are Swiss cheese, boy, I'm hard
I'm fearless and always ready to face any potential danger
I scare myself so much that you will get shot in my front yard
I'm so afraid of danger that if anyone comes near me, they might get shot in my yard
You should see me use my gun, I got a pretty one (pretty one)
I'm quite efficient and effective when it comes to handling my gun
I can shoot the paper target, shoot the paper target, shoot the paper
I can hit the paper target multiple times without fail
Contributed by John N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.