The Locust was formed by Justin Pearson, Bobby Bray, Dylan Scharf, Dave Warshaw, and Dave Astor. After a number of personnel changes, they arrived at their current four-piece lineup in 2001, consisting of Pearson, Bray, Gabe Serbian, and Joey Karam. Originally a powerviolence band with a strong tendency towards synth-based passages, they have more recently stripped down much of their past sound, but retained the heavy distortion, synthesizers, screamed vocals, and intense stage presence. On the band's unique sound and live presentations, singer/bassist Justin Pearson has said, "I wanted to change the way people perceive music, or maybe just destroy it in general." Their music is complex, dynamic and fast-paced, often featuring abrupt and inconsistent time-signature changes. These erratic elements are, according to guitarist Bobby Bray, "a reflection of perhaps how our brains have to function in order to be able to do anything in the Western societies we live in."
The Locust have a unique stage presence: costumed in skin-tight, full body nylon suits (which the band refer to as uniforms), they have at times come across to first-time viewers as frightening. The last 5 different suits were designed and made by Ben Warwas. Unlike most bands, which normally have the drums set up behind the other members, the four members of The Locust are usually all positioned in a line at the front of the stage. The group recommends that in order to get the full impact of the music, one should see them live. The Locust boycotts Clear Channel Communications and refuse to play in any Clear Channel-owned venues. This boycott affected a 2005 tour with Fantômas as well as another tour with Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They also have a policy of only playing all-ages shows. The band's lyrics range from stream-of-consciousness poetry to satirical portrayals of mainstream ideas of sexuality to political commentary and critiques of religion.
Book of Bot
The Locust Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like all the rest he thinks
There's time to make trouble
And time to make a mess
He says
"Punch in, automate,
stomp on, stomp out"
Mechanized and traumatized
Finds his boss's office
And tears it apart
Torches the evidence
Quits his job
Voltage highways
Currents moving constantly
BLissed out and circuit bent
He's summoned by his majesty
Anxious electric
Taps into the registry;
A challenge to the monolith,
The obelisk is posturing.
Sleeping monsters rise
(Manichaean disguise)
Ransacks Junktown.
Glass-eyed ogre
Builds himself and armory;
Lives like a hammer
(A vulgar diplomacy)
A new kind of prophet
Tyranny
Trauma
A new aristocracy
Finds every flaw in the eyes of his enemies
Wages war and flies his flag
Prelude to the coming of
A new machine metropolis.
The Locust's song "Book of Bot" appears to be a commentary on the modern robotic age and the consequences that may arise from our dependence on machines. The first stanza sets the stage for the singer, an individual who is dissatisfied with his monotonous life and his job. He seeks purpose and validation but succumbs to automation, obsessively tapping and becoming more robotic himself. He eventually destroys his job and becomes a renegade, exploring the "voltage highways" and "currents" that are apparently part of a larger network, leading him to a higher power.
The second stanza represents his ascent to power and influence through technology. He taps into the "registry" and challenges the "monolith" or the established system, thus becoming a revolutionary leader. The sleeping monsters that rise might represent the enslaved or oppressed individuals who join the singer's cause. He builds an "armory" and constructs his own version of reality, creating a new aristocracy. In the end, the singer is preparing for a new kind of world order, a "new machine metropolis" that is both exciting and concerning.
Some possible interpretations of this imagery might be that the singer is symbolizing the human quest for power and control, which is becoming increasingly intertwined with technology. The "sleeping monsters" might represent the majority of individuals in society who are unaware of the dangers or consequences of such a shift. The "new machine metropolis" might represent the future we are creating for ourselves, one in which we may become oppressed or enslaved to our own creations. Overall, the lyrics seem to convey a sense of both wonder and warning about the digital age.
Line by Line Meaning
He's a wretch and
He is a despicable person and
Like all the rest he thinks
He shares the same mindset as many others who believe that
There's time to make trouble
They have the time to create chaos and harm
And time to make a mess
And the time to create a disaster
He says
He further explains that this is what he believes by saying
"Punch in, automate,
"Finish your work, automate everything,
stomp on, stomp out"
Destroy anything and everything in your path"
Mechanized and traumatized
He has become a mechanical and damaged individual
He's tapping things obsessively.
He can't stop obsessively fidgeting with things.
Finds his boss's office
He locates his employer's workspace
And tears it apart
Then proceeds to completely destroy it
Torches the evidence
He tries to permanently destroy any proof
Quits his job
And ultimately resigns from his position.
Voltage highways
In the electrical infrastructure
Currents moving constantly
Electricity is always flowing
BLissed out and circuit bent
He gets a euphoric high from manipulating electrical circuits
He's summoned by his majesty
He is called by the machine Lord
Anxious electric
Nervous energy
Taps into the registry;
He gains access to the mainframe
A challenge to the monolith,
He questions the all-powerful structure
The obelisk is posturing.
The system is responding with aggression.
Sleeping monsters rise
Unnoticed dangers emerge
(Manichaean disguise)
(Hidden in plain sight)
Ransacks Junktown.
He completely pillages the opposing faction.
Glass-eyed ogre
He appears mentally absent
Builds himself and armory;
He starts constructing weapons.
Lives like a hammer
He sustains himself through destruction
(A vulgar diplomacy)
(A crude, but effective method)
A new kind of prophet
He establishes himself as a new leader
Tyranny
He rules through extreme cruelty and oppression
Trauma
And through inflicting pain
A new aristocracy
He creates a ruling class of his own followers.
Finds every flaw in the eyes of his enemies
He makes sure to perceive the faults of his adversaries.
Wages war and flies his flag
He initiates war and claims victory
Prelude to the coming of
This is the beginning of
A new machine metropolis.
A new society ruled by machines.
Contributed by Evelyn T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.