The Disco Biscuits are also well-known for their ability to run long sets together, sometimes even playing their songs backwards, in styles referred to as "inverted" and "dyslexic." An inverted version of a song occurs when the band starts a song by playing its ending segment, followed immediately by its beginning segment and a jam that segues out of that song and into another. A dyslexic song is played the same way as an inverted one, with its main difference being that the pieces of the song are not played consecutively (e.g. ending of 1 -> 2, 3, 4, beginning of 1 -> 5). Another technique employed by the band is a fakeout, which occurs when the band plays a jam that usually leads into one song, but segues into another unexpectedly.
Due to the separation of their segments, dyslexic songs can begin on one night's show and end the next night. The nature of their setlists is both a blessing and a curse; while the myriad variations on their songs are interesting to hardcore fans of the band, it can confuse people who are not already familiar with their catalog. This forces the listener to be immediately willing to immerse themselves in the Disco Biscuits' large catalog, which can prove to be a rather overwhelming task for novices to undertake. On the other hand, many are fascinated by the game of "what song are they going to play next", and are disappointed when their ears are attuned enough to know the answers in advance.
The band has 2 rock operas as part of their catalog: the Hot Air Balloon (written by guitarist Jon Gutwillig) and the Chemical Warfare Brigade (written by bassist Marc Brownstein).
On 11/5/04 The Disco Biscuits announced that drummer Sam Altman was leaving the band to attend medical school. The band had toured only sporadically from the end of the summer of 2003 until Sammy's official departure was confirmed. The band announced that Allen Aucoin would replace Altman as the full-time drummer on 12/12/05, ending months of speculation.
In 2007, the band co-headlined the D.U.M.B. (Disco-Umphrey's McGee-Biscuits) tour with Umphrey's McGee. Bandmembers from both Umphrey's and Bisco have further more found each other in the Brain Damaged Eggmen, a Pink Floyd and Beatles coverband
Discography
* Encephalous Crime (self-released, 1996)
* Uncivilized Area (1998)
* Bisco Lives (2000)
* They Missed the Perfume (2001)
* Señor Boombox (2002)
* TranceFusion Radio Broadcast Vol. 1-4 (2003)
* Wind at Four to Fly (2006)
* Rocket 3 (2007)
* Planet Anthem (2010)
Pat And Dex
The Disco Biscuits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No time to stay alive
He rolled on Dexter's back
His shell seemed not to crack crack
Now he's headed for the door
Right past my little sycamore
He's stuck on my linai
Patrick's trippin on the shelf
Lookin up past on himself
What is Dexter thinkin about
And Patrick can't find no way out
Now Patrick's still alive
He sold his soul to save his hide
And when the time rolled back
He wished his shell went crack crack
Now he's headed for the door
Right past my little sycamore
He's stuck on askin why
Why did Dexter have to die
Patrick's trippin on the shelf
Lookin on past on himself
What is Dexter thinkin about
And Patrick can't find no way out
Sherr wants her lolly lolly
Sherr wants her lollypop
The lyrics of "Pat and Dex" by The Disco Biscuits are not straightforward and seem to have a surreal and confusing narrative. The first two lines describe Patrick taking a dive and not having the time to save himself, rolling on Dexter's back where his shell doesn't crack. The lyrics then take a darker turn as Patrick is stuck somewhere, asking why Dexter had to die. There is no explanation as to who Dexter is or how he died.
The next stanza suggests that Patrick is hallucinating, tripping on a shelf and looking up past himself. He wonders what Dexter could have been thinking about before he died, and he can't find a way out. In the final stanza, the lyrics become even more obscure, with a sudden mention of someone named Sherr who wants her lollypop.
Overall, the lyrics seem to be about a person named Patrick who is struggling with something, possibly drug addiction or depression. He thinks about a person named Dexter who has died, and he is stuck in his own mind, unable to find a way out. The reference to Sherr wanting her lollypop only adds to the surreal atmosphere created by the song.
Line by Line Meaning
When Patrick took his dive
Patrick experienced a sudden fall or plunge.
No time to stay alive
There was no opportunity to avoid the deadly outcome.
He rolled on Dexter's back
Patrick landed on top of Dexter while falling.
His shell seemed not to crack crack
Patrick did not sustain major physical injuries after the fall.
Now he's headed for the door
Patrick is leaving the current location.
Right past my little sycamore
Patrick is quickly moving past a nearby tree.
He's stuck on my linai
Patrick is currently located on a porch or balcony.
Why did Dexter have to die
Patrick is questioning why Dexter (possibly a person or a pet) had to die.
Patrick's trippin on the shelf
Patrick is experiencing visual hallucinations or feeling mentally unstable.
Lookin up past on himself
Patrick is gazing upward or introspectively analyzing his thoughts and actions.
What is Dexter thinkin about
Patrick wonders about Dexter's thoughts or feelings, possibly related to Dexter's death.
And Patrick can't find no way out
Patrick is feeling trapped and unable to escape from his current situation.
He sold his soul to save his hide
Patrick made a desperate deal or sacrifice to avoid a negative consequence or danger.
And when the time rolled back
There was a reversal or reset of a previous event or timeline.
He wished his shell went crack crack
Patrick regretted not sustaining fatal injuries and being stuck in his current situation.
Sherr wants her lolly lolly
A new character, Sherr, expresses a desire for candy.
Sherr wants her lollypop
Sherr specifically wants a type of candy - a lollypop.
Contributed by Wyatt V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.